Aside from trying to explain natural phenomena, experts believe that religion evolved to also serve as natural antidepressant. It has been observed that religiosity spike after cataclysmic events. Religion also offers community and belonging which is important for mental health and well being. Many inmates reform after embracing religion.
I would say that religion has grown to have limited utility in the modern age. It is dangerous on the wider society but has limited help to small groups and individuals. Religions and new age beliefs are exactly the same that it maybe beneficial to some individuals, so long as dogma isn’t shoved.
If it helps someone to reform or cope with adversities, so long as they don’t shove their religions down our throats, why not? I see religions the same as new age mumbo jumbos.
A lot of ritual and rules in various religions seem to also revolve around sanitation, hygiene, etiquette, etc. I figure these were built in to the dogma so that people would make sure to wash regularly, prepare food safely, and generally do things that prevent illness spreading, even though they really had no understanding of germs and such.
People have existential questions about the nature of reality and the answers to those questions matter very deeply to their daily lives. Humanity is far too limited to answer those questions in a satisfactory way, especially in a timeframe that is relevant to an individual life.
For example, should I live my life assuming that life and the universe will exist eternally or should I live it assuming that all life will cease with the heat death of the universe? If the former is true, my actions and choices have eternal consequences, but if the latter is true, they are ultimately insignificant because no matter how I choose to live, everything will end the same.
These type of questions can be hypothesized, but they will not be conclusively or scientifically answered in my lifetime, and certainly not today. However, the answers I choose to believe matter immensely to the way I live my life. This is why religion exists and will continue to exist.
More often than not?
It harms individuals and holds the whole world back
Especially women.
Aside from trying to explain natural phenomena, experts believe that religion evolved to also serve as natural antidepressant. It has been observed that religiosity spike after cataclysmic events. Religion also offers community and belonging which is important for mental health and well being. Many inmates reform after embracing religion.
I would say that religion has grown to have limited utility in the modern age. It is dangerous on the wider society but has limited help to small groups and individuals. Religions and new age beliefs are exactly the same that it maybe beneficial to some individuals, so long as dogma isn’t shoved.
It had its day, and it served a purpose once
It’s now a force for harm rather than good, and I use that word very deliberately
If it helps someone to reform or cope with adversities, so long as they don’t shove their religions down our throats, why not? I see religions the same as new age mumbo jumbos.
A lot of ritual and rules in various religions seem to also revolve around sanitation, hygiene, etiquette, etc. I figure these were built in to the dogma so that people would make sure to wash regularly, prepare food safely, and generally do things that prevent illness spreading, even though they really had no understanding of germs and such.
People have existential questions about the nature of reality and the answers to those questions matter very deeply to their daily lives. Humanity is far too limited to answer those questions in a satisfactory way, especially in a timeframe that is relevant to an individual life.
For example, should I live my life assuming that life and the universe will exist eternally or should I live it assuming that all life will cease with the heat death of the universe? If the former is true, my actions and choices have eternal consequences, but if the latter is true, they are ultimately insignificant because no matter how I choose to live, everything will end the same.
These type of questions can be hypothesized, but they will not be conclusively or scientifically answered in my lifetime, and certainly not today. However, the answers I choose to believe matter immensely to the way I live my life. This is why religion exists and will continue to exist.