Is religion a disease?
64I know you've seen this if you have ever visited a religious forum or chatroom. Someone without religious belief - some awful atheist like me - asks this sort of question:
"When will religion be treated as the mental desease that it is?"
I cringe when I see that. I understand why it was asked and I understand that there can sometimes be truth in it. There are "crazy" religious people.
It's a bad question, though. Religious belief is not a mental disease.
Yes, I am an atheist
I'm sorry - did you expect that I'd agree that religion always indicates insanity? There definitely was a time when I would have agreed with that. To visit that time, I need to take you back almost six decades and imagine a young version of me sitting in a church pew with my family.
Religious symbols
We'd been attending that church since I could remember. I even have a very fuzzy memory of being baptized there.
I had squirmed in that pew many times before and had also been to the special childrens classes where a nice young woman told us Bible tales. Those sessions were more fun than the sermons, but I never took them seriously. I assumed that they were just fun stories like the Winnie The Pooh books my mother read to me at home or the elf yarns my father spun to entertain me and my sisters before bed. Just stories.
On this day, I suddenly realized that the adults sitting around me in the church believed what they were hearing from the minister up front. I was 7, perhaps 8, when I understood that this was not what I had previously assumed. I looked around, no doubt with my eyes wide as the true import of this revelation sank in.
They must be crazy!
I thought they must all be insane. It was very scary and unpleasant. It made me very wary and untrusting of anything I was told by any adult from that moment on. I was instantly transformed into a skeptic and, more upsetting, into an outsider. No longer could I trust anything I was told by adults, and I was obviously not part of the community I lived in. I was isolated and alone.
As we left the church, I reached for my father's hand and tugged at it to ask a question. Looking back, it was a bit incoherent. I looked up and asked:
"Do people believe what he was saying?"
Fortunately, my father understood what I was asking. Perhaps he had seen me looking around in disbelief and sensed my distress. His answer gave me some comfort:
"Well, some people do."
That answer helped. It gave me hope that I wasn't the only sane person in the world, but at the same time it was obvious that there could not be many of us, because my world was full of religion everywhere I looked. I told my father that I would not attend the church services any longer and he wisely accepted that. Not having to listen to the babble weekly helped, but of course I still heard it in school from teachers and my fellow students. They were all crazy, I thought.
They can't be insane - they must be stupid
As I grew up, my attitude changed. These people were not "crazy". Obviously they functioned in the real world and could discourse rationally in other areas. So what else could cause this?
My next assumption was that religious belief was caused by a lack of intelligence. Certainly that fit the data well: rabidly religious people seemed to always be less intelligent and as the curve of intelligence moved upward, religious fervor softened and doubt grew. Those who hadn't quite passed to atheism simply were not quite bright enough..
That didn't fit perfectly though. There were outliers, obviously bright people who were at the same time extremely religious. I could dismiss some of them easily enough - they plainly did have a tinge of insanity and that would bleed through and not only be expressed in religion, so my theory held for a while.
Too many outliers
Eventually I had too many who just did not fit at all. They were not unintelligent and they had not even a homeopathic tint of insanity. I couldn't fit them into my model. So, in the grand tradition of many a scientist, I just ignored them :)
However, my conscience bothered me and I had to deal with those data points. What else could explain it? There seemed only one possibility: religion is an emotional decision that people choose not to subject to rational examination. Just as I had conveniently ignored the growing set of outliers who did not fit my "crazy or stupid" model, these people choose to ignore the data that does not fit their emotional need to believe.
Emotional decisions
We now know from brain studies that emotional decisions are very powerful. In fact, for many of us, emotional decisions are what determines our views on many subjects and we rationalize our belief after the emotional decision is made.
This model explains political leanings as well as religious leanings. I know full well that emotion strongly influences my liberal political stance. I can defend it with rational explanations, but an emotional desire for fair play drives it all. I see the same forces at work in conservative politics and understand their demons very well.
Emotional decisions are not inferior decisions. They can be, of course, but they can also be exactly the right decision to make. I believe that my emotional leaning toward liberalism is "right" and good for society as a whole. I can justify that with rational arguments, of course.
