It's crazy to even think about the amount of religious believers who get flu shots every year, but still think evolution is just a theory. I mean, it's a theory, but this theory allows us to make predictions about the future. Gravity is just a theory but you don't see people not agreeing with it.
I think many people follow religions blindly because it's how they were raised. the religion and the emotional responses tied to family are intertwined. family ties are such a quagmire of emotion, I can see why people would struggle to free themselves. thinking that you are betraying your family would be a serious deterrent to free thinking around this.
That is very well said. I do not understand why people want to fight the idea of science explaining things
I think the position that a God or gods exist is difficult to challenge because the belief in is centered in identity issues. We don't have many that call themselves Theists for example, I would say because it is an intellectual position not rooted in identity. For the majority it would seem that a belief in deity comes with a package of beliefs that are integrated into ones personhood and identity. ie. " I am a Christian " To reject the package is to reject oneself and usually ones immediate community. Even if only some part of the set included in a particular religion is questioned, much less rejected this can often create a crisis to the individual in the form of social sanction, and even threats of death or some other form of personal or social injury. Most have no ability to cope outside of the community they have become established in and as we have instinctual drives towards community, The potential loss of it feels threatening to us. In this multicultural, multivalue society we live in now, It can much easier to find a community to support us in our new identity, making widespread questioning and rejection of such values not only easier but possible.
The majority of people still believe in god because they are brainwashed from the time they are born.
Organized religion may be what many of you say. And some followers may be herd animals or brain-washed or any of the comments above. But I stand with the concept that we don't know it all and empirical evidence does not support a belief in the world as is. The word god is only a word but the connection of love is spiritual and everlasting but beyond the capacity of our meat brains. Most of you only see the cliches and of course, reject them There is so much more.
Because it was spoon fed to them their whole life! It's brainwashing it's abuse and they don't realize it. They never reached one of the last stages of maturity, which is to think for yourself. I hate when people say "I don't know but I believe just in case." WTF.
I think E. O. Wilson said we are evolved to believe in gods, and I suspect he's right. This would mean it has a biological basis, so it isn't going away anytime soon. Individuals can choose to modify (nurture) this predisposition, but the next generation always has to start from ground zero (nature).