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Did we evolve to be religious?

kalu_miah

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Jonathan Haidt - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jonathan Haidt: Religion, evolution, and the ecstasy of self-transcendence (spirituality)

Opium of the people - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Karl Marx:
The foundation of irreligious criticism is: Man makes religion, religion does not make man. Religion is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through to himself, or has already lost himself again. But man is no abstract being squatting outside the world. Man is the world of man – state, society. This state and this society produce religion, which is an inverted consciousness of the world, because they are an inverted world. Religion is the general theory of this world, its encyclopaedic compendium, its logic in popular form, its spiritual point d’honneur, its enthusiasm, its moral sanction, its solemn complement, and its universal basis of consolation and justification. It is the fantastic realization of the human essence since the human essence has not acquired any true reality. The struggle against religion is, therefore, indirectly the struggle against that world whose spiritual aroma is religion.

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.

The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo.

Criticism has plucked the imaginary flowers on the chain not in order that man shall continue to bear that chain without fantasy or consolation, but so that he shall throw off the chain and pluck the living flower. The criticism of religion disillusions man, so that he will think, act, and fashion his reality like a man who has discarded his illusions and regained his senses, so that he will move around himself as his own true Sun. Religion is only the illusory Sun which revolves around man as long as he does not revolve around himself. [1]

Lenin:
Religion is one of the forms of spiritual oppression which everywhere weighs down heavily upon the masses of the people, over burdened by their perpetual work for others, by want and isolation. Impotence of the exploited classes in their struggle against the exploiters just as inevitably gives rise to the belief in a better life after death as impotence of the savage in his battle with nature gives rise to belief in gods, devils, miracles, and the like. Those who toil and live in want all their lives are taught by religion to be submissive and patient while here on earth, and to take comfort in the hope of a heavenly reward. But those who live by the labour of others are taught by religion to practise charity while on earth, thus offering them a very cheap way of justifying their entire existence as exploiters and selling them at a moderate price tickets to well-being in heaven. Religion is opium for the people. Religion is a sort of spiritual booze, in which the slaves of capital drown their human image, their demand for a life more or less worthy of man."

So who is right, the video above or Marx and Lenin?

@M_Saint @Chinese-Dragon @cnleio
 
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I'm an Atheist, but I acknowledge the fact that the vast majority of the Earth's population are religious.

This tends to support the frequently made argument that human evolution has led to us becoming religious, in the same way we have gained evolutionary benefits from being social animals and craving organizational structures, from the basic social unit of the family, up to larger units such as national governments and beyond.
 
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I'm an Atheist, but I acknowledge the fact that the vast majority of the Earth's population are religious.

This tends to support the frequently made argument that human evolution has led to us becoming religious, in the same way we have gained evolutionary benefits from being social animals and craving organizational structures, from the basic social unit of the family, up to larger units such as national governments and beyond.

From his wiki page:
"
Criticism
Haidt has been criticized by the “new atheists,” such as Sam Harris, who argued that Haidt’s defense of religion ends up justifying human sacrifice and superstition.[23] Haidt has also been criticized by some authors on the political left. Social psychologist John Jost wrote that Haidt “mocks the liberal vision of a tolerant, pluralistic, civil society, but, ironically, this is precisely where he wants to end up.”[24] The journalist Chris Hedges wrote a scathing review of The Righteous Mind in which he accused Haidt of supporting “social Darwinism” and right-wing social policies.[25] In his response, Haidt noted many inaccuracies in Hedges' reading of the book, most notably that Hedges took quotations from conservatives and inappropriately attributed them to Haidt.[26]"

I believe we human beings do not yet have a good solid understanding of how our own societies evolved and function today. That is what is reflected in the criticism above. I think Haidt himself is an atheist or agnostic and he mentions many times that he started out just like other liberals, but after his research work he came away with a different understanding of role of religion in human societies.

I will not personally defend religion and their role in societies, but I will say this that I believe that they (the religions) are here to stay for the foreseeable future and we need to manage them properly so they can be a force for good and not become a liability like we see today, specially with regards to Islamic extremism.
 