But what of atheism? Of course I can justify it with rationality; there is no rationality at all associated with religious belief. I can therefore feel confident that even if inner emotion drove me to this point, I am absolutely correct to reject religion.
Would it be right for society to reject religion?
Imagine there's no heaven
It was always a puzzle to me why John Lennon's song was so popular - I can only assume that people didn't listen to the lyrics.
Whether that really was the case or not, I find myself unable to agree that "no religion" would be good for society. It could be that the "god gene" is real and that religion is necessary and inevitable for those who carry it.
I'm a bit of a skeptic on that: I don't think we need genetics to explain religion. I think it's quite enough to note that religious belief is comforting and reassuring. It provides community and forgiveness, acceptance and love. That it's balderdash misses the point: placebos do nothing that is real, but they can cure disease. Religion "cures".
Atheists can argue that all of the benefits are available in other ways. Certainly that is true, but it's only true for atheists. We might believe that religion is an unfortunate and unnecessary societal meme, but there it is: it exists, it works and you can no more extract it from humanity at this point than you could extract my political beliefs by extracting liberalism. I'd still NEED to believe and I'd be unhappy and quite miserable if I had no framework in which to do it.
In fact, I can say this: if Liberalism did not exist, I'd have to invent it. Atheists sometimes sneer at the original religious version of that sentiment, but it is just as true. It's true whether that "god gene" exists or or not, I believe.
Not crazy, not stupid
So there I am. No, it doesn't make me a fan of religion any more than I am a fan of right wing politics. I will ridicule the extremes of conservatism and the extremes of religion. I will point out stupidity and insanity where it exists.
I simply know that neither is always present.
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That doesn't change anything.
I find it very hard to believe that religion and believing in God has anything to do with one's genes...
I think you have shown here that one can be an atheist and still understand the views of believers, which is, in my opinion, very important.
No, you've misunderstood. I find religious *beliefs* ludicrous. I simply finally understand why some have them.
It may very well be that genetics plays a part in this. A different weight put on emotional input could make all the difference here. That doesn't make either of us superior or inferior: it can be very useful to pay close attention to emotional urges, so while a lessening of that impulse is helpful in realizing the absurdity of religion, it might make one less able to detect lies. That's just a hypothetical example/guess, of course (though it would be interesting to research).
Fascinating hub. Thanks. I liked the insights into your childhood.
You said, "there is no rationality at all associated with religious belief."
Have you read "Mere Christianity" by C. S. Lewis? I know that's a common title to throw out, and I don't mention it as a way to throw another God-book out there instead of an argument. But I think anyone would be hard-pressed to say that Lewis does not bring rationality to his account of Christianity -- even if they completely disagree with his content.
Christopher Hitchens'/Doug Wilson's debate-book "Is Christianity Good For The World" also falls in this category. Both sides debate rationally -- and regardless of what side you take, it's a bit thick to say that "there is no rationality at all associated with religious belief."
Give 'em a look and let me know what you think. (About the rationality part -- I don't expect the books will change your beliefs.)
I guess I have to say it, unfortunately: Lewis is one of the "crazies".
There is no rationality associated with religion - only rationalizations of emotional needs.
nemanjaboskov: That's probably because you've never studied the relationship between our genetic code and the decisions we make. Studies with twins who have been separated at birth show that there is a correlation between their genetic inheritance and whether they are religious or not. It's irrelevant what religion they are.
Whether it's genetics, or just plain ignorance and stupidity, the fact is that humans have a need for comfort in times of adversity. Religion seems to fill that void better than science, and though I'm not religious, I can see why.
TMApsey - and so long as one knows one is deluding oneself through one's religion because one needs comfort, that's okay. The issue comes when those religious people try to convert everybody else.
Thank you for your hub, that was a very interesting read. I respect your views,
Peace
The only rationality associated with religion is the one that people will send in money (MC and Visa accepted) to support their fascinating way of life.
No physical work, no taxes (or less taxes), respect is granted to them unconditionally and they can have indiscriminate sex in the name of the 'Lord' because he "forgives" all "sins" and specially forgives the sins of the CHOSEN/SPECIAL ones. Hint - the ones that support the church.
