Is Faith in God Ingrained in Our Human Nature?

[marshabar1]

An exciting, new Oxford University study has found that faith and religion come to human beings naturally — possibly instinctively. The initiative, entitled the “Cognition, Religion and Theology Project,” took three years to complete and involved more than 40 different studies in 20 countries around the globe. According to CNN, the study has some intriguing findings:

Studies around the world came up with similar findings, including widespread belief in some kind of afterlife and an instinctive tendency to suggest that natural phenomena happen for a purpose.

While the results don’t speak to whether or not God (or gods) exists, Roger Trigg, the project’s co-director, believes that the findings are immensely important to religious freedom and human rights. When considering the idea that some governments restrict religious activities, Trigg said:

“If you’ve got something so deep-rooted in human nature, thwarting it is in some sense not enabling humans to fulfill their basic interests. There is quite a drive to think that religion is private. It isn’t just a quirky interest of a few, it’s basic human nature. This shows that it’s much more universal, prevalent, and deep-rooted. It’s got to be reckoned with. You can‘t just pretend it isn’t there.”

www.theblaze.com/stories/is-belief-in-god-ingrained-in-our-human-nature-a-new-study-says-so/

[chiver78]

wow.

[ty]

They should have spent more time studying "brainwashing" than this nonsense.

They brainwash you from childhood into believing in this and then it is passed on to their kids. Many studies have been done with kids and church, and the majority of the kids would rather not go to church but are forced to by their parents that forced them to go and believe in this intangible godly bs.

[handyman2]

I am reminded again of the old song, by Torch singer Peggy Lee-Is that all there is.
Human nature has a drive for infinite survival, The belief in a God is a way to relieve that desire for immortality.
Let us say I belive in nothing past death. Then why should I strive to be a good person? Why not kill and take possesion of what another has? If I am to become nothing but dust when I die then I have nothing to lose so might as well go for it and enjoy what I want because the end is when ever that comes will make no difference.
Some believers in radical Islam believe their sacrificing themselves will give eternal life in paradise for instance. A perverted way of looking at it and others believe in doing good will get them there. Truth is no one can be sure. But many hold to that hope and it keeps them going day by day in a difficult world.

[busymom]

I think it's looking around at everything around you, and thinking that all of this stuff couldn't have "just happened". Name me one Mom who hasn't looked at her newborn baby, and been totally amazed at that new little person! It's probably an instinct that tells us there is more out there than just what we see with our eyes.

[Deleted]

I believe it. Some people that do not believe in God, as such, spend their entire lives spiritually searching for... something. Others throw the whole thing out the window and spend their lives doing whatever they feel like doing, abusing those that are more circumspect in their behaviors,and just generally unhappy. I love religious things, spiritual things, all of it. One of my favs is the ancient Toltec wisdom taught by Don Miguel Ruiz. Seriously- if I could do well just HALF of his teachings I would be a far better person. But-- it is the journey that matters. I've studied many things. The mission for me is to just stay on track.

[ty]

May 13, 2011 11:19:53 GMT -5 @krickitt said:

I believe it. Some people that do not believe in God, as such, spend their entire lives spiritually searching for... something. Others throw the whole thing out the window and spend their quote]

Not so. People either believe in it or they don't Those that don't are usually filling church time, religion and god with something that they enjoy doing. I'd rather spend time with the kids, gardening and stuff like that than sitting in a church listening to people ramble on about some intangible god that's going to save them and make their lives better, and only after they are dead then they will be accepted into this imaginary heaven they speak of.

Heaven and Hell is what you make you life here on earth, and according to the middle-east, the Jews are the chosen people of god, so why bother with religion if you are not Jewish.

Bottom line, Church, God and Religion was created by man to control the people on how they think and live. As you witness today, a lot of these organizations are nothing more than a business that are using church, god and religion to rake in the mullah. They are more materialistic than what their God and the Bible speaks of as being a sin. apparently todays church and religions are picking and choosing their scriptures to live by and ignoring all others.

