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How & why did religion evolve?

JacksinPA said:
BBC - Future - How and why did religion evolve?

Can the roots of spiritual behaviors and feelings be found in other animals? In the first of a two-part special, Brandon Ambrosino examines the evolutionary origins of religion.

“This is my body.”

These words, recorded in the Gospels as being spoken by Jesus during the Last Supper, are said daily at Church services around the world before the communion meal is eaten. When Christians hear these words spoken in the present, we’re reminded of the past, which is always with us, which never goes away.

Just how much past are Christians reminded of? Certainly the last two millennia, which, in addition to devout celebrations of the Eucharist, are rife with doctrinal disputes, church splits, episodes of violence, excommunications, papal pronouncements, and various metaphysical debates, all revolving around the communion meal.
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And let's not forget the Defenestration of Prague.

But the oral traditions that are at the foundation of the Old Testament go back to Mesopotamia & even much earlier: floods, Arks, cataclysms, the wrath of divine entities. And who was there to take notes during the first chapters of Genesis?
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Easy. Religion began as a means to control other people. As we can see...even today it is extremely successful at it. It takes advantage of a human trait many people have which is the need to be led and told what to do as opposed to thinking for themselves. The most advanced form of this is of course cults. There are some fascinating documentaries out there demonstrating this.
 
devildavid said:
Outside of physical existence is make believe.

There is no such thing as a meat computer.

Butchering people has been done by believers as well. Beliefs don't prevent it. Lack of beliefs don't facilitate it. Power does.
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Outside the Universe is an unknown. By declaring it "make believe" you are declaring it known. Where is your evidence?

Yes there is. All atheists are meat computers, just biological robots responding to biochemical programming. "beep...beep...does not compute. There are no 'meat computers'...beep"

Correct. Thanks for admitting atheists are not the "logical" types some make believe them to be.
 
Rising Sun said:
You've said this three times now and, now, I'm agreeing for the third time that there is no evidence. Writing off human spirituality as just "coincidence, happenstance or random causality" without evidence is equally silly.
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I'm simply saying there's no evidence for it. Thus, I disagree that it exists, until evidence shows that it does.
 
People have always marveled at the stars, and believed in a purpose or reality greater than there own. That is how religion exists.
 
Rising Sun said:
I"m simply saying I agree, now for the fourth time. Is that not understood by you?
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I know you agree. I simply disagree that any creedence ought to be given to human spirituality until evidence is proposed to support it.
 
coco said:
People have always marveled at the stars, and believed in a purpose or reality greater than there own. That is how religion exists.
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The wonder of the unknown & unknowable has certainly been a factor in man's deifying & mythologizing what is just outside his reach.
 
Rising Sun said:
Outside the Universe is an unknown. By declaring it "make believe" you are declaring it known. Where is your evidence?

Yes there is. All atheists are meat computers, just biological robots responding to biochemical programming. "beep...beep...does not compute. There are no 'meat computers'...beep"

Correct. Thanks for admitting atheists are not the "logical" types some make believe them to be.
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Atheism is a logical position.

Animals are not meat computers. Brains are not computers.

Outside the universe means nothing. It is a made up phrase that is based on nothing. It is a fantasy.
 
devildavid said:
Atheism is a logical position.

Animals are not meat computers. Brains are not computers.

Outside the universe means nothing. It is a made up phrase that is based on nothing. It is a fantasy.
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Disagreed that atheism is logical. Agnosticism is logical; admitting one doesn't know and can't know. Atheism is a belief there is no god, a belief without evidence. You are free to believe as you wish but playing the logical card is silly.

As for your belief there is nothing outside the universe, you are free to believe so. Others wonder on the causal factors and origin of the Big Bang. There are theories of multiverses and parallel universes. No evidence of them, but unlike you, there's no proof those theories are wrong.
 
Rising Sun said:
Disagreed that atheism is logical. Agnosticism is logical; admitting one doesn't know and can't know. Atheism is a belief there is no god, a belief without evidence. You are free to believe as you wish but playing the logical card is silly.

As for your belief there is nothing outside the universe, you are free to believe so. Others wonder on the causal factors and origin of the Big Bang. There are theories of multiverses and parallel universes. No evidence of them, but unlike you, there's no proof those theories are wrong.
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Some atheists actively beleive there is not God(s) others however merely lack beleif in God(s)
There is a difference and in my experience the latter is the majority
 
Quag said:
Some atheists actively beleive there is not God(s) others however merely lack beleif in God(s)
There is a difference and in my experience the latter is the majority
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I'm familiar with the "disbelief" meme. Regardless, they are "disbelieving" without evidence. Ergo, their "disbelief" is a matter of faith. Again, the only logical position is agnosticism, the admission that the answer is unknowable and not worth discussing. The mere fact of atheists constantly discussing it proves they are as emotional (meaning illogical) about the topic as theists.
 
