How to believe in God (in 6 easy steps)

Sam Harris has created a simple, but effective template for how to believe in God that he fit easily into six tweets, which are shown below. I’ve added brief commentary to each step.

1. First, you must want to believe in God.

— Sam Harris Says… (@SamHarrisSays) October 9, 2015

Step one is critical because, by default, one’s beliefs are generally motivated by evidence, which is unlikely to lead to a (sustained) belief in God.

2. Next, understand that believing in God in the absence of evidence is especially noble.

— Sam Harris Says… (@SamHarrisSays) October 9, 2015

Step two is a rationalization that dampens the cognitive dissonance that often causes one to discard unsupported conclusions.

3 Then,realize that the human ability to believe in God in the absence of evidence might itself constitute evidence for the existence of God

— Sam Harris Says… (@SamHarrisSays) October 9, 2015

Step 3 is a another rationalization designed fight one’s natural urge to demand evidence for a belief by manufacturing “evidence” out of circular, wishful thinking. — Belief in God is evidence of God; I believe in God, therefore I have evidence of God.

4. Now consider any need for further evidence to be a form of temptation, spiritually unhealthy, or a corruption of the intellect.

— Sam Harris Says… (@SamHarrisSays) October 9, 2015

Step 4 is designed to squelch those inevitable doubts the moment they occur. In much the way a bark-detecting shock collar trains a dog to suppress the urge to bark, this step helps train a believer to suppress the natural urge to question and doubt.

5. Refer to steps 2-4 as acts of “faith.”

— Sam Harris Says… (@SamHarrisSays) October 9, 2015

Step 5 creates a euphemism for the act of disabling ones critical, evidence-based reasoning functions. It allows believers to treat as a virtue that which would, in other contexts, could be considered a shortcoming.

6. Return to 2.

— Sam Harris Says… (@SamHarrisSays) October 9, 2015

This final step serves to ensure that no further consideration be given to the question of belief. It creates a dead end for intellectual curiosity and inquiry.