Is the sense of wonderment achieved by religion more compelling than the need to know and understand?

Question

and that it outweighs any desire for factual knowledge. Religion of one sort or another has been around since caveman. (Archeiological artifacts indicate it was very likely). From belief in spirits to the actual development of deities, people loved their religions. In the middle ages, religion was preferred to science in western civilization). Even today there is a battle between science and religion.

Why is this need to feel the wonderment more vital than the need to know and understand?

Please no biblical responses, that is too obvious.

Answer 1

I see no battle and no conflict between the two. I am both a molecular biologist and a devout Southern Baptist. My study of science is something I find exalting because it lets me see a little more of the mind of God. And my understanding of theology only reinforces and supports my conviction that science and logic are true. All truth is God's truth- they can never conflict, and that certainty makes me eagerly seek out as much factual knowledge as I can discover, while not diminishing my sense of wonder by one iota. I've never been able to grasp how anyone could possibly think otherwise.

Answer 2

People need boundaries. Religion provides that. Don't know where dogma provides wonderment. But as boundaries go, Psychologists did a study on boundaries. They took children from a variety of elementary schools, one group at a time. They did the culture and race thing to see if there was a difference too. The results were constant. Put the children in a grassy field to play. First time, without a fence, second time, with a fence. Without a fence, children would keep together in the middle of the field to play. With a fence, children would play anywhere, and most, at some point, would challenge the boundary, seeing how strong it was, pushing, kicking, etc.

Sense of wonderment. AKA you can feel it with your senses. Using the scientific method one can prove or come close to proving that God exists. Of course if you throw the "observable" before & after "prayer to God for healing" X-rays in the trash, then you cannot measure the empirical evidence and cannot use the laws of reasoning to prove God exists.

Scientific method:
It is based on observable, empirical, measurable evidence, and subject to laws of reasoning. All this evidence is collectively called scientific evidence.

Empirical:
It is dependent on evidence that is observable by the senses.

When we know and understand the source of the wonderment then it is no longer a wisp of mist but something/someone tangible that can be enjoyed at will.

Answer 3

Religion gives people a common purpose to gather together. Religion is developed because (most) humans refuse to believe that we are to go through the suffering that humans go through without there being some sort of reward.
There is a scientific explanation for everything, but it still doesn't mean some things aren't miracles. Try having a child, or watching a thunderstorm, or owning a pet. You will discover small and great miracles in each one.
I don't think there is more need to know and understand then there is wonderment. I think it's a combination of the two that we have yet to find.

Answer 4

Actually, knowing and understanding provide a sense of wonderment as well...actually more so than religion. But religion is easy. The lazy and the mentally weak are unable or unwilling to put forth the effort of learning about the universe around us to achieve what is ultimately a far more fulfilling wonder, so they fall victim to charlatans and grifters that have the ability to fool them into feeling that way.

Faith is the path of least resistance.

Answer 5

Good question, I have wonder the same thing for years. I find it more full filling to try to grasp understanding of factual events then to just give into a belief, that can not be proved.