This morning, I received a question about the differences between misbelief and belief in God. In my book Misbelief, I explore how people adopt alternative narratives to life through what I call the funnel of misbelief, becoming resistant to new information and difficult to sway from their beliefs. This process is common and significant in understanding societal behaviors.
So, what's the difference between misbelief and belief in God? Misbelief begins with stress. When people experience stress, they seek out stories to make sense of their situation. Typically, misbelief arises from negative events—losing a job, facing a pandemic, dealing with loss, or enduring an opioid crisis. These hardships lead people to search for villains to explain their suffering. Stress fuels both misbelief and belief in God, but the narratives diverge.
Misbelief often centers on identifying a villain responsible for one's troubles—be it Bill Gates, the Illuminati, or government conspiracies. This quest for a scapegoat provides immediate comfort by offering an explanation that removes personal accountability.
In contrast, belief in God is generally not about solving specific problems but offers a broader sense of purpose and benevolence. It posits that a good entity has a plan for our benefit. While there may be occasional references to evil forces, the overarching narrative is positive. Over time, as society becomes less religious, we lose some resilience that comes from believing in a benevolent higher power.
Resilience can also stem from social support—from friends, loved ones, and community connections—but belief in an ordered world with purpose contributes significantly. As religiosity declines, resilience diminishes, and misbelief increases.
Belief in God fosters resilience by reducing stress through faith in a divine plan. For instance, after my injury, I attended a conference where a religious leader explained my accident as part of God's mysterious ways—a plan ultimately for good.
In summary, belief in God generally enhances the quality of life by providing psychological immunity and resilience. Misbeliefs are more specific and often detrimental over time; they offer short-term comfort but lead to long-term deterioration.
Both misbelief and belief in God help manage stress and life's complexities but differ fundamentally. Belief in God is a broad mechanism promoting well-being, whereas misbelief is narrower and ultimately harmful. They are related yet very distinct concepts.