Rising Sun said:
I'm familiar with the "disbelief" meme. Regardless, they are "disbelieving" without evidence. Ergo, their "disbelief" is a matter of faith. Again, the only logical position is agnosticism, the admission that the answer is unknowable and not worth discussing. The mere fact of atheists constantly discussing it proves they are as emotional (meaning illogical) about the topic as theists.
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You are doing what the religious people who want to claim atheism is the same as theism always do you are claimng that atheists all actively beleive there is no god(s) but if DP and my personal experience is anything to go by you will find the majority merely lack belief in God(s) which is not the same thing at all
 
Rising Sun said:
I'm familiar with the "disbelief" meme. Regardless, they are "disbelieving" without evidence. Ergo, their "disbelief" is a matter of faith. Again, the only logical position is agnosticism, the admission that the answer is unknowable and not worth discussing. The mere fact of atheists constantly discussing it proves they are as emotional (meaning illogical) about the topic as theists.
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No, it is not without evidence. It is with the understanding that no evidence and not even one good reason has ever been given for a god to exist. An atheist has no reason to consider god anything other than a fantasy.
Therefore it does not involve a belief. It merely is an acceptance of a fact.

Where as agnosticism is the equivalent of looking at a superman comic book and considering whether superman might exist. It is not that the answer is unknowable. But instead it is, why should we consider a god at all?

And what are atheists discussing. Not the possibility of a god but instead how poorly agnostics reason.
 
Quag said:
You are doing what the religious people who want to claim atheism is the same as theism always do you are claimng that atheists all actively beleive there is no god(s) but if DP and my personal experience is anything to go by you will find the majority merely lack belief in God(s) which is not the same thing at all
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Really? Tell me all you know about my "religion". $100 bet dedicated to the forum that you can't do it.

Dude, you are doing the same thing you accuse others of doing: you ass-u-me. Interesting that you had to bring in the "we" argument with you and "DP". Intelligent, educated and sane people know that a solid argument stands on its own accord. It doesn't need the support of "friends".
 
devildavid said:
And I gave my opinion of your opinion which you did not respond to. This is what we do here. There was no drama to my post.
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Really? Cite it. Okay, let's explore your accusations. Cite the post with the relevant opinion you claim I didn't respond. No rush, I'll wait.
 
Quag said:
You are doing what the religious people who want to claim atheism is the same as theism always do you are claimng that atheists all actively beleive there is no god(s) but if DP and my personal experience is anything to go by you will find the majority merely lack belief in God(s) which is not the same thing at all
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LOL. How old are you? Haven't you read my posts? I'm not religious. Cite your proofs. I'm interested. Educate me with evidence. If you can't, then explain why you are different than any other Bible-thumper.
 
soylentgreen said:
No, it is not without evidence. It is with the understanding that no evidence and not even one good reason has ever been given for a god to exist. An atheist has no reason to consider god anything other than a fantasy.
Therefore it does not involve a belief. It merely is an acceptance of a fact.

Where as agnosticism is the equivalent of looking at a superman comic book and considering whether superman might exist. It is not that the answer is unknowable. But instead it is, why should we consider a god at all?

And what are atheists discussing. Not the possibility of a god but instead how poorly agnostics reason.
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Nice try, but now use that logic to disprove that there is no other life in the Universe and you'll see why it's illogical.....or keep believing as you wish.
 
Rising Sun said:
Really? Tell me all you know about my "religion". $100 bet dedicated to the forum that you can't do it.

Dude, you are doing the same thing you accuse others of doing: you ass-u-me. Interesting that you had to bring in the "we" argument with you and "DP". Intelligent, educated and sane people know that a solid argument stands on its own accord. It doesn't need the support of "friends".
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I didn't say anything about your religion I said: You are doing what the religious people who want to claim atheism is the same as theism always do you

That has nothing to do with any religious beliefs you may or may not have but rather the type of "argument" you made
 
Quag said:
I didn't say anything about your religion I said: You are doing what the religious people who want to claim atheism is the same as theism always do you
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So, when I say you're doing what the religious people do, you understand completely?
 
noonereal said:
did you make up this drivel or are you repeating someone else's drivel?
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No more than you are repeating someone elses drivel. Good luck with your belief we're all meat computers and of no more value than our component parts.
 
Rising Sun said:
No more than you are repeating someone elses drivel. Good luck with your belief we're all meat computers and of no more value than our component parts.
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wtf are you talking about?

my god
 
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