I’m not sure that your “unofficial beliefs” are different from “things you don’t believe but haven’t realized it yet.” For example:
Suppose you were born to a religious family, one that went to the First Church of Gun Control, and your parents homeschooled you due to (probably ungrounded) fears that the NRA would corrupt your mind at a public school. Your parents are so devout that they don’t own a bow-and-arrow, a crossbow or a slingshot (rocks are ok, though, if thrown underhand). One day you go home and explain the above to your parents.
They will respond, after an uncomfortable silence, ”...so you’re saying you don’t believe in gun control any more?”
I think, if it was a religious belief, considering something inappropriate to believe would be just about as frowned upon as actually not believing it. Religious beliefs tend to come with little tags on them that say “and it is good and right to believe this”, or they wouldn’t be so virulent and so hard to attack. It does seem like some people don’t have the experience I describe, and as I point out, that’s a good thing: that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen to others. It’s probably like mental imagery, which some people have and some don’t.
I’m not sure that your “unofficial beliefs” are different from “things you don’t believe but haven’t realized it yet.” For example:
Suppose you were born to a religious family, one that went to the First Church of Gun Control, and your parents homeschooled you due to (probably ungrounded) fears that the NRA would corrupt your mind at a public school. Your parents are so devout that they don’t own a bow-and-arrow, a crossbow or a slingshot (rocks are ok, though, if thrown underhand). One day you go home and explain the above to your parents.
They will respond, after an uncomfortable silence, ”...so you’re saying you don’t believe in gun control any more?”
You: “No, I believe it, just not officially.”
Them: …
(apologies for involving your parents in this)
I think, if it was a religious belief, considering something inappropriate to believe would be just about as frowned upon as actually not believing it. Religious beliefs tend to come with little tags on them that say “and it is good and right to believe this”, or they wouldn’t be so virulent and so hard to attack. It does seem like some people don’t have the experience I describe, and as I point out, that’s a good thing: that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen to others. It’s probably like mental imagery, which some people have and some don’t.