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May 12th, 2011
12:46 PM ET
Religious belief is human nature, huge new study claimsBy Richard Allen Greene, CNN London (CNN) - Religion comes naturally, even instinctively, to human beings, a massive new study of cultures all around the world suggests. "We tend to see purpose in the world," Oxford University professor Roger Trigg said Thursday. "We see agency. We think that something is there even if you can't see it. ... All this tends to build up to a religious way of thinking." Trigg is co-director of the three-year Oxford-based project, which incorporated more than 40 different studies by dozens of researchers looking at countries from China to Poland and the United States to Micronesia. Studies around the world came up with similar findings, including widespread belief in some kind of afterlife and an instinctive tendency to suggest that natural phenomena happen for a purpose. "Children in particular found it very easy to think in religious ways," such as believing in God's omniscience, said Trigg. But adults also jumped first for explanations that implied an unseen agent at work in the world, the study found. The study doesn't say anything about whether God, gods or an afterlife exist, said Justin Barrett, the project's other co-director. "This project does not set out to prove God or gods exist. Just because we find it easier to think in a particular way does not mean that it is true in fact," he said. Both atheists and religious people could use the study to argue their sides, Trigg told CNN. Famed secularist Richard "Dawkins would accept our findings and say we've got to grow out of it," Trigg argued. But people of faith could argue that the universality of religious sentiment serves God's purpose, the philosophy professor said. "Religious people would say, 'If there is a God, then ... he would have given us inclinations to look for him,'" Trigg said. The blockbuster study may not take a stance on the existence of God, but it has profound implications for religious freedom, Trigg contends. "If you've got something so deep-rooted in human nature, thwarting it is in some sense not enabling humans to fulfill their basic interests," Trigg said. "There is quite a drive to think that religion is private," he said, arguing that such a belief is wrong. "It isn't just a quirky interest of a few, it's basic human nature." "This shows that it's much more universal, prevalent, and deep-rooted. It's got to be reckoned with. You can't just pretend it isn't there," he said. And the Oxford study, known as the Cognition, Religion and Theology Project, strongly implies that religion will not wither away, he said. "The secularization thesis of the 1960s - I think that was hopeless," Trigg concluded. |
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This study shows that the religions of the world, organized for control of humans, have been drilled into the very psyche of humans. After millenia of igornant fears and foolish worries the religionists have alter evolution of the human mind to fit their
needs to sponge off others.
The pope prances about in his drag-queen outfits in his bullet proof pope mobile.
What ~ no faith in god? ~ a bullet proof bubble ~ god won't save you?.
After several hundred years of church taking all the pie finally some kings said "my army has more power than your invisible man."
"I want half that pie."
"And how many tank battalions does the pope have?" Joe Stalin to FDR at Yalta.
Look out ~ here comes the lightning thru the roof.
Actually it doesn't "prove" that at all, why are some of you atheists so illogical?
A belief in the tooth fairy is harmless, so I don't care if people want to believe in that. But when most of the world believes in one god or another, for thousands of years- crazy dogmas have caused untold misery on billions upon billions. That is why I care.
"D'ay took 'er jaobs!"
– South Park – Episode – Goobacks
I believe the more appropriate South Park episode is when Cartman freezes himself so he doesn't have to wait to buy a Wii but in doing so ends up in the future where the feud between different groups of atheists revolves around what to call themselves. "Science be praised!"
I believe in DOG
My dog has mystic powers ` he can make noises out of his mouth!!
OMD!!!
Oh... that son of a b.itch!
DOG DAMMIT!!
I love my dog, he's real.
my dog can even turn water into wine. Well, into urine, anyway, but I think it tastes good.
I guess the author has never been to the Czech Republic (60% atheist)... since societies vary so widely in religiosity, one can only conclude that religious belief is not a basic need, but the result of systematic cultural indoctrination of children. Either the author's study was funded by a church or the author is willfully ignoring societal differences.
