RAZD writes:
The biggest problem he will have -- and the reason he calls evolution a lie -- is that he has a problem with cognitive dissonance: what he believes is not supported by the evidence, therefore either what he believes is false or the evidence is a lie.
Cognitive dissonance does not come from holding beliefs that conflict with reality; it comes from being aware of the conflict. My suspicion is that VenomFangX sincerely believes that the evidence is on his side, and does not suffer from cognitive dissonance at all.
This is basic to fundamentalist creationist beliefs (whether christian, muslim, hindu or whatever) -- the absolutism and rejection of alternate possibilities.
To be a fundamentalist creationist, one must believe the fundamentalist creationist arguments. Almost all of these arguments render all other possibilities (such as evolution) completely absurd (witness the numerous proofs that evolution is impossible). One can hardly be a fundamentalist creationist without very strongly rejecting the alternatives.
As discussed in our emails I don't believe one could change his mind - I don't think it is possible to do that to absolutist fundamentalist creationists without dealing with the cognitive dissonance issues at a more complete level than is possible on the internet. Something more like a cult intervention program to de-program the propoganda and lies is needed first.
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It's 'kool-aid religion' ... with more than sugar, food-color and flavoring added.
I don’t think this is an accurate characterization of most fundamentalists.
The nature of the most types of fundamentalist philosophy makes it difficult to see alternatives as anything but insane; if someone is a fundamentalist, almost by necessity that person will have an extremely high level of confidence. But this does not mean that fundamentalists have been brainwashed. They have simply heard arguments, weighed evidence and concluded that one side is dramatically more convincing than the other.
As an aside, interactions on this discussion board (some even with you!) have converted at least several fundamentalist creationist posters to some variety of evolutionist (myself included), and have likely done the same to many lurkers. I think that most fundamentalists are sufficiently open-minded and rational that they could work through the cognitive dissonance and change their mind if they thought they were in error.
- JT
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