Why do people believe the way they believe?

I saw a theory about this just the other day, but I didn't make a note on where I saw it, so I can't cite it and link to it.

Anyway, the theory goes that a lot of people, not necessarily all people, believe what they believe so as to feel superior to those who do not believe the same way they do.  By the way, this applies to any belief system, whether religious or not.  So, the type of people who tend to believe in political theories or movements are also prone to this phenomenon.

Incidentally, I believe that the person who wrote this was correct.  People really do believe what they believe so as to feel superior.

I relate this to what Freud is said to have said --- that there are two primary urges of all people

1. the sexual urge, and
2. the urge to feel great

The urge to feel great and the drive for self-importance are pretty much the same as far as I can tell.

So, people will join up and get their sense of importance from what they believe in.  They will look down upon those who do not share their beliefs.

How do I apply this to myself?  What do I get my sense of importance?  Well, it isn't from money, that's for sure.  I don't have much of that.  You could get a sense of importance from money---no doubt about it.  Especially if you did something of note in order to obtain it.

I don't belong to a church or any belief system that I know of.  So, it isn't that.  Note:  no claim of atheism of agnosticism here.  Simply relating that I do not trust the formal systems of religions that I am aware of.  Pretty much working it all out for myself.

Frankly, I don't know exactly where I get my sense of importance, but this blog is giving some to me.  Otherwise, why do it?  In fact, I think that's a deeper motivation for wanting to start this thing.  I sure wasn't getting a sense of importance out of my work.

So, there.  I am laying my soul out there.  Sometimes I think I do a little too much of that.

I'm sure that I don't want to feel superior to other people, but maybe I am not acknowledging something.  Perhaps there's something deeper going on there that I'm not aware of.

Relating this to people in general, I'll bet people would deny believing what they believe because it makes them feel superior. You'll get denial about this.  But there is a deep truth to that, in my opinion.

By the way, I like to refer to "truth" and that it is slippery.  Those who believe what they believe are certain, certain that they are in possession of truth.

As for me, I have found out by way of experience that the mere belief in something does not make it so.  You can believe that the universe is centered on the Earth and that everything revolves around it, but that isn't so, now is it?  It was once believed to be true by even the "best people".

Believing something with great fervor doesn't make it any truer than believing it only partially.  The truth is independent of what anyone believes it to be.

Anyway, I believe that, so it must be true.