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The Science of Religion [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2024-06-06  

Disclaimer: I am not an anthropologist.

I think we can all agree that anthropology is a science.

What does anthropology say about religion? A lot, actually.

One theory is that any group of humans of one hundred and fifty or more needs a binding belief system to cooperate effectively. For most of human history various cults, belief systems and religions provided this in every society. During the time those societies were successful, the belief system fulfilled its purpose in allowing them to cooperate and thrive or survive.

Christianity comes in for a lot of grief on Kos. Since it provided the primary unifying belief system on which our wildly successful Western civilization was built, it served its purpose amazingly well. Without it, our culture would be much poorer, in literature, music, and architecture. Who is unmoved in one of the great cathedrals? During the Dark Ages, monks copied pre-Christian Greek and Roman writings so that we have them now

Whether a belief system is true or not is not the point. Its utility in allowing the organization of a tribe, people or nation is what’s important.

Western nations seem to be abandoning traditional religion, organized religion, at a steady pace. Many on Kos think this is a good thing. However, the beliefs we are replacing it with are no more scientific than what we had before. Science views things like equality and democracy the same as it does religion — they are constructs of the human mind.

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