If I go to hell, and if there is actually a hell, I'm sure I'll see most of the religious cults standing in line way before me.

[marshabar1]

It's always been deeply ingrained in my psychological makeup. Thank God. A longing for goodness. A longing for love to win out over everything bad. A longing for beauty and harmony. A longing to know my Maker.

One other person in my family has this impulse or disposition. The rest don't exhibit this as far as I've ever noticed. Maybe it is stronger in some people? Sometimes I think that people who are perfectly satisfied with themselves have little opportunity to search outside themselves for answers to ultimate questions. Or maybe the ultimate questions never occur? Maybe they don't feel pain inside and that strange loneliness that nothing and nobody can satisfy.

It's a mystery. But Oxford isn't predisposed toward proving anything about God. They are studying people, human nature.

The knee jerk anti-God response is kind of beside the point. It's about human psychology.

[EVT1]

I think the belief in God or higher authority is ingrained- it is the answer to questions that have no answers. The problem is when men took over the individual spiritual relationship and created organized religion. They all have one thing in common (for the most part), and it is a fatal flaw. They believe their God is more righteous than someone else's God, that their moral code is superior to other's moral codes, that they are right, they are the sole inheritors of divine bliss, and the rest are sinners to be dealt with accordingly- whether through war, laws, discrimination,etc. I see it as a system of control for the weak minded- and it works quite well. I only have a problem with them when one group wants to push their beliefs on another. The difference between Muslims and Christians, for example, is mainly a matter of geography and degree-they both have the same goal- to convert society to their way of thinking.

[marshabar1]

May 13, 2011 11:15:36 GMT -5 busymom said:

I think it's looking around at everything around you, and thinking that all of this stuff couldn't have "just happened". Name me one Mom who hasn't looked at her newborn baby, and been totally amazed at that new little person! It's probably an instinct that tells us there is more out there than just what we see with our eyes.

Beautiful, BusyMom!

K

[marshabar1]

May 13, 2011 11:11:06 GMT -5 handyman2 said:

I am reminded again of the old song, by Torch singer Peggy Lee-Is that all there is.
Human nature has a drive for infinite survival, The belief in a God is a way to relieve that desire for immortality.
Let us say I belive in nothing past death. Then why should I strive to be a good person? Why not kill and take possesion of what another has? If I am to become nothing but dust when I die then I have nothing to lose so might as well go for it and enjoy what I want because the end is when ever that comes will make no difference.
Some believers in radical Islam believe their sacrificing themselves will give eternal life in paradise for instance. A perverted way of looking at it and others believe in doing good will get them there. Truth is no one can be sure. But many hold to that hope and it keeps them going day by day in a difficult world.

Ha! Handy. If you want to torture my husband start singing that song! ;D


In fact I should call the pentagon . . .

Good heavens I was going to post the YouTube and this is what I got:

500 Internal Server Error

Sorry, something went wrong.

A team of highly trained monkeys has been dispatched to deal with this situation.
If you see them, show them this information:

_pf60RlLG4xRsCDCpgInzlO-j06qXScQOnCy8KSKos8t7YMt3W4blwPyVkNk
BIYYLQWVubCYdgU0Z237KpkOiW3fHlTXvKRyhvKBywPtO-sezYkm66RhAIx2
uFOcpSSIqTidZ4dla0f2VOi . . . . .

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

It's reasonable to assume that if we have a Creator, we instinctively know it-- by design. Romans 1:20 proclaims:

"For since the creation of the world his invisible attributes – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made. So people are without excuse."

[ty]

It's reasonable to assume that if we have a Creator, we instinctively know it-- by design. Romans 1:20 proclaims:

^ your god!

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

True, God is everywhere.

[Tennesseer]

May 13, 2011 12:38:34 GMT -5 Mad Dawg Wiccan said:

True, God is everywhere.

So is the goodness of humankind with or without a belief in a higher power.

