Is religious a biological/genetic trait?

[George-ananda]

And many people today have a positive view of pizza.

I like pizza too.

<not sure if you were trying to make a deeper point> But the positive Afterlife Evidence is convincing to me too.

 

[osgart]

Thanks for sharing your expertise.

Yeah I know it's not scientific expertise, but no one has to be an expert, or defer to experts all the time to know there are plenty of other factors going on that have nothing to do with biology.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Yeah I know it's not scientific expertise, ...

Or, as you so quickly affirmed, any other type of expertise.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I like pizza too.

<not sure if you were trying to make a deeper point> But the positive Afterlife Evidence is convincing to me too.

If there's an after life, I hope they have pizza...

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I like pizza too.

<not sure if you were trying to make a deeper point> But the positive Afterlife Evidence is convincing to me too.

The thread title is: "Is religious [sic] a biological/genetic trait?"

It is reasonable to presume that the question concerned the origins of religion rather than the source of your musings about some fictive "Afterlife Evidence."

 

[George-ananda]

The thread title is: "Is religious [sic] a biological/genetic trait?"

It is reasonable to presume that the question concerned the origins of religion rather than the source of your musings about some fictive "Afterlife Evidence."

I was trying to point out why it is not 'fictive' (from real-world evidence) and also why modern culture produces a draw to religion that is not strongly a biological/genetic trait but a psychological draw to a more positive view of the grander picture of life.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I was trying to point out why it is not 'fictive' ...

Perhaps that would make a worthwhile thread. Here it serves as little more than a free-floating claim and unhelpful diversion.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Well I believe that deep down in every man, woman, and child is the sense of God; ...

I believe (with Scott Atran) "that deep down in every man, woman, and child is" a wired presumption of Agency.

 

[Quintessence]

Yes and no.

Yes in the sense that literally everything pertaining to a biological organism is going to have a biological basis by virtue of us talking about a biological organism to begin with.

No in the sense that it is a terrible idea to reduce explanations of complex phenomena down to a single subject, discipline, or perspective. The chemists will tell you all biology reduces down to chemistry. And the physicists will tell you all chemistry reduces down to physics. And the mathematics will tell you all physics reduces down to math. And on and on and on, with none of these overly-reductive, discipline-constrained explanations being satisfactory.

 

[IndigoChild5559]

I don't know the science or thinking behind the title question Is religion a biological/genetic trait.

I don't think we have a definitive answer, but can perhaps share a few facts that might shed some light.

The origins of religion seem to be the feelings of awe we feel at stupendous natural events. The reason I say this is because chimps do things like dance in thunderstorms or at incredible waterfalls--if a human did these things, we would call it religious behavior. This means religion predates homo sapiens, since we and chimps would have gotten the instinct from our common ancestor. Apparently religious expression such as this existed long, long, long before religious doctrines came into being, such as the concept of gods.

The idea that the religious instinct is biologically ingrained is supported by the fact that there is no known culture around the world or down through time which doesn't have religion except exactly one (the Pirahã people). This doesn't mean every single human will have this instinct; most universal traits have exceptions.

 

[InChrist]

I don't know the science or thinking behind the title question Is religion a biological/genetic trait.

But I do now wonder...

I've been doing my best to be agnostic/atheist. It is what makes most logical sense to me, and also what helps me function. Yet the yearning to allow myself to believe in God is there at times. It just will seem intrinsically and intuitively logical that there is a god. I was Christian most of my life, so maybe the 20 years of conditioning hasn't worn off yet.

But I do wonder if something else is at play. Biologically, is it a natural instinct to be religious? One that has been passed on for a long time now?

I dunno, do you know anything about this topic?

I believe that humans as beings created by a Creator and in the image of our Creator, we have an inherent need/desire that can only be filled by our Creator. As the famous words of Augustine state,
“Thou hast created us for Thyself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee!”