belief system are harmful.
I am not saying that religion does not have any good points, but on balance, religion does more harm than good. Sometimes the very things that are good about religion are the things that make it harmful.
What is the origin of religion?
Religion goes so far back in human history that it is probably safe to say that religion has always existed.
The first cavemen lived in a terrifying world. The only way to make sense of their life was to invent gods and spirits that controlled the world. The next logical step was to try to influence these gods and spirits. And that was the beginning of religion.
People lived in tribes and each tribe had their own gods. With the advent of agriculture, the tribes coalesced into towns and cities and states. Sometimes the gods of the various tribes ruled jointly; sometimes one god would supersede all the others.
Tribal people wanted a fierce god who could protect them in conflicts with other tribes. It was a case of “My god can beat up your god.” This explains the war-like attributes of the god of the Old Testament of the Bible.
A group that had a belief in God had a survival advantage in primitive times. Many of the things that religion provides were beneficial when civilization was less advanced; today however, they do more harm than good.
The first cavemen lived in a terrifying world. The only way to make sense of their life was to invent gods and spirits that controlled the world. The next logical step was to try to influence these gods and spirits. And that was the beginning of religion.
People lived in tribes and each tribe had their own gods. With the advent of agriculture, the tribes coalesced into towns and cities and states. Sometimes the gods of the various tribes ruled jointly; sometimes one god would supersede all the others.
Tribal people wanted a fierce god who could protect them in conflicts with other tribes. It was a case of “My god can beat up your god.” This explains the war-like attributes of the god of the Old Testament of the Bible.
A group that had a belief in God had a survival advantage in primitive times. Many of the things that religion provides were beneficial when civilization was less advanced; today however, they do more harm than good.
Read more:
Does Religion Do More Harm than Good?
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