"Indoctrination" is the key word.. the same way as evil corporations leads us to falsely believe that drinking milk is good for you (remember "Got Milk??")... Religious groups want to manipulate young minds so they grow up as believers... I do not agree with the article... Religion does not come naturally, even instinctively, to human beings... imagine for a second that you take 10.000 kids... isolate them in groups of 100... then let them grow up normally.. but without never ever mentioning the concept of a "god" or religion.. or the idea of believing in a supreme being... are you going to tell me that let's say.. 80% or more of them are going to reach adulthood and somehow spontaneously realize that a) There is a "god" b) you need to believe in it in order to have a sense of purpose in life c) you need to organize in groups and form religious groups with the purpose of worshiping this newly found "god".. Seriously ???... as somebody said here, a great percentage of the Western European societies are atheistic... why is that?.. a fluke? a freak of nature because they do not "naturally" believe in a deity?...
Agreed, I don't buy people "finding religion" after a traumatic event in their lives that makes them think twice. They're simply resorting to their earliest and most natural form of reasoning, religion and the belief in an almighty power. The indoctrination starts at birth if the parents so choose. Im not surprised countries like the Czech Republic have a larger percentage of atheists, it proves that people are no longer afraid to publicly declare they reject religion. This will only continue.
"We tend to see purpose in the world," Oxford University professor Roger Trigg said"...
Yes, the brain is inclined to find patterns in order to learn and even control one's environment. However, this does not mean we are predisposed to assuming a puppet master in the sky is in control of anything in life.
If people do it, it is human nature. Most of the world is involved in some kind of religion. Thus, religion is human nature. Huge study. Done.
And drugs (pharmaceuticals or otherwise) can make everyone feel great. That is a common thread so why not entertain it?
Let's see if I got this straight. If God exists then he would have given us the desire to go look for him. Since we have the desire to look for God, it follows that God must exist. Typical circular reasoning of the religious. Bogosity of bogosities. All is bogosity.
You may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
You may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife
You may ask yourself, "Well, how did I get here?" -The Talking Heads
I have to disagree with the conclusions of the study. What the study proves is that people naturally look for an explanation to the things that happen around them. I personally know a child who was (and still is) given basic science answers to her questions. I saw her tell another child (at age 5) that Santa wasn't magic, he just traveled faster than time. The point isn't whether her explanation was correct or not, it is that she had already decided that "science" could explain things. I'm not advocating one position over the other (that is a whole different debate), I'm just saying that human nature is to find explanations. We can choose religion, mysticism, or science to fulfill that need.
The point of the article is that the conclusion that being religious or seeking out religion has evolved as part of what makes humans. Forget about God for a moment – being in a religious group gives you a survival and reproduction advantage. That became a hard-wired instinct in the human brain. Look at all the instinctual behaviors in humans and animals. Complex as it seems, believing in a supernatural causes a social cohesion in a group that provides a fitness benefit. So, God may exist, but God has nothing to do with the entirely man-made construction of religion.
As an atheist, I'm very happy to see this study. I've never once doubted that people are programmed to believe in higher beings and this study certainly seems to back that up. It doesn't, however, prove that ANY higher beings exist. That's the best part. It fits neatly with my world view that all religions are equally valid in that they are all created and projected outward by our minds. No one is right, but everyone is justified in believing they are right, if you so choose. Just don't expect anyone to ever agree with you...and keep all particular views out of the drivers seat of politics.
Very well said! Thank you – I wholeheartedly agree!
...and keep all particular views out of the drivers seat of politics.
Right on!
The religious beliefs of government leaders may influence their legislative decisions thereby affecting the happiness or misfortune of the people.
Ex President G.W. Bush, a fervent Born Again Christian shouted to the world that it was God who ordered him to invade Iraq in 2003.
He made many people unhappy among American and Iraqi families during his reign as a bellicose Texan cowboy president.