Yes, religion is a rational way of making a living in this crazy world.
P.S.
I am the High Priestess of the Church of Universal Life, please send cash and checks to me personally so I can spread the Word. PayPal accepted. You will receive a special Universal Life symbol of Infinity for your contribution. Thank you and Bless you, my children.
@ Austin - You better start taking AlertPay - PayPal may close you down when they find out your church is an MLM system ... :)
Seriously, teaching religion to children is mind abuse.
For an adult to try and find meaningful answers to all of life's questions in some religious text is absurd and only reduces their grasp on reality.
Franto in Toronto
As most children love religion for the same reason their parents do, I don't agree. If it actually is genetic, the abuse is only when the child can't possibly accept it, and even then most parents would not truly abuse.
"Religion" isn't a disease. if it is,it's social. It's just COLLECTIVISM: look it up.
Collectivism exists across religious lines. Its everywhere. Just because you throw in a spiritual symbol instead of greek letters doesn't make it any different. The difference is only in the framing of their solidarity: spirituality.
I imagine that the fact that human beings are social beings and need to be in groups with people who share their beliefs--or even just have beliefs to share with others is not a diseases, it's what we creatures are. The only sad thing about it is that people in groups have the ability to behave extremely stupidly, and cruelly.
derogatorizing it as a disease, doesn't make it any less valid. In fact, it just makes it seem more so.
Yes, of course it is assisted by its social value. But few will live a lie, pretending to believe something ludicrous. There is more to it.
well...when you put it that way. Its a lot of the same insanity I see with the Right AND Left-wingers... they've all gone neurotic and instead of trying to fix things together get into their little camps.
But the question isn't if RELIGION is a disease, but if COLLECTIVISM is. So, maybe it is. Maybe it's a social disease, like prejudice and racism....? Supersitions? etc.. See what I'm getting at?
You're zeroing in on Religion as the problem, when it isn't necessarily, but a human tendency to gather together in groups and act irrationally when they do.
Well, you see what you see. I see it differently, or we are looking at different parts of the elephant.
Also, I didn't say religion is a problem. It's a solution to a problem.
haha yes. I guess I'm looking at the cellular structure of the Elephant.
Well, I tend to think it is a disease. I enjoyed your hub, though, especially the childhood insights. Lucky you, you got out of it at 8! I was stuck until I was in my mid twenties. But I survived. Anyway, great hub, as always.
I didn't get out. I was never in it.
Even better! I pushed my doubt way down deep inside because I wanted to fit in. No regrets, though. I learned from it. I have enough experience with the "crazy" to be able to talk about it now and make sure my kids never feel like that.
I can relate. I seek logic in all things, and there's no logic in religion. I don't remember exactly when it was that I admitted to myself that I didn't believe any of that stuff. I finally admitted it to another person in my early 20s, which was a huge relief. I remember marveling that I don’t understand how educated, intelligent people believe that stuff, and I still don’t. I’m not trying to be funny, snarky, disrespectful, or insulting, it’s just how I feel.
I wonder why atheists always bring in the question of intelligence just because some one believes differently than they do. I also believe that you are taking the John Lennon song out of context, his point was to take the extremes of belief out of the question,which causes people to judge each other based on their own beliefs and to not come together, because if you did that would it make it easier for folks to get along and believe in the brotherhood of man once again. An atheist point of view is like any other person's point of view, it is just how it looks from where you stand. It is like a picture that someone takes, it is not written in concrete and it may change drastically or only vary from time to time. A difference of an opinion is no reason to break out that language that seprates people further, that "us" or "them" kind of language, it only seeks to cause a barrier and keeps the wall up between us all. We differ in our points of view, but I would like to think that our goals are the same. We seek joy happiness, compassion and at some point a variation of what peace is and to love everybody equally and that the brotherhood of humanits still is alive and kicking and to pass it forward. thank you for your article, it is intriging
"Imagine no religion" is not "Imagine no extreme religion", @scentualhealing :)
But it does illustrate the ability of theists to twist obvious facts into nonsense. If you like the song, it can't possibly be threatening your religion, therefore it isn't. It's threatening some OTHER religion! Simple!
