Is Worship an innate human feeling?

[Sha'irullah]

Religions all practice forms of ritual and worship and usually the two are interchangeable. Even before religion existed humans found things to worship such as polytheistic deities or natural objects (animism). These cultish practices have existed in almost (if not every) culture in the world.

Could it possibly be that human beings have innate desires to worship, adore or venerate things?
Considering how we claim the superiority of sports teams, political parties or even game consoles could it be that we just have veneration ingrained into our psyche? Could worship be as much as a need for homo sapiens as food?
Share your opinions!

 

[R34L1TY]

I am not really sure how to come at this question as it isn't necessarily a question on opinions but more so on factual evidence. We don't have any current evidence that would support an idea that there are other cognitively advanced organisms on Earth (to the level of creating ideas of existence) -- that we can at least measure.

So based on this premise, we are alone on Earth - that we know of. The the idea of curiosity is what made our species evolutionarily successful. For the questioning of why the water vibrated may be due to wind 9/10 times, for the other 1/10th it was due to a herd of Buffalos that possibly would have killed us/ be a possible supper. This branch of conscious curiosity is what accelerated the prefrontal and parietal cortex growth in our ancestors. The connectivity between the pre-motor cortex and motor cortex is deeply wired subconsciously (we decide on a motor movement before we do it subconsciously). This is a very predominant evolutionary success as well.

In short, we don't know of any other higher conscious species on Earth but our drive to understand the world is what led to our survival.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Actually, yes. I think worship is innate form of how humans find relationship with something or someone they cherish, want to give thanks to, or communicate with. Instead of seeing it as worship, probably see it as relationship. For example, lets look at a mother and a daughter. The daughter looks up to her mother growing up for guidance, support, and nourishment. The daughter "thanks" the mother by receiving these forms of support and food given by her mother--her authority.

The worship--relationship between someone of higher authority--has always been in human culture. We always have a "dictator" a "president" a "king and queen".

Something about a human needing to depend on someone else and visa versa leading someone has always been part of our makeup. Its how we use this innate relationship is the key

Carlita

 

[seeking4truth]

The Holy Quran tells us that Human Beings are the species best able to demonstrate all the attributes of God and that during pregnancy something of the spirit that is God is 'breathed' into the developing fetus.
I think that this spiritual part of us is designed to develop during our life if it is enabled to reconnect with God and it is this spiritual yearning that turns us towards religion. The lack of connection it seems to me, causes restlessness and a lack of peace, individually and collectively.
There is evidence that is interpreted as religious expression from the most historic and primitive stage of human development and is one of the most enduring concepts held by humans across all cultures..

 

[Heim]

I am prepared to accept that there is an innate feeling of 'something more'. The specifics of any belief system, however, cannot be innate. One does not come into the world with an awareness of Jesus Christ or Buddha. Those things are culturally reproduced.

 

[Revoltingest]

I never had the urge to worship, so either....
1) It's not innate.
2) It's innate, making me an aberration.
I pick #1.

 

[Xaxyx]

I would assert (and indeed, recent studies have demonstrated) that there is an instinctive desire to seek something more than one's self. This sentiment is the result of the natural extenuation of a baby's desire to seek a food source, a toddler's desire to seek a protective presence, a child's desire to seek a caregiver. As adults, this desire can manifest in a variety of ways: a need for a mate, familial unit, a tribal leader.

As primitives, this desire for leadership, guidance and protection was applied to everything, including the natural world. Hence, where an actual controlling figure was absent, an imaginary one was instantiated. This comforting, reassuring machination perpetuated as religion.

Modern, rational humanity still experiences the instinctive desire for an explanation of the world around us. However, we now have another tool at our disposal: science. Through science, we are able to provide reasoned explanations for phenomenon. Thus is our desire to make sense of the world fulfilled without the need for supernatural cause.

 

[Nakosis]

I'm beginning to suspect that some brains are wired for worship and some aren't. Some aren't content unless they have something to worship, others aren't content when they are told they should be worshiping.

Personally I don't see where or why God would need worshiping. However it doesn't really bother me if someone else feels the need.

