What Causes Religious Belief? | Episode 1307 | Closer To Truth

[@derektomko1015]

Closer to Truth asks great questions and by the end of almost every episode I find myself feeling further from truth.....

[@keepinitrea]

Couldn't agree more 😞

[@avs6362]

So true bro

[@deli9437]

The more you know, the more you know you don’t know

[@binq]

When it comes to the infinities involved with existence, closer and further are one and the same.

[@roundspin1651]

It seems to you like you're getting farther but in reality you're very close to truth

[@Gjermund-Sivertsen]

How can any believer IN any religion not see that others with contradicting beliefs use the same three ingredients for their beliefs: 1: Personal experience, 2: Apologetics, 3: Faith. And, when you realize it, how can you still believe in your version/religion? The best religion is Life! It is amazing. Closer To Truth.. but never close enough to find out... It's a thought-provoking series. Thanks

[@mahamudra8150]

"Our fathers are our first gods" -Carlos Santana. The desire to be comforted by something bigger than ourselves in the face of fear and uncertainty.

[@thomasridley8675]

I always saw my dad as a teacher not a god. I didn't need much training. He let me find my own world view instead of imprinting his own.

[@mahamudra8150]

@@thomasridley8675 The best kind of teacher. All my best. M.

[@thomasridley8675]

@@mahamudra8150 ✌️👍

[@jozsefnemeth935]

Our father who art in heaven ... teaches the the Son of Man, the Logos incarnate. Perhaps it is not random that we are persons in the image of God , interpersonal relationship is so important for us, and we have father and mother from whom we directly receive the life and our personality. So theologically nothing surprising in what you say , it does not contradict the truth believed by Christians , fits in with the style of the Revelation.

[@mahamudra8150]

@@jozsefnemeth935 We were not created in the image of God.....God was created in the image of us. Just my opinion. Best wishes.

[@ChristopherWentling]

To me specifically Christianity opens up a way of transcending the inadequacy of our own goodness and of what we could be but fail to be and offers a road to a possible redemption of not only myself but to the universe. This in my mind is expressed in the Catholic Confiteor: I confess to God Almighty, before the whole company of heaven, and to you my brothers and sisters , that I have sinned in thought, word, and deed; in what I have done and in what I have failed to do. The problem of the inability to live up to the good exists whether God exists or not but those who downplay the problem are in my opinion not looking deeply at the problem. It is at its core the problem of evil and how we as perpetrators in this evil can somehow have hope that we can overcome it.

[@ChristopherWentling]

Hmm, I don’t see it. If a god exists then there is hope to transcend all this and if there is not the need would still exist but could never be realized.

[@jacobjorgenson9285]

Shame about all that pedophelia though

[@ChristopherWentling]

All the more the need. Human history is awash in personal and corporate monstrosities since the dawn of time. It is the possibility of transcending this both individually and corporately is precisely what I was talking about.

[@emmanueltafirenyika3613]

11:30 - “we have a mind that is predisposed to seeing causality” Best explanation for religious belief 👏👏

[@billwassner1433]

Yes. But another form of the question, "Is there a God?" is "Why do we have a mind predisposed in this way?"

[@sirrevzalot]

I guess it depends if a presupposition underlies the question asked. I can easily think of an explanation from evolution by natural selection. This doesn’t mean I’m right, of course. But if it’s consistent with the science, it’s more believable (to me, at least) than any conclusion we can prematurely jump to. Just my $0.02.

[@billwassner1433]

@@sirrevzalot I don't think I'm jumping to a conclusion. Rather, I'm asking the question, Is the "[predisposition] to seeing causality [as the] best explanation for religious belief" jumping to a conclusion? How could one know that for sure? It may be simply begging the question. But I will not jump to that conclusion.

[@sirrevzalot]

@@billwassner1433 Ah, thank you for clarifying the question. I guess I’m not the person to whom your question is directed, but for my part, labeling something the best explanation doesn’t make it the ultimate explanation (i.e., a conclusive end to the question). It may simply be the best one’s yet heard or the best one available at the time. That’s why I shared above that I’d find a natural explanation more believable than one that needs to invoke the mysteries to connect the dots. It’s not the only nor the last thing I’d consider in making a decision, but it’d hold more weight for me than a theological explanation. And I don’t think you jumped to a conclusion. My point was to state a natural explanation, if consistent with the science, is more believable to me than any conclusion we could otherwise jump to. To my knowledge, I didn’t see you make that error 🙂

[@billwassner1433]

@@sirrevzalot Good point

[@dbohr2]

My dear Mr. Kohm I’ve just mentioned your videos over some 10 years, I have just came to mention to the world that just have washing’s that my great impersionist author (Mr. Kohn) is the perfect personal that I’ve encompined and lovid and great accompanied and the sevelaral years of your exclamation of their the notion of Christ vs. God , I’ve gotten you my real truth that God is my true truth to the universe, and that my God is Christ only is my great human lover of my real God of the universe. I love your work Mr. Kuhn, Thank you for all. dB

[@jamesnasmith984]

The more we understand nature the less we need the supernatural and the more satisfaction there is in feeling apart of the unfolding universe.

[@billbrock8547]

Religious belief is caused by two of our problems: there are scary things in this world that we can't control, and we know that. So it's comforting to believe in a power that can control those things and that might be inclined to help us if we ask nicely. God is that power, and religion is how we gain God's favour.

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

Kuhn is fearless. He asks questions and gets chastised about some of them from some but he persists. The only stupid question is the one not asked.

[@LadyFromVulcan]

Brilliant video. If only there were more people like Mr. Kuhn saying: "Hey, this is what I believe - so let's first consider the opposite of what I think is true."

[@ramaraksha01]

Did you notice that when it comes to religion he NEVER asks the tough questions? Like 1. What does one DO in Heaven? Is Heaven one vast Retirement Home? Billions of people just sitting about doing nothing? And idle, useless, pointless existence for eternity? How does that make any sense? 2. What about the loved ones down on earth? Could they be starving? Sick with Covid19? suffering? Homeless? Children going to bed hungry? Daughter being abused by Mom's new boyfriend? NONE ASK! It seems people stop caring once they get to heaven or once promised eternal pleasures of the flesh they stop asking questions

[@fisher7865]

@@ramaraksha01 exactly! when you try and pin it down. heaven makes no sense. the tv show the good place pokes fun at this in their last season when they visit "heaven"

[@ramaraksha01]

@@fisher7865 Heaven is a metaphor for the Womb, Childhood - a time of joy & happiness - no work, few cares - our parents kept us in a safe bubble - watched over us, kept their troubles to themselves "Mommy lost her job? don't worry she will get another soon Daddy is sick, has to go to the hospital? Don't worry it is nothing, he will be back soon" Amazingly BILLIONS of people think they can run back to Mommy, be children again this time for eternity A magic Nanny will keep them in a safe bubble - will feed, protect, shelter, care and keep them away from the big bad real world! Honestly, how any educated, intelligent being thinks that Heaven makes any sense is beyond me . What works are the lack of questions I keep asking - what does one DO in Heaven? Can you describe a DAY? ONE DAY? And these people run from such a question! What is amazing is that none of the followers will ask such a question And even more amazing - none from the media! And when I write to newspapers asking such a question and saying Heaven is a metaphor - I cannot get published! The Christian/Islamic media doing its thing to protect religion

[@KAT-dg6el]

@@ramaraksha01 and is someone going to enjoy heaven knowing that a loved one went to hell? Is someone that believes in God yet is a criminal or a narcissist going to heaven? Is someone that’s a good person helps society (because they have a good heart and not for brownie points to heaven) and doesn’t believe in God going to hell? Definitely makes zero sense to me.

