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How do you reconcile this with the fact that religion seems to be intrinsic to human culture? >Religion, held at any level above personal, is destructive >to t

How do you reconcile this with the fact that religion seems to be intrinsic to human culture? >Religion, held at any level above personal, is destructive >to the larger population, in the long run.

themartorana 12y ago
The same way I do with the belief that the Sun revolves around the Earth, or that the Earth is flat. They are based off of early attempts to explain the unknown or the unexplainable (especially death), and recognized by a few as a fantastic way to hold influence and sway (and iron-fisted rule) over the general population. We learned the Earth wasn't the center of the universe (a fact Religion had a hard time letting go of) and that the Sun doesn't revolve around the Earth. We grow as a species with knowledge we obtain. Left completely uneducated and alone, I believe religion would spring up as quickly as it did before - but now we have the benefit of vast amounts of knowledge at our fingertips.
selectnull 12y ago
Why do you think religion is intrinsic to human culture? Personally, I view it as a bad product sold to humanity (in the times in which most people were poor and uneducated) for the benefits of few snake oil peddlers that got incredibly rich and powerful in the process.
- WhitneyLand 12y ago
  Look at the vast number of human civilizations and cultures. Have enough been secular to argue it's not intrinsic? It's really an open question. Some believe that with enough prosperity, education, and safety, religion will no longer be needed. However I regularly have discussions on the earth being 6000 years old with people who have those traits in abundance. Here's one reference: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1386533/Belief-religion-simply-universal-human-nature.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1386533/Belief-relig...
  - ionised 12y ago
    Theistic religion is just a result of the lesser degree of knowledge of the world, the universe and our place in it that we as a species had thousdands of years ago. It's just unfortunate that it still exists as such a comfort blanket for so many and continues to give so many other people an excuse to be shitty to one another.

How do you reconcile this with the fact that religion seems to be intrinsic to human culture? >Religion, held at any level above personal, is destructive >to the larger population, in the long run.

themartorana 12y ago

The same way I do with the belief that the Sun revolves around the Earth, or that the Earth is flat. They are based off of early attempts to explain the unknown or the unexplainable (especially death), and recognized by a few as a fantastic way to hold influence and sway (and iron-fisted rule) over the general population. We learned the Earth wasn't the center of the universe (a fact Religion had a hard time letting go of) and that the Sun doesn't revolve around the Earth. We grow as a species with knowledge we obtain. Left completely uneducated and alone, I believe religion would spring up as quickly as it did before - but now we have the benefit of vast amounts of knowledge at our fingertips.

selectnull 12y ago

Why do you think religion is intrinsic to human culture? Personally, I view it as a bad product sold to humanity (in the times in which most people were poor and uneducated) for the benefits of few snake oil peddlers that got incredibly rich and powerful in the process.

WhitneyLand 12y ago
Look at the vast number of human civilizations and cultures. Have enough been secular to argue it's not intrinsic? It's really an open question. Some believe that with enough prosperity, education, and safety, religion will no longer be needed. However I regularly have discussions on the earth being 6000 years old with people who have those traits in abundance. Here's one reference: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1386533/Belief-religion-simply-universal-human-nature.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1386533/Belief-relig...
- ionised 12y ago
  Theistic religion is just a result of the lesser degree of knowledge of the world, the universe and our place in it that we as a species had thousdands of years ago. It's just unfortunate that it still exists as such a comfort blanket for so many and continues to give so many other people an excuse to be shitty to one another.