Concerning the possibility that the disciples of Jesus were experiencing cognitive dissonance, let me describe a possible scenario. I'm not trying to replicate or reproduce PaulK's position. I'm just describing an example of how I think cognitive dissonance might play a role.
Cognitive dissonance occurs when what we believe is contradicted by new information. The condition of cognitive dissonance seeks to preserve the original belief in various ways, such as rejecting the new information, or developing ways to explain away the new information.
So one way the disciples may have been experiencing cognitive dissonance was due to the contradiction between their belief in Jesus as Lord versus the reality that Jesus was dead. So they sought to explain away the death by explaining that Jesus wasn't really dead but had returned to life and then ascended to heaven to be by his Father's side.
Of course, for those who believe Jesus did actually rise from the dead the cognitive dissonance among the disciples could have lasted for only three days. The resurrection was proof of the divinity of Jesus, and the disciples would have been forced into reinterpretations, but not due to cognitive dissonance concerning Jesus's divinity.
I'm not trying to get involved in the discussion, so please, no replies to this message. We seem to have a prickly group on the religious side these days, so those who feel the urge to complain about how I have only further bollixed up the discussion should just keep it to themselves. If you don't appreciate honest efforts to help, no matter how unsuccessful, then I think silence would be a welcome alternative.
| -- | Percy |
| | EvC Forum Director |
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