[@ramaraksha01]

@@KAT-dg6el I know - what is amazing is that such questions are never asked! Those that are converting - do they not ask themselves such questions? Their families, friends, coworkers, people who have helped them thru tough times are to be dumped into hell? Amazing how easy it is to turn even good people into callous Nazis - ready to throw entire families, women, children & even babies into hell! Even more chilling - I live in the US, & I can't get such questions published - no newspaper or magazine will publish my letters! All this media covering up for religious hate

[@jorgetorres6162]

A fair summary of the quest for God, humans trying to make sense of their existences. Questions associated with religion: Do I matter? Why do I exist at all? Why do I suffer? As long as this questions have not been properly answer, there will be religion. Science, even though it has accomplished a lot, behaves often as tyrannical religion, telling us what is orthodox belief, even though they are just guessing. Anyhow, I'm delighted for this video that at least puts the spot light on religion, further thinking is required.

[@michaelpumo83]

I believe that religious experience and the power it has to motivate communities of people is something that has been naturally selected for. Whether right or wrong in its assumptions, culturally, it serves its purpose to push cooperation and 'togetherness' forward; allowing a more powerful force to overcome adversity. I'm not religious at all and don't believe in a God but this is where I feel that the sense of 'something else' comes from; a desire to fit in and work together for a common goal. It's kept groups of people alive for thousands of years and has proven very effective to that end.

[@EspinalPhotography]

Beautiful video which does bring us Closer To Truth.

[@dennistucker1153]

I think that Religious Belief came from our reasoning minds. There is a natural sequence involved. 1) It started with the idea that there must be a creator of everything. This idea caught on. It spread through the population and it was accepted. 2) Another idea came about that was built on the first idea. The idea was to control the behavior of others(believers in the first idea). At this point, the second idea came about for purely selfish reasons. This controlling idea probably came about when someone said something like "the creator wants you to....." or "the creator spoke to me and said...". At first it was all about using other weak mind individuals to do your own bidding. Those that took advantage soon became the leaders in their own populations. At this point, the purpose of Religious Belief changed. It went from being used for purely selfish reasons to being used also as an early form of government. It's hard to imagine that the top leaders in government would lie to get what they want. Surely, that never happens.

[@djhutcherson6761]

Very well said

[@TheScure]

Perfect topic for some ego flexing in comment section

[@trybunt]

Yeah, thats true, although I think people who feel superior for holding/not holding certain beliefs are being unreasonable. At no time do we choose our beliefs, we are simply convinced, then our brain works overtime to defend any beliefs. There is nothing about a flat earther believer that makes them inferior, for example, they have just been raised in such a way that a flat earth argument convinced them, and there is no reason to think that we would believe differently in their circumstances.

[@quovadis7119]

I guess that doesn't include you? 😂

[@lightbeing8174]

@@davidflynn6790 watch the devil and father amorth trailer.

[@nyworker]

Makes sense. The concept of religion is a modern perspectively. In today's world we rely on political authorities, businessmen, medical authorities and entertainers etc for guidance filtered through media. In the ancient world religion authorities were the main game in town for learning about the origin of life and guidance.

[@tyamada21]

