I've heard some atheists say this and I was wondering if this was true. After all, research has shown that humans have a part of their brains dedicated to religious and spirtitual feelings. Every human culture throughout history has believed in some sort of a God or gods. There is evidence that neanderthals had complex burial rituals...which suggests some sort of religion. Belief seems to be a hardwired part of human behavior. I suspect that any group of humans brought up in isolation will create some sort of religion. Do you agree with me? Why or why not?
2007-12-03 16:37:17 · 24 answers · asked by Link 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You may be right. Certainly, humans are pattern-seeking animals. That much is hard-wired, much like the drive for language. We also seem to like explanations. In the absence of anything better, a Rain God might seem like a reasonable thing, and because all we know is our own behavior, we attribute human characteristics to that Rain God - He wants stuff, he wants to be loved, he wants to feel powerful, etc, or he'll withhold the rain. And hey, that one time when we sacrificed some of our corn to the rain god, that seemed to work, so hey, what if we sacrifice a whole person? Rain galore!
Some people will tell you that everybody has some sort of hole in their soul, and if they don't fill it with religion of some sort, they'll fill it with something else - money, food, sex, whatever. But that's too simplistic (and to me, implies that God is the better choice there). The religious impulse, I think, is more a function of our evolution as social, pattern-seeking animals.
2007-12-03 16:53:57 · answer #1 · answered by senor_oso 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In studying psychology, I learned about two major perspectives on the thought processes/knowledge that babies are born with. Some psychologists believe that, when people were born, that they're a blank slate, but they begin to be affected by everything going on around them immediately upon being born. Therefore, everything that they know and everything that they believe has been instilled in them after being born.
Other psychologists, however, believed differently. Based on the observation that there are certain things a newborn baby will do almost instinctively (i.e., if you touch their cheek, they will open their mouth; if you place something in their palm, they will close their fingers around the object; etc.), they theorized that people were born with inborn reflexes and possibly even inborn beliefs. It was also used to give an explanation as to why many different ancient cultures would often have similar folklore or stories, despite not being exposed to each other.
The second is the perspective I'm inclined to believe more. I don't think anyone's born with one religion or another automatically programmed into their brains, but I think everyone is born with the propensity to believe and would be more likely than not to believe in something, even if exposed to no form of religion (not even atheism).
2007-12-03 16:46:25 · answer #2 · answered by Joy M 7 · 2⤊ 2⤋
First of all, atheism is also a religion. So even IF a person was born as an atheist, he/she would still have a religion.
Second of all, as you said it yourself, humans are naturally inclined to find God, and if they can't find God they made one (like science, democracy, constitution, etc) for themself.
So yes, any group of humans brought up in isolation will definetly believe in God.
In a Hadits, Muhammad once said "Each child is born pure, it is the parents who are responsible in turning him into a Jew, a Christian or a Majusi."
Note: He actually said 'muslim' instead of 'pure', but his definition of 'muslim' is closer to today's definition of 'pure' than some people today definition of 'muslim'.
2007-12-03 18:27:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
We are born without any knowledge other than the inbuilt drive to suckle and grasp.
All knowledge develops later and we are not really 'atheists' as such because we are totally unaware of such concepts. The atheism comes in even later, when we ARE aware of such things and, with wisdom, choose to discard such nonsense.
Atheism is the expressed disbelief in any gods, the denial of their existence, and new-borns just aren't that advanced.
Ancient or uncivilised mankind invents gods to explain what they don't understand. THAT is human nature.
As it is, I know what thunder is and do not attribute it to an angry god.
Just noticed the one above me - where atheists believe in EVALUATION. How true!!! I evaluated all the evidence - or lack of - and my evaluation was ... all gods are imaginary.
2007-12-03 16:50:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Until our minds are corrupted by religious indoctrination and conditioning from those around us we are certainly not theists.
I don't think belief is hardwired into humans but it's natural to seek answers for things we don't understand, if rational inquiry provides no solid answers then superstition can always provide an answer... even if it's not the right one.
2007-12-03 16:44:00 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
not at all.
No, I was born a Jehovah's Witness.
Also I do believe that if a human was isolated, They would properly wonder why they are here, and alive. Just God put it into our hearts, and minds to believe in something. It is call are Spiritual body. Even atheists believe in something, It is called EVALUATION. Which in my opinion is kind of silly.
2007-12-03 16:46:45 · answer #6 · answered by JW 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Romans Chapter 1:18-20
18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. 19For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. 20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
2007-12-03 16:46:24 · answer #7 · answered by Sweet Suzy 777! 7 · 0⤊ 3⤋
"research has shown that humans have a part of their brains dedicated to religious and spirtitual feelings."
This sounds anecdotal. Where is this supposed research???
Humans are born blank slates, and we learn everything social from other humans. Feral children that grow up isolated from humans and society have NO knowledge or understanding of gods or spirituality, and all attempts to teach or evoke this in them fail.
2007-12-03 16:41:44 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 3⤋
I believe that all men are born with the capacity to know right from wrong. A man that claims that he is truly athiest must examine his logic. Read "The Abolition of Man" by C.S. Lewis. It is impossible for humans to live without any higher law. If men were to eliminate any higher law, we would be governed by impulses. If no impulse could be placed above another, we would surely destroy ourselves.
2007-12-03 16:45:12 · answer #9 · answered by catalyst 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The brain is not born fully developed.
Yes, something will necessitate a belief system in group isolation due to an evolutionary side path of our brains.
But at birth, we are atheists. If we have any religion at all, it is to our mothers, our providers and caretakers.
2007-12-03 16:40:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