6 Confirmation Bias

Picture this: You’ve just decided that pineapple on pizza is a crime.

Now, every time you see someone agree with you online, you’re like “Exactly! This is facts!”

And if someone dares defend it? Blocked. Reported. Emotionally unavailable.

Congratulations.

You’re in a long-term relationship… with your own opinion.

Welcome to Confirmation Bias — the brain’s unofficial hype man.

Your Brain Hates Being Wrong

Let’s not lie — your brain is a little insecure.

It wants to feel smart, righteous, and justified.

So instead of objectively processing new info, it’s more like:

“Does this agree with what I already believe?”

Yes? Cool, let’s screenshot it and repost.

No? Ugh, fake news, biased, probably written by the Illuminati.

It’s like hiring a detective to solve a mystery…

but you’ve already told them who the killer is.

And if the clues don’t match? Just ignore them.

Or call them “spiritual attacks.”

Faith vs Facts: Guess Who Wins?

Let’s say you believe that prayer healed someone.

Now, every time someone recovers after being prayed for — boom! Miracle confirmed.

But if they don’t recover? “God works in mysterious ways.”

Heads: God did it. Tails: God still did it.

It’s a spiritual coin toss with a rigged outcome.

That’s confirmation bias doing backflips in your brain, high-fiving itself on the way down.

Why Evolution Gave Us This Mess

Back in the Stone Age, you didn’t have time for deep critical thinking.

You needed fast, confident decisions:

“That rustle in the bushes is a lion!”

Was it always a lion? No.

But the ones who second-guessed it? They became dinner.

So your brain evolved to favor fast + familiar over slow + skeptical.

Unfortunately, that same shortcut now makes you ignore that maybe, just maybe, the earth isn’t 6,000 years old… even if it says so in your favorite book.

Religion and the Echo Chamber of Belief

Confirmation bias is religion’s bestie.

Here’s how it plays out:

1. You hear a testimony about someone finding Jesus after a car crash.
   
2. “Wow, God saves!”
3. You hear about someone dying in the same crash.
   
4. “God called them home.”

Either way — belief confirmed.

It’s not just limited to religion, by the way. Politics, sports, astrology, herbal teas — the bias doesn’t discriminate.

But in religion, it thrives because the stakes are high. Eternal salvation is no joke.

So you start filtering everything to protect your faith — not test it.

Doubt Feels Dangerous

When someone challenges your belief, your brain doesn’t go,

“Hmm, let’s analyze this new perspective.”

Nope.

It goes: “INTRUDER! RAISE THE DOCTRINAL DRAWBRIDGE!”

You don’t want to lose your community, your sense of purpose, your afterlife insurance policy.

So you double down. Triple down.

Start a YouTube channel called “Atheists Are Just Angry With God.”

But guess what?

That doubt you’re suppressing? It’s not evil.

It’s your brain trying to be honest. Curious. Free.

Escaping the Bias Bubble

Alright, so what do we do?

How do we stop our brains from being spiritual yes-men?

Some ideas:

1. Seek Discomfort: Read things you disagree with. Don’t panic. Just… read.
2. Play Devil’s Advocate: Can you argue against your belief as well as you argue for it?
3. Ask “What would convince me I’m wrong?” If the answer is “Nothing,” then let’s talk.
4. Surround Yourself With Mixed Thinkers: Not just your echo-chamber fan club.

Because here’s the thing — truth doesn’t need bodyguards.

It can handle questions.

It welcomes investigation.

It grows stronger when tested.

Final Thoughts (That You’ll Probably Agree With If You Made It This Far)

Confirmation bias is cozy, like a warm blanket of “I’m right and always have been.”

But comfort isn’t growth.

Growth is messy. Challenging. Full of “Oh snap, I never thought of it like that.”

And in this blog — Rumblings of a Fool — we’re not afraid to look dumb while asking smart questions.

We’re here to poke holes, flip tables, and hold up our beliefs like they’re on trial — not on a pedestal.

So, next time your brain rushes to agree with something… pause.

Ask:

“Do I believe this because it’s true?

Or because I already believed it before I read it?”

Then smile.

Because that’s the sound of a mind waking up.

Next up? Let’s talk about rituals — why we chant, kneel, sing, fast, dance, or baptize… and why even atheists still have their own sacred routines. Shall we?