The human need to beleve in a higher power or some higher force

[samsara15]

What we need to believe is that we are insignificant. The universe does not revolve around us. Once we get over that, it is a fairly easy jump to a realistic view of what we are, and what our species is, and our place in the universe.

[Jack]

What we need to believe is that we are insignificant.

I'd go further and contend it doesn't require belief but acceptance of the obvious fact that humans are not significant to the universe. I've seen no convincing argument counter to that fact. Egocentricity powers much of the human imagination.

[Ronaldweasley]

Back in the day of Cavemen, and early human's, we needed something to to explian why the sun rose. A sort of Reverse Scapegoat. Now, we can explain all the un-explainable. So religion isnt really neccisary in my oppinion. I dont think it's hard wired into our system.

[Sonart]

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Back in the day of Cavemen, and early human's, we needed something to to explian why the sun rose. A sort of Reverse Scapegoat. Now, we can explain all the un-explainable. So religion isnt really neccisary in my opinion.

"Given that the vast amounts of rationally explained scientific knowledge we now possess were all once unexplainable phenomena which we attributed to the workings of gods, the best bet is that those things we still don't know also have rational, scientific explanations that do not include gods. We just don't know what they are yet." - Daniel's Wager

I dont think it's hard wired into our system.

Really? Ok, so, do you believe in evolution?

If so, do you believe that human beings, like all animals, are a direct result of that evolution?

If so, how do you explain that religious practice has been a central part of every culture, in every corner of the earth, throughout not only the entire history of the human race, but activities suggesting a belief in an afterlife going back to Homo erectus 1.5 million years ago?

Didn't evolution provide us with a brain capable of religious experience and spirituality?

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[yukonmuffin]

...with the God Spots.


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Sounds like a nick name for the G spot... think about it.

[Sonart]

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Sounds like a nick name for the G spot... think about it.

Depending on what you worship, right?



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[yukonmuffin]

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Depending on what you worship, right?



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Lol all is relative I guess.

[Logical]

It's obviously not a need, with the population of atheists.

Without trying to generalize, atheists have a higher power: science and reason.

It's really not all that different than humans inventing the notion of luck and predestination to explain occurrences that due to our ignorance of causation and statistical probabilities we deem too miraculous to have occurred naturally.

Note that I am in agreement and using this quote to begin my train of thought.

Our "need", for lack of a better word, of a higher power is not that we need to believe something controls the world but rather our need for knowledge and explanation. Our need to explain to world around us is often left unfulfilled and thus we turn to religion. Having a higher power is about explaining what we cannot rationally (I use the term loosely to avoid offense).

I'd go further and contend it doesn't require belief but acceptance of the obvious fact that humans are not significant to the universe. I've seen no convincing argument counter to that fact. Egocentricity powers much of the human imagination.

Similarly to before, I am in agreement.

Another cause for our "need" of a higher power is our arrogance. The thought that we ultimately mean nothing in the general scope of things is depressing. To humans (my self included of course), we are inclined to protest the idea that we are insignificant, spawning religions. Someone put us here for a purpose. The world revolves around us.

Back in the day of Cavemen, and early human's, we needed something to to explian why the sun rose. A sort of Reverse Scapegoat. Now, we can explain all the un-explainable. So religion isnt really neccisary in my oppinion. I dont think it's hard wired into our system.

I do want to address this before I close.

If you, even for a second, believe that we can explain all of the unknowns in the universe, you are sadly mistaken. To accept blindly that what we know is even right to begin with is to be equal to the pawns of the Catholic church in the medieval ages spawning inquisitions, crusades, and hate around the world.

If you instead believe that we now have the capacity to explain the unknowns, you would be right. That said, you would be wrong to assert we once didn't. Our brain does not operate much differently to the brains of Jesus' disciples or even to those of the first humans.

I would recommend some reading if either is truly your belief. I would start with anything scientific and move on from there.