Is Individualism Compatible with Faith?

You’re at a wedding. The officiant concludes the homily with a prayer, and most of the assembled guests bow their heads respectfully. But you don’t see “God” anywhere—there’s no spirit visibly hovering over the pews, no bright light, no booming voice.

If you think critically about it, picking apart the minister’s every word, you might conclude that this whole God business is a prank. But if you just “go with the flow,” bowing your head because everyone else is, you might just accept the theistic claims without noticing it. This scenario illustrates an important finding: analytical or reflective cognitive style seems to be inversely correlated with religious belief.

Why?

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