An atheist point of view is not "just like any other point of view". Religion is a false view, not just another way of looking at things. False views can have value, but that doesn't make them any less false.
Atheists bring up the subject of intelligence because they use logic to think with instead of emotions. Logical thinkers tend to have more facts and figures going through their brains and therefore tend to score higher on IQ tests. I don't know if that means they are actually more "intelligent", it just means they tend to score higher.
Emotional thinkers tend to think in terms of softness and optimism or pessimism. They see the world through rose colored glasses. "Facts" are general recommendations, not something to set your watch by.
Perhaps this is the genetic point at which religion is determined.
OP, in regards to the Lennon song, I'm pretty sure Lennon was a spiritual man. When he said "No religion" he just meant no organized religion. That's my assessment, rather.
@ Austinstar
Atheists bring up the subject of intelligence yes, because they judge everything regarding the "God question" with logic, e.g. science(s). They feel anyone who doesn't look at what's in front of them in the way of factual evidence (for or not for the existence "God" or "Gods") is stupid, or crazy.
What I find stupid or crazy about these types of people is that if they are so scientifically minded, they'd also know that there are things about physical/material reality that is rarely percieved by everyone, or anyone at any point and time. Neutrinos, for instance, which constantly interact with us/ our "reality", yet only a few of us percieve, and most of us who do, don't know that we do.
So science proves very vaguely explained phenomenon exist, and yet they can't understand why someone would "feel" the prescence of a Deity or believe in it. That's pretty silly. And then to refer to these people as stupid or crazy, is even more so stupid or crazy. Like saying someone being effected by electromagnetism and having their hair/skin stand up/react thinking they have a pesky bug (or even a ghost) bothering them is crazy when from their point of view, it is.
Thats sort of a bad analogy, because the experiences that cause people to have Faith aren't explainable, a lot of times (both in my opinion and experience) or at least easily explained.
Not stupid, not crazy. Still WRONG.
hahaha
I did not refer to anyone as stupid or crazy. The way people perceive the universe is quite objective. I am sure that some people perceive a "deity". I am sure that some people can perceive neutrinos. I'm not sure what your point is exactly.
It's like this. You have an inordinate need to thrust your belief on others. Why are you so obsessed with the subject? Why worry about the other person so much? You are often rude, obnoxious, and overbearing. You are ignorant of how to respect and communicate with people who don't agree with you.
You don't have long to answer the call that has you so agitated, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock . . . ", don't be so afraid. Answer the door.
What door? What knocking? As to neutrinos - we CAN observe them. Nobody has ever observed a god and nobody ever will.
WD - not sure who you are referring to, me or PC. To tell the truth though, it appears you are describing yourself.
Could be directed at Ore N. Mavro just as easily...
So which is it, WDC?
Austinstar, I was just stating the sentiment of many atheists. You can go on almost any atheist website, message board, or chatroom to find out how that is.
My point in mentioning neutrinos, we can't, very well, tell people what they themselves are perceiving. Or tell what it is, at that.
Pcunix,
I didn't mean observe neutrinos (and other metaphysical phenomenon) as in with instruments, but actually perceive them with the senses.
And you think that it a legitimate parallel to making up nonsense creatures in your head?
Hey PC
I must say, I'm a little bit disappointed,all these comments and so far no one has started praying to convert you to the one true religion. Are you losing your touch?
I will help out. May the True Lord, The Flying Spaghetti Monster bless you and bring you to belief in Pastafarianism.
On a more serious note, I have even more religion than most. When she was married my mother left her Catholic faith, so initially I was baptized in my father's faith as a Methodist. Some years later my mother rejoined the Catholic church. At the ripe old age of six years I too changed faiths and became a Catholic. (Incredible how wise I was to choose a religion at 6) The Catholic church did not recognize my baptism or my parents marriage so they had to get married again in the church and I had to be baptized again. I got to go to my parents wedding.
With all that baptizin' and prayin' over, I think I get a free pass to heaven but I'm willing to hedge my bet and start wearing magic Mormon underpants.
