Why does religion exist?

[Roman Knight]

It is so common but so varied. Why did religion start, who started it?

I would like this to be an "atheist" thread in that everyone looks at it from an Atheist point of view, I don't want an argument as to whether god exists or not, I wan't a discussion on why he was brought into existence.

[Chaigidel]

well I think it likely developed out of local customs coupled with local shamans; the shamans propegated and participated in "supernatural" activity; and encouraged the development of a strong belief in things that cannot be seen or understood etc--- but more than anything I would think it would be a gradual process for early man that would start about the time the community became stronger ( e.g. the agragrian thing) but when we were hunter gatherers its obvious that the natural events also influenced the development of religion so.

Enviroment, Community, and Local leaders ---all probably had a heavy hand in the development of most if not all early religious motivations.

[mocker]

People are dumb.

(kidding. Or maybe not...?)

[Chaigidel]

naaaaaah

[Ringeck]

Considering that religion/mysticism may be one of the few things that separate mankind from animals (due to our communication problems with pretty much all animals we cannot know for sure - although it might seem like Fido worships you sometimes, he can't really tell you that himself) it might be said that it is an "inherent trait" in mankind, so to say. The oldest example of religious behaviour is some 70,000 years old (http://uk.reuters.com/article/oddlyE...69331020061201) - it seems that early man didn't wait long until he started offering up gifts to mystical entities. In all probability, religion has been with us from the very start.

It is very common to talk about "organized" religion as opposed to mysticism or spiritualism. Many religious sociologists these days tend not to use that term (partly because it was used to define "proper" religion back in the day - i.e. the major faiths); all religion is organized, so to speak - if 10 h.sapiens decide to worship the Snake God of Botswana by offering up small carved votive gifts, they've organized themselves.

[Gaidin]

Religion is dirty science. Thousands of years ago people were wondering about the source of lightning and suddenly Zeus was born. They also wanted to keep Zeus happy. When Zeus was pissed lightning got thrown everywhere. And getting hit by lightning was a Bad Thing(TM). So they started trying to appease him.

[Gary88]

fear, comfort, community etc

[Chaigidel]

I honestly dont think its that simple-- dont get me wrong that has alot to do with it; but the human brain has been the same for over 30000 years; so what would the ancient great minds do ? If you had no reference do you think your first guess would be a God?-- could be, but dirty science is more like astrology and alchemy both dirty sciences that allowed for the true sciences to be born.

but I dont think religion is just dirty science, it has more to do with the fear we feel about existence, everything we learn we understand how we are at the mercy of forces totally beyond our control; it was much the same for early man I think-- and all the hope, fear, idealism, science, love and hate all became entwined with this overall world view of mysticism and or religion

[Gaidin]

I honestly dont think its that simple-- dont get me wrong that has alot to do with it; but the human brain has been the same for over 30000 years; so what would the ancient great minds do ? If you had no reference do you think your first guess would be a God?-- could be, but dirty science is more like astrology and alchemy both dirty sciences that allowed for the true sciences to be born.

but I dont think religion is just dirty science, it has more to do with the fear we feel about existence, everything we learn we understand how we are at the mercy of forces totally beyond our control; it was much the same for early man I think-- and all the hope, fear, idealism, science, love and hate all became entwined with this overall world view of mysticism and or religion

The big thing to note is that they associated the 'supernatural'(ie, the lightning) with a superior being. The only way to stave off that occurence, to them, was to keep that superior being happy.

Look at all the old mythology writings. The people theorized that all the freak occurences had a source in the gods. **** happened, they sacrificed to said gods, and **** stopped happening. It's practically science in the making with the way they had to come up with the idea and implement it. This happened when the Greeks travelled to Troy. This happened when the Greeks did not listen to a priest of Apollo. This happened when the Greeks sidelined Achilles, who had the endorsement of Zeus at that time for all intents and purposes. As soon as the Greeks rectified these mistakes in the Gods eyes either through sacrifice or changing their manner, things went back to normal.

Now, of course, we can look back and say, "Meh...the storm ended." But *they* couldn't think on that level for a phenomena so far out of their prediction or control.

EDIT: wow this is poorly worded, especially after reading LC's post before mine. But meh...it happens.

[Lord Condormanius]

It all comes from a desire to know what isn't known and to understand the world around us (humans). Take creation myths for instance. These stories were made to try to explain what was unexplainable. Where did mankind come from? Why are we here? What is the explanation for such and such? Since these tales were created long before the advent of science, the unexplained aspect of things usually involved a supernatural element. Since they are older than the written word, they were passed along orally at first.

