Amount Quote by Darrel Ray
![“Once infected, the individual [infected with a god virus] cannot detect major contradictions in his beliefs and behavior. Belief systems become self-evident to him, and no amount of logical discourse will move him from his belief. If a Mormon and Catholic were to debate the merits of their…” quote by Darrel Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6f5/darrel-ray-22623_amount_once-infected-the-individual-infected-wi_2321585.jpg)
“Once infected, the individual [infected with a god virus] cannot detect major contradictions in his beliefs and behavior. Belief systems become self-evident to him, and no amount of logical discourse will move him from his belief. If a Mormon and Catholic were to debate the merits of their respective religions, neither could see his own inconsistencies and logical fallacies, but would see the other's quite clearly.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The God Virus: How Religion Affects Your Brain, 2017
Strong belief systems become insulated, making logical debate ineffective for the believer.
In simple terms: Beliefs become blind spots, blocking logical change.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question your own biases.
Themes
belief
cognition
bias
dialogue
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
skeptical
When to use this quote
- political debates
- religious discussions
- team meetings
Key Concepts
cognitive dissonance
confirmation bias
epistemic closure
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you test your own convictions?
- When might you be open to changing a belief?
A Different Perspective
May overlook genuine insight from opposing views.
![“Simply disabling specific critical thinking skills is all that is necessary for the god virus [to take control of a person].” quote by Darrel Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b75/darrel-ray-22623_critical_simply-disabling-specific-critical-think_30410.jpg)
![“Education is the key to perpetuation of the [god] virus for the Taliban, Baptist or Catholic. If the virus cannot control public education, it will seek to divert resources from public coffers to fundamentalist school funding. From the madrassa schools of Pakistan to the Christian push for school…” quote by Darrel Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d0b/darrel-ray-22623_baptists_education-is-the-key-to-perpetuation-of_568881.jpg)