Belief in a deity might be human nature, but it's still a delusion.
DrMabuse, blinded minds are the are the delusion, and satan is the real deluder. "In their(non-believers) case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4
Yes of course, when raced with reality break out the magic book. What's next, quotes from Harry Potter.
"Fear not lucifer, he is merely Voldemort, and can be vanquished with the kighty wand of Potter"
derp 1.7
There is always a zealot around to quote a verse from their book, but if I were to answer their comments with Mormon or Scientology quotes they will dismiss it. Why so arrogant that your book of stuff is not as false as the other books of stuff?
@Brad,
I prefer to trust in things that don't require belief for them to be true. I don't want to worry about doubting the existence of the bridge I'm walking across.
@Brad: "blinded minds are the...delusion"–I couldn't agree with you more! Blinded with religion.
Death is a very difficult to contemplate. To realize life will end? Loved ones are really gone forever. People tend to believe anything to keep from having to reason the obvious.
Especially when kids are involved, it is easier to say Mom is in heaven waiting than to say she is in the ground decomposing. However we should not treat our children like they are stupid, and should prepare them for reality. But when Santa, Easter bunny, Tooth Fiery and Jesus are inner woven in our culture it is easier to BS the children.
...Just as I or any rational thinking person has known for a long time...., human's reason for living and driving force in life is nothing more than a bunch of kids waiting for santa clause or the tooth fairy. Believe what you want, but when "GOD" enters the argument and determines structure in MY life (or anyone who is intelligent enough to know better) is when it's a problem. Yes, grow out of it please. There is ZERO difference between "cult" and "church"....you been had, let it go!
What's the advantage to being an atheist? Being an atheist doesn't make you more likely to succeed professionally or be rich or be happy. It doesn't give you any greater insight to life or the human experience or social relations or. . .anything. Atheism needs to market itself better. Why should people give up religion for atheism? How will it improve them? How does atheism explain that people of faith can be happy and succeed if religion is so damaging? Seriously. . .give me your elevator pitch.
Yeah its hard to see the appeal in a worldview based on a negative
It's hard to see the appeal of a world view based on delusion
UncleM – your statement is rather silly. Either side can see the other as being delusional if they so choose.
Well the only ones who believe that it absolutely is a delusion are atheists
haven't you ever heard stories of bad people going to jail, finding atheism, and turning their life around?
Why does there need to be an "advantage" to being a non-believer? By making that argument, you seem to imply people come to their belief or disbelief as a strategic position. I don't know about others, but I am a non-believer because I see no good evidence to believe in the supernatural.
'How do people of faith explain that atheists can be happy and succeed if atheism is so damaging?'
You miss the point entirely. Atheism isn't about "gaining a benefit", it's about coming to the realization that there is nothing after this and no "master plan". That we are all we have and that as opposed to waiting for some afterlife, you need to live for today.
It frees you from the shackles of a religious way of thinking. You are a free person who can think and decide right and wrong for yourself, instead of needing some ancient (and ultimately flawed) text to tell you how to think, live and act.
Drew
Well the only ones who believe that it absolutely is a delusion are atheist
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Were the Romans delusional when they believed in Zues and other gods?
it doesn't need to sell it self. look around . Are people more or less religious now then a generation ago. As we become enlightened/educated religion rings less true to most people
@Paul Falduto
I'm pretty sure that makes you more of an agnostic than an atheist
Artist
I wouldn't say so, no
Well for starters, atheism frees up my Sundays.
Drew
Artist
I wouldn't say so, no
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Okay we are getting somewhere. So the worship and "belief" was based on reality. Zues and the god existed. Are we to assume that you believe in Zues and the other Roman gods? Please explain your response.
Uh, Zeus was a GREEK god, you meant Jupiter, right?
@Dliodoir: Interesting question. Does being a member of a religion provide you with any of the advantages you mention? Is the reason you follow a religion really 'what's in it for me'?
