Monthly Archives: June 2024

(Page 3)
"Peter Wason coined the term 'confirmation bias' to describe the tendency people have to immediately favor information that validates their preconceptions or hypotheses, and ignore anything that contrasts them, regardless of whether the personal beliefs are true or not." - Peter Cathcart Wason (1924-2003) Cognitive Psychologist. Pioneered the psychology of reasoning | wasmormon.org
"Peter Wason coined the term 'confirmation bias' to describe the tendency people have to immediately favor information that validates their preconceptions or hypotheses, and ignore anything that contrasts them, regardless of whether the personal beliefs are true or not." - Peter Cathcart Wason (1924-2003) Cognitive Psychologist. Pioneered the psychology of reasoning
If God answers your prayer, He is increasing your faith. If He delays, He is inceasing your patience. If He doesn't answer, He has something better for you... Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, or interpret, information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions. Characteristic trait of cult mentality.
If God answers your prayer, He is increasing your faith. If He delays, He is inceasing your patience. If He doesn't answer, He has something better for you... Confirmation Bias: The tendency to search for, or interpret, information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions. Characteristic trait of cult mentality.
"Oh great Flying Spaghetti Monster, whose noodly appendages touch us all, I come before you seeking your divine sauciness. If it is your will, bestow upon me a sign of your saucy presence. Guide me with your meatball wisdom and your infinite pasta strands. As I humbly ask for your noodly guidance, I promise to keep my heart as open as a freshly cooked plate of spaghetti. Fill me with the warmth of your marinara love and the assurance of your al dente truth. R'Amen." - Similarities to Moroni's Promise found in the Flying Spaghetti Monster Religion | wasmormon.org
"Oh great Flying Spaghetti Monster, whose noodly appendages touch us all, I come before you seeking your divine sauciness. If it is your will, bestow upon me a sign of your saucy presence. Guide me with your meatball wisdom and your infinite pasta strands. As I humbly ask for your noodly guidance, I promise to keep my heart as open as a freshly cooked plate of spaghetti. Fill me with the warmth of your marinara love and the assurance of your al dente truth. R'Amen." - Similarities to Moroni's Promise found in the Flying Spaghetti Monster Religion
"What usually happens when we begin to ponder how merciful the Lord has been to mankind? To us personally? What happens when we count our blessings, or perhaps our sins for which we must ask his forgiveness, and recognize his hand in our individual lives? Is it not true that our hearts turn to the Lord in love and gratitude? Do our faith and humility increase? Yes, and that, in my judgment, is the impact of verse 3—following the counsel therein helps us to become more humble, more willing and ready to receive new information and knowledge with an open mind. Any person who has sincerely followed the admonition of verse 3 is then prepared to apply the counsel on confirming truth that follows in the next two verses..." - LDS Seventy, Gene R. Cook, 1994 | wasmormon.org
"What usually happens when we begin to ponder how merciful the Lord has been to mankind? To us personally? What happens when we count our blessings, or perhaps our sins for which we must ask his forgiveness, and recognize his hand in our individual lives? Is it not true that our hearts turn to the Lord in love and gratitude? Do our faith and humility increase? Yes, and that, in my judgment, is the impact of verse 3—following the counsel therein helps us to become more humble, more willing and ready to receive new information and knowledge with an open mind. Any person who has sincerely followed the admonition of verse 3 is then prepared to apply the counsel on confirming truth that follows in the next two verses..." - LDS Seventy, Gene R. Cook, 1994
"If we want an answer from God, we will move ourselves out of a neutral position and let our desire to believe that God can help us begin to work in us... The Lord offers us the opportunity to let him confirm truth already in our hearts. But in order to confirm religious truth, one must at least have the idea, or the thought, or the belief (however small) that he has found something true, and then pray to receive the Lord’s confirmation... Thus, our prayer, in essence, is a request for a confirmation of our own conclusions from our pondering." - LDS Seventy, Gene R. Cook, 1994 | wasmormon.org
"If we want an answer from God, we will move ourselves out of a neutral position and let our desire to believe that God can help us begin to work in us... The Lord offers us the opportunity to let him confirm truth already in our hearts. But in order to confirm religious truth, one must at least have the idea, or the thought, or the belief (however small) that he has found something true, and then pray to receive the Lord’s confirmation... Thus, our prayer, in essence, is a request for a confirmation of our own conclusions from our pondering." - LDS Seventy, Gene R. Cook, 1994
"Follow Moroni's counsel. Sincerely ask God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, with real intent, if the teachings of the Book of Mormon are true. Ask with a desire to receive a confirmation personally, nothing doubting. There has to be an explanation of that book you can hold in your hand. I know that you can receive a spiritual confirmation that it is true. You will then know that Jesus Christ lives, that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Church. You will confirm that the Savior guides His Church through a living prophet. These truths will become a foundation for your productive life." - LDS Apostle, Richard G. Scott, 2012 | wasmormon.org
"Follow Moroni's counsel. Sincerely ask God the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, with real intent, if the teachings of the Book of Mormon are true. Ask with a desire to receive a confirmation personally, nothing doubting. There has to be an explanation of that book you can hold in your hand. I know that you can receive a spiritual confirmation that it is true. You will then know that Jesus Christ lives, that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's Church. You will confirm that the Savior guides His Church through a living prophet. These truths will become a foundation for your productive life." - LDS Apostle, Richard G. Scott, 2012
"I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." - Moroni's Promise – Moroni 10:3-5, The Book of Mormon | wasmormon.org
"I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." - Moroni's Promise – Moroni 10:3-5, The Book of Mormon

Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias refers to the cognitive tendency of individuals to interpret or seek out information in a way that confirms their preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. When someone experiences confirmation bias, they are more likely to notice, remember, and give greater weight to information that supports their existing beliefs, while disregarding or downplaying evidence that contradicts …

Continue reading “Confirmation Bias”

“The power of the positive moral emotions to uplift & transform people has long been known... an emotion that I have begun to call "elevation." Elevation is elicited by acts of virtue or moral beauty; it causes warm, open feelings in the chest; and it motivates people to behave more virtuously themselves.” - Jonathan Haidt, Elevation and the Positive Psychology of Morality (2003) Author, Social Psychologist, Professor of Ethical Leadership | wasmormon.org
“The power of the positive moral emotions to uplift & transform people has long been known... an emotion that I have begun to call "elevation." Elevation is elicited by acts of virtue or moral beauty; it causes warm, open feelings in the chest; and it motivates people to behave more virtuously themselves.” - Jonathan Haidt, Elevation and the Positive Psychology of Morality (2003) Author, Social Psychologist, Professor of Ethical Leadership

Moroni’s Promise – A Lesson in Confirmation Bias and Elevated Emotions

In the Book of Mormon, Moroni offers a promise often cited by members of the LDS Church to confirm its truthfulness. This promise is foundational for many Mormons, providing a personal spiritual confirmation of the church’s teachings. Moroni encourages readers to ask God with a sincere heart and real intent if the Book of Mormon …

Continue reading “Moroni’s Promise – A Lesson in Confirmation Bias and Elevated Emotions”

“The furor now arising over the homosexual issue is but one example. Legislators, like everyone else, must recognize that the unclean is unclean regardless of the attire in which it appears. Some say that this evil is no longer evil. But who has the right or the ability to change its basic definition? It was the Almighty Himself who laid down the law on this practice. He condemned it and classed it as a capital crime... Who are they that they should parade their debauchery and call it clean?” - LDS Apostle, Mark E. Petersen, Church News, March 18, 1978 | wasmormon.org
“The furor now arising over the homosexual issue is but one example. Legislators, like everyone else, must recognize that the unclean is unclean regardless of the attire in which it appears. Some say that this evil is no longer evil. But who has the right or the ability to change its basic definition? It was the Almighty Himself who laid down the law on this practice. He condemned it and classed it as a capital crime... Who are they that they should parade their debauchery and call it clean?” - LDS Apostle, Mark E. Petersen, Church News, March 18, 1978
“Legislators are being asked to rule that adultery should no longer be considered a crime, that homosexuals and other deviates should be allowed to practice their depravities legally and without restriction... Apostasy through immorality is at least as bad as returning to paganism... Paul says of those who deviate from the path of virtue into some of the great perversions, "they which commit such things are worthy of death."” - LDS Apostle, Mark E. Petersen, General Conference Talk, April 1965 | wasmormon.org
“Legislators are being asked to rule that adultery should no longer be considered a crime, that homosexuals and other deviates should be allowed to practice their depravities legally and without restriction... Apostasy through immorality is at least as bad as returning to paganism... Paul says of those who deviate from the path of virtue into some of the great perversions, "they which commit such things are worthy of death."” - LDS Apostle, Mark E. Petersen, General Conference Talk, April 1965
“... the "new morality" that is being flaunted now; a lowering of the standards of virtue, a philosophy that anything goes these days. This is a doctrine of Satan. Not only does this delusion include sex before marriage, the abolition of marriage altogether, and assent to infidelity, but it embraces the now widespread movement of homosexuality. The homosexuals claim that God made them that way and hence are powerless to change, which is a complete fabrication and a deep delusion, for it was the Lord who provided the death penalty for these people in ancient times.” - LDS Apostle, Mark E. Petersen, Church News, January 14, 1978 | wasmormon.org
“... the "new morality" that is being flaunted now; a lowering of the standards of virtue, a philosophy that anything goes these days. This is a doctrine of Satan. Not only does this delusion include sex before marriage, the abolition of marriage altogether, and assent to infidelity, but it embraces the now widespread movement of homosexuality. The homosexuals claim that God made them that way and hence are powerless to change, which is a complete fabrication and a deep delusion, for it was the Lord who provided the death penalty for these people in ancient times.” - LDS Apostle, Mark E. Petersen, Church News, January 14, 1978