The underpants definitely help.
You had me fooled for a little while, but now I'm beginning to see the rest of the story Pcunix. What you are saying is that predestination might be confirmed in our genes. Now that sounds reasonable enough to me.
I have no idea. Maybe.
@ Charles Wade
I can say from personal experience that Belief in a higher power or Faith, isn't genetic. My parents are Jehovah's Witnesses, my father is an Elder in his congregation. My mother is a career preacher at this point (yes, one of those people who knock on your door in the wee hours of a saturday morning).
At a certain point I was an Atheist. I didn't believe in "God" nor "Gods" it was because of what I saw within the confines of "my" "religion" and also in my life (it hasn't been pretty and often my "faith" which was supposed to be a haven and succor, just exacerbated things).
By cold, hard logic, and a bit of emotion which I didn't know I was using and was tainting how I decided: God Didn't Exist. He/She/It wasn't in existence and if He/She/It was, it surely didn't give a crap about us, so He/She/It might as well not exist. I even at one time theorized that "The Devil" was actually "God" and that this world was just a twisted hell-planet, so everything, as effed up as it was, is fine, and in fact, decadence is a given and proper.
If a predilection toward religion is genetic--it must be like cancer which can be put into remission by sheer will...that brings up a whole other point. I won't go into that. There are logically minded people here :]
I got faith in "something"..."God" or "Gods" from my experience on this planet. Looking closely at things. Watching the sometimes serendipitous nature of living even here in such a society. And things propel themselves. It's hard to ignore. Looking at it logically (which I've tried, trust me), you can't escape it still.
There may not be a "God". He/She/It may not even be conscious. Everything could be set into motion by He/She/It. But there is something/someone "out there" (which could actually just be right along/within all of us and material "reality") which has everything going accordingly.
Ironically, I came to -that- conclusion using logic. May not be an Atheist's logic but it's logic nonetheless.
And yet you say it isn't genetic.. Amusing.
I was out of religion before I realized it. I always just chalked it up to being tired and bored, but it was way before high school when I started to question what the hell was going on.
Amusing read. Thanks.
Maybe you were busy thinking about other things :)
I don't thrust my beliefs on others. Around here, it is live and let live. I am respectful of others, unless they are disrespectful of me. If someone pushes, they shouldn't complain about being pushed back.
It is outside of my personal experience to run into people who insult others for their beliefs. In the work place it is illegal. Why are you so obsessed with the subject? Don't let it worry you.
If you aren't interested, why did you come here?
My bad. That was me. I am having connection problems.
Why do you jump into peoples threads and insult their intelligence for having a belief that you don't adhere to? Why do you publish a hub insinuating that beliefs other than yours are a disease? What do you hope to accomplish? It is ridiculous.
You are soliciting a response, if you don't like mine, "Get over it."
Did you even READ this at all? This hub says exactly the opposite - religion is not a disease and it doesn't come from low intelligence.
Sheesh!
I'm sorry, but I really don't understand how anyone could actually read what I wrote here and tell me that I'm insinuating just the opposite of what I actually said.
As to "insulting" in the forums, that's just asinine. It's not an "insult" to disagree. If you are so thin skinned that you can't stand being told that others think you are wrong, it is you who should stay out of the forums!
People pursue happiness. Atheists, believers, agnostics, all of them have a certain vision of being freed of the existential burden, carry it no more.
It does not call for explanation.
I feel no existential burden.
You may not think that religious belief needs explanation, but from an atheists viewpoint, it is a very odd and puzzling thing indeed.
“I saw me strap bombs to themselves.”
This statement was made by Sky9106, a man who you have been talking down to. If you were not ignorant, you would be giving him his due respect. He is from Grenada and he is Rastafarian. The remark about “pastafarian” above is not a joke, it is an unacceptable slur (worn out). I am no Rasta, but I live in Florida and have traveled the seven seas. The West Indians are rich in spirit and intelligence, but they are poor and their schools are not always up to snuff. I am well acquainted with their ways. You are an ignorant man. I will teach you something here and now.
