(From an atheist) - Origins of religion lie in misunderstandings?

Question

I see many people on answers claiming that religion is 'mind control,' as if religion was created by One Evil Sod back in the dark ages. And while I myself am a hard atheist, I wanted to pose this question in the hope of receiving some interesting answers.

Religion has been around since early man praised or feared the elements - gods of fire, thunder, and the wind are commonplace in early mythology. It's a product of *misunderstanding*. When people were unable to understand how weather systems worked, there were gods of weather. When people were unable to comprehend that the stars were space-bound furnaces, the stars were called gods. As elements and forces are marshaled and used by humans, these gods become outmoded and quaint.

Given that the average person has almost zero practical knowledge of physics, is it any wonder that today's gods are gods of origin and creation, who make all the hard questions about the birth of the universe easier to deal with?

"fresh from college" - I'm flattered, but I've been out of college for 8 years now.

"While that may be true about people not having knowledge of physics... how then do you explain the Physicists and other people well educated in the sciences who are Christians? You can't can you..."

Yes. They're not very good physicists. That's why their work is published in non-reviewed independent publications rather than in respected journals such as Scientific American or New Scientist.

Answer 1

I think most atheists on here already accept that - they werent deliberately misleading when they came up with creation myths, its just that knowing zero science they came up with the idea of a being like them, jealous, ignorant and violent.

The world might be so much better now if they'd had the human dignity to admit they just didn't know. Features such as 'the non-believer is a fool' are features of modern pseudo-science and insulates them from criticism (in their own minds, anyway).

Ignorant people in the modern age will still choose religion over the reality of science because believing 'god did it' is so much simpler than accepting scientific arguments, evidence and disagreeing hypotheses.

Answer 2

That's an interesting question there. I agree entirely that in the past, people have used this idea of having "gods" to makes things about the earth easier to understand. (Like the Roman gods, Venus, Neptune, Jupiter etc)

However, we are learning more and more about the physics of this world and all this information is just a click away on our computers, that I don't think the use of gods are used like they were before.

There has always been a mention of a god though, in every culture of every country in every century. Don't you think it's interesting that the greek and romans believed in gods? That the Egyptions also worshipped gods? And the people in the Americas. There must be a link somewhere. This is a universal thing. It is difficult to not believe that there's -something- out there.

Perhaps we could consider the idea that there is and was a God, there always has been, but people have become confused and deceived as to who is God and which God is the real God. Now there are so many being worshipped around the world, it could become very difficult to know which one is real.

Or, on the flip side, are they all real? And if so, why would so many gods create this world and watch over it teaching humans to live in different ways....there's no logic in that.

Or we could even consider the possiblilty that there is no God. If there was no God, then how was the Earth created? (Okay let's go with the big bang theory) Then what started the big bang? Who designed humans? Our bodies are the most complicated species on the planet, surely we were created by a fluke?

Also, if we truly die when we die, if there is nothing afterwards...what was the whole point of living in the first place?

Answer 3

I largely agree with you. The problem is that the 'gods' of today are a lot more sophisticated. The Christians have adapted their deity to fit with the rigours of modern understanding, so that while atheists can easily explain away the origins of thunder etc by physics, the Christians say 'yes, but god made physics'. No one can ever PROVE there is no god (and vice-versa) because there will always be something unknown.

I find it very frustrating that this is so; it would be so much nicer if we could prove once and for all that there really is no god, then all that turgid doubt would be dispelled and people would be much clearer in their minds about where they stand.

As you say, God is a comfort and a condolence, and works in two ways by a) being an answer for that which cannot be understood; but b) obstructing atheists from actually disproving God. It's a bugger.

Answer 4

Certainly most religion is born of ignorance, however there is still much that we do not understand. As for the creation of the universe, to me it almost requires a supernatural event since science has hever explaine how the matter which makes up the universe came into existence in the first place. Since the belief is basically that matter cannot be created or destroyed, there can be only two alternatives. Either matter has always existed with any point of creation or it was created by some supernatural event or at least an event beyond scientific knowledge. Believeing that something always existed is even stranger to me than believeing that it was created supernaturally. Both are mind blowers but one has to be true.

