Faith often allows people to persevere during times of distress and challenge. Evolutionarily speaking this could create a competitive advantage by increasing chances of survival (belief often creates a feeling of wellbeing, and could be a motivating factor in trying new solutions). What do you think - Is religious belief and evolutionary survival tool?
2007-09-16 15:20:29 · 30 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
possible.
It seems more likely that religion is one expression of a particular genetic trait. We'll know better in a few hundred thousand years.
2007-09-16 15:27:11 · answer #1 · answered by Samurai Jack 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No I don't think religious belief is an evolutionary tool. I think people use it as an excuse to escape reality. I am not a religious person but I know that I have many other motivating factors that would help me survive and persevere during times of distress and challenge.
2007-09-16 15:25:46 · answer #2 · answered by Jennifer 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Particular beliefs, no I don't think so. The capacity for belief? Hmmm.
1) Anyone who has survived tramau and has used belief that they will survive to keep them from giving up may have improved their chances to survive and reproduce - which is what drives evolution.
2) Belief that one's family or tribe or whatever are more important than oneself or one's children can decrease chances of survival of one's progeny.
1 and 2 could cancel each other out.
And then there is 3) the belief that all unbelievers must be killed. Or that all believers must die in a particular way to acheive salvation. Jim Jones' cult had a lot of true believers.
Mixing evolution, human choice and morality is dangerous. See ethnic cleansing.
2007-09-16 15:31:43 · answer #3 · answered by SC 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had been spiritually minded since I was kid, religion is only a tool for me; I choose the one that compatible with my spiritual being.
Sure I can persevere better under stress, frustrations and challenges better than my brother, but I think that is more a result of my understanding from what I did and do according to what I read/ learn abt the teaching.
My brother in ritual doing almost the same like me (on and off).
But in trying to understand the religion we are quite different.
I read , think , discuss ,debate, analyze and walk my life according to my understanding. I also read some ancient philosophy books. And I get my strength of faith from my own experiences.
My brother in the other hand, just like following what other's preach.
The different result is quite a big gap. He seems to believe in some dreams/wishfull/hope which many times really disappointing him.
So his on and off praying have different reason than mine.
The reason I write the above is to show that IN GENERAL there are 2 different way people take religion in practice.
The one who follows and the one who study.
I find the one who study can stand understress better than the followers.
And the one who study, actually have a stronger faith than the one who just follow and swallow.
To me being religious is not just having or belonging to any religion and neither is just being spiritual.
VCHB , I dont know wether you can understand my English tho.
2007-09-16 17:40:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know if religion - a sociological thang - really evolves the same way human beings do. But I think it sure does evolve. And I think it's purpose doesn't necessarily change - provide security, a sense of belonging, community - but its actions do. The way it fits into society changes. The societal limitations on religion change all the time - from the role of the church, to the role of Jesus, to the importance of regiment, even up to the shifting stance on homosexuality that we see now. I think that the evolution of religion is driven by the evolution of society. I think that there are a good number of people who, in every evolutionary phase of society, rely on religion as a crutch to identify themselves. And I think that because it has such a strong historical position as such, they force it to fit into the then-current world.
2007-09-16 15:30:02 · answer #5 · answered by Michael C 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Religion was created to explain the unknown so most people in a given tribe or whatever practised it. The few
non-believers would probably be excluded from any rituals and perhaps excluded from the tribe.
No tribe=no reproduction=no atheists=lots of theists
I agree with ya, poster. The possibility anyway.
2007-09-16 15:27:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it was most likely a social tool for making groups and cohesion between them. I also think that as they did not have the tools to understand the universe (even events like thunder and rain) then this was the reason that they created the gods to explain things.
I don't think that faith itself was an advantage.
2007-09-16 15:30:35 · answer #7 · answered by nicelyevolve 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In some ways, it definitely is, especially on the macro level. If we ALL believed that there was no God, I think the world would become too nihlistic to sustain itself, politically, economically, socially. People need to have hope in something.
That being said, that it's an "evolutionary function" doesn't necessarily mean it's teachings are not true...
2007-09-16 15:27:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it could play a role, yes. Most religious people take better care of their bodies, not smoking, drinking, doing drugs, etc, which can lead to longer life and healthier children.
I like your theory also, hope is a big factor.
2007-09-16 15:28:58 · answer #9 · answered by Squirrley Temple 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have you been reading Durkheim? ;-)
You do have a very good, almost intuitive, grasp of sociology. I don't know if you've studied Durkheim and others, but you might "enjoy" him, as much as anyone can "enjoy" such things. Love him or hate him, he's the starting point for religious sociology anyway.
Peace to you.
2007-09-17 18:01:47 · answer #10 · answered by Orpheus Rising 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