Interesting article I read today when I was in Walgreens with my girlfriend. From the October 25 Issue Cover- A god Gene:

One thing worth noting: the author of the Book "THE GOD GENE-How Faith is Hardwired into our DNA" Dean Hamers, hasn't had his results verified by other more important sources. Im ordering my copy this week from Amazon.

Well basically this article sums up that there might be possibilities of genetic influence on religious behavior.
The role that genes play in religion and how spiritual behaviors and beliefs emerge from the brain is something very important we should talk about.There is a sociological argument for the existence of God. We have sat here and argued about how we have evolved and such but why not take it a step forward and talk about it from a Psychological and Neurological point of view.
In simple of terms:

1) We have evolved through time and felt a need for community and thus developing a need for a higher order? Some people show different needs for this "higher order"?

quote:

The God gene refers to the idea that human spirituality has an innate genetic component to it. It doesn’t mean that there’s one gene that makes people believe in God, but it refers to the fact that humans inherit a predisposition to be spiritual--to reach out and look for a higher being.

So..Probably practice is the best to develop this sense of spirituality and increase it? Religion then comes into the picture. Even though there is a genetic predisposition, it’s still very clear that practice makes perfect and that people can change their level of spirituality by working at it.


or

2) We are part of a bigger plan due to the fact that we have a GOD programmed into our brain already and we can use it or not..

quote:

There’s a natural tendency for believers to see this type of data as evidence that there is a higher power who made people in such a way that they would believe. But there’s also a natural tendency for disbelievers to say, "This proves that it’s all just in your mind." I really can’t overemphasize that this kind of data can’t really support either of those views. It’s purely about how the mind perceives things and works. Whether or not those beliefs are true, whether they come purely from within or whether they come from without, we just absolutely can’t say. I don’t think people should use this type of information in that way.

--from Hamers


Thoughts?

Clearly the US and the middle east got too many people with this gene!

quote:

Originally posted by St_Andrew Clearly the US and the middle east got too many people with this gene!

oh so there aren't any fanatics in Canada?

quote:

Originally posted by josh4 oh so there aren't any fanatics in Canada?

Not as many as in the US i think, and Europe isnt even near the US.

Ah yes, walgreens, the last bastion of american intelligentsia.

quote:

Originally posted by speedracer_mec In simple of terms: 1) We have evolved through time and felt a need for community and thus developing a need for a higher order? Some people show different needs for this "higher order"? So..Probably practice is the best to develop this sense of spirituality and increase it? Religion then comes into the picture. Even though there is a genetic predisposition, it’s still very clear that practice makes perfect and that people can change their level of spirituality by working at it.

I beleive that this is an incorrect interpretation of evolution as explained by the theory of natural selection. Are you suggesting that this so called 'god gene' evolved in humans because people felt a need for a higher order so they developed it, and passed it down in their genes?

quote:

Originally posted by speedracer_mec 2) We are part of a bigger plan due to the fact that we have a GOD programmed into our brain already and we can use it or not..

I don't understand what you mean by bigger plan. The fact that some people beleive in god, i beleive, is a result of a genetic mutation that has been passed down from generation to generation.

quote:

Originally posted by speedracer_mec So..Probably practice is the best to develop this sense of spirituality and increase it? Religion then comes into the picture. Even though there is a genetic predisposition, it’s still very clear that practice makes perfect and that people can change their level of spirituality by working at it.

This thought is along the same lines as "The Celestine Prophecy"; which I found interesting...

___________________
"...End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path...one that we all must take.
The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all change to silver glass...and then you see it...
...white shores...and beyond...the far green country under a swift sunrise."