Why Confirmation Bias is a Driving Force in Evangelical Christianity

What is Confirmation Bias?

The tendency to look for evidence that supports existing beliefs or to interpret information in a way that is consistent with one’s beliefs is called confirmation bias. It is a dangerous type of bias in scientific research, but it is stronger in personal issues, such as spiritual and social matters.

This article does not seek to disrespect anyone’s faith and beliefs, or lack thereof. Rather, it is a comment on my opinions regarding many humans’ inability to change their minds, even when it seems they should. 

Please Note: no one needs to change their minds. 

Sometimes, a person’s beliefs are what are keeping them alive and giving their life meaning. And if they lose that anchor, however fallacious, they will fall apart. It is like losing an identity. And most people do need identity and expression. 

In some cases, being delulu is the solulu.

Unfortunately, one man’s delulu is another’s solulu. 

Therefore, as you delve into this discussion, do not be quick to dismiss other people’s beliefs. Because to them, regardless of how good and smart you think you are, you are the one who is lost. We will now explore the two places that I think show a lot of confirmation bias: churches and social media.

In this article, we cover churches.

Please check out (Don’t) Take Me to Church, an African Writer novel with a satirical exploration of religion in a Kenyan village.

The Pillars of Evangelicalism 

Over the last week, I have been in the village. 

It is not as dramatic as you think. There are no cute African huts or people walking around in traditional regalia. I did not go to fetch water from a river or herd cows across the savanna. In fact, the short break was not much different from staying in my apartment. 

I watched bad sitcoms in bed while watching Instagram reels. The primary difference was the lack of stable internet… and the shocking reminder of deep evangelical Christianity.

If you are familiar with Christianity, you should know that there are diverse denominations and doctrines emphasized. Evangelicalism is a movement of interdenominational Protestants with the central belief of the importance of being born again and experiencing personal conversion (think Saul to Paul).

In essence, an evangelical experience involves: conversionism (being saved or born again), Biblicism (an emphasis on the authority of the Bible), activism (spreading the good news of Christianity through preaching and sharing social beliefs on moral purity), and crucicentrism (the emphasis on the death of Christ for redemption of humanity.

According to the National Association of Evangelicals, a Christian must agree to the below statements to be considered evangelical. 

Screenshot from the NAE website

Evangelicalism in the Village

I have been a member of numerous churches in my life, and most of them were evangelical. Of course, as an adult in university, I chose a more nondenominational church with a less spartan approach to it. 

You see, I struggled with how evangelicals in the village approach Christianity. Even in my preaching days, I had a difficult time with the conditional love offered in these churches. Everything about it screamed of judgment despite the ‘judge not’ thing. 

And try as I did to follow the ideals, I still felt like I was the rich man who would struggle to enter the kingdom of God more than a camel through a needle’s eye. And with the threat of hell combined with more church responsibility, I felt drained. 

One of the things that made me absolutely disillusioned was the excommunication. If you are unfamiliar, excommunication is the official and public banishment of a member of the church. In essence, the person will be excluded from participating in church and even communing with people from the congregation.

In simple terms, it is not just about the church; it is about losing all friends. The pressure of being completely isolated from people who once loved you becomes so strong that most people choose to repent publicly of the pertinent sins after excommunications. 

I have witnessed many excommunications. Unfortunately, most often involves a young woman getting pregnant out of wedlock. Rarely is a man excommunicated together with her.

Yes, that is something that is done by evangelical Christian churches in the village to this day. Once again, it is not the kind of village you are picturing. 

People have smartphones, flatscreen TVs, beautiful stone houses, private vehicles and so on. 

But the Bible is the absolute authority in everything, including shunning. 

And all that each has is directly connected to prayer. 

What does this have to do with confirmation bias? 

Insuperable Faith without a Hint of Doubt

If you have been a member of an evangelical church, you should know that everything is interpreted spiritually. I admire the singlemindedness in some way. The stubborn belief is crucial in making a lot of people remain strong in the worst of circumstances. 

After all, numerous Bible verses promise that all things will work out. That level of faith, and dare I say stubbornness, is admirable because a lot of people cannot even commit to a limited series on Netflix and finish it up. 

But this steadfastness is often based on confirmation bias.

When good things happen, a believer will attribute it to answers to prayers or blessings from above. When bad things happen, it is the work of the devil, a test of faith, or temptation from hell. Nothing is random or a consequence of one’s actions. 

Please Note: I am not saying that the beliefs are not true.

I am saying that the believer interprets the evidence presented in their lives to support their existing beliefs and nothing else. The faith goes beyond the correlation. Even if someone were to point out evidence to dispel the bias, evangelicals choose belief perseverance. 

It is how churches with preachers who should probably be in a mental institution still have so many members. Belief perseverance allows people to hold on, and the irrational primary effect, the first exposure to the faith, means that people would rather rely on their initial thoughts or opinions.

Everyone is free to have the faith they choose. However, this kind of stubborn absolutes ends up hurting not only the people around the believer but the believers themselves. 

This is not to say that people with this kind of stubbornness do not lead normal lives. 

Fanaticism vs Practicality

Strangely, most evangelicals can manage their confirmation bias through certain methods (dare I say, loopholes). In other words, their absolute faith, even in my village, does not become fanatical in practical matters. 

For example, when believers are sick, they will always seek medical attention from qualified practitioners and take medicine as prescribed. People will pray for healing, but they will not just sit and wait for divine intervention. 

Why do I call it a loophole? 

When a person is sick, they will blame some evil forces. And when they are well, they will be thankful to God for the healing. The missing link is often forgotten as soon as someone is well. But again, if a death occurs, it is the will of God despite the prayer. 

Again, I am not saying the beliefs are not true. 

I am merely showing you the significance of confirmation bias.

Holding on to the Bias for Dear Life 

Atheists will often equate believing in God with the complete rejection of science and medicine. I do not know where these atheists live or what kind of Christians they know. Or what they understand about religion.  

As far as I know, even the fanatical evangelicals I know in my village believe in science. They vaccinate their children, they go for checkups and use their antibiotics. The only difference is they believe that God uses medicine to heal them. 

NB: I also know people who chose prayer and refused medical treatment. The endings of these stories are never good.

You would think that this would change minds and people would have more appreciation for the practical aspect of healing. But they don't.

This behaviour is the management of the confirmation bias that helps them keep their identities and lives together. Some might be quick to call it hypocrisy for not acknowledging the science in its pure form, but the identity that one as a Christian is critical. 

Belief perseverance is crucial, even when it seems like people are gaslighting themselves.

In a tightly neat community, you cannot afford to ‘come out’ and declare you do not believe that it was not all the prayers that healed you, made you successful, or helped your alcoholic father become a productive member of society. 

If you choose a different path, you risk excommunication, which means losing your family, friends, community, and most importantly, your self-identity. That isolation, when all you have known is church, can quite literally kill you. 

The shame, the depression, and the attacks that come with ex-communication are not easy to handle. It is said that excommunication is an act of love so that the one shunned will stop their sinful ways and return to the right path. 

In non-religious avenues, this is called blackmail and coercion. 

If one needs to hold on to the bias for their dear life, I believe they should. 

If you do, remember to treat people with love since God is love.