 

[Quintessence]

Given worship is an expression of values, yeah, I'd say it's pretty universal. The trouble is that word "worship" trips people up. Which is part of why I'll often frame it in terms of values, as well as expressions of awe and gratitude towards that which you value. That's essentially what worship is.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Its probably innate for you just maybe you consider worship only between deities etc? Worship is high reverence for someone of authority.. could be an ancestor, leader of a country, yourself, a mentor, or so forth.

All in the wording

I never had the urge to worship, so either....
1) It's not innate.
2) It's innate, making me an aberration.
I pick #1.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Well said

Given worship is an expression of values, yeah, I'd say it's pretty universal. The trouble is that word "worship" trips people up. Which is part of why I'll often frame it in terms of values, as well as expressions of awe and gratitude towards that which you value. That's essentially what worship is.

 

[Revoltingest]

Its probably innate for you just maybe you consider worship only between deities etc? Worship is high reverence for someone of authority.. could be an ancestor, leader of a country, yourself, a mentor, or so forth.
All in the wording

Even with such a broad definition of "worship", I don't hold anyone in such high regard. Mind you, there are some really fine people out there, but I don't "worship" them in any sense of the word.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Even with such a broad definition of "worship", I don't hold anyone in such high regard. Mind you, there are some really fine people out there, but I don't "worship" them in any sense of the word.

How do you respect people you love, trust, or like (maybe you side with a political party or something)? To me, a form of worship would just be saying thank you. Giving gratitude to something or someone else has done for you. If you fall on your knees and kiss their feet, in that context, Id agree and see your point.

 

[Revoltingest]

How do you respect people you love, trust, or like (maybe you side with a political party or something)? To me, a form of worship would just be saying thank you. Giving gratitude to something or someone else has done for you. If you fall on your knees and kiss their feet, in that context, Id agree and see your point.

If were talking about a religious context, then I think that is far too broad a definition of "worship", which to mean would mean devotion to a supernatural being.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

If were talking about a religious context, then I think that is far too broad a definition of "worship", which to mean would mean devotion to a supernatural being.

True,is broad. Of course, not all people who worship, worship deities. That's the common assumption. I guess venerate would be a better word in regards to religion. In general, gratitude would be more humanistic than worship.

 

[idea]

Could it possibly be that human beings have innate desires to worship, adore or venerate things?

Our spirits long to return to our primordial home... we all feel the same tug, because there is a real entity that is tugging at all of us.

 

[Smart_Guy]

Hmmm... dunno, but I have a question to non believers that could give us a head start; when you get out of a very serious trouble, don't you have a feeling that you want to thank someone or show appreciation to someone but you do not know who? Or realizing something you've been wanting for a so very long time and you felt it is impossible to have? When you are in trouble you want to ask a higher deity for help? Someone of higher level you feel allowed it to happen in this stupid world?

Religion is not just some rituals and practices.

I'm not trying to prove anything here. I'm also as confused in this as anyone else could be.

 

[Impartial]

Hmmm... dunno, but I have a question to non believers that could give us a head start; when you get out of a very serious trouble, don't you have a feeling that you want to thank someone or show appreciation to someone but you do not know who? Or realizing something you've been wanting for a so very long time and you felt it is impossible to have? When you are in trouble you want to ask a higher deity for help? Someone of higher level you feel allowed it to happen in this stupid world?

Religion is not just some rituals and practices.

I'm not trying to prove anything here. I'm also as confused in this as anyone else could be.

As an non-believer, I'd be happy to answer that question for you...

No.

Why? Because I'm not an egotist. I believe in personal responsibility. Why would a god do something nice for me and then decide to give many millions of other people horrific disabilities and diseases?

 

[Smart_Guy]

As an non-believer, I'd be happy to answer that question for you...

No.

Why? Because I'm not an egotist. I believe in personal responsibility. Why would a god do something nice for me and then decide to give many millions of other people horrific disabilities and diseases?

Thank you for the feedback. I do believe in personal responsibilities too.

 

[Impartial]

Thank you for the feedback. I do believe in personal responsibilities too.

I'm not implying that the religious are guilty of egotism. I just think the idea of transcendent surveillance and supervision is rather appalling.