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Cognitive Dissonance: Difference between revisions
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[[Image:Cognitive-dissonance.jpg|right|thumb|370px|A simple example of '''''cognitive dissonance''''']] | |||
What is cognitive dissonance? Does it affect the followers of William Branham and, if so, what are its effects? | What is cognitive dissonance? Does it affect the followers of William Branham and, if so, what are its effects? | ||
=Definition= | =Definition= | ||
In 1956, Dr. Leon Festinger wrote a book entitled, "When Prophecy Fails: A Social and Psychological Study of a Modern Group that Predicted the Destruction of the World". Here is a quote from that book that describes perfectly what happens when a message follower is confronted with evidence that William Branham's visions failed: | |||
:''A man with a conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree and he turns away. Show him facts or figures and he questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see your point. | :''A man with a conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree and he turns away. Show him facts or figures and he questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see your point. | ||
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=Cause and Effects= | =Cause and Effects= | ||
Dissonance is created when your brain attempts to process information that is inconsistent with other information that it holds to be true. '''This can be as simple as the example of the color chart on the right''' or the much more difficult dissonance that results when information is received that is opposed to a person's fundamental beliefs. | Dissonance is created when your brain attempts to process information that is inconsistent with other information that it holds to be true. '''This can be as simple as the example of the color chart on the right''' or the much more difficult dissonance that results when information is received that is opposed to a person's fundamental beliefs. | ||
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The process of attempting to eliminate cognitive dissonance is referred to as '''''dissonance reduction'''''. Many Message Believers deal with the dissonance created by William Branham's failed prophecies by avoiding websites like this. A number of Message Ministers have supported this approach by preaching that members of their churches should avoid the internet altogether. | The process of attempting to eliminate cognitive dissonance is referred to as '''''dissonance reduction'''''. Many Message Believers deal with the dissonance created by William Branham's failed prophecies by avoiding websites like this. A number of Message Ministers have supported this approach by preaching that members of their churches should avoid the internet altogether. | ||
==Conditions required for | ==Conditions required for increased fervency of belief== | ||
Festinger stated that '''five conditions must be present if someone is to become a more fervent believer''' after a failure or disconfirmation: | Festinger stated that '''five conditions must be present if someone is to become a more fervent believer''' after a failure or disconfirmation: | ||
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#[[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] - To deal with this failed prophecy, followers of William Branham search out explanations that are rooted in conspiracy theory. | #[[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] - To deal with this failed prophecy, followers of William Branham search out explanations that are rooted in conspiracy theory. | ||
= | =Prediction= | ||
Because of the mass of evidence that has been produced by [[List of Issues with the Message|this website]] and [[Research Sources for William Branham and His Message|others like it]], fervency on the part of message believers will increase and the message will generally become more cult-like. This will cause those in the message who are Christians to leave the message which will, in turn, cause the message to become even more cultish. Please note that this is a prediction and not a prophecy. This prediction was made on December 10, 2012. | |||
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[[Category:Critical analysis of William Branham]] | |||
[[Category:The Message]] | |||
[[Category:Leaving the message]] | |||