The foundation of religious belief, is the myth that magic is real. Every religion peddles its own version of this myth, and they are all equally impotent when asked for verification. However we can safely say, with the highest probability, that magic is not, in fact real. Rabbits do not appear in top hats. The Statue of Liberty did not vanish. And Mohamed did not fly to the moon on a winged horse.
Was Moses a real historical figure? Maybe. If so, did he cause magic to occur? Parlor tricks, possibly. Magic, no.
Was Noah as described, a real historical figure? The probability of any human living for 900 years is zero. So, no.
Did Buddha have the ability to walk and speak at the moment of his birth? No.
Did Joseph Smith translate golden plates from ‘reformed’ Egyptian, to 16th century English (in the 18th century) by using a magic ‘seer’ stone in his hat? No.
The list of ridiculous magical myths offered as truths by the world’s religions, is seemingly endless. As is the capacity for people to accept them without verification. What we refer to as ‘religious faith’ could more accurately be described as ‘willful gullibility’. This ‘desire to be deceived’ can explain the apparent paradox of highly intelligent people, believing ridiculous magical claims. It’s not about intelligence, but about emotion. If our desire for something to be true is great enough, this emotion can override our rational response to magical claims.
When you’re tempted to believe a magical claim, which defies the laws of nature, ask yourself if you have an emotional desire for the claim to be true. If yes, your ability to examine the claim objectively has been compromised.
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