Is Religion a Necessity?

[suncowiam]

Despite there being more people, if we only took what we needed there would be enough resources.

That's a very subjective notion. If you've ever been to a third world country, the necessity to survive barely contributes if at all to happiness and other human pursuits.

Is that all we're here to do but to survive?

 

[viole]

For the purpose of this discussion, if we consider a necessity as an absolute need for the continued survival of humankind, such as food, water and procreation: Would you consider religion a necessity? Why or why not?

Well, it is not a necessity since I come from a country that seems to do well without believing in God.

But I cannot exclude that belief in supernatural powers is a natural adaptation that served us well in the past. It is also possible that it was necessary for our survival as a species.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Rival]

That's a very subjective notion. If you've ever been to a third world country, the necessity to survive barely contributes if at all to happiness and other human pursuits.

Is that all we're here to do but to survive?

The question wasn't about happiness and pursuits. It was about necessity.

However, to your second question I would say, Yes. At our most basic we are, like any other animal, just here to eat, sleep, mate, reproduce and die.

 

[Cobol]

Religion is outmoded superstition and has a damaging impacts on modern culture. Centuries of oppression and exploitation have been perpetrated by the institutions of organized religion.

As science eats away at territory once held by religion, traditional religious beliefs require greater and greater mental defenses against threatening information. To stay strong, religion trains believers to practice self-deception, shut out contradictory evidence, and trust authorities rather than their own capacity to think.

Besides exploiting positive moral energy like kindness or generosity, religion often redirects moral disgust and indignation, attaching these emotions to arbitrary religious rules rather than questions of real harm.

Harming society may actually be part of religion’s survival strategy. Not a single advanced democracy that enjoys benign, progressive socio-economic conditions retains a high level of popular religiosity.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I'm not sure it is useful to frame this in terms of "absolute need." The basic fact is that humans are social animals, and as social animals we develop cultures. The parts of culture that we choose to label "religions" are a necessary and inseparable component of human cultures. Arguably, there is no significant distinction between "religion" and "culture" - wanting to identify a separate domain of "religion" is a particular proclivity of Western cultures. One could say that culture/religion is not an "absolute need" per se, but it is an inevitable component of the human species.

So there's no need to worry about bringing religion with us; we'll find one when we get wherever we're going.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

So there's no need to worry about bringing religion with us; we'll find one when we get wherever we're going.

This is where we are going:

 

[bobhikes]

What sort of "psychological assistance" do you think religion provides that can't be provided some other way?

None but Religion provides it free and at all hours of the day. You would need many more therapists and have to subsidize them some way to make up for a loss of religion. Religion is the cost effective way for therapy.

 

[suncowiam]

The question wasn't about happiness and pursuits. It was about necessity.

However, to your second question I would say, Yes. At our most basic we are, like any other animal, just here to eat, sleep, mate, reproduce and die.

Some would suggest there's no point in surviving if that's all we're supposed to do.

I'm not on this earth simply reproduce then die. I do like the sleeping and mating part though.

 

[Rival]

Some would suggest there's no point in surviving if that's all we're supposed to do.

I'm not on this earth simply reproduce then die. I do like the sleeping and mating part though.

As one woman put it 'The purpose of life is to create more life' and as Dawkins said 'We are just machines for replicating DNA'. Since no-one has come up with a reason for human existence that isn't abstract, then we don't know. Biology, evolutionary theory et al. basically say we are here to survive and reproduce. Yes it sounds depressing, but that is literally it.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

None but Religion provides it free and at all hours of the day.

Somewhere between "free" , "ten percent of your income" and "everything they can suck from you", depending on the religion (and sometimes, the denomination or individual congregation).

You would need many more therapists and have to subsidize them some way to make up for a loss of religion. Religion is the cost effective way for therapy.

What would we need to make up for? Please be specific.

 

[Scott C.]

If we where dumped in the middle of the wilderness with no food or water, and you had to choose between a knife or a Bible to take with you, which would be more useful to your survival?

When it comes to a question of pure survival I think tech is gonna win out a lot more than religion.

I would take the knife in my hand and the Bible (i.e., my faith) in my heart. A bible in my hand and knife in my heart would not be so good. Hey, that sounded kind of funny.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

Some would suggest there's no point in surviving if that's all we're supposed to do.

I'm not on this earth simply reproduce then die. I do like the sleeping and mating part though.

Sleeping ~= 33 percent of our time

acquiring, preparing, eating and eliminating the resultant wastes ~= 15 percent

Mating/reproducing ~= 5 percent

Dying usually doesn't take much time, although modern technology has found ways of drawing it out. At most, ~= 1 percent

TOTAL: 54 percent.

So, what do YOU fill your spare time with?

Humans, like our prehuman Great Ape and monkey ancestors, are social creatures. They spend a significant fraction of their time engaged in grooming of each other, play, and other social activities, travel, and just lounging about, all the while on the lookout for threats or opportunities...