...and it goes on from there. It becomes a communal activity to discuss the deities and what they are responsible for...and what they expect in return.

I think that the reason religions still exist is because it is hard for people, as a whole, to let go of tradition. Religions, in my view, have long outgrown their usefulness. There are other, more accurate explanations about the world. It seems now their only purpose is to try to define who is supposed to hate one another.

[wilting]

Religion exists because of human intelligence.*

Or at least, because of how human emotion interacts with human intelligence.

We know about death, we can examine our own behaviour as social animals and we are capable or asking questions that we cannot answer.

Religion is the mechanism by which we cope with this uncomfortable knowledge (or lack thereof).

Religion provides the illusion of absolute moral authority in an orderless world.

Religion offers comfort from the fear of death.

Religion provides easy answers to the hard questions such as where do we come from, why are we here etc.

Essentially, religion acts as a check on our intelligence, preventing us from becoming too introspective or too depressed by the perceived meaninglessness of our existence and enabling society to get on with things. Some of us can get on without it, others cannot.

It also serves other functions such as creating a greater sense of community and enabling easier manipulation of the masses, to whatever end (so our intelligence does not lead to too much disagreement). But I think these stray from the core role.

*Perhaps somewhat ironically.

[Da Skinna]

Religion is the man-made institution created around the concept of a deeper meaning to our world, usually God, and has become a concerted effort that seeped into politics and daily life immensely.

If spirituality is freedom, then religion is certainly slavery. It evolved like all other institutions, adapting to its purporses of population behavioral control. It was used, God I mean, as the most powerful political tool many times over in history.

It set down in absolute the answers to this world, and history has shown when disagreeing with an absolute that is said to have created every beautiful damn thing around us, it's hard to continue that way unabated.

People need their God, but religion is not the answer to our problems as a whole.

[Ummon]

Religion exists to comfort the weak, to irritate the mediocre, and to instruct the intelligent.

Perhaps. :wink:

[Icefrisco]

Religion most likely came into existence because people's brains were rapidly becoming more developed. The first people to practice religion were Neanderthals. In the past 2,000 years the common desires for religion have been because of:

1)A need of spiritual support
2)A desire to live after death
3)A need for a source of inspiration
4)A need for answers to impossible questions
5)A need for community and reason to socialize

Those five reasons are probably the same reasons why the Neanderthals practiced religion.

[Primvs Sextvs Loverlord]

Great post, Icefrisco!

[Icefrisco]

Thanks!

[CyberFist]

Our brains have a neurological urge to explain things. Our brains can also be triggered artificially to have the 'numinus', or religious experience. It is part of us. Every hunter-gatherer society had/has religion, and the various rules and laws have an incredible way of keeping the way of life intact, regarding killing animals, social mores etc.

It is a perfectly natural human experience. I would think that recent developments in this regard, like atheism, agnosticism etc, are the exception to the rule historically. Thought up at 1 minute to midnight, after a very, very long and tiring day.

[MaximiIian]

It is so common but so varied. Why did religion start, who started it?

Initially, it began as people trying to form ethics and a way of life, after they started to settle down, over a hundred thousand years ago. This synthesised with shamanism, animism, and simple human curiosity to form the first religions- indigenous paleopaganism, which varied broadly from culture to culture, or even from tribe to tribe.
Its purpose as to instruct people on ways to live in harmony with other people and with nature, but was twisted, even early on, by political leaders and tribal elders into a means of control.

[Roman Knight]

I would say it is most likely an explanation, and a way of finding security.

But also, it is often used as a way for the more intellgent in a group to gain power.

[removeduser_487563287433]

It is so common but so varied. Why did religion start, who started it?

I would like this to be an "atheist" thread in that everyone looks at it from an Atheist point of view, I don't want an argument as to whether god exists or not, I wan't a discussion on why he was brought into existence.

The roots of the Indo-European deities are incredibly deep. For example, the Indo-European storm God is exceedingly ancient, and may have been worshipped by the proto-Indo-Europeans themself, or even their ancestors. You know him best as Zeus, but the word can be found in practically every Indo-European language. (Theo)logy, Thor, Tiue, Deus, Dionysus, etc. etc. The semitic Gods are shared too. Allah, Ela, El. Gods have long shelf-lives, and if you think any of these Gods are new you are a fool.