A segment from 'Saved by the Light of the Buddha Within'... My new understandings of what many call 'God -The Holy Spirit' - resulting from some of the extraordinary ongoing after-effects relating to my NDE... Myoho-Renge-Kyo represents the identity of what some scientists are now referring to as the unified field of consciousnesses. In other words, it’s the essence of all existence and non-existence - the ultimate creative force behind planets, stars, nebulae, people, animals, trees, fish, birds, and all phenomena, manifest or latent. All matter and intelligence are simply waves or ripples manifesting to and from this core source. Consciousness (enlightenment) is itself the actual creator of everything that exists now, ever existed in the past, or will exist in the future - right down to the minutest particles of dust - each being an individual ripple or wave. The big difference between chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo and most other conventional prayers is that instead of depending on a ‘middleman’ to connect us to our state of inner enlightenment, we’re able to do it ourselves. That’s because chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo allows us to tap directly into our enlightened state by way of this self-produced sound vibration. ‘Who or What Is God?’ If we compare the concept of God being a separate entity that is forever watching down on us, to the teachings of Nichiren, it makes more sense to me that the true omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of what most people perceive to be God, is the fantastic state of enlightenment that exists within each of us. Some say that God is an entity that’s beyond physical matter - I think that the vast amount of information continuously being conveyed via electromagnetic waves in today’s world gives us proof of how an invisible state of God could indeed exist. For example, it’s now widely known that specific data relayed by way of electromagnetic waves has the potential to help bring about extraordinary and powerful effects - including an instant global awareness of something or a mass emotional reaction. It’s also common knowledge that these invisible waves can easily be used to detonate a bomb or to enable NASA to control the movements of a robot as far away as the Moon or Mars - none of which is possible without a receiver to decode the information that’s being transmitted. Without the receiver, the data would remain impotent. In a very similar way, we need to have our own ‘receiver’ switched on so that we can activate a clear and precise understanding of our own life, all other life and what everything else in existence is. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo each day helps us to achieve this because it allows us to reach the core of our enlightenment and keep it switched on. That’s because Myoho-Renge-Kyo represents the identity of what scientists now refer to as the unified field of consciousnesses. To break it down - Myoho represents the Law of manifestation and latency (Nature) and consists of two alternating states. For example, the state of Myo is where everything in life that’s not obvious to us exists - including our stored memories when we’re not thinking about them - our hidden potential and inner emotions whenever they’re dormant - our desires, our fears, our wisdom, happiness, karma - and more importantly, our enlightenment. The other state, ho, is where everything in Life exists whenever it becomes evident to us, such as when a thought pops up from within our memory - whenever we experience or express our emotions - or whenever a good or bad cause manifests as an effect from our karma. When anything becomes apparent, it merely means that it’s come out of the state of Myo (dormancy/latency) and into a state of ho (manifestation). It’s the difference between consciousness and unconsciousness, being awake or asleep, or knowing and not knowing. The second law - Renge - Ren meaning cause and ge meaning effect, governs and controls the functions of Myoho - these two laws of Myoho and Renge, not only function together simultaneously but also underlies all spiritual and physical existence. The final and third part of the tri-combination - Kyo, is the Law that allows Myoho to integrate with Renge - or vice versa. It’s the great, invisible thread of energy that fuses and connects all Life and matter - as well as the past, present and future. It’s also sometimes termed the Universal Law of Communication - perhaps it could even be compared with the string theory that many scientists now suspect exists. Just as the cells in our body, our thoughts, feelings and everything else is continually fluctuating within us - all that exists in the world around us and beyond is also in a constant state of flux - constantly controlled by these three fundamental laws. In fact, more things are going back and forth between the two states of Myo and ho in a single moment than it would ever be possible to calculate or describe. And it doesn’t matter how big or small, famous or trivial anything or anyone may appear to be, everything that’s ever existed in the past, exists now or will exist in the future, exists only because of the workings of the Laws ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ - the basis of the four fundamental forces, and if they didn’t function, neither we nor anything else could go on existing. That’s because all forms of existence, including the seasons, day, night, birth, death and so on, are moving forward in an ongoing flow of continuation - rhythmically reverting back and forth between the two fundamental states of Myo and ho in absolute accordance with Renge - and by way of Kyo. Even stars are dying and being reborn under the workings of what the combination ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’ represents. Nam, or Namu - which mean the same thing, are vibrational passwords or keys that allow us to reach deep into our life and fuse with or become one with ‘Myoho-Renge-Kyo’. On a more personal level, nothing ever happens by chance or coincidence, it’s the causes that we’ve made in our past, or are presently making, that determine how these laws function uniquely in each of our lives - as well as the environment from moment to moment. By facing east, in harmony with the direction that the Earth is spinning, and chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo for a minimum of, let’s say, ten minutes daily to start with, any of us can experience actual proof of its positive effects in our lives - even if it only makes us feel good on the inside, there will be a definite positive effect. That’s because we’re able to pierce through the thickest layers of our karma and activate our inherent Buddha Nature (our enlightened state). By so doing, we’re then able to bring forth the wisdom and good fortune that we need to challenge, overcome and change our adverse circumstances - turn them into positive ones - or manifest and gain even greater fulfilment in our daily lives from our accumulated good karma. This also allows us to bring forth the wisdom that can free us from the ignorance and stupidity that’s preventing us from accepting and being proud of the person that we indeed are - regardless of our race, colour, gender or sexuality. We’re also able to see and understand our circumstances and the environment far more clearly, as well as attract and connect with any needed external beneficial forces and situations. As I’ve already mentioned, everything is subject to the law of Cause and Effect - the ‘actual-proof-strength’ resulting from chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo always depends on our determination, sincerity and dedication. For example, the levels of difference could be compared to making a sound on a piano, creating a melody, producing a great song, and so on. Something else that’s very important to always respect and acknowledge is that the Law (or if you prefer God) is in everyone and everything. NB: There are frightening and disturbing sounds, and there are tranquil and relaxing sounds. It’s the emotional result of any noise or sound that can trigger off a mood or even instantly change one. When chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo each day, we are producing a sound vibration that’s the password to our true inner-self - this soon becomes apparent when you start reassessing your views on various things - such as your fears and desires etc. The best way to get the desired result when chanting is not to view things conventionally - rather than reaching out to an external source, we need to reach into our own lives and bring our needs and desires to fruition from within - including the good fortune and strength to achieve any help that we may need. Chanting Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo also reaches out externally and draws us towards, or draws towards us, what we need to make us happy from our environment. For example, it helps us to be in the right place at the right time - to make better choices and decisions and so forth. We need to think of it as a seed within us that we’re watering and bringing sunshine to for it to grow, blossom and bring forth fruit or flowers. It’s also important to understand that everything we need in life, including the answer to every question and the potential to achieve every dream, already exists within us.

[@StoryGordon]

While it depends on what one means by religion, belief, religious or other, is often a desire to find certainty in the transcendent.

[@jeffreyphillips4182]

I see it as a sense of community, a need to bond with others in like and kind. That is, for most, but not all as there are those that wander off by themselves to seek a deeper understanding and meaning of what they think God is. Perhaps they're looking for an answer to this weird existence, a mind boggling enigma to say the least

[@johnreagin]

I love the Aenima-esque beginning of this show. ;)

[@engelbertus1406]

learn to swim

[@michaelkyriacou7026]

Think this is the only episode ive watched that you actually came to a conclusion,and in a categorical manner no less!!! Not sure how or why you came to these conclusions,but your sure did!!! Id say curiosity is what comes naturally to humans and certainly NOT religion!!! Thanks again.. (y)

[@jmzorko]

I quite liked this episode, as the question of what causes religious belief is _so_ much more interesting than questions of any particular deity's existence or attributes thereof outside of the imaginations of human beings. I found something - in many cases a lot of things - to like about what all of the thinkers in this episode said. I especially liked Mr. Kauffman's take on the need for an appreciation of that certain ineffability of living and being in the world. I find many rituals absolutely beautiful to experience, though much _much_ more as a sort of cultural poetry and expression of said ineffability than connection to anything supernatural.

[@leebarry5181]

I believe in chemistry, biology, mathematics etc. based on evidence of their validity. I believe in Jesus Christ because he fulfills 300 prophecies written over 1500 years by 30 different writers. The mathematical odds of that are astronomical. That is my evidence.

[@electricmanist]

What simplistic explanations ! Innate spiritual (rather than religious) belief is universal even though this may be sublimated by overriding conventional religious rituals or dogmas. (Or perhaps even by intellectual arrogance). Spiritual understanding has little to do with wishful thinking or indoctrination but rather by an inner awareness of the true nature of life. Unfortunately, for some, materialism gives a kind of three dimensional sense of security. Rather like not daring to look outside the box because there might be something there that contradicts one's mental construct. Now that would be frightening wouldn't it!

[@omgsolikevalleygirl]

I'm sick of antireligionists attempting to reduce religion to "wrong facts". There is a lot more to it, it is a realm of human expression, and if you get rid of religion, you will lose your language.

[@piehound]

Yes once upon a time that question was very mysterious. But now we know what causes that malady. It's simple. In my case i was put into a parochial primary school where Christian doctrine was ubiquitous. I'm sure other folks were introduced to their own beliefs in similar ways. Immersion in an environment that supports such indoctrination. No matter what the particular flavor, brand, persuasion, or ethnicity. And once exposed as a youth . . . such conditioning becomes more and more difficult to undo as we get older. Difficult but not impossible. Critical thinking and the trials of life can help set us straight.

[@dt6653]

In my opinion, the fear of death is one of the reasons. Since the beginning of time, people have sought for ways to achieve immortality, or at least, to live as long as possible. Eventually they learned that biological immortality is not possible. Religions fill this need nicely with the promise of eternal life after death.

[@janoshep6989]

Totally agree!

[@duaneholcomb8408]

While that might have some truth too it it doesn't explain. Athiest that. Have changed there mind about there being a god and afterlife.

[@coffeeaka5569]

I like it your comment @ Dt

[@AlexSocarras]

Much of the earliest religious beliefs we know about did *not* have pleasant beliefs about the afterlife. More plausible for people today, but not a great theory for its origins.

[@hauntedasylum8194]

The imagination that we are eternal, and with begining and without end.

