Belief Systems etc.

[greendog]

Why does the human mind crave belief in a higher power?

Are circular belief systems simply a hypothesis or an elaborate device for those in "the know" to their exert influence over the masses?

And what is the future for religion in our increasingly secular societies?

[Llamatron]

Maybe it's a throwback to when we were kids and adults looked after us. We crave the security.


Both?


If, as you say, our society is increasingly secular then logically religion will disappear. Not gonna happen though.

[jojojojoanne]

people being human.

[saxy_jag]

I think it's because in man's very earliest days, he sought to understand what was happening in the world around him. Those things that couldn't be easily or readily explained, he would assume were the doings of some external power - ie. 'God'.

Since man, like all other species, has a procreative instinct and a need to ensure the survival of his genes above others, it would naturally follow that it was in his best interests to be able to control others. What better way than by claiming he had a hotline to Big G and that all lesser mortals should therefore do as he said.

This then brings us to Llamatron's post. We've lived under this idea of being cared for (controlled) by our respective churches for so long that we come to depend on the security it gives us.

There are those who will cling to that security blanket, come what may. They will keep religion going as they manage to convince other weak-willed individuals to join them in their beliefs. They may just argue so much among themselves that they'll eventually wipe themselves out.

[jake-the-peg]

I think there are a number of factors, as Jag says there's the need to explain the world although that, at least in the west, has receded under scientific advance - God of the Gaps.

As Lamatron says the security blanket thing is important - I meet so many people who say "It's so nice to have a religious belief"

I still can't get my head around that. Where I stand, you believe in something or you don't you can't believe in something because it would be nice too anymore than you can grow an extra head - but there you go.

I think though the most powerful thing is the soul.

Personally I'd define religion by the belief in an indestructable soul. All religions (possible exception Jehovas Witnesses) seem to believe in this, even Budhists who have a very vague notion of God as far as I understand.

This notion of a soul seems very strong and if you follow it the notion of Gods and spirituality naturally follows.

By the same token though it's my conviction that this concept is flawed that makes me an athiest. For me there are too many contradictions, illogicalities and philisophical contrivences to accept this - but the concept of "me" as some sort on non-physical entity is very very strong with many people.

As for the future, religion will never die totally but we already see a massive drop off in organised religion in Europe, even in America there is a suggestion that curch goers are significantly less than the figures suggest.

We do see increases in alternative religions as people try to reconsile this powerful notion of soul with a rejection of organised religion.

Personally I think this trend will grow.

[VS Prasad]

During 1800s, Anthropologists had a problem as to
how to classify human beings. One researcher
proposed the expression "intelligent animal".
After advanced studies on monkeys, it was dropped.
Another researcher proposed "tool using animal".
After observing some animals making wooden tools
and sharpening them with knife like stones, it was
dropped. Another researcher proposed "weapon using
animal". A decade ago, a rare film was shot by an
amateur in an African forest. One short monkey was
hit very badly by a big monkey. The short monkey
prepared a wooden knife using stones and hid it on
the top of a tree. After some days, when the big
monkey came to attack the short monkey, it ran up
to the tree for the weapon it has hid and killed
the big monkey. The one thing that the
anthropologists found with any group of human
beings, even if they did not have contacts with
the out side world for thousands of years, is
spirituality with some form of religion. So, man
is a "spiritual animal" if you want to call him
that way.

The Upanishads say that "Manush" (human) was so
named because he has "Manas" a mind higher than
that of the animals which realizes the divinity in
creation. It was present since the creation of
human beings. Religion is the characteristic
feature of most of the human beings. It was not
attained through reasoning using mind. Illiterate
tribes located in inaccessible forests also have
religion. It is as eternal and and as unchanging
as the Almighty. Disbelief by a few will not
affect it.

"The percentage of atheists in the world is less
than 5%"

http://www.positiveatheism.org/india/s1990c48a .htm

[VS Prasad]

"Atheists are all scientists" ?

http://www.non-religious.com/statistics.html

Religion is not a blind following. It is a sub-consciously driven group ritual. It calms the 'collective unconscious'
mind. The religious culture brings unity and
belongedness among the followers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_uncons cious

" Are Atheists More Depressed than Religious People?

In recent years, the view that religious belief and
participation in religious acts of worship has a positive
effect upon the well-being of man..."

http://www.secularhumanism.org/index.php

"Is a Belief in God Beneficial? Or, What's an Atheist to Do?

1) Religious attendance is correlated with longevity.
2) Religious belief has been associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms.
3) Religious beliefs may help with addiction.
4) Religious attendance is correlated with lower blood pressure.

http://jewishatheist.blogspot.com/2006/01/is-b elief-in-god-beneficial-or-whats.html