[ty]

May 13, 2011 12:58:19 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

May 13, 2011 12:38:34 GMT -5 Mad Dawg Wiccan said:

True, God is everywhere.

So is the goodness of humankind with or without a belief in a higher power.

[marshabar1]

That's hilarious. ;D

[Mkitty is pro kitty]

Is Faith in God Ingrained in Our Human Nature?

Then why are there 900 million Hindus?

The American Indians never thought of God.

Oh, you mean faith in a god?

Is Faith in God Ingrained in Our Human Nature?

(Blaze title)

While the results don’t speak to whether or not God (or gods) exists

"You're Winner!" Blaze!

It's reasonable to assume that if we have a Creator, we instinctively know it--

Who says it has to be God? What if it's Ra or Odin?

[jarhead1976]

One thing is for sure, I will be asking for forgiveness.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

While I don't know if "faith in God" is ingrained in our human nature, I do believe that the "capacity" for faith in God makes up who we are. Some believe. Some don't.

But I do think that government attempts at suppression of faith is wrong and that the right to follow the faith of one's choice is, indeed, a human right.

[txbo]

I have been an atheist since the age of reasoning. I believe in no god or Supreme Being I only believe in myself. I am responsible for all my actions and have no one to blame but myself if I make a mistake. No one can forgive me I alone must accept those burdens.
I do not need to pray far anything, prayers are only words of wishes unfulfilled. The action I take to attain these wishes will make them come true not even 1000 prayers can help with that.
For the people that believe you must be religious in order to be good let me remind you our prisons are full of good Christians. I have never been arrested and will never be.
I do not bash religious people and I don’t have an agenda to make every one an atheist. I like Christmas the Nativity, Easter and the bunny. I also encourage every young person to attend some religious church. I am strictly against religious teaching in public schools but it’s great for a religious school. I will not let you teach my children creationism in school but you can take them to church with you if you like.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Heaven and Hell is what you make you life here on earth, and according to the middle-east, the Jews are the chosen people of god, so why bother with religion if you are not Jewish.

I'm Jewish. All Christians are. By adoption. Romans 8:

14 ...For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

[Deleted]

God bless Israel.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Actually, Romans 8 does a fine job summing up my entire Christian philosophy about organized religion. Read the whole chapter, and if you can understand it, and properly discern what it says, you'll gain a huge insight into my worldview and view of religion in general. Among many other chapters and verses in the Bible, it explains why I often say I am a Christian, but I'm not religious.

[ty]

I will not let you teach my children creationism in school but you can take them to church with you if you like.

Kids are pretty much forced to go to church. if you give any kid a choice to sleep in and play or church, they would choose playing over church any day of the week.

Sunday School is the first step in brainwashing kids. Separate them from the parents and feed them nonsense of an intangible god that is going to save them.

Last time I recalled, it was doctors that saves live , not some intangible god that gets all the credit for what mankind does, and I don't ever think anyone praying to their god for a cure either. When any religious person becomes ill, they run to their doctor for the cure. Why? I thought they would be ready and willing to leave it in the hands of their intangible god to heal them or kill them so they can be with him/her/it/whatever...

Apparently people do not agree for when their god wants them to come home. They are too defiant and rebellious and want to stay on earth to spend money, shop, and watch dvds for entertainment.

[txbo]

May 13, 2011 14:35:12 GMT -5 @krickitt said:

God bless Israel.

Are you anti-American?

[Deleted]

No, txbo-- I am more anti Muslim extremist.


Hey, I remember the last time we "snuggled". I did NOT report you and get your post deleted. Hope you know that.

[txbo]

Let’s snuggle some more. Was my post deleted I never check.

[Deleted]

Yeah. Moon saw it. Freak thing. No worries.


Now-- let's

[txbo]

May 13, 2011 15:37:16 GMT -5 @krickitt said:

Yeah. Moon saw it. Freak thing. No worries.


Now-- let's

Naw, let’s just