BIODETERMINATION AND RELIGION
The premise of this introductory essay is stimulate discussion of the
biological components of "religion". Religion composed of human
characteristics which evolved biologically as a part of human needs.
It is further proposed, here, that to deny these needs may be
unhealthy and unwholesome.
Everyone has some degree of each of these components in their make-up
which we may loosely call their "religion". This is true even though
they may deny "religion".
First, let's try to identify the essence of "religion" in it's
components:
1) Faith. Definitions: (a). A Faith is anything believed. In this
definition, the words "faith" and "belief" can be interchanged. For
instance, if you "believe" that "Reason" is all that is necessary,
then one has "faith" in "Reason". (b). A Faith is a religious tenet
or doctrine such as "Catholicism". (c). In both a and b, a person
has "faith" in those things which are "beyond their knowledge". In
most cases, beyond evidence.
For instance, there is: faith in a God, faith that there is no God,
faith in angels, faith that all is one, faith that reality is a "blind
mechanism", faith in humanity, faith in oneself, faith in the
existence of a soul, in no soul, and faith in nothing (despair and
chaos), etc. More than anyone else, the physicist recognizes the
limits of knowledge. Often an individual's strength of character is
only as strong as in what they choose to have faith.
2) Humility is recognizing a modest estimate of one's own importance
in proportion to that in what one keeps faith. All religions stress
some sort of humility. Humility strengthens a group through its
members.
3) Identification is to recognize and equate one's self to a :
family, group, community, country, world, the ecosphere. The family,
congregation, and world community are considerations of every
religion. The history of mankind shows strength of identification
with larger groups to be one measure of the evolution of society.
4) Dedication is to devote one's time and energy to a special use (we
can't do everything). We can focus our lives. People with dedication
in their lives experience generally better health.
5) Truths are essential concepts that relate to human life in a
special way. Truths also include a history of the development of a
belief system, whether it be personal or in literature. What are the
"truths" of your "religion".
6) Ritual is regularly followed procedures including: prayer,
holidays, and other activities which affirm all other aspects of the
belief system are factors which identify and stabilize one's
existence. Even the scientist can find solace in the ritual of one's
experiments.
Religion has been a unifying force, as well as, an evolutionary force
in the greatest developments of human kind.
To be human is to be "religious". The discovery that a religion or
philosophy can direct biological evolution through associated
sexual-mate selection is on the edge of the 21st century.
rich
http://www.seanet.com/~realistic/idealism
Realistic Idealism
reconciliation of science and religion in 10 generations or
more.
