put your thinking caps on?

Question

have you ever wondered why every ethnic..tribal..cultural group on earth has some kind of a belief system we can loosely call a religion. whether it be worshiping a god..animal the sun ect..ect.. does'nt that sound like something evolutionary going on....that maybe man is predisposed to believe in something larger then himself to cope with the day to day survival that the early humans would have experianced.

Answer 1

It's not that man is predisposed to believe in something larger than himself, it's that humanity is naturally curious (a trait found in all primates) and needs to understand the universe. Religion is a way to explain the unexplainable in the universe, and part of that explanation is a higher power to do all the magic stuff; make the sun go 'round the earth, make rainbows, etc.

The problem is that science (which is a far superior way to acheive the goal of understanding) has explained away much of what religion once preached as "true". Religion has not effectively progressed or evolved to compensate for human advacements in understanding.

One would think that this would spell doom for religions, but one cannot underestimate stupid people in large groups.

Answer 2

I have actually wondered about that myself since I was very young...

My opinion is that humans are made/born with an inate sense of something Greater than themselves. It just feels... right. They don't know what it is at first, or maybe for a long time, or ever. Depending on where you hail from spiritually, everyone's answer will probably be a bit different. It's like a gut feeling, something in the core of your being, it's just... there.

Life is too big, it seems, for there not to be something or someone bigger out there to watch over it all. As I grew older, this is what I found and what I have come to believe: "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood **from what has been made,** so that men are without excuse." I feel that way even stronger when I spend more time outdoors... there is something moving about being "out there" that makes you feel you do matter, you can make it, and you aren't alone. It's harder to feel that way sometimes in the city, where I live.

I would agree with you, then, in that man is predisposed to believe in something or someone greater than himself to help get through life. If life is so big, it makes sense that one would need something even bigger to get through it. Take it or leave it, hope it helps answer your question.

Answer 3

I have answered this question and gotten a best answer from the community...Went something like this: Since early humanity's science couldn't explain various things like the sun rising; volcanic errupitons; the moon existing/orbiting; eclipses, etc; humanity created the entity/place to get an answer: God (if there is one). As science answered more and more of the basic questions it became clear there wasn't a need for multiple Gods so an evolution of sorts happened and the idea of ONE GOD prevailed upon humanity. People of similar beliefs got together when that occurred and began worshiping in DIFFERENT ways and Religions were born. Religion tried to give people faith in something better Heaven (if there is one) and present a risk of being punished for wrong action...going to Hell (if there is one). Religion continues to exist today as a means of social control that hasn't adapted to the times and is largely based on dated premises...It also exists as a point where science stops answering questions such as--Why do we exist or Why am I here? PEACE!

Answer 4

Belief in a deity is pretty much necessary for survival when things are grim. "There are no atheists in foxholes"

That doesn't say anything at all about whether any given religion is "true" or not. It just means that under dire circumstances, people find it easier to believe that there is some higher authority to whom they can appeal, and that death is not the end of everything.

Until recently in advanced countries, life was very hard, and some kind of religious belief was an essential part of getting through the day.

As life becomes easier, religious belief often fades away.

Answer 5

Or maybe man is predisposed to believe in something larger than Himself, because the creator put a inner knowledge of Him in their hearts when he created them.

God's invisible attributes are plainly seen by and through creation (Romans, New Testament).

Grace and Peace to you.

Answer 6

Because it is a hold over from the days when people thought the world was flat and that the sun and the stars revolved around the earth.

Answer 7

interesting thought...there have been multiple sociological and psychological studies involving this topic...I think humans as a species need to believe there is something larger in control of their lives...however one might notice that typically only holds true until something good happens, then people have a tendency to take ALL the credit.

Answer 8

Honey, we're animals and ALL animals believe in something higher up on the food chain.

Since we're at the top, our only way to go is religious belief.

Answer 9

This is a deep question and a deep thought provoking subject that can have a variable answer power with it.

I believe that in each individual a person has a deep connection and or awareness that something greater than themselves created all things. Many cultures have their different ideas and perceptions as to who God is. Many are followers to the one true God that Christians believe in, but many are followers to other gods like sun god; moon god; star god; rain and cloud god etc. etc. I believe that the main reason "other gods, idols, sculptures, etc" are used is primarily because they can see them. Human beings are notorious in believing in something that they can see as opposed to something they can't. Let's look at one of Jesus's deciples for instance. Let's look at Thomas. When Jesus returned to his deciples in the Upper Room after His resurrection from the cross, His deciple Thomas didn't believe that Jesus was standing before him and talking to him. Thomas wanted proof that He was who He said He was. Jesus commented and said to him "why do you doubt?" then Jesus showed him His hands and the marks that the nails driven in His hands had made. Then Thomas bowed down to Jesus and kissed His feet and asked for forgiveness.

Humans are naturally born doubters I think. They feel the need to believe in something that they can see. Unfortunately, Satan uses this belief against humans and plays doubts in their minds all the time when it comes to God and Jesus today. That is why people (especially non believers) have a problem with God and Jesus. They can't see them so there for they must not exist.

But we as Christians are supposed to have blind faith in God. Blind meaning we can't see God or Jesus with our own eyes. We feel him in our hearts instead. If we have faith that God does exist and we believe in His son Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior that He died on the cross for our sins. Then we shall enter into the kingdom of heaven and dwell with the Lord for all eternity.

I hope I was some what helpful with this question. As I said this is a very thought provoking question with many variants to it.
May God Bless you and help you in your own knowledge and acceptance of Him.

Answer 10

Or may be it means that every living human being has got a soul that knows there is something larger than life to be sought after and paid homage to !!! (???)