Bamboozled Long Enough, We Tend to Reject Any Evidence of The Bamboozle

Carl Sagan, an astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, and science communicator, captivated the world with his unparalleled ability to convey the wonders of the cosmos. Renowned for his role in popularizing science, Sagan’s legacy extends beyond academia, leaving an indelible mark on the public’s understanding of the universe.

Carl Sagan’s well-known quote about being bamboozled exactly recounts the experience many have when experiencing a faith crisis. Especially for individuals who were deeply embedded in the church teachings and traditions. Many who have invested significant time, effort, and emotion into the church may find it challenging to objectively evaluate evidence that challenges their beliefs. The fear of acknowledging that one may have been misled, coupled with the emotional investment in the church, can create a reluctance to explore any uncomfortable truths. This psychological phenomenon leads individuals to reject evidence that contradicts their established worldview, even when faced with compelling information.

"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back." - Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, 1995 | wasmormon.org — “One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.” – Carl Sagan

One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.
Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark, 1995
https://books.google.com/books?id=Yz8Y6KfXf9UC&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&lpg=PP1&pg=PA241

Giving power to a religious institution and then facing the difficulty of reclaiming one’s autonomy aligns with Sagan’s warning. Once an individual has surrendered their intellectual and emotional allegiance to a particular belief system, especially one with significant influence like the Mormon church, breaking free from the cognitive and emotional entanglement can be a daunting and painful process. He emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, ongoing questioning, and the willingness to reassess beliefs in the pursuit of truth, even when it challenges long-held convictions. Wouldn’t it be nice if the church membership learned critical thinking and to pursue truth even if it challenges their convictions?

How did you overcome the bamboozle? Describe what the pain felt like when you were able to acknowledge that you’d been “taken” by the charlatan. How does it feel now to have hopefully reclaimed the power for yourself rather than defaulting it to the church as we’ve been taught? Please share your thoughts in the comments here or consider sharing your whole mormon faith transition story on wasmormon.org!

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