[@davideldred.campingwilder6481]

...someone said Religion Destroys Spirituality. I couldn't agree more...

[@Scribe13013]

It's a necessary component of the human mind

[@cprove5751]

She isn’t doing real science. She’s making a huge leap to show horn her pre conceived notions about belief as opposed to actually looking at the world evidence. I think I’m general, Robert’s consistent pursuit speaks volumes about his belief and I commend him and support his continued efforts to thwart the spirit of i know better that runs rampantly unchecked in the scientific community.

[@lrmourao]

The question is simple and, at the same time, decisive: how to differentiate between FAITH in a god and IMAGINATION that there is such a god??

[@ob1keno227]

very impressive episode

[@WillDanceAlone2U]

Fear, desire. How can you believe in something you cannot prove?

[@matoberry]

Everyone believes in many things they cannot prove. Can you personally prove a black hole exists? Or do you rely on authorities? And then who told you what authorities to listen to?

[@lightbeing8174]

ImperturbableLight Exorcist priest can prove God all the time meet with them and you will be cool.

[@Davegre200]

Thank you for this episode of "Closer to Truth". What I feel was missing,though, was the original development of explanations for phenomena which generated fear in humans. I'm referring to natural phenomena the causes of which humans were ignorant and which generated fear such as death, thunder, lightening, wind, etc. Such entities represented danger to humans causing them to invent ways to reduce the danger. Humans invented gods to placate in order to make life safer. As a result there were many "gods" to make happy in order to decrease danger until the epiphany of only one god. I believe that there is no place in the brain that is necessary to need religion. Fear and ignorance are the causes. Knowledge and power eliminate the need for a god. Ever since I was a child, I have believed that eventually, religion would disappear as people learned more and more though, as I see now, perhaps we will never learn enough to get there except to get closer and "closer to truth".

[@tofu-munchingCoalition.ofChaos]

@S Gloobal A personal powerful God is highly complex to describe precisely. There is no evidence for such a God compared to models without God. By the scientific method (linking complexity to likelihood of consistent models) it is very very very unlikely that there is a personal powerful God. This is the highest form of "proof" possible for a statement about the real world.

[@johnbrzykcy3076]

​@Time to Reason Your statement that "People who left religions live better loving..." is very interesting and necessitates more questions.

[@apuntes8883]

The thought at the end seems fine, if God is the creator of nature then it would seem to us that the law of nature is the only law. God´s law in his creation, in nature would be the paradigm that veils us from god himself. But there is also a missing link , why so chaotic.

[@tofu-munchingCoalition.ofChaos]

@S Gloobal Even at the beginning complete misunderstanding. If God is not determined to do exactly the actions (then God would only be a physical law) described by a small set of axioms, to describe a model with God precisely, every possible action (done or not) of God in the world would have to be incoded into the model. Massive amount of complexity. This is the mathematical form of simplicity required for the scientific method (Ockham learning strategy: the simplest consistent model - the only possible strategy to approximate the truth by a mathematical theorem). ps: Your sources can't be more biased and less scientific.

[@tofu-munchingCoalition.ofChaos]

@S Gloobal I will not read the rest of the comment. Your comment is not a well thought out reasoning but instead a rhetorical mumbo jumbo (judging from the first part). Not worth anyone's time.

[@dadsonworldwide3238]

Observing your surroundings and inner intuition. I

[@stevegovea1]

My theory is that humans long ago needed not only to explain natural phenomena but also to counter depression after losing a loved one.

[@TheUltimateSeeds]

I suggest that the main psychological impetus for the cause of religious belief is the absolute absurdity in thinking that the unfathomable order of the universe is a product of chance.

[@publiusovidius7386]

lol. So you don't understand how evolution by natural selection works. Sad.

[@TheUltimateSeeds]

@@publiusovidius7386 Sure, I’m all for evolution by natural selection. However, before evolution could even begin to unfold, you have to explain how an alleged Big Bang dispersion of random and chaotic quantum phenomena managed to - blindly and mindlessly - equip the earth with every possible prerequisite ingredient necessary to awaken us into existence. Do we need to crack open the vast volumes of the world’s encyclopedias to demonstrate what that would entail? _______

[@publiusovidius7386]

@@TheUltimateSeeds lol. So? That would be easier to explain than the existence of a creator god, for whose existence there is no credible evidence. So there's that.

[@TheUltimateSeeds]

@@publiusovidius7386 If you think it's easier to explain, then explain it. I'm listening.

[@noseefood1943]

God is Santa for grown ups

[@-JSLAK]

More accurately, the flying spaghetti monster is Santa for atheists

[@natef3r]

@@-JSLAK 😂😂

[@thebookofla3166]

Beliefs, whether religious or secular, are part of human essence. It is part of his design. As some would view it, it is a categorical imperative. The belief in the divine or supreme being is imprinted in man's DNA. The question is, which belief is The Truth?

[@Caocao8888]

The cause? Fear, ego, the desire to be led, or the desire for power and control. We assume humans are the most advanced, wondrous creatures in existence, so of course the universe was made for us. We’re so special, it’s easy for religious leaders to convince us that we will exist for eternity in some wondrous place in the Great Beyond. Film at 11:00.

[@echo-off]

My bit of speculation: Either the universe is intentional or it is not. Surprising and astonishing facts about the un-likelyness of our existence (many of those discussed in this channel) or simply the beauty of the world triggers ourselves to search for explanation. Frankly: the richness of open questions tenderly pushes me towards a belief in an intentional universe... Even in our fine tuned universe there would be plenty of possibilities to burn all free energy without letting consciousness arise. Am I wrong?

[@hybridwafer]

Something that I feel has helped me to form my world view is to give leeway to properties that are vastly greater than human scales. For example, I can intellectually know that something is 1 billion years old or 100 light years away but I can't intuitively grasp what these properties feel like. If I know that cells can mutate over the course of years and then apply unfathomable timescales to that, it does make it at least plausible that a lump of goo could eventually evolve into a human brain. Now the next mind bender is to ask what it means if the universe is infinite, or part of a multiverse, that just eternally keeps rearranging matter. For me it means that anything that could happen, will happen, no matter how unlikely. Also, as the Anthropic principle states, it is not a conincident that we, as conscious life, find ourselves in a place and time where conditions allow for conscious life.

[@asielnorton345]

anyone who woke up this morning and watched this video or did anything did so with the belief in one construct or another. the people in this video are using one construct (material monism) to describe another construct (dualism). belief in any construct comes from cultural training and personal experience, and as noumenal reality is greater than our sense perception and cognitive ability constructs are necessary for functionality.

[@quovadis7119]

Fear. And ignorance. Period.

[@chanpol321]

social inequality that makes most of us believed religions.

[@ソトヤママリアテレサ]

Robert Sapolsky says in his religiosity lecture for Stanford Lecture Series on human behaviorology says Religion is from Shamenism which most Shamen's have Schizotypalism. People with Schizotypalism are usually a siblilings of people with Schizophrenia. Schizotypalism is quantifiable.

