The Fallacy of Emotion

Listen to Your Heart
An emotional reaction has no bearing on reality. What's real will be real whether you like it or not, whether you know about it or not. The whole "tree falling in the forest" thing? Yeah, it makes a sound; whether or not someone hears it is irrelevant and, frankly, egotistical.

Now it is true that some mindsets can "change" reality. Consider for example that ifyou believe that you are ugly and unlovable, there's a good chance that you'll develop behaviors that subsequently bring about this reality. You'll probably be more shy and introverted. You may grow to hate yourself, and most people don't like people like that.

While this sort of "emotion affecting reality" is true for some things, it's completely false for others. David Mills makes a great point in his book, 'Atheist Universe'. He recants the story of a friend of his who received a call from the State Lottery Commission, saying that she had won $2,500 and a spot on the televised final with potential earnings of up to $50,000. His friend was naturally extremely happy (an emotional reaction), and called everyone she knew to tell them the good news. She sincerely believed that it was true. Turns out it was just a hoax, but the point Mills makes is that even though his friend believed whole-heartedly, it did not affect reality.

 

But God Believes in You!
Thus, it should be obvious that using various tactics to incite emotions in people does not and cannot serve as evidence for a claim. Appeals to consequences, flattery, force, pity, ridicule, spite, and -- the Christian favorite -- fear, are invalid way to argue, and simply do not affect what is real.

"Believe in Jesus or burn in Hell", and "Jesus died for you!" are emotional appeals that have 1) no basis in evidence to support them, and 2) wouldn't change reality if they could.

I recently watched a snipped of the movie 'The Passion ofthe Christ'. I haven't seen the film, but I somehow managed to view the crucifixion scene on YouTube. By the way, if you break copyright law to spread the message of Jesus, is that a sin? I suppose what Paul said about sinning if it furthers the glory of God has something to do with it?

Anyway, the scene was set to very touching music, and the very graphic depiction of a crucifixion actually moved me. I realized, though, that I was responding to the music coupled with the amazing effects that made this look like a real, horrible murder. It really looks like a man being beaten, tortured and killed. I realized that it wasn't the "tug of the Holy Spirit on my heart" as I no doubt would have claimed had I seen this in my earlier "believer" phase. No, it was the simple but very human reaction to the violence of a person. I'd probably have gotten the same reaction to the scenes in 'Hostel' if they were set to dramatic music and used slow-motion cinematography.

Appealing to someone's prejudices, desires, or fears is a fallacious mode of arguing, and it's downright contemptible when effused by the religious. You have to back up your claims with proof, evidence, and reason, not by scaring, ridiculing, or promising.

 

-STA