Is religion a cycle?

[sweetheart]

For those of you scientifically minded; socialogically, can you explain the
following data. Specifically, on the time axis, note the sine-wave effect
that shows an interest curve with low points at the summer solstice, cycling
over years, like humanity (or at least those sampled) believes in religion
when its dark outside.

http://www.google.com/trends?q=buddhism&ctab=0
http://www.google.com/trends?q=communism&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=taoism&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=christianity&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=enlightenment&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=islam&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=judaism&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=jesus&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all
http://www.google.com/trends?q=buddha&ctab=0&geo=all&date=all

Based on any random sample you can test yourself, this cyclical interest is not
common to all searches by any standard.

Why is there a sine wave of interest in all these religions, and
Why are the regions listed in the order they are in?

[Big Kahuna]

1. Human societies get more religious, and more war-like when under stress.

[charlie]

2. Looks like they mirror

the schedule of a school year, off in the summer and mid-winter. Lot's of homework is being done with The Google nowadays. History, biology, mathematics, and science all have similar patterns.

Interestingly, astrology is more or less constant, with spikes at the year's end. I suppose people are busy with research for charts or looking into their fortunes for the coming year.

[bananas]

3. Students doing research for class.

I just looked at the first link (Buddhism),
the trough is during summer vacation,
the peaks are during school season,
with another trough during winter vacation.

[sweetheart]

5. some more data

Here's a 'flat'
"cooking": http://google.com/trends?q=cooking&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"butter": http://google.com/trends?q=butter&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all

Here's a seasonal:
"heating": http://google.com/trends?q=heating&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"air conditioning": http://google.com/trends?q=air+conditioning&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"surfing": http://google.com/trends?q=surfing&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"highland games": http://google.com/trends?q=highland+games&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all

Here's a student:
"SAT" http://google.com/trends?q=SAT&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all - suprisingly year-round
"calculus" http://google.com/trends?q=calculus&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"essay" http://google.com/trends?q=essay&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"summer camp": http://google.com/trends?q=summer+camp&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all

The evidence supports your thesis that the data of general interest is skewed by
the mass usage of the internet by students.

Why are students searching on all these subjects? I'm still skeptical that the internet
is dominated by that, perhaps more educated vocabulary might test:

"eschatology": http://google.com/trends?q=eschatology&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"ontology": http://google.com/trends?q=ontology&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"philosophy": http://google.com/trends?q=philosophy&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all
"guns": http://google.com/trends?q=guns&ctab=1&geo=all&date=all

there is as well the data to suggest that students are not skewing the sample?

[jody]

4. Answers to your questions, because that's God's will. n/t

[sweetheart]

6. or maybe it all just *is*. nt

[jody]

7. I like your answer better. Why did you choose the Trinity graphic? n/t

[sweetheart]

8. it seems the seat of power

The graphic, symbolizes the seat of all american political power, atomic fission,
and i remember it... because they certainly do.

More than a physical seat of power, i often wonder if nuclear bombs are not
the religious seat of power as well, crossing over the mythos eschatologically,
convenient to that orbital of evangelical theology. And the signature is for
now, a postulation of my americanness, that i can swear on the stone of power as
my signature as well.... i am just as evil, just as sanctified,
just as soulless and abhorrent, signed in stone.

peace,

[jody]

9. Many thanks. Peace to you also.