(June 4, 2010 at 3:28 am)mem Wrote: Is it because they are weak and cannot take reality?
Is it a chemical imbalance in their brains (or in ours)?
Is it genetic? Are Atheists the next step in evolution?
I assume it is at least partially genetic. This: http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/ghost.html very nice article (was also posted here somewhere) summarizes that scientists found believe in the supernatural to be linked to activity in a special region of the brain (something like a spatially confined epilepsy - as far as I understood it). Therefore at least the likelihood to believe in some sort of god is likely to be genetic.
For an evolutionary explanation of how we became religious and also why we still are (although we know better now) I can strongly suggest reading Daniel Dennett's book "Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" (I'm only through about 1/2 and so far I consider it one of the most interesting books I have ever read)