[@glennbalck752]

Belief in religion offers an investment into eternal life.

[@irw4350]

I'd say "Jeez" - except you'll probably read something into it

[@truebomba]

This video is the example of when a presupposition is confused with a conclusion. You start from the postulate that the world is mechanical and of no need to sustaining then you conclude that the world is mechanical. Voilà!

[@betford2]

People who believe in "God" can get along fine, even feel commaderie. It's when they start to define that God that the knives come out. I once told a childhood neighbor, that based on his behavior, he didn't really love God. He got mad, "Yes I do!" .. and hit me. 😁

[@AtheistCook]

To me this is why is so dificult for person to leave a religion, it it has social, political and family related inplications. Religion creates a bond with your social circles, it gives you a sense a belonging. When we are babies we have to believe in what our parents tells us false or true because our life and security depends on it, this perpetuates religious believes within families. There is no gods or godesses

[@servantofgod8483]

God proves himself to those who are truly commited.

[@A13-e3w]

I like the paradox part. 👌

[@edwardandrade4390]

For a big clame, big prof is needed. If we duplicate a "miracle" then it's not a miracle.

[@mohammadsareh4732]

Religious belief is not the effect of a cause. It is the destination in search of Truth, one way to reach it is by rejecting falsehood it requires criteria for judgement which was revealed in Islam. No other religion were able to say that religion is responsible to see the judgement served correctly because they had not received the criteria for judgement at their time. But in 2001 Jesus said " I am one of the followers of Islam ". There you have it.

[@davideldred.campingwilder6481]

...I knew a devout female catholic in Italy. She was British and in her 40's. With six children and one on the way. She nearly died in pregnancy because it was going against God's plan. However, this same woman was on a dating site and had over a dozen different lovers. Her husband was very aware and I'd bet that some of the kids are not his. They are both deeply religious.

[@tomashull9805]

Few terms are confused here: the title of this episode should be: What causes, (what's the origin of) spirituality? Also, there isn't, or shouldn't be, a belief in religion. Religion is, or it should be, just a means of expression one's spirituality.

[@onestepaway3232]

Religion and Atheist exist because God exist. Belief in itself is religious. Lot of religious people on this thread

[@chrisc1257]

Ignorance, hunger, loneliness and a fear of drowning [in all three].

[@markemerson98]

The irony is that we believe because we don’t believe our present existence is the end of our existence….

[@cvsree]

I can talk for myself 😊 I need to be free from slavery to mind. Mind is source of all suffering but, it has the ability to free us from suffering if we use it correctly

[@cvsree]

@Time to Reason partially correct Mind in not what we are. It arises from Self but, gets distracted by fake world. When we carefully observe to find the source of mind, it disappears into Self. That is state of Nirvana. Thoughtless state. Self and God are realised to be identical in that state.

[@itsalljustimages]

What is religion? To me it is like this:- There is one thing that is directly obvious - I exist, I feel, and so on. (INSIDE) There is other thing that is obvious by the virtue of direct perception - There are others like me, also there are things. (OUTSIDE) The brain somehow believes that there's something that encompasses both of the above. (ALL-AROUND) Religion is a set of ideas, doctrines, rituals that reconciles all three. P. S: I am not religious. P. P. S: is that even possible, to be not religious?

[@matoberry]

I like how you write about it. Much better than simplistic “comfort”, “bainwashing”, “money”, ... Religion comes from searching for truth and attempts to develop a coherent system that explains what we percieve and helps navigate our human condition.

[@misterb5073]

I’m surprised no one mentioned Carl Jung and his brilliant theory of the collective unconscious in which he postulated that Homo sapiens are instinctively religious and it presents in the form of symbols and myths and archetypes.

[@RBMedia323]

I would say that there is a difference between religion and spirituality. Some people live by the word and not so much the spirit, while others live by the spirit and less by the word.

[@janepowers6711]

Many geneticists believe that there is a religious gene - I think that would explain a lot

[@ingenuity168]

I agree!

[@snukkelpuppie]

Fear of death, childhood indoctrination and good old wishful thinking.

[@Wrkumlin]

snukkelpuppie Short and to the point. Good statement. I would only add in guilt.

[@antoniomoyal]

Just as atheists thinking that from an explosión comes out a working clock with sufficient time.

[@byjugypsy5482]

All believers is logically atheist about others fairy tales belief

[@Wrkumlin]

A ML And theists think it was magic. Religions just try to explain one mystery with another made up mystery. How is that any kind of explanation?

[@Enzorgullochapin]

“I don't want to believe. I want to know.” Carl Sagan How Our Brain Creates Delusion Of God. In this documentary, narrated by the author of the book Phantom of the Brain - V Ramachandran explains the case of a man suffering from Temporal Lobe Epilepsy(TLE).

[@abdulhaseebshaikh6460]

"You can't disprove God.. it's a non falsifiable question"

[@matejbludsky8410]

Exactly, you can't also prove god exists 😆

[@Wrkumlin]

Abdul Haseeb Shaikh I don’t have to disprove gods. The person/people making the claim of existence must provide the proof. And, until they are defined (consistently) so we can investigate their existence, they can’t be claimed to exist. Believers have a long way to go before a god is ‘proven’. That’s why it’s called ‘faith’ - belief ‘without’ evidence.

[@matejbludsky8410]

Bill K Fully agreed this is the right epistemological stand

[@matoberry]

Bill K “faith” does not mean belief without evidence.

[@lightbeing8174]

@@matejbludsky8410 Off course you can prove God exist that is very easy all you need is an exorcist priest role you take that route you will the coolest walking the block.

[@numanali4945]

Fear is the birth place of religion in human mind.

[@jameszelaznysr5179]

Because we are not able to answer the unanswered questions that have been questioned since the beginning of time

[@JJ8KK]

I don't defend any _particular_ conception of God, as represented by the different religions. But I do identify a couple of things common to all the major religions that I _do_ "believe" in, in a generic sense, which give me _the essential thing valued_ which all the major religions offer to their believers, and I get this without subscribing to any particular conceptualization of God. Religions exist because people die and we want to understand what that is all about: why we die and what _it_ (the fact that we die) tells us about our present life experience that could/should matter to us. Does it tell us something about our current existence that we should care about? But perhaps the biggest question we ask about death is _does the death of our bodies mean that we Minds will cease to exist for all time?_ It's a big question because of the implications of any answer we might come up with. If when our bodies die we thinking things cease to exist forever, then it cannot possibly matter what we end up doing with our lives, whether we were A Living Saint or a terrifying Mass Murderer. Once you die--under this assumption--it's not going to matter what you did in your life as a human, period. Were you evil? Why not? ALL of the major religions answer these basic questions in the same basic way. They all say that 1) we continue to exist after our bodies die, and 2) what we do or don't do in this life _matters_ (will have an impact on our experience in the next life). These are the two generic religious beliefs that I fully embrace. But that's _all_ I believe with any amount of certainty. If anyone asks me for any details about the Afterlife or what I do/don't believe about God, I don't have an answer for them. My answer is always the same: I don't know. But I do know enough to fully embrace the meaning I see in this life.

