Can Intelligent Life Evolve Without Religion?

Originally posted by uberarcanist
reply to post by LDragonFire

 

But I think it's very telling how some will try to ask a loaded question but try to sound objective while asking it.

And your objective?

The op's original question IMO should have read Can Intelligent Life Evolve Without God? As religion is manmade.

I believe it can and has.

reply to post by LDragonFire


Actually, I think the question is phrased correctly. Religion is indeed man-made and is the complete organization of spirituality by intelligent beings. Would other intelligent beings do the same?


If 'religion' was replaced with 'god', you couldn't really get anywhere with the question. It could be said life evolved without god, it could be said life evolved with god, either one works. It's "religion", our man-made creation, that makes it hazy, because we are restrained by all the history, doctrine, and dogma that comes with the religion.

Belief in god came way before religion, and god doesn't need religion. Life could have evolved with god or without, it doesn't matter. Let's just suppose god does exist, or at least there is a spiritual nature to the world... would it be inevitable that intelligent life would invent religion?

Another question. What type of governments would be around without the influence of religion?

I suspect a government without religion would still lie to us but since religion has proved to be some cause of SOME of the lies the government has told us I would have to say that without religion everyone would be on the same page therefore we would probably have a better government than we have now.

Originally posted by WeaponsOfMassDistraction
reply to post by LDragonFire

 

Actually, I think the question is phrased correctly. Religion is indeed man-made and is the complete organization of spirituality by intelligent beings. Would other intelligent beings do the same?


If 'religion' was replaced with 'god', you couldn't really get anywhere with the question. It could be said life evolved without god, it could be said life evolved with god, either one works. It's "religion", our man-made creation, that makes it hazy, because we are restrained by all the history, doctrine, and dogma that comes with the religion.

Belief in god came way before religion, and god doesn't need religion. Life could have evolved with god or without, it doesn't matter. Let's just suppose god does exist, or at least there is a spiritual nature to the world... would it be inevitable that intelligent life would invent religion?

Very well said.. Not quite like what came first the chicken or the egg, but good point anyway. Also the thing with intelligent beings is we invent things, things like religion.

reply to post by LDragonFire


I never said I was objective, I am just implying that atheists are no better than theists in that they are really only relying on an unprovable matter of opinion.

Only feeble minded people succumb to the influence of religion.

Thinking for oneself instead of believing eveything that is tossed to them is a sound approach to life.

In the end if everybody took responsibility for their own feelings, thoughts and actions and did the right thing, why the heck would anyone need religion.

Religion is poison

Originally posted by uberarcanist
reply to post by LDragonFire

 

I never said I was objective, I am just implying that atheists are no better than theists in that they are really only relying on an unprovable matter of opinion.

Believe it or not I'm not atheist, I believe there could be a God but not the Gods of man made religions.

Originally posted by newinitiation
Only feeble minded people succumb to the influence of religion.

Thinking for oneself instead of believing eveything that is tossed to them is a sound approach to life.

In the end if everybody took responsibility for their own feelings, thoughts and actions and did the right thing, why the heck would anyone need religion.

Religion is poison

Seems like its based on fear, the Fear of going to hell. How many people Ran to the church after watching the Left Behind movies. This from a religion supposedly based on Love. People in groups are sheep, and religions even call them as such, sheep are easily lead, over cliffs sometimes.

Going back to the first stirrings of intelligent, thinking life wherever it may be: The first signs of intelligence would be in self-awareness which at some point would cause that lifeform to ask questions like why am I here, how did I get here, what is my purpose and where am I going etc etc.

IE all the 'hard' questions that no-one can give a satisfactory answer to so ideas are presented (by creative minds) to give some sort of answer and these ideas attract followers which cause the belief structures to solidify into what we recognise as religions. This allows the progressive 'coming together' of likeminded members to form co-operative tribes, villages, cities, civilisations working together for common goals. No doubt it will lead to clashes between different beliefs for domination (wars) and rewards that come from that.

The development of some sort of 'religion', let's call it a belief structure for the inexplicable things, is inevitable in the development of an intelligent civilisation and perhaps true harmony is only achieved when just one of such sets of beliefs and 'rules' of social functioning finally supplants all others globally.

The earth has a long way to go before we are truly a single global civilisation.

The gradual development of a common belief structure is inevitable, i agree.

However, i would question whether it has to have a religious basis.

Certainly it would have to achieve the same effect as religion when it comes to issues such as behaviour control, morals, ethics etc.

But i believe a code of conduct could arise based on the common good and the ethical system neccessary for the successful running of the society.

Something akin to Humanism, without the need for angels and demons.

Indeed, it could be argued that without the belief in an afterlife, the price of every individual life is raised considerably and society functions better.