Is belief in God inevitable?

[Cockadoodledoo]

To believers in God..........
Would you expect an intelligent, evolved species to create religions even if there wasn’t a God?

 

[RoseKnows]

Assuming they were sufficiently similar to us, yes. Religion creates a purpose for living and a way to build community over shared goals, which is arguably very important to us as a species.

 

[Nakosis]

To believers in God..........
Would you expect an intelligent, evolved species to create religions even if there wasn’t a God?

Not necessarily. Humans, however, I think our brain is wired for it.

 

[Polymath257]

This depends on what you mean by the term 'religion'. Humans have religions that are not theistic: theravada Buddhism, for example.

 

[Mock Turtle]

As a not-exactly-believing-in-God type, I would think that if they go through the same processes we have gone through, which is possible, then eventually they will probably have ditched any religious beliefs they garnered along the way, being extraneous and causing more problems than they are solving - which is what they are doing for us now in my view.

 

[Valjean]

To believers in God..........
Would you expect an intelligent, evolved species to create religions even if there wasn’t a God?

As Polymath pointed out, "religion" isn't synonymous with theism, and religion can mean very different things to different people.

 

[YmirGF]

As Polymath pointed out, "religion" isn't synonymous with theism, and religion can mean very different things to different people.

Coolish sounding ideas have a way of attracting people and before you know it they have funky hats.

 

[Jumi]

To believers in God..........
Would you expect an intelligent, evolved species to create religions even if there wasn’t a God?

By "evolved" you mean capable of forming some kind of civilization? I won't say it's inevitable since we only have humans to compare to.

 

[Nakosis]

Coolish sounding ideas have a way of attracting people and before you know it they have funky hats.

 

[Quintessence]

To believers in God..........
Would you expect an intelligent, evolved species to create religions even if there wasn’t a God?

I'm not entirely clear on what you mean by "intelligent, evolved species." All species are evolved, and all species are intelligent. I'm going to assume you mean something to the degree of "would you expect biological organisms that are cognitively, behaviorally, and/or culturally similar to humans to create religions?" Yes, yes I would. Religion is notoriously difficult to define and something of a Western construct, but the substance of it appears inherent. Any and all cultures must wrestle with values and norms, whether it's "what is my purpose" or "what is the right relationship to my parents." That's religion, in basic. It provides a structure for articulating values and norms, which manifest as stories or narratives, cultural traditions and rituals, doctrines and teachings, and so forth.

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

To believers in God..........
Would you expect an intelligent, evolved species to create religions even if there wasn’t a God?

A theist might say, “Without a God, there could be no intelligent, evolved species”!

 

[Cockadoodledoo]

I'm not entirely clear on what you mean by "intelligent, evolved species." All species are evolved, and all species are intelligent. I'm going to assume you mean something to the degree of "would you expect biological organisms that are cognitively, behaviorally, and/or culturally similar to humans to create religions?" Yes, yes I would. Religion is notoriously difficult to define and something of a Western construct, but the substance of it appears inherent. Any and all cultures must wrestle with values and norms, whether it's "what is my purpose" or "what is the right relationship to my parents." That's religion, in basic. It provides a structure for articulating values and norms, which manifest as stories or narratives, cultural traditions and rituals, doctrines and teachings, and so forth.

Yes, I was referring to a humanoid species!