Is cognitive dissonance a plausible explanation for the origin of Christianity?

[Pytine]

In the video above, Matthew Hartke presents an explanation for the origin of Christianity. The video is about half an hour long. Here is a short summary:

Social psychologists have done a lot of research on eschatological groups centered around a prophecy in the near future. When that prophecy fails, the groups always follow the same pattern. Some people leave the group, but the most dedicated members stay in the group. Their belief in the prophecy and the evidence that the prophecy failed causes cognitive dissonance among the members of the group. In order to reduce the cognitive dissonance, the group follows these 4 steps:

- The failure of the prophecy becomes a cornerstone of the belief after the failed prophecy
- Eschatology is divided into a spiritual partial fulfilment and a concrete final fulfilment
- The prophecies are reinterpreted along the same lines
- The difference between expectation and outcome of the prophecy is attributed to human misunderstanding rather than failure of the prophecy

The prophecy here is that Jesus is the messiah. The Old Testament describes that the messiah would be a descendant of David who would become king of the Jews, who would return the Jews to their land, who would overthrow their oppressors (the Romans), and bring world peace. The death of Jesus prevented Jesus from fulfilling these requirements, so it became a cornerstone of the belief of Christianity.
Eschatology is divided into a first coming 2000 years ago and a second coming that is still to come. During the first coming, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies spiritually. He gave a new covenant, he brought salvation, and he forgave sins. Verses like John 18:36 specifically state that Jesus is a king, but his kingdom is not of this world. In the second coming, Jesus is expected to fulfil the prophecies concretely.
The prophecies from the Old Testament are reinterpreted along the lines of the first and second coming. All of the spiritual, non-measurable prophecies are connected to the first coming, while the more concrete and visible prophecies are connected with the second coming.
The discrepancy between the expectation and the outcome of the ministry of Jesus are attributed to misunderstanding the messianic prophecies.

Can this model explain the origin of Christianity? Or are there aspects of the origin of Christianity that are incompatible with this view? Is it more plausible than other models, such as that the resurrection actually happened?

In short: is cognitive dissonance a plausible explanation for the origin of Christianity?

[brunumb]

Social psychologists have done a lot of research on eschatological groups centered around a prophecy in the near future. When that prophecy fails, the groups always follow the same pattern. Some people leave the group, but the most dedicated members stay in the group. Their belief in the prophecy and the evidence that the prophecy failed causes cognitive dissonance among the members of the group.

Not a response to your questions, sorry, but the following book is a very readable account of exactly what you are describing. Recommended.

When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group That Predicted the Destruction of the World is a classic work of social psychology by Leon Festinger, Henry Riecken, and Stanley Schachter which studied a small UFO religion in Chicago called the Seekers that believed in an imminent apocalypse and its coping mechanisms after the event did not occur. Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance can account for the psychological consequences of disconfirmed expectations. One of the first published cases of dissonance was reported in this book.

https://tinyurl.com/mr5sbwww

[1213]

...The prophecy here is that Jesus is the messiah. The Old Testament describes that the messiah would be a descendant of David who would become king of the Jews, who would return the Jews to their land, who would overthrow their oppressors (the Romans), and bring world peace.... ...
In short: is cognitive dissonance a plausible explanation for the origin of Christianity?

I think one of the biggest problem with this is, people don't seem to understand what were the prophesies. Difficult to say they are wrong, if one doesn't know what is actually said. That is why also they idea on cognitive dissonance is not plausible in my opinion.

[Pytine]

Not a response to your questions, sorry, but the following book is a very readable account of exactly what you are describing. Recommended.

This is one of the main sources for the video. A great book indeed.

I think one of the biggest problem with this is, people don't seem to understand what were the prophesies. Difficult to say they are wrong, if one doesn't know what is actually said. That is why also they idea on cognitive dissonance is not plausible in my opinion.

In your opinion, what were the prophecies? And what did the Jews at the time believe about messianic prophecies?

