Derek Thompson

And so I don't think religious institutions should ask either.

We don't need this purity test.

And if religious institutions want to stop bleeding members, which we know is happening, that churches are closing, that religious institutions are losing members, if they want to welcome more people in,

they have to not give that message that you need blind faith in order to participate.

And I think actually that's a myth.

I think I was wrong about that, that many religions, not all of them, but many institutions do welcome people even if they have doubts.

That in fact, I think part of the reason I didn't feel that backlash that you described of how dare you productivity hack this without utter faith is because many of these religious leaders also struggle without having perfect faith.

In fact, almost all of them told me that having doubts

is part of the religion, that it increases your adherence.

It makes you more thankful of the religion because you get all these benefits without having to let go of logic and what makes practical sense.

And I think, in summary, most of our problems in the world today

whether it's personal problems, interpersonal problems, geopolitical problems, come from the unfortunate coincidence that far too many people take their faith as a fact, and they don't understand that what they hold as facts are nothing more than beliefs.

And so if we can examine the difference between these three types of convictions, I think we would all be a lot better for it.

My God, Derek, you asked the best questions.

This is a great question.

Very nicely asked.

I would say the big idea is beliefs are tools, not truths.

That's the big idea.

From practically speaking, I'm helping people do what has brought me so much peace in my life, which is to consider those beliefs that we hold, ask ourselves, are they limiting or are they liberating?

And there's a bit of a process to do that.