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I will not personally defend religion and their role in societies, but I will say this that I believe that they (the religions) are here to stay for the foreseeable future and we need to manage them properly so they can be a force for good and not become a liability like we see today, specially with regards to Islamic extremism.

I agree entirely. :tup:

Regardless of our personal views, the basic fact is that "religion" is a fundamental aspect of humanity as a whole.

Thus we must divert large amounts of resources towards understanding religion, with the goal of preventing the abuse of religion as a political weapon by power hungry individuals.
 
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I agree entirely. :tup:

Regardless of our personal views, the basic fact is that "religion" is a fundamental aspect of humanity as a whole.

Thus we must divert large amounts of resources towards understanding religion, with the goal of preventing the abuse of religion as a political weapon by power hungry individuals.

I believe it is time for humans to evolve again to stop using religion to support their insecurities. Humans are connected and better informed then ever before and have a better understanding of the world around them. There is no need of this emotional crutch any more.
 
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I don't care where religious come from !
I only care where terrorist come from ?
 
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I don't care where religious come from !
I only care where terrorist come from ?

Mongol genocide of Baghdad, Skull towers, Holocaust, Gulags, 2nd world war, Mao and Stalin's famines,Nuking of Heroshima and Nagasaki and North Korean lunacy are a gift of atheism.

Terrorists are violent animals who don't represent anyone but themselves.

Atheist dogmas have killed more humans than the religious nutbags have.
 
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Confucius already told us 2500 years ago that humans should respect gods but keep distant away from gods. If we humans cannot take care of ourselves first, why should we even bother about gods' affairs? Let God or gods sort this world out themselves.

Mongol genocide of Baghdad, Skull towers, Holocaust, Gulags, 2nd world war, Mao and Stalin's famines,Nuking of Heroshima and Nagasaki and North Korean lunacy are a gift of atheism.

Terrorists are violent animals who don't represent anyone but themselves.

Atheist dogmas have killed more humans than the religious nutbags have.

Well shall we continue clinging to the past's horror to justify today's horrors? We humans evolve and and you cannot deny the fact that in today's world, majority of terrors are acted in the name of God(s).
 
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@Okemos l We are 'living' the past. Most 'terrorists' are mercenaries who use religion for recruitment of yet more mercenaries to further the agenda of whoever is paying them.
 
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Mongol genocide of Baghdad, Skull towers, Holocaust, Gulags, 2nd world war, Mao and Stalin's famines,Nuking of Heroshima and Nagasaki and North Korean lunacy are a gift of atheism.

Terrorists are violent animals who don't represent anyone but themselves.

Atheist dogmas have killed more humans than the religious nutbags have.

really? India and Pakistan divided because of religion which result death of more people than bombing of nagasaki and hirisoma combined. Problem of Israel started because of religion. Millions of people died from invasion by Muslims, Christian crusade etc. Religion killing people since its invention. Stalin or mao didn't kill people in the name of atheism like your religious nutjobs.
 
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Human nature is to want an explanation for the unknown. When there is a void of information, every idea or belief can be weighted as equal. As man has discovered answers to some of nature's mysteries, certain ancient religions, mainly poly-theistic in nature, have disappeared.

I hope this thread goes in a respectful direction towards all.
 
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Highly debatable.

If there was no religion, the world would have been a much more pleasant place to live on.
we are humans ... we would have fought a large scale conflict of colour, accent and clan
when we talk about religion most of us didnt understand the fundamental to recognize inner peace which will result for a peaceful surrounding
 
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really? India and Pakistan divided because of religion which result death of more people than bombing of nagasaki and hirisoma combined. Problem of Israel started because of religion. Millions of people died from invasion by Muslims, Christian crusade etc. Religion killing people since its invention. Stalin or mao didn't kill people in the name of atheism like your religious nutjobs.

Thats a very simplistic and uneducated narrative you have about the sub continental split.
 
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if there was no religion, humans would still be worshipping rocks and fire

but more recently, religion was manipulated by the West to subjugate the 3rd world
 
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