Cognitive Dissonance

 

Cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced when holding two conflicting beliefs, values, or attitudes, or when one's behavior contradicts his beliefs. This feeling of unease motivates people to reduce the tension by 1) changing their beliefs or behaviors, or by 2) rationalizing or downplaying the inconsistency. For example, a person who knows smoking is unhealthy, but who continues to smoke anyway, may experience such dissonance and be motivated to 1) quit smoking, or 2) change belief about the health risks, or 3) rationalize his behavior. 

It is a state of psychological discomfort that arises from holding contradictory thoughts or when your actions don't align with your beliefs. This internal conflict can cause feelings of guilt, anxiety, or regret. How people reduce it is by changing behavior or beliefs, or by rationalizing it, or by simply trying to avoid the new and conflicting information (that smoking is dangerous, for instance).

When a people's beliefs are shown to be illogical, they experience cognitive dissonance, a state of mental discomfort and psychological tension. This tension arises from the conflict between a person's original belief and the new, contradictory information. To relieve this discomfort, the person is motivated to either change his or her belief, reject or ignore the new information, or rationalize his or her original belief. We see this happen when a person in debate is caught in a clear and apparent contradiction. The above image reflects how people often react to being "caught" in a logical fallacy or contradiction. We see this in courtrooms where a witness is caught in a contradiction.

When caught in a contradiction, people often react with psychological discomfort or cognitive dissonance, which often leads to defensiveness, rationalization, or attempts to change the topic. Some become angry, deny the contradiction, refusing to believe the obvious, while others feel confused, anxious, or trapped. Depending on the individual and the situation, reactions can range from emotional responses to a more thoughtful and analytical process of reconciliation. 

I have seen such cognitive dissonance in many debates when debaters have been shown the falsity of their beliefs. Oftentimes the reaction of those who have been shown their fallacies and contradictions becomes laughable. I used to watch Charlie Kirk's debates every day, oftentimes just for a laugh. Seeing people's reactions to being caught by him in a logical fallacy or contradiction was often humorous, laughable, or a "folly." Likewise, I watch a lot of videos where Christian apologists debate with Muslims, Jews, Jehovah's Witnesses, Modalists, Unitarians, etc., and I see how those apologists, when presenting evidence to these folks that contradicts their beliefs or practices, causes such cognitive dissonance and which makes me laugh. Just go on YouTube and watch Avery of "Godlogic" debate with Muslims. Or watch Sam Shamoun or David Wood, or others, do the same. It makes me think of that famous line "you can't handle the truth" from the movie "A Few Good Men."  

I also have seen the cognitive dissonance that many Hardshell Baptists experience when they receive information that overthrows their beliefs and suppositions. They become uncomfortable, uneasy, jittery, nervous, agitated, defensive, unable to relax, etc. I often hear Avery or Sam or David tell the Muslims they are debating "calm down brother," or "relax brother," or "take it easy brother," etc. The fact is, truth can make one feel very uncomfortable. Think of the many times in the preaching and teaching of Christ and his apostles where they gave truth evidence to people and which made those people uneasy, or made them squirm. Listen to some of these YouTube debates and watch the cognitive dissonance and get a laugh. It is often quite hilarious.

For instance, when Muslims are shown things in their Quran or in Islamic history that are unpleasant, or which they did not know were there, they become quite a spectacle to behold. Ask them if they are okay with Muhammad marrying a six year old and having sex with her at nine and see their reaction, how they try to deal with that fact, how they try to rationalize it, or avoid it. Watch them when they try to deal with Islamic dilemmas. 

Example, ask these questions:

1) Are the original Torah and Gospel (Injeel) the revelation or words of Allah?

2) Can the words of Allah be corrupted by addition or subtraction?

Most will say "yes" to the first question and "no" to the latter. When that occurs, ask them - "why then do you say that the Torah and the Gospel (Bible) have been corrupted?" See them react to being put in this state of cognitive dissonance.