WHY RELIGION?

[900ft j]

You have a wonderful way of dissecting arguments.

"You're starting from the premise that religion isn't driven by reason and demands self-deception. Are you sure this is true in every case? What I was suggesting is that if it does meet "very basic human needs," as the OP states, then choosing religion may be a reasonable choice. "

I've met people who deliberately choose religion. "I need something to believe in" to "I'm going to be a Mormon because I like structure and they aren't opposed to making lots of money." But after reasoning and choosing religion, they need to set reason aside to embrace beliefs in something that cannot reasonably be proven.

"I guess you can oppose fredd bear's assertion, and say that it doesn't meet any needs. Or you can argue that it's better to stick to a certain kind of scientific rationality and go without having our very basic human needs met. Or I guess we could think about how life can have its basic needs met in other ways. This would require an analysis of what those basic needs are, how we satisfy them, if it's good to satisfy them, etc.

I'm not sure that it's a simple equation."

I don't think it's simple. It may come down in part to what we value. I value discerning reality with a clear mind, free of kind words without substance that might make me feel better, free of wants or prejudices of my own - and that's not always easy.
Maybe it's presumptuous of me to think that people are stronger than they think and if they don't choose balms or filters to face reality, they will find strengths in themselves and grow stronger, more confident, and independent as a result.

And it isn't my place to say what everyone should do, but I can give my opinion on why I think reality and reasoning based on reality is better for me and for our species.

Sort of like the Matrix. Take one pill, all your needs are met because you think they are and you are happy. What's wrong with that? They are happy.

Take the other pill and you face a real world of pain and challenge where you have free will and can fight to make real change.

For me at least, the taste of reality is delicious and rich. Even my small victories are rewarding to me because they are unfiltered.

thanks for your comments and questions. They help me examine my own thinking.

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"Now you can attack the premise, but then it's on you to prove that people aren't getting some of their basic needs met. And that's going to put you in a position where you have to argue that you know more about what other people's basic needs are than they do. "

The person making the premise must also know more about people basic needs than they do as well. There are many valid studies that break down human needs. Yes, they are general and within those are individual needs. So anyone arguing for or against religion meeting basic human needs  is subject to the same burden of proof.

"Is the premise proven? How does religion meet basic needs?"

That's a better question.  The premise isn't proven.