Why Humans are Religious

[Reyen]

Why are humans the only living thing on Earth that has religion?

As I understand it, humans have religion because we are the most keenly aware of our own, inevitable death, and have immense fear of this. When I say "death" I mean true death--no afterlife--where you cease to exist in any form. Religion serves as a psychological "self-preservation": If you are not religious, you believe you will suffer a true death; if you are religious, you believe that you will persist in some form, and therefore cannot die. Also, religion provides escape from our innate fear of the dark, or that which is not known. It gives us a perception of meaning, of worth, of belonging, of order. As opposed to the alternative, rather more nihilistic (though not necessarily) view of life (I must clarify that atheists do not--or should not--believe that existence is random; this is extremely likely impossible.)

Sentiments?

[Kurieuo]

Reyen, what does it mean to "have religion"?

In any case, consider whether you think we religious folk really have a choice in the matter...
Like you, my body is a product of the physical world reducible to mere atoms arranged this way or that.
The idea that we actually have a "self" who is "aware" and makes "decisions" on religious matters is simply smoke and mirrors, a trick of the physical world.

We are not religious or irreligious. In fact, "we" don't really exist.
So it's kind of pointless anyway isn't it? Like an atom randomly bouncing into another.
If this picture is accurate then humans are religious because an atom bounced this way rather than that.

[Vergil]

Well I personally believe that man is a 'Religious Animal' like with Aristotle said that a 'is a Political Animal'.
Which to say is kinda true.

Mankind tends to believe in something greater than itself, name it a deity, deities, or itself.

[PaulSacramento]

Why are humans the only living thing on Earth that has religion?

As I understand it, humans have religion because we are the most keenly aware of our own, inevitable death, and have immense fear of this. When I say "death" I mean true death--no afterlife--where you cease to exist in any form. Religion serves as a psychological "self-preservation": If you are not religious, you believe you will suffer a true death; if you are religious, you believe that you will persist in some form, and therefore cannot die. Also, religion provides escape from our innate fear of the dark, or that which is not known. It gives us a perception of meaning, of worth, of belonging, of order. As opposed to the alternative, rather more nihilistic (though not necessarily) view of life (I must clarify that atheists do not--or should not--believe that existence is random; this is extremely likely impossible.)

Sentiments?

Why would anyone be afraid of their death BEFORE they have a notion of possible consequences of dying?
In short, how can religion PRECEDE the very thing it addresses IF it was created because of the thing it, supposedly, created?

What I mean is that, some have the view that Man created religion because of his fear of death, of the unknown BUT where did that fear come from?
There was no reason to fear the very thing that religion says will/may happen BEFORE religion was created to tell us it happens and IF religion was created because of that fear, well, you see the problem with this view of course.

[Audie]

Why are humans the only living thing on Earth that has religion?

As I understand it, humans have religion because we are the most keenly aware of our own, inevitable death, and have immense fear of this. When I say "death" I mean true death--no afterlife--where you cease to exist in any form. Religion serves as a psychological "self-preservation": If you are not religious, you believe you will suffer a true death; if you are religious, you believe that you will persist in some form, and therefore cannot die. Also, religion provides escape from our innate fear of the dark, or that which is not known. It gives us a perception of meaning, of worth, of belonging, of order. As opposed to the alternative, rather more nihilistic (though not necessarily) view of life (I must clarify that atheists do not--or should not--believe that existence is random; this is extremely likely impossible.)

Sentiments?

Why would anyone be afraid of their death BEFORE they have a notion of possible consequences of dying?
In short, how can religion PRECEDE the very thing it addresses IF it was created because of the thing it, supposedly, created?

What I mean is that, some have the view that Man created religion because of his fear of death, of the unknown BUT where did that fear come from?
There was no reason to fear the very thing that religion says will/may happen BEFORE religion was created to tell us it happens and IF religion was created because of that fear, well, you see the problem with this view of course.

Name an animal above the level of an amoeba that does not try to avoid death.

(oh yeah, they do too)

Here is where the dreaded E word comes in. Critters with no avoidance reaction
all got ate.

Higher animals get obviously emotional about the prospect of death.

Humans are plenty remarkable enough that it really isnt necessary to deny all semblance to our fellow beings.

[RickD]

Audie,

Can you prove your assertion that all animals try to avoid death? I bet you can't. Don't confuse an animal's instinct to protect itself from harm, with in any way knowing what death is.

What evidence do you have that animals have any concept of death?

