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+--- Thread: Humans evolved to be religious, this theory argues (/thread-2208.html)
Humans evolved to be religious, this theory argues - C C - Apr 1, 2016
http://motherboard.vice.com/en_uk/read/this-theory-says-our-brains-are-hardwired-to-believe-in-god
EXCERPT: . . . One theory, as illustrated in this short video from New Scientist’s Explanimator series, presents the possibility that religion emerged a long time ago as an evolutionary adaptation. According to this argument, early forms of organized religion were necessary for the building of clans that helped to ensure the long-term survival of large groups of people. Religion encouraged clans to unite around a shared belief or ritual, and allowed for the cultivation of community practices like foraging for food, hunting, and sharing childcare duties. These things would have given religious groups a key advantage over their competitors. So as these clans continued to thrive and survive, their genes were passed on, and religion was selected for by evolution, according to the video....