In my opinion the cognitive dissonance model from the video is a very plausible explanation for the origin of Christianity. When apologists such as Mike Licona, WLC, Frank Turek, and so on make the case for the resurrection, they often follow the same approach. They present some data and then compare different explanations of that data. The criteria are explanatory scope, explanatory power, plausibility, and simplicity (not being ad hoc). Non-Christians often agree that the resurrection has great explanatory power and scope, and only focus on plausibility and simplicity. The cognitive dissonance model shows how the resurrection also fails in terms of explanatory power and scope. The resurrection is unable to explain the follow
ing list:
- Jesus failed the messianic prophecies
- The Old Testament doesn't predict that one messiah would come twice, whereas the New Testament introduces the doctrine of the first and second coming of Jesus
- Jesus taught his disciples for years, yet they didn't even understand the core of the religion
- The death of Jesus was not planned. He was betrayed, arrested, convicted, and killed.

The cognitive dissonance model explains all of these. It only requires people to behave exactly how we would expect them to behave based on studies in social psychology.

[TRANSPONDER]

It's a huge question and really in two parts -
(1) the cause and origins of religion
(2) the cause and origin of Christianity.

connected with is the origin of Judaism which is in between both of these.

We can't go back to watch in real time, so can only go on the clues like archaeology suggesting that the Hebrews originally had a tribal god who very much had images carved of him and his lady wife, too. We can however watch religions started in our own time, like Scientology. We know the origins even though we can't get into Hubbard's mind. But we can see the origins in science fiction stories, the attempt to turn this into a pseudo science (related to the popular and profitable psycho - analysis) and when that failed, it was made into a religion. The idea was always to make money (and exploit authority), and it shows all the symptoms of other religions. It even had a schism which was a nice move by Hubbard, when (of course) some in the group tried to take 'Dianetics' over and cut Hubbard out, he simply changed the name of the cult and 'Dianetics' died and Scientology is still doing nicely.

Don't ask me how and why people get sucked into this cult; I don't get why people do Faithbased cult -think instead of reason. But it happens, and cognitive dissonance or denial (may be the same thing) is the basis of the faithbased thinking - "Believing what you know ain't so" as one quote has it. We have seen here how you can prove beyond any reasonable doubt that something is wrong and they just deny everything.

...The prophecy here is that Jesus is the messiah. The Old Testament describes that the messiah would be a descendant of David who would become king of the Jews, who would return the Jews to their land, who would overthrow their oppressors (the Romans), and bring world peace.... ...
In short: is cognitive dissonance a plausible explanation for the origin of Christianity?

I think one of the biggest problem with this is, people don't seem to understand what were the prophesies. Difficult to say they are wrong, if one doesn't know what is actually said. That is why also they idea on cognitive dissonance is not plausible in my opinion.

Here's a nice example of someone who denies everything. Sure, our pal argues with resilience all the time there is something to argue, like we saw over the Seder feast on different dates. The smart argument that the disciples could have eaten Seder on the Passover night (the new day starts at twilight) and the priests when it got to daylight still hadn't eaten it - as John says had some legs. But then Judaism said it ought to be eaten before day. And that's where we got the denial, where 'The Bible says so' trumps what seems to be the state of information. The believer knows better than those who are the experts. This is 'science -denial'.

And of course trying to explain the daylight appearing in Genesis before (it says) the sun was made. Anything, anything at all, rather than admit the Bible is wrong. About anything. This tells us all we need to know about denial, cognisant dissonance and how cult and religious thinking works. I have seen the same mode of thinking in the UFO world and we have all watched the denial of evidence and even the law regarding the whole 'election denial' cult (1), and I'll manfully resist spreading on that except that it goes hand in hand with Creationism all the way back through the Tea party to Genesis literalism.

But here, I suggest, 1213, that you raise the debate on prophecy separately, as it could take over the discussion. But I do recall that some have already been rebutted, from Tyre to the massacre of innocents and of course, the Biggie - Jesus supposed to return while some standing there hearing him (supposedly) were still alive. Which obviously hadn't happened. So of course it has to be fiddled so what it plainly says has to be turned into meaning something else; 'the 'not understood' apologetic.Well, let's do it.

(1) I just watched a few videos of the denialist 'Sovereign citizen' legal blather cult, too.

[1213]

The resurrection is unable to explain the following list:
- Jesus failed the messianic prophecies

Please show one example of failed prophesy?

- Jesus taught his disciples for years, yet they didn't even understand the core of the religion

Why do you think so?

- The death of Jesus was not planned. He was betrayed, arrested, convicted, and killed.

What do you mean with that? Who should have planned it?

[Pytine]

Please show one example of failed prophesy?