[Audie]

Audie,

Can you prove your assertion that all animals try to avoid death? I bet you can't. Don't confuse an animal's instinct to protect itself from harm, with in any way knowing what death is.

What evidence do you have that animals have any concept of death?

Harm and death have a way of blending one into the other. De we need to define a bright line distinction for our fleeing planaria?

Is it somehow the central issue whether or not they have an abstract concept of death?

Are you going out of your way to avoid acknowledging the point I am making?

[RickD]

Audie,

Can you prove your assertion that all animals try to avoid death? I bet you can't. Don't confuse an animal's instinct to protect itself from harm, with in any way knowing what death is.

What evidence do you have that animals have any concept of death?

Harm and death have a way of blending one into the other. De we need to define a bright line distinction for our fleeing planaria?

Is it somehow the central issue whether or not they have an abstract concept of death?

Are you going out of your way to avoid acknowledging the point I am making?

Audie,

This gets to the question posed in the thread. Why are humans the only living thing on earth that has religion?

Humans, apart from all other creatures, are spiritual creatures. We have a longing for God, because God gave us that longing.

[PaulSacramento]

Have animals "invented" religion?
Nope.
No primal instinct of any species leads that species to formulate a belief that there may be more than this simple existence OR to ponder HOW we got here.

[Audie]

Audie,

Can you prove your assertion that all animals try to avoid death? I bet you can't. Don't confuse an animal's instinct to protect itself from harm, with in any way knowing what death is.

What evidence do you have that animals have any concept of death?

Harm and death have a way of blending one into the other. De we need to define a bright line distinction for our fleeing planaria?

Is it somehow the central issue whether or not they have an abstract concept of death?

Are you going out of your way to avoid acknowledging the point I am making?

Audie,

This gets to the question posed in the thread. Why are humans the only living thing on earth that has religion?

Humans, apart from all other creatures, are spiritual creatures. We have a longing for God, because God gave us that longing.

So you say, asking then answering your own question with not a datum point to your name.

[Audie]

Have animals "invented" religion?
Nope.
No primal instinct of any species leads that species to formulate a belief that there may be more than this simple existence OR to ponder HOW we got here.

Are you also deliberately trying to avoid understanding or acknowledging what I meant ?

[RickD]

Audie,

Can you prove your assertion that all animals try to avoid death? I bet you can't. Don't confuse an animal's instinct to protect itself from harm, with in any way knowing what death is.

What evidence do you have that animals have any concept of death?

Harm and death have a way of blending one into the other. De we need to define a bright line distinction for our fleeing planaria?

Is it somehow the central issue whether or not they have an abstract concept of death?

Are you going out of your way to avoid acknowledging the point I am making?

Audie,

This gets to the question posed in the thread. Why are humans the only living thing on earth that has religion?

Humans, apart from all other creatures, are spiritual creatures. We have a longing for God, because God gave us that longing.

So you say, asking then answering your own question with not a datum point to your name.

Datum point? What are you talking about? You're asking for scientific evidence for what I wrote?

Come on Audie. THINK. Use your brain. Stop trying to hammer a nail with a screwdriver. Step outside your little box.

[PaulSacramento]

Have animals "invented" religion?
Nope.
No primal instinct of any species leads that species to formulate a belief that there may be more than this simple existence OR to ponder HOW we got here.

Are you also deliberately trying to avoid understanding or acknowledging what I meant ?

I am pointing out that bring other animals into this is pointless and irrelevant.

[Audie]

Audie,

Can you prove your assertion that all animals try to avoid death? I bet you can't. Don't confuse an animal's instinct to protect itself from harm, with in any way knowing what death is.

What evidence do you have that animals have any concept of death?

Harm and death have a way of blending one into the other. De we need to define a bright line distinction for our fleeing planaria?

Is it somehow the central issue whether or not they have an abstract concept of death?

Are you going out of your way to avoid acknowledging the point I am making?

Audie,

This gets to the question posed in the thread. Why are humans the only living thing on earth that has religion?

Humans, apart from all other creatures, are spiritual creatures. We have a longing for God, because God gave us that longing.

So you say, asking then answering your own question with not a datum point to your name.

Datum point? What are you talking about? You're asking for scientific evidence for what I wrote?

Come on Audie. THINK. Use your brain. Stop trying to hammer a nail with a screwdriver. Step outside your little box.

You asked me for evidence, but no fair, no fair now.

Think? Little box?

We have a longing for God, because God gave us that longing

How droll.

[abelcainsbrother]

Romans 2:14-16