CHRISTIANS- Can any of you believe in the POSSIBILITY of a RELIGOUS GENE?

Question

Okay. "Religous gene" is just a term for lack of a better one, but I saw a 20/20 special that suggested religous people may have certain genetic traits which allow them to believe in a higher power, when in actuality there is No God at all.

It would seem to make sense from a LOGICAL (there goes the word again) standpoint. NATURE desires for humans to live and procreate, plain and simple, and thus by promoting a trait that encourages us to want to live (in the hopes of an afterlife and that other good stuff) nature wins. Not saying it's true. Just saying it makes one think.

Any Christian dare to think about this for more than five seconds without crawling back to the safety of simply ignoring it?

P.S. - I'm a Christian. Just one that's willing to think. (Yes, we do exist.)

Answer 1

I read this in Time Magazine some two years ago about a religious gene. It's not new news, or at least not new to me.

I don't like the idea because I have chosen to believe in my religion.

I was without religion, without religious conviction or purpose. To say I am biologically driven, takes away my choice and my reasoning to join a church and become religious. They're coming also from an atheist-type perspective in which they think religious people don't rely on intellect to believe.

I also think it's wrong to say that there is a religious gene. Could it not be said that it's a gene in charge of intense emotion? Because they are arguing it's a gene that does not rely on intellect to feel, why does it have to be tied to religion? Could it not be true then that there's an alcoholism gene, a drug gene, a rape gene, a vice gene?

Science can only study specific factors as well, one at a time. It doesn't take into consideration life experience, physical limitations, geography, social dynamics, psychology, sociology...traumas, all of which affect what we decide to do for ourselves.

Answer 2

No, I don't think there's a religious gene and I don't think there is a "genetic trait" that opens people to belief. I do believe some people are more open to spirituality than others, but I think that is more in tune with physic abilities. Some people can't seem to see past their nose, other see very far. Perhaps the problem isn't that religous people have a particular gene, but that non-religious people are missing certain abilities.

Answer 3

Think long, go very wrong!

Logic is limited.

If what you say is thought to be true, then there
is no such thing as true love or true freedom,
all experience would be for nothing at all.

Very sad, very pointless.

You need to approach God's perfect grace.
That is what you need.
Do you believe in a supernatural/spiritual dimention or not?
You have to choose one or the other - red or blue pill.
Take the red pill and be sure!
Logic can be so pointless - fooled by pride and
a false sense of self suficiency - not real logic or understanding at all!

In saying all this, you are saying there is no true
revelation or true spiritual life at all and this is
to live an unblessed lie - pointless and insecure.

Answer 4

Well since you say you're a Christian believer, let's consider it from a Christian perspective:

We know genes exist and that they control traits both physical and behavioral. We also know that God created men for His specific purposes. We know that God has called some of us to salvation and others he created to glorify Him by burning in hell... that is we know that God has enabled some of us to "see" and "hear" and others he has made blind and deaf to Him. So it seems reasonable that God would use the building blocks he created - genes - to include that ability in a person.

Where it falls down, though, is in being testable. Since God's existence cannot be proven to someone who will not seek Him, then neither can you prove the ability to "see" and "hear" nor identify the gene that makes it possible. You can't find the gene because you can't positively identify the trait... until you get to heaven or hell at which point it stops mattering.

Answer 5

No.
Genes sometimes affect characteristics in indirect ways. For example, genes affect the size and shape of your nose, even though there's no such thing as a "nose size" protein. But directly or indirectly, the way genes influence your traits is by telling your cells which proteins to make, how much, when, and where.
Religion is not a protein.

Answer 6

I would've agreed with you on this, expect for that little sentence you seemed to have no trouble throwing into the mix. "actually no God at all."

As a very strong believer in G-d, I know for a fact that He is real and I believe in Him not because of 'genetic traits' but plainly due to what He first did for me. I have a grounded relationship with my Redeemer and Creator. Nothing will ever change that and no I am not hardwired to believe this. Faith has to be from the person's heart, mind, and soul. It can't come from a genetic disposition, that would mean people who personally do not believe in G-d have no choice but to have faith in Him.

So, from one Christian to another -- where does Free Will fit in all this? What is your understanding of how faith works in the life of people?

Answer 7

Yes, but I think the gene is active in everyone, and not selectively because I do not think it refers to "predestination". I believe in the foreknowledge of God, in other words, God knows what each person will do, but He gives man free will and doesn't predestinate them to heaven or hell. He gives them every opportunity for choosing good or evil, even though he is aware of what they will choose. There is a big difference between being aware of and causing it to happen that way.

I believe that God does at times influence the way things happen, but selectively and not always. Most of the time we operate under natural laws in this world.

Answer 8

I didn't even bother reading past the 20/20 special. That is ridiculous! Every person is born with an inherent longing for a higher being or higher power, but some choose to dismiss it as they get older for reasons of their own.

Answer 9

the main effective reason the God Yahweh began the circumcision covenant beginning with Abraham is the comparable clarification why our scientific scientists have found out at present. Circumcision is the main efficient way of lowering the unfold of ST D's in human populations. not a treatment yet a prevention. Jews at that element beginning with Abraham himself and then years later Christians and Muslims did not understand God's scientific clarification for this technique and by accident gave it a non-scientific interpretation of the meaning of it which they nonetheless use at present. yet modern-day technological expertise will quickly teach the religious interpretation incorrect. that's in simple terms the way the God Yahweh needs it to happen as area of His plan to coach to mankind that He exists.

Answer 10

It's hard to see how any of them would deny the probability of the mind being wired for belief if the idea was suggested. Though many won't bother considering the thought that maybe non believers and them are wired differently.