 

[Daemon Sophic]

For the purpose of this discussion, if we consider a necessity as an absolute need for the continued survival of humankind, such as food, water and procreation: Would you consider religion a necessity? Why or why not?

No. There is nothing that following any religion or another can provide for any and all human beings that they absolutely need. Even the very weak arguement that it somehow provides emotional/psychiatric solace is thrown out the window when you recognize the fact that simple, quiet meditation and introspection more than matches prayer, and does so without creating the "us vs them" mentality that has been the hallmark of religious genocides (and attempts at such) throughout history.

As an individual dropped into the wilderness, I'd take the knife, hands down.

But if as a member of a community dropped into the wilderness, it might be better to have a social order reinforced through a religion than having each man, woman and child having a knife and with no sense of responsibility to the group (the extreme case, of course), in order to ensure survival of the group.

But it also depends on the group, the religion, and the environment as to what might be the best tool to ensure survival.

I would much rather have a system of rules for conduct within a civilization based upon facts and consensus, than upon myths and obedience to written edicts which may or may not conform to and change/adapt to reality.

 

[bobhikes]

Somewhere between "free" , "ten percent of your income" and "everything they can suck from you", depending on the religion (and sometimes, the denomination or individual congregation).


What would we need to make up for? Please be specific.

The biggest one is death. Religion is the first and primary source of therapy.

I would think religion is up there for marraige consoling as well. Most religions try and keep couples together.

But they also handle a lot of the day to day frustrations that build up in people. I worked in a church people come in struggling with their children, their job, their neighbors and much more. They just want some one to listen and offer comfort.

This frustration can build up to action without outlets. Most arent going to pay for therapy.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

Nope!

Millions of species on this earth do just fine without religion?

In 3 million years of evolution humans did just fine without religion. It is a relatively recent phenomena?

Since the advent of religion millions and millions have been slaughtered, either for their own beliefs, or for the beliefs of those committing the slaughter.

Today millions of people live in fear because of their own beliefs, or because of the beliefs of those around them.

Religion as a whole is made up of a myriad of conflicting views. By conflicting I don't mean only contradicting, I mean CONFLICTING.

And the no. 1 reason...I haven't seen a single example of religion doing good that could not be done without religion. Religion may at times be helpful, but there is nothing good that comes uniquely from religion. It seems to cause more harm than good, and the good it produces could be done without it.

FYI: The atheist state under your avatar, killed more people in a single recent generation, than every religious conflict in the history of humanity combined...

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

The biggest one is death. Religion is the first and primary source of therapy.

Since when?

Denialism isn't therapy: "your loved one isn't dead; he's just in an invisible/far-away realm happily waiting for you!"

I would think religion is up there for marraige consoling as well. Most religions try and keep couples together.

Religion causes breakups as often as it prevents them, IMO.

But they also handle a lot of the day to day frustrations that build up in people. I worked in a church people come in struggling with their children, their job, their neighbors and much more. They just want some one to listen and offer comfort.

This frustration can build up to action without outlets. Most arent going to pay for therapy.

In any country with sensible, public health care, they don't have to.

... and while people found release with your particular hobby, this doesn't mean that some other hobby wouldn't work just as well.

 

[Fool]

For the purpose of this discussion, if we consider a necessity as an absolute need for the continued survival of humankind, such as food, water and procreation: Would you consider religion a necessity? Why or why not?

without a belief to test against reality, there can be no evolution of consciousness, knowledge.


informal scientific method

 

[bobhikes]

Since when?

Denialism isn't therapy: "your loved one isn't dead; he's just in an invisible/far-away realm happily waiting for you!"


Religion causes breakups as often as it prevents them, IMO.


In any country with sensible, public health care, they don't have to.

... and while people found release with your particular hobby, this doesn't mean that some other hobby wouldn't work just as well.

You really don't understand what most religions really do but lets go with your claims.

How are you going to replace the denialism of death? How are you going to make the people feel better. How many therapists would you need to add for this?

Prove religions cause more breakups then helping.

What country has this sensibile health care system and is it possible to get in the US?

 

[Skwim]

For the purpose of this discussion, if we consider a necessity as an absolute need for the continued survival of humankind, such as food, water and procreation: Would you consider religion a necessity? Why or why not?

Not at all because many people get along quite well without it.

.

 

[suncowiam]

Sleeping ~= 33 percent of our time

acquiring, preparing, eating and eliminating the resultant wastes ~= 15 percent

Mating/reproducing ~= 5 percent

Dying usually doesn't take much time, although modern technology has found ways of drawing it out. At most, ~= 1 percent

TOTAL: 54 percent.

So, what do YOU fill your spare time with?

Humans, like our prehuman Great Ape and monkey ancestors, are social creatures. They spend a significant fraction of their time engaged in grooming of each other, play, and other social activities, travel, and just lounging about, all the while on the lookout for threats or opportunities...

I play the xbox one and tell my kids to do their chores.