Answer 5

Religions started because people wanted to believe there is a reason for .... everything. When you do not KNOW something, presenting some made up nonsense BECAUSE people expect you to 'know everything' is probably a significant part of why / how religions grew. THE big problem with religions is that the OOOOOLD texts they are based on contain many such made up things that we now KNOW are nonsense, because we have learned so much. But you get deluded people claiming that the old nonsense is true because otherwise.... well where might the breakdown of religion end? If bit of the holy text is (demonstrably) wrong / nonsense, how can you claim bit is 'the gospel truth'? It is this which irritates the heck out of most atheists; religious people not only refuse to acknowledge the obvious truth but they want to force their outdated point of view on everyone. ( uhm .... or in short, MOSTLY YES )

Answer 6

Cavemen and early socities probably did have more natural inclination to seek explanations in terms of gods, but that does not mean that a Creator does not exist, if nowadays we are pretty comfortable and satisfied, and can explain many natural processes, and so many of us are not seeking after the Creator.

Even if you can fully explain the creation of the universe, I don't know if it would help you much if you got seriously ill, or a thug knifed, hpothetically, your best friend and got off by a legal quibble.

If you believe in the christian faith, although that is "faith" in an invisible God and a covenant made with the believer, you do actually get to experience God at work in your life. "Faith" is made in the hope of an expected reward, normally some of it in this life (except if you live in North Korea or Saudi!). Abraham is the first major example of faith in the bible and he got a child through his barren wife at a very old age, as well as material wealth, and the Jewish people and others stems from him in fulfilment of promises. A personal example - sometimes being in the presence of God's Holy Spirit is like being in a sea of liquid love, for instance; its better than the best parental love.

Answer 7

Ah, I detect in your question a young person fresh from the College, who knows it all...

When you mature, you will realise how little you knew.

When you realise that there is knowledge you cannot fully comprehend in your mind, and will never read out of college books, then you may get one step closer to the Truth.

I have been there, myself.

During my process of growth, I left religions behind. Religion is an intermediary step for those who have not quite yet made it.

However, well done with your question; an honest intelligent atheist is much closer to God that an ignorant religious fundamentalist.

I do not know how far I answered your question, but I sure offered you some food for thought...

Answer 8

Ok here here goes - I think this runs along the same principles of creationism vs evolution. Thoelogy vs Science - I am not the first person on here to point out that the two are not mutually exclusive (see educated theist whoooooo). It is not neccessary to 'fight' a war between two oposing sides and there are a lot of people who dont, they just dont tend to be as vocal as the absolutists.

Not all of us believe in a divine creator or an omnipotent being as God yet we still worship an other(s) entity(s).

That you believe that early man created Gods out of fear is more a testament to the way that you see religion more than anything else. I am not saying that you are wrong just that there may be other explainations. As someone with a rudimentary understanding of physics, big bang theory, theory of evolution, speed = Distance/Time etc etc i still have a fundermental believe in something other than science. This for me is nothing to do with fear of anything (I do not know where we go when we die, i do not believe we just stop but we may). When I see the world around me, when I feel the earth under my feet and hear the rain I know there is somethin out there something wonderful that is amazing. For some this is not divne for me it is. Is it not possible that early man created his gods from the awe he felt at being alive andthat today that carries on for some people. That the very nature of existing is fundermentaly amazing and that we can connect to something other than ourselves and experience the joy of creation and nature to the full.

Bit of a rant I know but I hope it helps answer the question from my pont of view which I think is what you were asking for.

Answer 9

It's an interesting notion, I however disagree. As a college educated person working for many years as a physician I find that everything in science points to a creator.

Your assumption that the average person has almost zero practical knowledge of physics is simply another way of saying, "I'm smarter than you, you can't understand the things of the world, but I can". It's ludicrous. It reminds me of early popes who dictated God through fear of heresy.

My faith in God is strengthened daily in my practice of medicine. It is strengthened by my understanding of science.

Because I know it will be an issue, I became a Christian after college.

To me, it is far more simple to say, "There is no God", than to truly seek and find God.

My faith in God is based on my understanding of His world. On my understanding of the scripture which I have studied in the original languages. My understanding, not the "misunderstanding" of others.

Answer 10

I don't agree that early man was as ignorant as you make out. In fact I think that man today has devolved in stature physically and mentally. I think most of them knew exactly who their God is. I think in fact that as man has moved away from those distant times we have lost information that we will never get back until we admit our ignorance. I also think the more understanding of physics gives more understanding of a created world. I think you are intellectualising from the point that some people in this time know more.