Do you believe in God? How confident are you in your view? Let’s put your belief (or lack of it) to the test.
Read aloud the following statements. Don’t just think about them or mutter them to yourself – shout them out:
I dare God to make my life miserable.
I dare God to make my home catch fire.
I dare God to turn all of my friends against me.
If you found it easy, then you think of yourself as a true atheist with the courage of your convictions (Richard Dawkins would be proud). But, admit it – didn’t saying these things still make you feel just a little bit uneasy? A study conducted at the University of Helsinki found that reading these statements caused even avowed atheists to sweat just as much as religious people (literally – they were having their sweat levels monitored).
If you can’t do it, you’re either a confirmed believer or someone whose head says they’re an atheist but whose heart can’t quite accept it. Or maybe you’re just superstitious and think that talking about something bad makes it more likely to happen.
Try reading out equivalent statements that don’t mention God (for instance: “I dare all of my friends to turn against me”). The atheists in the Helsinki study found these statements stressful but still less so than the versions that did mention God.
Psy-Q by Ben Ambridge is published by Profile Books at £8.99. To order a copy for £7.19, go to bookshop.theguardian.com
