Darwinist thinking on the origin of religion (the Temple of Darwin wants to explain your religion)

Science Literature ^ | November 9, 2009 | David Tyler, Ph.D.

[GodGunsGuts]

This topic forces us to assess the relationship between science and spirituality: is the invisible spiritual realm generated from the material or should it be considered as having a separate existence? Is religion a phenomenon that can ultimately be explained by science in naturalistic ways, or does religion represent a dimension of reality that cannot be directly probed by the methodologies of science? In an essay in Science, Elizabeth Culotta writes: ...

[fujimoh]

The minute I see religion, new religion, etc. I see another pocket picker who wants to control my life, my money and my well being ...

[HerrBlucher]

"The materialist who debunks everyone else’s ideas as the subrational products of their brain chemistry or environment cannot avoid being debunked himself. If he is honest, says C.S. Lewis, the materialist will have to admit that his own ideas are merely the “epiphe-nomenon which accompanies chemical or electrical events in a cortex which is itself the by-product of a blind evolutionary process.” If all thoughts are merely the products of non-rational causes, this includes the materialist’s own thoughts. In other words, there is no reason according to materialism for materialism itself to be regarded as true.

[GodGunsGuts]

Ping!

[mountainlion]

The minute I see religion, new religion, etc. I see another pocket picker who wants to control my life, my money and my well being ...

Sounds like the government to me

[GodGunsGuts]

And yet, this obvious point rarely seems to occur to the materialist.

[rae4palin]

That was a mouthful!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[tpanther]

Perfect, and the pretensious idea that naturalism is somehow the default, sterile, apolitical, non-ideological, non-liberal position is ridiculously quite laughable.

[GodGunsGuts]

Haven’t see you for a little while, tpanther. Good to see you back. Hope all is well with you and yours :o)

[ColdWater]

Why are you in the Religion forum?

[LocDoc]

Iconcur with you.

[OldNavyVet]

Religions evolve just as living and non-living entities evolve.

A good reference for that is in Will Durant’s “The Story of Civilizaation,” volume 1.

[boatbums]

there is no reason according to materialism for materialism itself to be regarded as true.

Gotta love ol' C.S.!

I've heard this used when someone claims all truth is relative. That there is no absolute truth. What can their response be when you ask, "Is what you are saying a true statement?" uhhhh.....

[tpanther]

“Haven’t see you for a little while, tpanther. Good to see you back. Hope all is well with you and yours :o) “

Thanks, less free time these days...more on-call, etc. etc. etc.

Keep up the good work!