Being an atheist is not being a member of a club. We don't have meetings, special jackets or clubhouses.
Being an atheist is a byproduct of what separates believers from non-believers. The deisre for truth and a world view based on verifiable evidence and reason, rather than wishful thinking and as-sumption.
JD has offered the only compelling reason! Lol. . .but seriously. Someone above argued that it frees one to make their own decisions . . .but people of faith make their own decisions too. . .guided by moral principles rooted in their particular faith. Atheists make decisions guided by moral principles rooted in . . .what?. . .empirical reason I suppose. But is it terrible that someone does the right thing because they are motivated by a religious belief rather than a non-religious motivation? The end result is the same. And please don't argue that religion makes people do bad things. . .that would imply that in the absence of religion people would not do bad things. . .but we all know they would.
I never said it was based on reality in the sense that you mean i.e. the material world. No, I don't worship the Greek/Roman pantheon, but they did "exist," although again not in the sense you mean
I would rather be miserable looking for truth, than blissful believing a myth. Fortunately, we can be happy and looking for the truth without any god(s) required.
I don't have to hate gay people?
You are correct. He is the Roman's god of gods.
The author got confused I think... We are predisposed to believing in higher purpose and elevate ourselves with philosophical understandings.
Drew
I never said it was based on reality in the sense that you mean i.e. the material world. No, I don't worship the Greek/Roman pantheon, but they did "exist," although again not in the sense you mean
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We are talking about reality as in real, not imaginations. Zues was worshiped as being a "real" god.
.
Since you want to play around with words to avoid, lets first establish something. Do you think Zues existed, meaning a real god flying around along with the other gods,,an actual "being"?
Second – do you think zues and the other gods only existed in the imagination of the believers?
@Dliodoir: You are making an as-sumption that morals rooted in religions were created by those religions. I would argue that they were secular in their creation.
Christopher Hitchens has a famous challenge: "Name me an ethical statement made or an action performed by a believer that could not have been made or performed by a non-believer."
"But is it terrible that someone does the right thing because they are motivated by a religious belief rather than a non-religious motivation?"
It doesn't matter to me as long as they don't infringe on other people's rights, although I doubt the Christian God would feel the same way. Wasn't He the one that said something about looking with lust is the same as adultery. I'm not big on thought crimes. The problems begin when someone starts trying to implement religious rules onto others, e.g. creationism/ID in science class, anti-choice laws, discriminatory laws, etc.
Pardon me, what I meant to say was that he may have existed. I don't mean in physical reality or in the imagination of his followers
Okay fair enough, so he might have existed. But do you believe he existed as they believed...all powerful god etc...floating in the sky/heavens etc?
.
Do you believe in the god of the bible?
Well he certainly may have. No, I don't believe in the god of the bible.
Drew
Well he certainly may have. No, I don't believe in the god of the bible.
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Thank you that cleared some things up for me, I was confused at your response.
@Dliodoir
‘but people of faith make their own decisions too. . .guided by moral principles rooted in their particular faith. Atheists make decisions guided by moral principles rooted in . . .what?. . .empirical reason I suppose.
‘But is it terrible that someone does the right thing because they are motivated by a religious belief rather than a non-religious motivation? The end result is the same.’
The end result is not the same, especially when one considers the result to society. The difference lies in whence the faithful get their authority from & thus which guides their direction. To a fair amount this has been mitigated in the West by the continual blows of modernity & secularism (we no longer stone people for working on the sabbath), whereas in more theocratic states it’s still the way it is.
Whereas the non-religious have no god to appeal to & they must show reason, logic, & evidence for their actions, why they’re correct/more correct then other actions, why they result in reduced suffering, the pios don’t need to do this at all. All they have to do is state ‘god says so…yada, yada, yada’ & any action of theirs is unthinkingly followed. In some cases not only are actions regarded as admirable (martyr), but they’re demanded (OT laws regarding killing others who attempt to sway you to another god).
