For all deep-thinkers, free-thinkers, and Darwinian evolution advocates...?

Question

If you agree that religion was 'born' some time in our evolutionary past, what do you think the favored [Darwinian] advantage of religion was? Or do you think relgion is a by-product of some other favored trait in our psychological makeup?

Sorry, I just noticed a typo in my question. I promise I know how to spell "religion".

@ Bullfrog21:
I think my question fits perfectly in this category. If you read my question, it is about the birth of RELIGION. I think you are just being closed-minded because you disagree with my views. Isn't being judgemental against your Christian teachings?

Answer 1

Humans have an evolutionary advantage in recognizing patterns. It helps us to find food, plant during appropriate times of the year, etc.

However, it also leads to superstition when patterns are in fact coincidences. When certain things occurred without a discernible reason, we had to find some source for it. Hence, Demons were thought to cause disease. Even alcohol was called "spirits." Gods were assumed to effect the weather, and when sacrifices led to a certain improvement (which in fact was just another coincidence), religion became ensconced in the culture.

Richard Dawkins, in earlier work, referred to this as a "Meme." A meme is an idea that has its own evolutionary path, and survives by adapting to new environments. If you look at the way religions have adapted to the various cultures, you will see that the spread has occurred in the same way as species have adapted to environments.

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Answer 2

I don't think there neccessarily has to be a selective advantage to religion for it to persist, but I'll go along with you for the sake of the argument.

Religion and religious traditions help cement the authority structure of any group. Think especially of primitive societies where the shaman is perhaps the most important leader of the tribe. A tribe that isn't bickering internally would probably fare better in competition with tribes that were. The religion motivates people to support the established power structure, thus order is maintained.

Religion's biggest appeal though, is that it answers people's questions and allows them to make some kind of sense out of the world around them. When the crops die, its because the Goddess of the Harvest is angry, when it rains, the God of the Sky is fertilizing the Earth.

Most humans need to have an answer to every question. Science has largely replaced religious explanations for things, but lingering questions remain: Why are we here? What happens to us when we die? Since most people are unwilling to say "Heck if I know!" to those questions, religion will sadly remain with us for a long long while.

Answer 3

Want to know the truth? Ever look at the studies they have done upon the behaviors of "apes." They hang around in packs. The "Darwinian" advantage as you call it , "of" religion is the the never ending "delusions" the mind can feed itself and promote them by the inferior thoughts of "superstition." Thus creating religion as it's by-product, you called. That and that alone psychologically, instilled FEAR to strenghten beliefs in "something" or "someone" else in control of our destinies. By the "knowledge" left behind in ancient egypt, we can summize that an "alien" race visited these "superstitious" peoples upon earth teaching them to read and write. "Gods" if you will. It is "they" who" TAUGHT the ancient egyptians of the gerzean era (4000 - 7000 b.c) of a "superior" entity that created all things and of eternal life. Bet you thought it was hebrews that were the "chosen." Much of what is Jewish, as far as their holy words go, was "given" to egyptians, and it is it's FAITH on record that says we "evolved" just as "God" and all those he created did........

Answer 4

It doesn't have to have give an advantage to humans to exist. Think of a virus. It preys on us. Which favoured traits does it prey on? Intelligence (realisation of death). Anthropormphising minds, which help us understand our social world but also make it semi-automatic to assume an 'intelligence' behind things we see and don't understand. Our desire for social acceptance (peer pressure).... I could go on because the more 'advanced' relgions prey on pretty much every trait we have. Because it's evolution for the mind-virus to find more and more buttons to push as it evolves over time.

Answer 5

It provided a sense of security and thus reduced stress in those groups of hominids that believed or developed religion. It provided a significant focus for social structures, and a way for leaders to wield power without needing to unduely injure subordinates (the threat of hell, for example, does no physiological harm but can prevent rebellion).

Answer 6

Religion was created as a comfort-mechanism for people who lived in a time that was full of pain and suffering. Religion offered them a way to look forward to life after death, so they could feel they would be rewarded later for having to deal with so much heartache and pain during life.

Answer 7

Religion is a product of the human capacity and need to identify causes. It also provided social cohesion and a moral frame of reference for a people.

Answer 8

As has been noted, religion began as a way to explain things ancient men couldn't explain. It eventually became a way to control behavior and stifle dissent, the purpose it serves to this day.

Answer 9

I believe after reading and studying the bible that this book has far too much insight into man kind psychologically to not be the " how to book" of the creator. Darwin even suggested intelligent design when talking about the human eye and its complexity. Religion being a by-product of psychology is foolish. Man twists truth for his own needs to avoid condemnation and discipline. In John 1:1 the Godly psychology of man ( premise of Religion) was present before things were created. The "Word" is Jesus in this scripture and was present in the beginning. All other theory is man's attempt to escape God's sovereign authority.

Answer 10

The latter is most likely. Children have an innate sense of "trusting" adults. Otherwise, they'd fall into quick sand for example. Problem with the system is that you can't distinguish bad advice like "Jesus died for our sins" from good advice "don't put your hand in the fire."