{"id":5352,"date":"2014-05-20T07:55:34","date_gmt":"2014-05-20T12:55:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/?p=5352"},"modified":"2014-05-16T14:11:33","modified_gmt":"2014-05-16T19:11:33","slug":"may-25-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/may-25-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"May 25, 2014&#8211;Can You Confirm That?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Contributed by Paul Baglyos, St. Paul, MN<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Warm-up Question<\/h3>\n<p>Is seeing believing, or is it the other way around?<\/p>\n<h3>Can You Confirm That?<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2014\/05\/shutterstock_173179094edit.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-5367\" style=\"margin: 5px\" alt=\"shutterstock_173179094edit\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2014\/05\/shutterstock_173179094edit.jpg\" width=\"250\" height=\"188\" \/><\/a>Psychologists use the term \u201cconfirmation bias\u201d to describe a behavior common to all people: the way we perceive and interpret information depends upon and tends to confirm what we already believe.\u00a0 We tend to notice and endorse information that confirms our beliefs, while disregarding and denying information that contradicts our beliefs.\u00a0 Examples of confirmation bias abound in our everyday lives and in contemporary society.\u00a0 Think of the arguments surrounding global warming and climate change, or the arguments surrounding standardized testing in schools.\u00a0 Think of how differently a person\u2019s behavior will be interpreted by those who love and admire that person compared to those who despise that person.<\/p>\n<p>In an article published earlier this month, one writer contends that confirmation bias not only affects the interpretation of information but also the availability and reliability of information \u2013 especially the information burgeoning on the internet.\u00a0 Here is a link to that article: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media-network\/media-network-blog\/2014\/may\/13\/internet-confirmation-bias\">http:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media-network\/media-network-blog\/2014\/may\/13\/internet-confirmation-bias<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3>Discussion Questions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Look up a few definitions of \u201cconfirmation bias\u201d on the internet to share and discuss within your group.\u00a0 What examples of confirmation bias can you point to in today\u2019s society?<\/li>\n<li>What examples of confirmation bias can you point to in your own behavior?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Scripture Texts (NRSV) for Sunday, May 25, 2014 (Sixth Sunday of Easter)<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=267011207\">Acts 17:22-31<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=267011242\">1 Peter 3:13-22<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/?ql=267011274\">John 14:15-21<\/a><\/p>\n<p>(Text links are to <a href=\"http:\/\/bible.oremus.org\/\">Oremus Bible Browser<\/a>. Oremus Bible Browser is not affiliated with or supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. You can find the calendar of readings for Year C at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.elca.org\/Growing-In-Faith\/Worship\/Lectionary.aspx\">Lectionary Readings<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>For lectionary humor and insight, check the weekly comic <a href=\"http:\/\/www.agnusday.org\/\">Agnus Day.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Gospel Reflection<\/h3>\n<p>In another gospel passage (Matthew 16:13-15), Jesus asks his disciples, \u201cWho do people say that I am?\u201d and then, more pointedly, \u201cWho do you say that I am?\u201d\u00a0 Presumably, everyone together at the right time and the right place shared the same information about Jesus; they could all see him and the things he was doing, they could all hear him and the things he was saying.\u00a0 But very different interpretations of Jesus abounded. Was Jesus perhaps John the Baptist come back from the dead?\u00a0 Was he Elijah, Jeremiah, or one of the other prophets in a new appearance?\u00a0 People interpreted the information about Jesus in many different ways.\u00a0 Finally Peter said, to Jesus, \u201cYou are the Messiah, the Son of the living God\u201d (Matthew 16:16).<\/p>\n<p>Religious skeptics claim that faith in God is a distortion of reality, an example of confirmation bias that impairs judgment and critical thinking.\u00a0 People of faith often make the same claims about skeptics, thereby participating in a tired and pointless argument that only manages to perpetuate itself endlessly.\u00a0 People of faith might ask, for example, \u201cHow can anyone look upon the grandeur of nature and not see the existence of God?\u2019 Skeptics might ask, \u201cHow can anyone look upon the extent of suffering and not see the absence of God?\u201d\u00a0 Each side engages in its own form of confirmation bias to support its claims and to denounce its detractors.<\/p>\n<p>Confirmation bias, however, does not always or necessarily produce a distortion of truth and reality.\u00a0 The fact that our perceptions are shaped by our beliefs does not necessarily mean that our perceptions are false and unreliable.\u00a0 The Gospel of John deals with this matter extensively with regard to faith in Jesus.\u00a0 Everywhere in John (with the exception of the story about Thomas in chapter 20!) believing precedes seeing and is necessary to it.\u00a0 \u201cYou will see me,\u201d Jesus promises those who believe in him.<\/p>\n<p>But if belief leads to seeing, what leads to belief?\u00a0 Jesus answers that question in our gospel text when he talks about \u201ckeeping my commandments.\u201d\u00a0 Here we have to do with the behaviors and practices that pertain to the Christian community, the church.\u00a0 The church is called to do as Jesus does, to do as Jesus says, to do as Jesus teaches.\u00a0 Such doing incubates belief and belief incubates seeing.<\/p>\n<h3>Discussion Questions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Which Christian practices and behaviors have you found to be most supportive of your faith in Jesus?<\/li>\n<li>When have you had an experience of seeing Jesus?\u00a0 Describe the context of that experience.<\/li>\n<li>What is your greatest challenge or obstacle to faith?\u00a0 How might you best meet and seek to overcome that challenge or obstacle?<\/li>\n<li>How do you help others to see Jesus?\u00a0 How do or how might others see Jesus in you?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Activity Suggestions<\/h3>\n<p>As a group, describe ways that you have seen Jesus in each person of the group or ways that each person helps others to see Jesus.\u00a0 What, for each person in the group, is the most surprising about what others have said?<\/p>\n<h3>Closing Prayer<\/h3>\n<p>Pray together the prayer for \u201cEnlightenment of the Holy Spirit\u201d:<\/p>\n<p>God Almighty, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ:\u00a0 Grant us, we pray, to be grounded and settled in your truth by the coming of the Holy Spirit into our hearts.\u00a0 That which we know not, reveal; that which is wanting in us, fill up; that which we know, confirm; and keep us blameless in your service; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. [page 86, <i>Evangelical Lutheran Worship<\/i>]<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Contributed by Paul Baglyos, St. Paul, MN &nbsp; Warm-up Question Is seeing believing, or is it the other way around? Can You Confirm That? Psychologists use the term \u201cconfirmation bias\u201d to describe a behavior common to all people: the way we perceive and interpret information depends upon and tends to confirm what we already believe.\u00a0 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1400],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-post"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>May 25, 2014-Can You Confirm That? - Faith Lens<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/faithlens\/may-25-2014\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"May 25, 2014-Can You Confirm That? - Faith Lens\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Contributed by Paul Baglyos, St. Paul, MN &nbsp; Warm-up Question Is seeing believing, or is it the other way around? 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