My Theory on why humans are hard wired to believe in God

It is interesting. Lately, I have had a lot of time for introspective, and I was just going over in my mind on past news articles. This one came to mind, along with a possible scientific explanation.

Here is a link to the original article that came to mind: Are humans hard-wired for faith?

Now, I believe in god, but I also believe in science. I asked myself why would man evolve into a being that is hard wired to believe in something larger then himself? That really is the question before us. I believe I may have figured out a possible evolutionary advantage why humans would develop this hard wired belief.

Even if you are an atheist, you have to acknowledge that faith is a powerful thing. People have lived past doctor's expectations on shear willpower alone - a belief in something more. Here is an example our ancestors may have faced:

A primitive human is dealing with a hard winter during a mini-ice age. He is out of food, freezing, and generally having a bad time. The human without faith would give up, and just die in the cold. However, the person with faith could draw upon that, and have the strength to carry on - to build a fire, to catch some food.

Even if you don't believe in God, drawing upon your inner strength is equivalent to doing it in the name of God. Faith just gives a "rational" explanation on where this inner strength comes from. With faith hardwired, one could suppose that the ability to draw from your inner strength would be easier - you have a belief it is already there. In primitive times, the person who can get their second wind easier then another has a greater chance to survive, thus carrying their genes to the next generation, and allowing their offspring a greater chance of survival into the next generation.

[edit on 2009/4/9 by TLomon]

I'm atheist, but your theory is credible.

You dipped into darwinism though. Something a majority of christians don't acknowledge.

If I was trapped I would continue on trying to live, not just give up. I have faith in........Myself.

But that is still faith, isn't it? If you believe in yourself (power through positive thinking), how does that differ from believing in God (power through faith)? Meditation and prayer trigger the same parts of the brain.

I believe South Park said it best on their episode about evolution. Why can't evolution explain the "How" and God explains the "Why"? There are no contradictions in what I believe in.

I am still amazed about the anti-evolution claims that are made. It shows incomplete understanding based on websites trying to discount our scientific understanding from ... oh... about 100 years ago.

I don't quite see it that way. I think people are hard wired to appreciate spirituality...mankind is a spiritual being. There is a difference. As to its value? Dunno...maybe connected to compassion, empathy and kindness.

reply to post by TLomon


Interesting article. You might be interested in the the below, its about a helmet device that neuroscientists are using to enduce the visions people see ect. Makes me wonder though, i know if there was an EMP it would knock out the electronic systems, ect - but what effect would it have on us humans - we have electricity too, and as this machine uses magnets to trigger the visions......um makes you wonder doesn't it.

Others have also tried to use it to prove whether we are indeed pre-programmed to believe in god, though Richard Dawkins undertook this experiment and was dissapointed to find no visions appeared for him. Maybe that is because it reflects his beliefs???



Others have also tried to use it to prove whether we are indeed pre-programmed to believe in god, Richard Dawkins undertook this experiment and was dissapointed to find no visions appeared for him. Maybe that is because it reflects his beliefs???

Unfortunately, during the experiment, while Prof Dawkins had some strange experiences and tinglings, none of them prompted him to take up any new faith. "It was a great disappointment," he said. "Though I joked about the possibility, I of course never expected to end up believing in anything supernatural. But I did hope to share some of the feelings experienced by religious mystics when contemplating the mysteries of life and the cosmos."

Dr Persinger has explained away the failure of this Transcranial Magnetic Stimulator. Before donning the helmet, Prof Dawkins had scored low on a psychological scale measuring proneness to temporal lobe sensitivity.

Recent studies on identical and fraternal twin pairs raised apart suggest that 50 per cent of our religious interests are influenced by genes. It seems Prof Dawkins is genetically predisposed not to believe.

www.telegraph.co.uk...



[edit on 9-4-2009 by MCoG1980]

reply to post by MCoG1980


Our brain can very well be a conduit to a spirit.

Therefore, anything the spirit sees can be replicated by magnets, a paradox if you will.

However, if it so that there is no "spirit", just conscious, where does the point of psychic abilities play? Still, it's part of the brain, but how does the brain see beyond the eyes.

Perfect example would be someone who's blind/ed, and can see letters on a whiteboard. Conscious viewing, if you will. My friend that's been to South Korea, a Buddhist monk, has done this himself, and he's not one to make something up.

reply to post by TLomon
You are absolutely correct.

Read: Infinite Love is the Answer, Everything Else Is An Illusion by David Icke.

Page 129: "It is the God Program - Matrix software for the imprisonment of human consciousness".

Page 112 "American molecular geneticist, concluded after comparing more than 2,000 DNA samples that a person's capacity to believe in aGod is linked to brain chemicals. He explained his theory in "The God Gene: How Faith is Hardwired into our Genes". (sort of like genetic memory/salmon swimming upstream to spawn in the exact same spot their parents they never met did).

Very good book, David Icke's Infinite Love - explains a lot of how religions were all invented to control, manipulate and enslave us.

Page 131 (Infiinite Love) "There is one other point to make about religions in all their forms. They encourage or impose rigid beliefs and these stem the flow of energy through the DNA network and suppress (make correspondingly dense and rigid) the resonance of the human hologram. This locks people deeper into the low frequencies of the Matrix Program. American psychiatrist, David Shainberg, from the William Alanson White Institute of Psychiatry in New York, believes that thoughts are vortices that can become fixed and rigid. he suggests that these manifest themselves as fixed opinions, unchanging views and a rigid sense of reality thast is resistant to change. he is correct and this is reflected in the brain where fixed neuron connections caused by rigid belief close down the central processing unit to higher perception. When you fall for the God Program, the Matrix has you big time".


Michael Talbot also wrote a book called, "The Holographic Universe" and that supports some of what Mr. Icke has been saying.



[edit on 9-4-2009 by ofhumandescent]

As mentioned in another thread, I think it has more to do with the projection of imaginary beings as an evolutionary advantage when avoiding predators as filtered through humanities higher thought processes.