Does Human nature require a god? (atheist, God, religion)

[kai]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

You don't find a ubiquitous belief in supernatural entities remarkable?

no i think its human nature, what i find remarkable is its longevity,2008 and people are still getting down on their knees and worshipping gods

[Fluffy]

Originally Posted by kai

no i think its human nature, what i find remarkable is its longevity,2008 and people are still getting down on their knees and worshipping gods

Why should it be remarkable? Surely the very fact that it seems remarkable in light of your explanation shows that it hasn't been fully explained?

[crystalonyx]

Originally Posted by Sunstone

But why did every known society come up with such remarkably similar answers?

Because people collectively thing remarkably alike. That's why political polls work so well - just take a small sample of a group of what the members think, and walla - you've got what the whole group thinks.

[Fluffy]

Originally Posted by crystalonyx

Because people collectively thing remarkably alike. That's why political polls work so well - just take a small sample of a group of what the members think, and walla - you've got what the whole group thinks.

Then why do we get communists and capitalists? Why did at one point many people think that women were incapable of voting and yet now the majority would disagree? Why do we see such disparity in other areas and yet such universality in religion?

[logician]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

1.Then why do we get communists and capitalists?


2. Why did at one point many people think that women were incapable of voting and yet now the majority would disagree? Why do we see such disparity in other areas and yet such universality in religion?

1.This has nothing to do with "group think" but who happens to be in charge.

2. This is in the realm of evolution of cultures and thought. It still does not contradict the idea that people tend to think alike on a group basis, and that statistical analysis can be used to predict a large group's opinions from a small sample. This would not be possible if people did not think alike at some level.

[kai]

Originally Posted by Fluffy

Why should it be remarkable? Surely the very fact that it seems remarkable in light of your explanation shows that it hasn't been fully explained?

there are factors involved such as education, health care,mortality rates, i think the worse off the people the more they need a god to explain why their children die or why theres no water etc

[Scarlett Wampus]

I think most of us are predisposed towards belief in deities and there are many reasons for it that combine to result in that predisposition. Its not so much that our nature requires deities, rather that deities can fulfil & reflect many desires we have from the noble to the monstrous.

Originally Posted by stephenw

I agree with Frankl, the will to meaning does not need God, rather each individual must create their own meaning. Furthermore a frustrated will to meaning results, according to Frankl in existential angst. There is certainly plenty of evidence of that today.
We don't need God we need meaning. It's up to us how we create it.

But doesn't existential angst often proceed or come with the realisation that its up to us to create our own meaning?

[Scarlett Wampus]

Originally Posted by kai

there are factors involved such as education, health care,mortality rates, i think the worse off the people the more they need a god to explain why their children die or why theres no water etc

Seems so, but being well-educated, healthy and living a long life does not eliminate belief in deities even if it changes the kind of deities people believe in.

[logician]

Originally Posted by Scarlett Wampus

Seems so, but being well-educated, healthy and living a long life does not eliminate belief in deities even if it changes the kind of deities people believe in.

That's because belief in deities is based upon tradition, peer pressures, and emotion, certainly not intellect, I've seen it all too often, a person with a doctorate in some discipline will look you straight in the eye and say you will burn in hell for eternity if you don't believe their particular brand of religion.