Jesus didn't fulfil a single messianic prophecy. Here are some exaamples of prophecies that Jesus didn't fulfil:

The messiah is a descendant of David who will reign as a just and righteous king (Jeremiah 23:5). When the messiah comes, God will return the Jewish people to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 23:8). The two kingdoms will reunite under the reign of the messiah (Ezekiel 37:15-28). The temple will be rebuilt (Ezekiel 37:26-28). Jerusalem will be the center of the world in an era of world peace (Isaiah 2:2-4). The dead will be resurrected (Ezekiel 37:1-14). All nations will recognize the God of Israel as the one true God (Zechariah 14:9).

Why do you think so?

During the life of Jesus none of the disciples understood that he would be resurrected. When he died, no one expected him to come back from the dead.

What do you mean with that? Who should have planned it?

Many verses in the New Testament speak about Jesus giving his life and sacrificing himself:

Mark 10:45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many."
Hebrews 10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God,"
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Romans 5:8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus didn't die voluntarily. He didn't give or sacrifice himself. He was killed by the Romans against his will. In order to keep believing Jesus was the messiah, the early Christians had to make up the idea that his death was somehow part of the plan all along. They came up with several theories of atonement so his death wouldn't be for nothing.

[The Tanager]

[Replying to Pytine in post #1]

Yes, this is a theory one would need to consider in explaining the data surrounding the supposed resurrection. Broadly speaking, there are usually three areas of data: (1) the empty tomb, (2) the supposed post-mortem appearances of Jesus, and (3) the origin of the disciples belief in Jesus resurrection. Cognitive dissonance is irrelevant to the first two areas. The best theory is going to need to best explain all three areas, not just one, but cognitive dissonance could be a piece of a larger theory.

But I think its even shaky in explaining (3). There were many failed messianic movements, many even ended by crucifixions or at least Roman executions. Yet no other one claims their hoped for Messiah was really the Messiah after all. They either look for a new Messiah or they went home. None speak of their Messiah being raised from the dead as far as I have seen, except the Christians.

Christians didnt get a new Messiah. They didnt spiritualize the Messiah. And given Jewish ideas of the resurrection, they wouldnt connect that to being the Messiah, they would simply look forward to the day when all would be raised from the dead. That Jesus actually resurrected can better account for (3) than cognitive dissonance (which alone doesnt make it true, of course).

The cognitive dissonance model shows how the resurrection also fails in terms of explanatory power and scope. The resurrection is unable to explain the follow
ing list:
- Jesus failed the messianic prophecies
- The Old Testament doesn't predict that one messiah would come twice, whereas the New Testament introduces the doctrine of the first and second coming of Jesus
- Jesus taught his disciples for years, yet they didn't even understand the core of the religion
- The death of Jesus was not planned. He was betrayed, arrested, convicted, and killed.

The cognitive dissonance model explains all of these. It only requires people to behave exactly how we would expect them to behave based on studies in social psychology.

I already shared some on why I dont think the cognitive dissonance model explains how we would expect these first century Palestinian Jews to behave based on studies in social psychology, so Ill address the resurrection theory being able to explain the above.

(1-2) You need to show that Jesus failed messianic prophecies, which is a very hard task because prophecies are usually vague in the first place. I personally dont put much stock in claimed prophecies for/against Christianity.

For instance, in the prophecies you mentioned to 1213, you read those as being literal political statements, of discounting two separate comings (when they dont seem to directly state it wont be two or that it will be two) rather than more metaphorically speaking about a different kind of rule, temple, etc. Proving one way or the other is too difficult a task, it seems to me.

(3) If they didn't understand it, then why would they then turn around and preach it as central to their message? No other messianic sects of executed leaders did that. There are much easier ways to assuage cognitive dissonance than what they chose.

(4) Why do you think the Romans crucifying Jesus and Jesus willingly submitting to that crucifixion are mutually exclusive?

[TRANSPONDER]

The whole question of 'cognitive dissonance' as an explanation of people believing religious or supernatural claims is not relevant to what happened in 1st c Judea. We don't know, because we can't really trust the gospel accounts. I think we can trust the earlier letters of Paul as being what he actually wrote, but the self - serving argument is strong in that one. His converts who only had what he and his assistants told them may or may not have had some cognitive dissonance to do, but what the disciples had seen or hadn't wasn't the issue for the spread of the early church any more than it is for the belief in Christianity today.

