Religion

cbayer

(146,218 posts)

59. But wouldn't the moths that can't distinguish between the moon and the flame

Tue Apr 3, 2012, 04:52 PM

Apr 2012

find themselves on the rapid road to extinction?

Perhaps, and we can only hope here, the literal extremists will find themselves on that road as well.

Thanks for weighing in backscatter.

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Have We Evolved to Be Religious? [View all] cbayer Mar 2012 OP

Faith and religion are NOT the same thing. saras Mar 2012 #1

While religion has often been used like that, Thats my opinion Mar 2012 #4

This is a tough one. Democrats_win Mar 2012 #2

Beautifully put. nt Thats my opinion Mar 2012 #3

It's taken from a TED lecture given this year. I also found it stunning. cbayer Mar 2012 #5

Here's a link to his TED talk. Jim__ Mar 2012 #7

Thanks, Jim! cbayer Mar 2012 #11

We may never know the truth. Jim__ Mar 2012 #6

I think the phrase "hand-waving argument" Goblinmonger Mar 2012 #12

The alternative would be admitting Satan^H^H^H^H^HDawkins has a point. 2ndAmForComputers Mar 2012 #14

His statement is a strong argument that religion is product of evolution. Jim__ Mar 2012 #15

Can you offer a distinction between the following statements: Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #53

I think statement 2 is an expanded version of statement 1. Jim__ Apr 2012 #54

Solid post nt Thats my opinion Apr 2012 #57

Well it's a baby and bathwater thing dmallind Mar 2012 #8

So bison are more religious than wolves, who are more religious than mink? FarCenter Mar 2012 #9

I agree with some here, it's a tough question longship Mar 2012 #10

The evolutionary origins of religion edhopper Mar 2012 #13

Don't think is there a god or is there not a god is the point. As you said - pinto Mar 2012 #17

But if the reason people believe in a god edhopper Mar 2012 #21

Good stuff. Echoes beyond the organized religion mind-set to a bigger picture, yet negates neither. pinto Mar 2012 #16

Only in that we seem to have evolve to be predisposed to superstition. laconicsax Mar 2012 #18

Evolution sprouts all kinds of inefficient, silly traits. 2ndAmForComputers Mar 2012 #19

Evolution sprouts all kinds of inefficient, silly traits? Wouldn't that be the cbayer Mar 2012 #23

You need to read more about the subject. Really. This is not a dig. 2ndAmForComputers Mar 2012 #26

Er, I really don't need to read more about the subject at all. cbayer Mar 2012 #27

Well, OK. 2ndAmForComputers Mar 2012 #28

While we are recommending reading, take a look at this cbayer Mar 2012 #29

Thanks! 2ndAmForComputers Mar 2012 #34

Evolution can bring survival traits for organisms living in one environment. edhopper Mar 2012 #30

Agree cbayer Mar 2012 #32

So, hypothetically edhopper Mar 2012 #35

I think so, though you may not cbayer Mar 2012 #37

good one edhopper Mar 2012 #38

Correction: Evolution only eliminates them if they are a detriment to survival. trotsky Apr 2012 #55

More to the point, so what? It may have served a purpose at one point. Warren Stupidity Mar 2012 #41

If so, then another fair question is ... Joseph8th Mar 2012 #20

In a way, yes. E_Pluribus_Unitarian Mar 2012 #22

I love this response, EPU. cbayer Mar 2012 #24

That was an interesting post ... Nihil Mar 2012 #25

Very interesting article! GliderGuider Mar 2012 #31

The very definition of "evolution" has nothing to do with SamG Mar 2012 #33

evolved or bred? deacon_sephiroth Mar 2012 #36

Natural selection is part of the mechanism of evolution. Warren Stupidity Mar 2012 #42

A guy named Darwin wrote this neat books, might want to check it out. deacon_sephiroth Mar 2012 #43

Natural selection and breeding from an intelligent source are not two different things. Warren Stupidity Mar 2012 #44

ok, I'll look it up for you... deacon_sephiroth Mar 2012 #45

If you read on it is clear that artificial selection is a subset of natural selection. Warren Stupidity Mar 2012 #46

if you can't distinguis hthe difference... deacon_sephiroth Mar 2012 #47

While the distinction between natural and artificial can be important... Silent3 Mar 2012 #48

I agree to some extent deacon_sephiroth Apr 2012 #51

argument by insult. Warren Stupidity Mar 2012 #49

my "indefensible position" deacon_sephiroth Apr 2012 #50

Natural Selection has also selected traits in humans that allow us to reason EvolveOrConvolve Mar 2012 #39

TRUE TRUE, one could argue that survivors of past generations SamG Mar 2012 #40

No. Look at the difference between successful and unsuccessful religions darkstar3 Apr 2012 #52

This quote: trotsky Apr 2012 #56

Interesting hypothesis, I think it has merit. backscatter712 Apr 2012 #58

But wouldn't the moths that can't distinguish between the moon and the flame cbayer Apr 2012 #59

Where ever it came from being religious, believing in the sacred, does seem to have value. MissMarple Apr 2012 #60

I had not seen this Bill Moyers piece, but will watch it. cbayer Apr 2012 #61