[@theoldpilgrimway9129]

Religious belief is justified because we are in need from every aspect of life. And especially when facing death of one’s own and his loved ones.

[@mustafaelbahi7979]

A device that reveals the sensitivity of faith in the development of Darwin and the multiverse. If you question this worship, there is no doubt that you will be expelled by the multiple gods of atheism. This bloody struggle opposes and supports freedom.

[@bobcabot]

This one is easy: Fear!

[@TomAnderson_81]

rubiks6 Needs to be rephrased: Love is the beginning of wisdom Fear is destruction

[@TomAnderson_81]

One moves away from fear and moves towards order and love. Fear is destructive.

[@ionutciber]

Tom Anderson 81 by guiding you towards love it shows it’s conservative effect.

[@thinkboutit]

S Gloobal can’t disprove something that doesn’t exist

[@thinkboutit]

S Gloobal how about you tell me how there is an eternal god?

[@nivekvb]

Our lives need meaning! Physics may be correct, but is barren. There must be more.

[@alemartinezrojas5285]

Drives for curiosity is a very simplistic way to explain the desire and innate search for the transcendent. Curiosity, need for explanation, and search for patterns are not the reason why we are religious. We could claim that those behaviors are a result of our being religious and not the other way around. None of those characteristics are necessary for survival and reproduction. The reason must lie beyond an evolutionary explanation.

[@mehdibaghbadran3182]

With respect, the informations, released , it’s not for the reason to the people to believe something, but it’s to think !

[@miami1965258]

Watch this while thinking about the multiverse.... No difference between the belief or desire in it than religion

[@mrloop1530]

Primary cause: Childhood indoctrination

[@truthseeker7759]

@Androva J. He is just an agitated, fundamentalist going on a rant defending his faith, dogma, god (whoever the god may be) and the messenger. Just ignore. They will never answer to simple direct questions. They know how to twist and go tap dancing avoiding scrutiny.

[@mrloop1530]

@S Gloobal There's a planet in the Andromeda galaxy, inhabited by gummi bears. One of them has a son, who you can ask for guidance in life. Just close your eyes and speak to him. If you do not believe me, it is because you have been indoctrinated not to do so. Do you believe in elfs and fairies? If not, you have been indoctrinated. Do you believe in Poseidon? Thor? Brahma? You need to take a good look at your sense of logic, my friend.

[@derektomko1015]

Your hypothesis can even be proven statistically..... if a religious person tells me where they grew up as a child I can predict their religion within a 98% confidence interval.

[@mrloop1530]

@S Gloobal Ah you believe in the god of the gaps, I see. Not too much shame in that. It had been the common practice for millennia, beginning with all the creation myths of the world’s many religions: “We don’t know how all this came to be - so let’s come up with a story and point to magic.” And “we don’t know why the people of the World speak many different languages - let’s make up a story about that as well.” I’m glad I mentioned Thor already. He was our (I’m Danish) god of thunder. “We do not understand this phenomenon in the sky - it must be the work of a god.” We had our Thunder God, and you have your Big Bang God. Well, you are in good company, my friend. Even Newton, when he reached his limits concerning the many bodies problem, invoked God to adjust the clockwork of the heavens. Later on the problem was solved, and “God” had to be put into the next pocket of ignorance. Well, a better way to go, is to let go of the fear of the sentence “I don’t know (yet)” instead of invoking magic at the horizon of our current knowledge. That is the starting point in order to gain new knowledge. Also, you do not explain anything by invoking a god, because you are left with the task of explaining ‘him’.

[@mrloop1530]

@S Gloobal You put ‘God’ in place of our lack of knowledge - that is the god of the gaps argument. Now you are even speaking of “a prime mover” - yet another example of the god of the gaps arguments. Why would you need a 'prime mover'? And why would you just come up with a figment of your imagination and state that it does not need an explanation? Everything could have existed forever in different forms of matter and energi. There is no need for your magic friend. But you just put him in without any evidence in an attempt to discredit further scientific studies. I feel so sorry for you, but you seem pretty set in your ways, and of course I can’t help you, when you do not master logical reasoning. What good does your 'prime mover' even do, if there is nothing to move?

[@gmotionedc5412]

Awesome👏👏👏👏👏

[@rh001YT]

Various reasons are given for the appearance of religion along the lines of fear of this or that natural phenomenon or fear of death. But then what about the Japanese who have no such religion and as far as anyone knows, never did. Were they simply fearless?

[@dinoor55]

ABSOLUTELY, EVERY THING IS CREATED FOR A PURPOSE, TILL IT ALL ENDS, ALL THAT WE SEE AROUND US, AND CANNOT SEE, BUT WE SEE AND FEEL WITH OUR SENSES, ABOVE ALL OUR OWN CONCIOUSNESS IS AN IMPARTIAL JUDGE, TELLING US NOTHING IS AUTOMATIC, THERE IS A CREATOR, GOD, AND THERE IS A PURPOSE. JUDGE, EVERY THING IS CREATED FOR A PURPOSE FOR A LIMITED TIME THERE IS A CREATOR, GOD, NO CONFUSSION.

[@johnaugsburger6192]

Thanks

[@infinto1]

The concept of God is etched in our minds brains and genetics weather we like it or not how we precieve it (God) depends on our own mental intellectual social and cultural environment hence the multiplicity of religions and ideas regarding God . You need to work continuously both intellectually and morally to believe otherwise against your grain barring Some exceptions.

[@thefool00]

What causes religious belief? Two things: Ignorance and fear.

[@vrus91]

Ey, and ecstasy and awe, and the unconscious or subconscious, perhaps a touch of of irrationality. The experience is compelling, but the conclusion is heavily dependant on reasoning skill most people don't bother to develop.

[@tedgrant2]

"The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee and shall say, DESTROY them !" (Deuteronomy 33:27) "But I say unto you, LOVE your enemies, bless them that curse you" (Matthew 5:44) "I and my Father are one !" (John 10:30). I hope that helps you get closer to truth !

[@readynowforever3676]

Based on your concluding criteria of a "god", what difference does it make if there's a god ?

