Over the last several years, I have often thought about the concept of how spiritual confirmation can trigger confirmation bias and how confirmation bias can trigger the feeling of spiritual confirmation.
Quick definitions:
Spiritual confirmation is to receive a personal witness through the power of the Holy Ghost that a gospel principle is true or that a path in life is right.
Confirmation bias is the tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of one’s existing beliefs or theories.
Spiritual confirmation is more of a religious concept, while confirmation bias is more of a psychology concept.
What intrigues me about these two concepts is that, in my experience, they both feel very similar.
Spiritual confirmation feels awesome!
Cognitive bias feels awesome!
In our quest for certainty (or gaining a testimony), it’s important to realize spiritual confirmations will sometimes encourage us to do those things that jive with our cognitive bias, and other times spiritual confirmations will cause us to push back on cognitive biases.
I prefer the latter because at least there is contrast.
The danger happens when our cognitive biases convince us that our feelings are actually spiritual confirmations.
Let me give you an example.
If I’m sitting with my family in the Conference Center during the end of a session that was full of dynamic talks while listening to the Tabernacle Choir sing an epic galvanizing hymn, it’s easy to feel what many would call the Spirit.
However, my brain wants to confirm its biases, so it will point to my happy family, the incredible architecture of the well-built Conference Center, the dynamic talks, and the remarkable choir to convince me that I am right and the Church institution is right.
My point is this: I worry we develop a testimony of being right rather than a testimony that turns us more towards a relationship with God.
Consider the scenario when we see the valiant family or individual who appear to have their testimony crumble quickly when an intense trial comes into their life.
Or when a change in family dynamic (such as a death, a betrayal, or a son coming out as gay) causes them to question everything about their beliefs, and in six-month’s time, they have discarded their testimony.
The remarkable general conference experience with family, speakers, and choirs may convince us of a testimony that really isn’t there (or is actually weaker than we expect).
Perhaps the rumors of the Church having $100 billion in the bank (or investments) confirms that this is God’s church because why wouldn’t God have $100 billion in the bank?
However, if my child gets cancer or my spouse confesses infidelity or my house burns down, it doesn’t matter how much God can bankroll.
It also doesn’t matter how awesome the Conference Center is or how on-key the Tabernacle Choir can sing if I don’t know how to commune with my Eternal Savior in the tough times.
In our quest to shore up our own testimonies and to help others we lead do that same, I think it is important to be aware of when we are feeling the Spirit and why.
Are we gaining a testimony of being right?
Or are we being taken deeper into a relationship with God?
Because it really feels good to feel certain (confirmation bias), but it is an entirely different experience to feel saved and redeemed.
Sincerely,
Kurt Francom
Executive Director
Leading Saints
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