Appendix 4

 Appendix 4

Hearing the Inconsistencies in People’s Beliefs

Identify which of the following four “sour notes” or inconsistencies occurs in the examples of people’s beliefs listed below.

1. Belief vs. Heart Longing

2. Belief vs. Behavior

3. Belief vs. Belief

4. Illogical Belief

Example 1

  1. I believe there isn’t anything that’s absolutely right or wrong.
  2. I believe it’s important to treat others with respect and civility.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 2

  1. I believe that as long as my material needs are met, that is all that really matters.
  2. All of us hunger for truth, love, knowledge, justice, and significance.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 3

  1. God is so far from us that we cannot know anything about Him.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 4

  1. I believe my good deeds must outweigh my bad deeds to get to heaven.

B. I don’t really pray five times a day.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 5

  1. I believe that reality is just something that man constructed and does not exist nor is it real.
  2. All of us desire to live a life that is real and that has meaning and purpose.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 6

  1. I am a Christian.
  2. I am not sure why Jesus had to die on the cross.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 7

  1. I believe that the Bible is reliable.
  2. I believe that Jesus is just one of the many ways to God.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 8

  1. I cannot speak a word of English.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 9

  1. I don’t believe in an afterlife, whether it is heaven or hell.
  2. I believe that all the terrorists will be punished for killing innocent people.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 10

  1. I believe the Bible is reliable.
  2. I believe I must do good works to be saved.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 11

  1. I don’t think that religion is really necessary.
  2. Sometimes I pray, but I don’t feel I’m getting any response.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 12

  1. Always avoid making absolute statements.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 13

  1. I am absolutely sure that you should not come to any conclusions about what is right or wrong.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 14

  1. Buddhists believe in achieving a state of nirvana that can be achieved only by letting go of their identity.
  2. In reality Buddhists would not want to let go of their identity because to do so would mean losing all conscious awareness of who they are.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 15

  1. You should always be tolerant of people of different religious beliefs, except those who are not tolerant.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 16

  1. Muslims believe that Allah is so far removed from us that even the spiritual leaders (Imams) who try to get close to him are not able.
  2. A Muslim desires to know God in a deeper and more personal way.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 17

  1. I believe that Jesus is just a great prophet.
  2. I believe that Muhammad supersedes previous prophets, including Jesus, being the last and greatest prophet, summing up God’s final revelation to mankind. Yet the Qur’an teaches that Jesus was born of a virgin and lived a life without sin, while Muhammad was born of natural birth and did sin.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 18

  1. I don’t believe there is such a thing as right and wrong.
  2. I try to live a good life.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 19

  1. You should be skeptical about everything.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 20

  1. I am an atheist.
  2. I go to the Buddhist temple sometimes to pray for success in my career.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 21

  1. As a Buddhist I believe we must not desire anything.
  2. I buy lottery tickets at least once a month.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 22

  1. I believe my nature is basically good.
  2. I don’t like it when my colleague is promoted ahead of me.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 23

  1. There isn’t any absolute right or wrong.
  2. The Japanese military leaders during World War II were wrong to have killed millions of Chinese and Asians.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 24

  1. Many Hindus believe in an impersonal god.
  2. There is a hunger in Hindus to know God in a deeper and more personal way.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 25

  1. I believe that all human beings are reincarnated after death. If they are bad, they will become an animal.
  2. I believe that the human population in this world is getting bigger and that there is an increase in crime.

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 26

  1. I think it’s wrong to do experiments on animals to improve the lives of humans
  2. I believe it’s okay to abort an unborn child” (a common one among postmodern nonbelievers).

Which sour note is this? ________________________________

Example 27

A. I’m a Christian

B. I believe that all that is really necessary in life to be happy is to have a good job, family, and some financial security

Example 28

A. I believe in Jesus

B. But don’t tell me that I shouldn’t be sleeping with my girlfriend

Example 29

 

  1. I believe that all life is just matter and energy.
  2. I hope I can find some kind of purpose for my life.

 

Answers:

Example   1: Belief vs. Belief

Example   2: Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   3: Illogical Belief

Example   4: Belief vs. Behavior

Example   5: Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   6: Belief vs. Belief

Example   7: Belief vs. Belief

Example   8: Illogical Belief

Example   9: Belief vs. Belief and Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   10: Belief vs. Belief

Example   11: Belief vs. Behavior

Example   12: Illogical Belief

Example   13: Illogical Belief

Example   14: Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   15: Illogical Belief

Example   16: Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   17: Belief vs. Belief

Example   18: Belief vs. Behavior (or Belief vs. Heart Longing)

Example   19: Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   20: Belief vs. Behavior

Example   21: Belief vs. Behavior

Example   22: Belief vs. Behavior

Example   23: Belief vs. Belief

Example   24: Belief vs. Heart Longing

Example   25: Belief vs. Belief

Example   26: Belief vs. Belief

Example   27: Belief vs. Belief

Example   28: Belief vs. Behavior

Example   29: Belief vs. Heart Longing