[@jmanj3917]

5:40 I have a (possibly) quick question, Doc, if you don't mind..? Thank you! So... Have there been any tests done where, 1. the temporal lobe was "shut down", be it chemically, or by the direct or indirect application of electrical current, or by some other means; AND, 2. there was testing of the phenomenon of experiencing (or not experiencing) a "presence" via some other possible route? And, finally; 3. If so, what was shown...or implicated...IOW, To where did the data point us, if at all? Again, thank you! Go Bluejays! 🙂

[@sheilajordan199]

Well put it like this, when I was young I did not have a Choice, and had to go to a building to pray, year's passed and I'm much older, different thing's happen in many people's Life's not just in My own, I'm not Holy nor Religious in any way, I'm more Spiritual, I do Believe in JESUS given many different thing's that I have come through, in My own Life, Now I don't know if someone, put a spell on Myself, One, thing that I do know is that I was been Attacked by something not of this world, and yes I called out in the Name of JESUS CHRIST to please help, keep in mind that at first I could not see this thing then I did see it face to face, it was choking me, bruises on my harm's and body couldn't breathe, just before Darkness I called out and what happened next was beautiful warm and full of Love and inner peace A Light came from the top of my head through my whole body right down to my feet, I could see all different colour's of pure energy, and a smell of beautiful flower's I could Breathe again and I Thanked JESUS for saving my life, this being came out of my bedroom Mirror's it Looked like a Reptilian that was four year's ago, while this being was Attacking Myself, I couldn't move, before hand I never believed in those thing's to Myself, they were not real made up stories, I know now these Being's Demon's are very real, To Myself, JESUS CHRIST is Love, ♥💗 and so much more, shared 2020/ PS The God of Heaven dose not start War's Men do, Wrong doings in the Whole world was not done, at the hand's of God in Heaven, however, they are been done by Greedy Humans and other, spiritual Being's but yet when something gos wrong, some people want to point the finger, towards God and blame, No the God of Heaven is not responsible for any Evil on Earth, Throughout History itself, many different Bloodline's became Greedy wanted to control, wanted power, over other's, so they called up spiritual Being's Demon's from the underworld and from other spiritual Realm's, many of these humans at that time in History sold their own Soul's in Blood on paper, were they had portal's worldwide installed so these Bloodline's were working with the Demonic Entities, fooling lieing and enslaving, humans, these same Bloodline's created all Religion's and wrote all the Holy Book's themselves, throughout History, they destroyed the real book's these same Bloodline's used and Abused Humanity for their, own end game's and means, they used Mind control on and against Humanity to keep everyone, dumb down and asleep, through Mind control, same Bloodline's then mixed themselves in through different Faith's on Earth,.to hide who they really were, these same Bloodline's were put in seat's of power all over the World, Not through the God of Heaven more through the Demonic Entities that they sold their, Soul's too Lucifer, and the Fallen, Shared 2020/

[@thinking7667]

What causes religious belief? The question, "why?"

[@thinking7667]

and the sense that things should be better than they are.

[@lightbeing8174]

@@thinking7667 watch the devil and father amorth trailer.

[@thinking7667]

@@lightbeing8174 I don't know what that is

[@karelvandervelden8819]

Religion is a shortcut in search of knowledge. Science is a saner and more humble route.

[@SpaceLifeSelfSufficiency]

hhhhhm interesting, thanks for sharing brother

[@Paulus_Brent]

By stimulating the visual cortex area one can become more or less sensitive to light, but nobody concludes from that that light is based in the brain.

[@davidbible1469]

After millennia of gods coming and going, let’s start by asking which god we are talking about when we talk about a god. Ambiguities about what a god is means we might always be talking about a different god when we think we are not.

[@ahmadfarrag6088]

Prophets are the ones that make people believe. Thank you for your journey.

[@PalmarLlano]

Khun looks more like Einstein in this video....

[@withgoddess1119]

Einstein was handsome.

[@michelvandepol1485]

Religion is a primitive description of reality, blocking the quest for the real description

[@hempleafcar1]

Due U Exist NOW view SEE this with EARS www.eckancar.org Click HU www.fhu.com ? request MEDITATION suggested Be Still and know www.yahwehsnewkingdom.com Ask 4 Book "FREE" www.yahweh.com ask for Newsletter RELATED INFO kzbin.info kzbin.info www.hempabcdeals.biz Click Links 420+ shh AIRING

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@S Gloobal your hearing is not that great...

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@S Gloobal you are unable to distinguish a description from a question begging case. It's a fact that religions and the supernatural we're our earlier unsuccessful attempts to explain nature and due to its comforting baggage it is still a huge obstacle for the education and critical thinking of many individuals and whole societies .

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@S Gloobal " Science got started in ancient China; in ancient Egypt and Greece and Rome; and in Islam. But it never went anywhere. In those cultures, it sputtered and coughed and died." -Thanks for sharing with us your ignorant beliefs...and thanks for using the technical applications of science to communicate them through this platform! -"I’m not minimizing the immense contribution of geometry and mathematics from the Greeks, or Algebra from the Islamic world, or even Chinese Medicine (which is quite effective)" -MAth and its branch of geometry are not Science mate....focus. They are logical tools that science uses in its methodologies. -" But in those places science did not sustain momentum." -Because they didn't know how to do science and most importantly nobody understood the epistemic value of naturalistic principles. (thanks for asking). -"Why?Because those cultures did not have a theology to support it." -You got it the other way around...lol. Because their philosophical principles were either theological or supernatural, they never managed to produce meaningful descriptions for their observations or their hypotheses. -"Science rests on faith that the universe is governed by fixed, discoverable laws. " -No science rest on specific standards of evaluation and logic. Our observations and evaluations point to those observable laws. Again you are assuming that our conclusions are part of science presumptions, which is a factually wrong claim. -" That it operates without the need for constant intervention by the creator and that the creation has a degree of freedom to follow its own course." -Well since science is based on logic, we need to verify the assumption of an agent or a supernatural substance intervening in a observable system with a causal role. If you can demonstrate that type of causal agent...then you are in trouble with Logic (Null Hypothesis, burden of proof, demarcation, parsimony)...not with science. Science standards are set by logic mate. again Sorry that you ignore such fundamental rules ! -"Islam does not teach this; Greek and Roman mythology did not teach this, and neither did the Egyptian or Eastern religions." -Sure all religions and philosophical views with supernatural principles don't teach that and all have something in common. Did you guess it......here it is Epistemic failure. None of those views has ever provided our epistemology with a single case of a framework with knowledge value that we can act upon and produce further knowledge and wise claims about reality....again sorry. -"Wisdom of Solomon 11:21, which was written ~2,200 years ago, says, “Thou hast ordered all things in weight and number and measure.” This is found in the apocrypha, i.e. the books of the Catholic Bible." -I am really happy that you enjoyed that book...when you reach the age of 13th you can consider adding some more books in your list.... _"In Islam, the will of Allah is absolute and the world functions according to His inscrutable purposes. In Roman and Greek theology, thunder and lightning occurred because one deity was at war with another. Aristotle’s claim that heavier objects would fall faster was often repeated but almost never tested - even though anyone could easily stand on a chair and put his theory to the test." -I agree non scientific views still remain epistemically useless and irrelevant to our understanding on how the world works. -"Chinese mysticism similarly provided no grounds for an orderly, mechanistic universe." -This is why the Chinese were the first with a space program or why they still consider wild meat as aphrodisiac(with all the know consequences for global health) ....... Why all of their mysticists failed to inform them for the covid thread...I wonder lol -"Atheism offers no outside framework for assuming the universe is orderly either; " -lol ....last time I checked, Atheism is just the position: " I am not convinced of your god claims since they are not supported by objective and sufficient evidence". So atheism is not a framework for the order of nature mate...Its a single position on an irrational supernatural claim. -"both ancient and modern, assume it’s all a big giant accident." -You will need to talk to them. In my opinion we can not talk about any accident. We don't know whether the cosmos characteristics render the emergence of universes something inevitable or a product of an accident. I think it is arrogant to talk about things that you don't understand or know. -"You can see this attitude in the now-discredited “Junk DNA” theory, as well as theories that invoke trillions of “junk universes” and “junk multiverses” invoked to make the fine tuning of this universe look like an accident.'' -lol congratulations you managed to blend parts of a biological molecule and cosmology in a nonsensical argument in favor of your magical belief....good luck providing objective evidence for that theoretical ectroma you just produced...lol -"The above notions are explicitly anti-scientific propositions." -No the multiverse and the cosmos is a pretty educated scientific hypotheses. Here is some academic material. It will help you understand the size of your ignorance when ti comes to judge scientific metaphysics. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZnWfapoqM6FjZI&t= kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqOZn4GsrJpoeZY -"Only in Christian Europe was there a basis for believing that a search for discoverable laws would be richly rewarded.' -This is why Christian churches burned scientists at the stake(Giordano Bruno)and imprisoned Galileo? Its like saying Feudalism was the cause of scientific thinking. You are just proposing stupid claims. Science was a revolution of thought triggered by the Aristotle's work on the systematization of logic and philosophical inquiry, hitting the continent of Europe, when christianity happened to be the dominant social organization system. None of the supernatural principles of CHristianity or dogmas ever became part of science dude...how old are you? don't you ever check the rubbish your priest tells you?lol -"And it’s no coincidence that a large number of the great scientists - Newton, Copernicus, Galileo, Maxwell, Boyle - were deeply religious and considered the practice of science to be an act of worship. " -No coincidence there at all! They all grew up in a highly indoctrinated environment, so they didn't have a choice. What is not conscience for sure is that none of their works are based on religious or supernatural principles. They all produce descriptive frameworks on Naturalistic principles and empirical standards...how do you explain that mate? -"A way of peering into the very mind of God." -Last time I looked at our academic epistemology, the mind of god is not mentioned anywhere mate...only in your delusional thoughts.