Famed secularist Richard "Dawkins would accept our findings and say we've got to grow out of it," Trigg argued.
http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.element/img/3.0/1px.gif
"If you've got something so deep-rooted in human nature, thwarting it is in some sense not enabling humans to fulfill their basic interests," Trigg said.
I find the second statement to call into question the rationality of the first statement.
Good point. Dawkins has always struck me as kind of a busy-body
i think some might argue that polygamy, or fear of the supernatural are also deeply rooted, but we've done a pretty good job of moving beyond those.
We have many base instincts in human nature that have thwarted our progress. The Dark Ages comes to mind. To say we need them to fulfill our basic interests is meaningless drivel. There are entire societies that are atheistic, particularly in Western Europe, and they are consistently rated as having the highest level of happiness in the world. How exactly does believing in something that probably doesn't exist enlighten us?
The problem has never been that people have religious belief. It is when someone says, "I have the only answer and to get to heaven you have to go through me." which is the inherent corruption that is always the next step of any religious belief. Next comes planes into buldings, the crusades, pedophile priests witch burnings and on and on...
One must remember that this is Trigg speculating on what he thinks Dawkins would say, not a quote from Dawkins.
Oh of course, I just meant he strikes me as a busy-body in general
SweetLou – maybe you should start a study instead of conjecturing? I'd say that there isn't a strong inclination to polygamy, at least along the lines this study understands inclination. Pretty much all cultures and ages are inclined to religion. Not so polygamy. And I seriously doubt anyone has gotten over their fear of the supernatural. You obviously haven't felt the presence of the supernatural; people who have are pretty much unanimous in their feeling unsettled. The fact that we devote so much entertainment to occult and supernatural topics would also run contrary to your hypothesis.
I don't believe it is a contradiction. If we understand that all humans have a basic drive toward religion or belief in supernatural explanations, we can satisfy that drive with a focus on a 'religion' (going to have to be a new one) that sees as Gods will the goal of benefiting all of humanity (whether they are in the religion or not). You will find many fine Americans who REALLY BELIEVE that we must have a war with Islam and only either Muslims or Christians can survive (and my sister-in-law is one example of a person who truly holds this view – along with everyone in her Baptist Church, apparently). I think Dawkins' view is not a contradiction, it is an imperative.
We eat as if we have no idea when our next meal will be because we evolved in an environment where we were always on the brink of starvation –> Now those in the west (for the most part) live with plenty of food and we still eat the same way. –> obesity and DM have reached epidemic levels.
Not everything that our evolution instilled into us, is good for our long term survival and well being
american heathen caused 9 11 and will cause more disasters,bin laden was a mule used by the Lord God, look at book of job.
You mean the story where God deliberately torments an innocent man to the brink of death, and even kills all of his children? If you like such a being, you're evil.
i just finished a study of the book of Job and dldn't see obl spoken of anywhere unless you mean in reference to satan saying he could turn any man away from the almighty Jehovah. maybe you could help with some clarification, thanks
rainkettle; that was satan that caused all the suffering, just like today.
Justine–while technically you are right, satan was the actual perpetrator, the fact is the god of the old testament could have stopped it from happening and did not, thereby making himself culpable.
interventionist god indeed.
My understanding of this article is that it is in human nature to seek for some larger purpose etc. "religion" may be human nature, but that means all religions. My eight year old can understand that different people at different times have come up with different answers, that ancient Greek gods and Native American spirituality and Christianity are all stories people tell to try to understand the world. That doesn't make any of them true!
Exactly. I do not see much reference to the life work of Joseph Campbell these days (and I'll spare you all my thoughts as to why I believe this is so), but he got it absolutely right. Below is a link to one of my favorite shows of all time:
http://www.amazon.com/Joseph-Campbell-Power-Myth-III/dp/B00005MEVQ/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1305226143&sr=8-9