I don't think cognitive dissonance is even the issue with the Jesus - story, and (of course) Jesus as a one - off exception to the rule: 'miracles don't happen' sees that argument off, and having to dismiss the problems and contradictions doesn't arise because most of the faithful don't know them. And the Churchmen for sure aren't going to tell them.

At best it is a few obvious implausibilities that they have to mentally struggle with. and the Ark is obviously a tough one to take seriously.

I think mostly people aren't stupid and don't like being fooled, but they don't research; they just watch stuff on screen. Thus it needs someone to do a video (or post a post) exposing the problems of the Nativity or indeed the resurrection (which I repeat the Bible Experts won't tell them) and they will see something to have doubts about as much as they have about the Ark - or they should.

[1213]

Please show one example of failed prophesy?

Jesus didn't fulfil a single messianic prophecy. Here are some exaamples of prophecies that Jesus didn't fulfil:

The messiah is a descendant of David who will reign as a just and righteous king (Jeremiah 23:5). When the messiah comes, God will return the Jewish people to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 11, Jeremiah 23:8). The two kingdoms will reunite under the reign of the messiah (Ezekiel 37:15-28). The temple will be rebuilt (Ezekiel 37:26-28). Jerusalem will be the center of the world in an era of world peace (Isaiah 2:2-4). The dead will be resurrected (Ezekiel 37:1-14). All nations will recognize the God of Israel as the one true God (Zechariah 14:9).

Thank you for these. I think it is very interesting to look what is exactly said in those.

Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and act wisely, and shall do justice and righteousness in the earth.
Jeremiah 23:5

That is speaking of a righteous Branch. I think fits perfectly for Jesus.

And a Shoot goes out from the stump of Jesse, and a Branch will bear fruit out of his roots. And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest on Him; He will have the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah. And He is made to breathe in the fear of Jehovah. But He shall not judge by the seeing of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears. But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall slay the wicked with the breath of His lips. And righteousness shall be the encircler of His loins, and faithfulness the encircler of His reins. And the wolf shall live with the lamb; and the leopard shall lie with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little boy shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall feed, their young shall lie together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the infant shall play on the hole of the asp; yea, the weaned child shall put his hand on the viper's den. They shall not do evil, nor destroy in all My holy mountain. For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the sea. And it shall be in that day, the Root of Jesse stands as a banner of peoples; nations shall seek to Him; and His resting place shall be glory. And it shall be in that day, the Lord shall again set His hand, the second time, to recover the remnant of His people that remains, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Ethiopia, and from Persia, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the coasts of the sea. And He shall lift up a banner for the nations, and shall gather the outcasts of Israel, and gather those dispersed from Judah, from the four wings of the earth. And the envy of Ephraim shall turn off; and Judah's foes shall be cut off. Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not trouble Ephraim. But they shall fly onto the shoulder of the Philistines to the west; together they shall plunder the sons of the east, the stretching of the hand on Edom and Moab and the sons of Ammon; they will obey them. And Jehovah shall utterly destroy the tongue of the sea of Egypt; and with His scorching wind He shall wave His hand over the River, and shall strike it into seven torrents, and make one tread it with shoes. And there shall be a highway for the remnant of His people, those left from Assyria, as it was to Israel in the day when he came up out of the land of Egypt.
Isaiah 11

That is something that can happen, and I believe happens, when Jesus comes. I think there is no reason why this should have happened already. Doesn't make Jesus non Messiah.

but, As Jehovah lives, who brought up and led the seed of the house of Israel out of the land of the north, and from all the lands where I have driven them there. And they shall dwell on their own land.
Jeremiah 23:8

I believe that is already happening. And that is actually about God, not Messiah.

...Behold, I will take the sons of Israel from among the nations, there where they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and will bring them into their own land. And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one King shall be for a king to all of them. And they shall not be two nations still. And they will not be split into two kingdoms any more. And they will not still be defiled with their idols, even with their filthy idols, nor with all of their transgressions. But I will save them out of all their dwelling places where they have sinned in them, and I will cleanse them. So they shall be for a people to Me and I will be for God to them. And My Servant, David, shall be King over them. And there shall be one Shepherd to all of them. And they shall walk in My judgments and keep My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell on the land that I have given to my servant, to Jacob, there where your fathers dwelt in it. And they shall dwell on it, they and their sons, and the sons of their sons, forever. And My Servant David shall be a ruler to them forever. And I will cut a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant it shall be with them, And I will place them and multiply them, and I will put My sanctuary in their midst forever. And My tabernacle shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And when My sanctuary shall be in their midst forever, the nations shall know that I, Jehovah, sanctify Israel.
Ezekiel 37:15-28

But, is that really a Messiah prophesy, why? I think it tells how in the end there shall be one kingdom, and David will be the king of it. But, this speaks also about one Shepherd, is he not Jesus?