[@nickolasgaspar9660]

@S Gloobal So its a fact. Revolutions happen within failing establishments and they finally overturn them. Science came and brought an end to religious regimes in Europe.

[@billykranston]

I cannot tell the difference between someone that’s truly evil attempting to spread confusion, and yourself. Only you know the difference, if indeed there is one. Tapping intellectuals for evidence of spiritual truths is like asking politicians about life as a repressed citizen. You have to walk in the forest if you want to smell and feel the spirit of a forest.

[@jb6971]

Children ask mommas questions and they learn to make up answers and culture builds answers into stories. KaBooM!!!!!

[@grybnyx]

The attribution of intention and agency to forces unseen and beyond comprehension. Like that fleeting instant where stub your toe and you attribute malignant intention to an inanimate object. An evolutionary tic that comforts and explains...

[@Mishk]

What causes any belief? We live in a contingent universe where all things come into existence by some cause. To believe a universe comprised of contingent existence came from nothingness and is causeless would be akin to believing a chair appears from nowhere. Everything in our universe was created by some cause. Why then would anybody assume there is no cause for all creation itself? To believe existence merely exists by no cause whatsoever makes no logical sense. The irony is that many who choose to disbelieve in the existence of God would claim that those who do believe are ignorant. However just from analyzing creation and the physical universe, it would be illogical to believe that the universe is causeless.

[@darkspace5762]

That doesn't explain anything. What created "God" then? Believing the universe is infinite and eternal is just as absurd as believing there is an intelligence that is the absolute ground of all being and has no beginning or end. I also think this is a little disengenious because this argument alone is not enough to convince someone that God exists. There are other motivating factors like fear and the desire to be socially accepted.

[@ionutciber]

That is exactly why science exists: it is caused some people’s need to understand the causal relationships. Science cannot create something new, that doesn’t exist in the universe, even when doing fusion of two atoms that may yield a new atom which hasn’t existed in the universe, the process is of transformation and NOT of creation. The only creative process has been done at the beginning of the universe and humans have not been given the gift of creation, but of mere transformation and wonder of causal relation.

[@ionutciber]

Darkspace completely false. Not all people believe in God out of fear, but that is an aspect. It is not exclusive and you cannot generalize. The utter fact that this whole universe led to my existence as a personal being through it’s causal relationships unfolding leads me to believe that there is a fundamental personal nature in the cause of the universe. The original cause caused a personal being to exist, thus it must have a fundamental aspect to it making it also personal. That is what makes me believe not just in an abstract God, but also a Personal God.

[@Mishk]

​@@darkspace5762In your argument you made an assumption that God is a physical being or bound by the laws of the physical universe. Whatever created the universe cannot by definition be the universe itself, but something greater. God or the "creator" must inherently be greater than the universe in scope. Look around and you shall see all creation exists in different levels. The mineral kingdom exists and possesses certain qualities, the plant kingdom exists and possesses all the qualities of the mineral kingdom but also has the power to grow, the animal kingdom possesses all the powers of the plant kingdom but also has the power to think, and lastly mankind has the power of abstract thought which is completely absent in animals. Just as the plant is totally incapable of understanding the powers and potentials of the animals, man would not be inherently capable of understanding a creation which is greater than himself (God), however we can see from our power of abstract thought that we are but a part of creation and we must abide by the principles that all observable creation abides by. Tell me then, what thing can science show that does not have a cause? That is not created by some process? You will not find an answer since it is a fundamental law of the universe.. the law of cause an effect. I believe a belief in God not only is consistent with and in harmony with scientific thinking, but it also is the only logically rational answer as well.

[@darkspace5762]

@@Mishk I'm not reading your whole comment. It really doesn't make a difference to me whether "God" is material or immaterial. The fact remains that God is in some sense A BEING. God in some sense "exists", whether material or immaterial, and thus had to have a cause.

[@JamesRendek]

A no win situation in my experience. We have no hope of discovering our true purpose or living a meaningful amount of time if we are just big bugs. If there was a God well it would be great, a fair person (like a super being) to serve graciously for all eternity in a state of bliss. If that's the honest deal where do I sign?

[@bc1248]

What causes religious belief? Answer: Ignorance. We don’t know anything about ourselves, the cosmic source we come from, nor the life we’re existing in, so historically, we needed a guide. Something written down to guide us. Especially since our relationships and familial experiences are disharmonious and have been for thousands of years and counting. So we needed something to give us a direction and tell us how to live and relate to each other in order to calm the disharmony down a bit and enable us to live on into the far future. Truth, without religion we’d be an extinct species by now. We needed something to guide us through the banes of darkness and ignorance and help us to endure it and religion was that guide. Religion kept us ignorant and living in pain, but still helped us to survive as a species. Some peeps today are still looking to religion to find and maintain a relationship and following what is says to do to the letter.

[@sdutta8]

It would be helpful to preface all discussions about “religion” by the caveat “biblical religions”. The religions of South Asia are so fundamentally different that they cannot be painted by the same brush. Nevertheless, that does not diminish the value of what is discussed here about the other major religions.