Genes contribute to religious inclination

August · Post by **August** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:39 pm

Hi everyone,

So science confirms it, to be religious is built into every person. I believe that every person inherently knows there is a God, do these findings confirm that? Interesting read, regardless of your opinion.

August

Genes may help determine how religious a person is, suggests a new study of US twins. And the effects of a religious upbringing may fade with time.

Until about 25 years ago, scientists assumed that religious behaviour was simply the product of a person's socialisation - or "nurture". But more recent studies, including those on adult twins who were raised apart, suggest genes contribute about 40% of the variability in a person's religiousness.

But it is not clear how that contribution changes with age. A few studies on children and teenagers - with biological or adoptive parents - show the children tend to mirror the religious beliefs and behaviours of the parents with whom they live. That suggests genes play a small role in religiousness at that age.

Now, researchers led by Laura Koenig, a psychology graduate student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, US, have tried to tease apart how the effects of nature and nurture vary with time. Their study suggests that as adolescents grow into adults, genetic factors become more important in determining how religious a person is, while environmental factors wane.
Religious discussions

The team gave questionnaires to 169 pairs of identical twins - 100% genetically identical - and 104 pairs of fraternal twins - 50% genetically identical - born in Minnesota.

The twins, all male and in their early 30s, were asked how often they currently went to religious services, prayed, and discussed religious teachings. This was compared with when they were growing up and living with their families. Then, each participant answered the same questions regarding their mother, father, and their twin.

The twins believed that when they were younger, all of their family members - including themselves - shared similar religious behaviour. But in adulthood, however, only the identical twins reported maintaining that similarity. In contrast, fraternal twins were about a third less similar than they were as children.

"That would suggest genetic factors are becoming more important and growing up together less important," says team member Matt McGue, a psychologist at the University of Minnesota.
Empty nests

Michael McCullough, a psychologist at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, US, agrees. "To a great extent, you can't be who you are when you're living under your parents' roof. But once you leave the nest, you can begin to let your own preferences and dispositions shape your behaviour," he told New Scientist.

"Maybe, ultimately, we all decide what we're most comfortable with, and it may have more to do with our own makeup than how we were treated when we were adolescents," says McGue.

About a dozen studies have shown that religious people tend to share other personality traits, although it is not clear whether these arise from genetic or environmental factors. These include the ability to get along well with others and being conscientious, working hard, being punctual, and controlling one's impulses.

But McGue says the new work suggests that being raised in a religious household may affect a person's long-term psychological state less than previously thought. But he says the influence from this early socialisation may re-emerge later on, when the twins have families of their own. He also points out that the finding may not be universal because the research focused on a single population of US men.

Mastermind · Post by **Mastermind** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:16 pm

Dude, there's a book that was written on the subject a long time ago.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... s&n=507846

August · Post by **August** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:22 pm

Yes, I have seen that.

The book is highly speculative, and inconclusive at best. This study seems to be at least a step up from that.

Mastermind · Post by **Mastermind** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:24 pm

The dude claimed to have found the gay gene too though. I thought there was no gay gene...

August · Post by **August** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 6:25 pm

And he set out to find the 'cigarette gene'.

Believer · Post by **Believer** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 7:46 pm

So what does this mean? I probably don't understand (typical), but does this confirm that we are hardwired to believe in a God when one doesn't exist? What am I missing?

Mastermind · Post by **Mastermind** » Wed Mar 16, 2005 7:48 pm

It says that our faith is slightly affected by genetics. And I find it strange that you would say our genes make us believe something that doesn't exist. I see it more as "even our genes know God exists".

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Mar 18, 2005 12:12 am

Isn't this the greatest irony? Life has evolved to the point where we no longer believe in evolution! J/K, but it is a funny idea.

AttentionKMartShoppers · Sat Mar 19, 2005 2:28 pm

The gay gene is a crock for one obvious reason-gay people don't have children-obviously (though, it's gross to think about it, they are now adopting and having surrogate mothers and such. Ugh)

That's interesting, though, the religion gene. I hated reading about it from the naturalistic point of view though (author asking why did scheming nature give us a God gene...)

It seems logical God would do that. Nobody has an excuse for not believing in God or doing wrong-because we have a God gene and a conscience (interesting stuff). I can't find the verse-I just vaguely remember a verse where the gentiles have no excuse for doing wrong because they have the law in them.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:13 pm

AttentionKMartShoppers wrote:The gay gene is a crock for one obvious reason-gay people don't have children-obviously (though, it's gross to think about it, they are now adopting and having surrogate mothers and such. Ugh)

That's interesting, though, the religion gene. I hated reading about it from the naturalistic point of view though (author asking why did scheming nature give us a God gene...)

It seems logical God would do that. Nobody has an excuse for not believing in God or doing wrong-because we have a God gene and a conscience (interesting stuff). I can't find the verse-I just vaguely remember a verse where the gentiles have no excuse for doing wrong because they have the law in them.

In the past, before it was "acceptable" to be gay (quotes for obvious reasons), they would not give in to the temptation and marry a woman and have children. There COULD be a gene but if there is one, it will start being fazed out of the gene pool because homosexuals now don't marry the opposite gender.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:32 pm

From what I have studied on the topic all they can concretely say is that you only inherit physical characteristics and perhaps some minor mental tendancies (learning disablities etc.)

AttentionKMartShoppers · Sun Mar 20, 2005 5:00 pm

It's interesting on how people get rid of guilt....they blame it on society, parents, mental disorders, and now genes! Wow....this one guy said when he went to school, a slow learner was just stupid and lazy-now, it's not his fault, he has ADD.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:46 pm

Greetings to you all.

It is true that every human being has it written deep within them to seek out God.

The Following are several Bible verses pertaining to their knowledge of God:
For this they willingly are ignorant of, {Creation}

written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God,

And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,

Who changed the truth of God into a lie

Sorry it is so incomplete but I have to run.
Doc

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 1:15 pm

Sorry one more thought.

ADD is a really thing, just not what they say it is, A person who really has ADD thinks more quickly than us slow witted nerds, and thus they APPEAR to have less attention than us; in reality they already finished thinking it through and are on to the next thought. Someone with ADD can learn fast and learn MORE faster than most (if they have a good teacher; teaching them one-on-one). It is not a disorder, it's a gift. Often misused, however.

Doc

Prodigal Son · Post by **Prodigal Son** » Sat Mar 26, 2005 1:27 pm

dan,

homosexuals now don't marry the opposite gender.

who told you that? of course they do!