And I will cut a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant it shall be with them, And I will place them and multiply them, and I will put My sanctuary in their midst forever. And My tabernacle shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And when My sanctuary shall be in their midst forever, the nations shall know that I, Jehovah, sanctify Israel.
Ezekiel 37:26-28

How is that about Messiah? Is the sanctuary the Messiah?

And it shall be in the last days, the mountain of the house of Jehovah shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it. And many people shall go and say, Come and let us go up to the mount of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. And He will teach from His ways, and we will walk in His paths. For out of Zion the law will go forth, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem. And He shall judge among the nations and shall rebuke many people. And they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, nor shall they learn war any more.
Isaiah 2:2-4

How is that about Messiah? Seems to be about God.

....I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, O My people, and I will bring you to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am Jehovah when I have opened your graves and have brought you up out of your graves, O My people. And I shall put My Spirit in you, and you shall live; and I will put you on your own land. And you shall know that I, Jehovah, have spoken and have done it, says Jehovah.
Ezekiel 37:1-14

That is interesting, because Bible says:

And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised.
Matt. 27:52

If we believe what is said in the Bible, Ezekiel 37:1-14 has already happened. I don't see how any of these would mean Jesus failed some prophesy. Also, I think this is the prophesy Jesus came to fulfill:

Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will cut a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I cut with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt (which covenant of Mine they broke, although I was a husband to them, says Jehovah). But this shall be the covenant that I will cut with the house of Israel: After those days, declares Jehovah, I will put My law in their inward parts, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall no longer each man teach his neighbor, and each man his brother, saying, Know Jehovah. For they shall all know Me, from the least of them even to the greatest of them, declares Jehovah. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more.
Jer. 31:31-34

And Jehovah your God will circumcise your heart, and the heart of your seed, to love Jehovah your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, that you may live. And Jehovah your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those that hate you, who have persecuted you. And you shall return and obey the voice of Jehovah, and do all His commandments which I am commanding you today. And Jehovah your God will make you abundant in every work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, and in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground, for good. For Jehovah will again rejoice over you for good, as He rejoiced over your fathers.
Deu. 30:6-9

That covenant was done through Jesus.

And taking the cup, and giving thanks, He gave to them, saying, Drink all of it. For this is My blood of the New Covenant which concerning many is being poured out for remission of sins.
Matt. 26:27-28

And we have such confidence through Christ toward God; not that we are sufficient of ourselves to reason out anything as out of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, who also made us able ministers of a new covenant, not of letter, but of Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive.
2 Cor. 3:4-6

And Jehovah shall be King over all the earth. In that day there shall be one Jehovah, and His name one.
Zechariah 14:9

Why do you think that is about Messiah, when it is about God?

During the life of Jesus none of the disciples understood that he would be resurrected. When he died, no one expected him to come back from the dead.

Believing/remembering and understanding are not the same. By what is said in the Bible, there were people who thought he will come back.

Many verses in the New Testament speak about Jesus giving his life and sacrificing himself:

Mark 10:45 For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life a ransom for many."
Hebrews 10:12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, "he sat down at the right hand of God,"
John 3:16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
Romans 5:8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Ephesians 5:2 and walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, having died to sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

Jesus didn't die voluntarily. He didn't give or sacrifice himself. He was killed by the Romans against his will. In order to keep believing Jesus was the messiah, the early Christians had to make up the idea that his death was somehow part of the plan all along. They came up with several theories of atonement so his death wouldn't be for nothing.

You said "The death of Jesus was not planned". By what is said in the Bible, it was known that he will be killed. And later the leaders planned how to get Jesus, so there was some kind of plan to kill him. Bible also tells Jesus could have prevented it. But, it was allowed to happen, and I believe the reason is, by so, he could be risen from death and give courage for his disciples to continue without fear.

But, I think the common "atonement" doctrine is misunderstanding of what is said in the Bible.