Evolutionary Theories of Religion

[robvalue]

I don't know if religion is actually needed, I think it represents a shortcut. It's a way of stopping everyone from wondering about all those big uncomfortable questions, and all agreeing on one set of answers in a group. Then the group can feel good having this agreement, and all reaffirm each other.

I wonder if it's also just opportunistic, at least originally. People want to take control of others, and people can be scared in ways other animals can't because of our ability to imagine crazy things like afterlives and gods. That's a lot quicker and easier than appealing to reason.

I think at one point religion may have been needed for cohesion simply to stop people's brains constantly whirring and being unhappy with having so many questions that can't be answered. This is a problem other animals presumably wouldn't have. At this point it has become redundant in my opinion, at least in more enlightened places. But it continues as a tradition through indoctrination. If critical thought was taught instead, I feel religion would be mostly gone and not missed.