Were we born to believe ?

We often confuse religion and spirituality. Often children are brainwashed into believing what the parents believe, sometimes those children will believe the opposite as form of parental rebellion. Neanderthal were burying their dead with flowers, perhaps homo sapiens are spiritual, then one realize the profit he could make out of it and created religion.

I live with my parents so there is no way getting around it, my parents are christian so eric knows about some of the stories and what not that I don't really believe as the truth. But I just try to do what other said, tell him that some people believe different things and since Ethan is a little bit older maybe you could even teach him about other religions if you feel comfortable.

It looks to be an in-built survival mechanism where one looks for patterns around us in our search for food and ......to avoid becoming lunch ourselves. Here's a link for those who haven't heard of the research carried out by B.F. Skinner that he published back in 1948 into superstition. Upshot was that he found that pigeons are very superstitious and want to see patterns where they might not even exist. http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/b-f-skinner-created-superstitious-pigeons/ I experience similar myself on a daily basis when I see faces on concrete walls, in clouds, on tree ba... [More]

It looks to be an in-built survival mechanism where one looks for patterns around us in our search for food and ......to avoid becoming lunch ourselves. Here's a link for those who haven't heard of the research carried out by B.F. Skinner that he published back in 1948 into superstition. Upshot was that he found that pigeons are very superstitious and want to see patterns where they might not even exist. http://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/b-f-skinner-created-superstitious-pigeons/ I experience similar myself on a daily basis when I see faces on concrete walls, in clouds, on tree ba... [More]

we are born with an innate curiosity, without which nothing would ever be invented, improved etc etc. So it's natural to be curious when we look to the Stars as to what's it all about. I am a Spiritual person, not religous as religions have perverted the Spirit. Being Spiritual I still am curious about everything.

The resilience of religion has been a spur to scientists interested in understanding the evolutionary, developmental and neurological basis of faith. Among evolutionists, the big debate is between those who argue that religious belief has helped human beings prosper as a species, and those who see faith merely as a by-product of other aspects of our development. I believe religion did help humans prosper which is part of an evolutionary process that is still needed today for many, but, I disagree that we were born to believe (eternally in God). If numbers of believers are rising (as this artic... [More]

There is so much we don't know ... Is so-called psychic or clairvoyant consciousness available to everyone? Do you have to have a gift? Or a special brain state? Can these abilities be developed? Or do you simply turn the dial to another radio station? And what of potent psychopathological states? Are they real? Are schizophrenic experiences just another shift in frequency, another turn of the dial? And how do we differentiate religious and spiritual experiences or hallucinations from schizophrenic ones? Is is true that some of the most 'gifted' poets, artists and musicians were experiencing b... [More]

There is so much we don't know ... Is so-called psychic or clairvoyant consciousness available to everyone? Do you have to have a gift? Or a special brain state? Can these abilities be developed? Or do you simply turn the dial to another radio station? And what of potent psychopathological states? Are they real? Are schizophrenic experiences just another shift in frequency, another turn of the dial? And how do we differentiate religious and spiritual experiences or hallucinations from schizophrenic ones? Is is true that some of the most 'gifted' poets, artists and musicians were experiencing b... [More]

Accepting and believing what our parents and peers believe would likely have developed as a simple survival trait. Humans seem to be very tribalistic and anyone not accepting that a juba juba berry has to be left on pointy rock at noon on the 12th day after the first full moon after the winter solstice or else the world will end, might well be thrown out from the safety of the tribe and forced alone into the wilderness. And be eaten by a giant wooblywoobly beast. Since no-one wants to be eaten by a giant wooblywoobly beast then it's best to go along with the tribal beliefs and not question the... [More]

Our parents and society shapes our beliefs when we are young. Peer pressure also plays a part.