The Rastafarians believe we are all one. When this “natural man” sees you, he sees himself, or even Jah (God). He will treat you as himself, or even Jah. He will give you food, shelter, whatever you need. They don’t care so much for cash (Babylon), but it can find its way into their hand. They are not a slave to it, and will use it for good beyond their needs.
“I saw me strap bombs to themselves.”
Poor grammar? No! When the “Essene Prophet” sees a terrorist strap a bomb to himself, he sees himself . . . Hello?! You just don’t know anything about where he is coming from. He waited until he had 200 hubs up to enter a forum. He threw his own party. You don’t realize it, but you made a fool of yourself.
I am cool atheists who believe in freedom. I don’t like self-righteous, aggressive atheists at all. The end of their agenda eliminates all religion from public life, just like the Soviet Union tried to do. Marx had some good ideas, but Marxism never works!
The spiritual world is reality. If you do not know that, then you are ignorant. That is your lesson for today. God bless you, brother.
The man babbles. He is mostly incomprehensible and quite ugly toward non-believers.
The "spiritual world" doesn't exist. THAT is pure fantasy. Again, I understand its attraction, but that doesn't change reality.
Don't try to teach me: you aren't equipped for the task.
I see you are a slow learner.
Seriously Pcunix, if religious beliefs are puzzling from your atheist viewpoint, imagine how puzzling religious beliefs would be from the viewpoint of a believer. At least your choice is simply just one.
@wdc: thank you for your comments.
@charles: Can you rephrase that? I can't make sense of it as written.
No problem. I will be back with more lessons in the future . . . like, "Never start a fight with a stranger."
Peace.
Thank you for your kind offer, WDC. However, I don't feel I have anything to learn in that area.
Religious beliefs are more puzzling to a believer than an atheist. An atheist has the luxury of dismissing all the non-sense, where a believer continues to be puzzled by every new movement and the people who would follow along.
Hey WD
Pastafarianism is not a slur about Rastafarianism, it is satire about Kansas putting religion into school courses.
From WIki:
"The "Flying Spaghetti Monster" first appeared in a satirical open letter written by Bobby Henderson in 2005, protesting the decision by the Kansas State Board of Education to permit the teaching of intelligent design as an alternative to evolution in public school science classes."
One of the geniuses of our founding fathers was and is the separation of church and state. You cannot force my children to follow your religious beliefs and vice-versa, the state remains neutral on religious matters.
Personally, I don't care what you or PC believes as long as you don't try to get the government to endorse your viewpoint over mine or others. Still, the discussion is interesting when particip0ants use reason rather than insults. (I'm not sure, did you mean that I am ignorant, or PC or both of us?)
Proving that the spiritual world exists should be very interesting, go for it, but put forth evidence that would stand up in court. (Can't be done is my bet)
@charles - I'm still not sure I fully understand. Do you think that someone like Sky9106 is puzzled? How about Brenda (frequently in the religious forums)? I'd say they and many more are very certain of their beliefs and do not feel puzzled by others - they simply think the other belief has it wrong, that they've been taught badly, perhaps even purposefully.
I can only speak for myself. I am often puzzled by religious statements as well as many political and some of which are made by atheists.
No doubt there are many puzzling ideas..
@Pcunix:
I'm not religious. :]
I have no desire to be in a "club" of people based on faith. My faith is enough. Though I do like to exchange ideas and learn from others. Regardless of creed. So yes, it's not genetic. My parents are collectivists who think everyone (including me) are going to be destroyed for not believing in one thing. I believe that "God" or "Gods" isn't as easily defined as many humans would try to.
If you're now saying faith in a higher power is genetic...please tell me, were your parents Atheists?
No, I'm NOT saying that. I'm saying it could have a genetic base and if so, it could be recessive.
My mother believed in some "higher power". My father did not, his mother did.. One of my sisters is very religious, one is not..
Who knows? Certainly I do not.
Lets consider this, a strong atheistic belief that all religious beliefs in higher power are just some man-made nonsense, crosses a thin line of orthodoxy, and one day in the less or more distant future it becomes religion by itself.
No matter how you twist the word, atheism is not a religion.
That's what it says next to "Religion" on your dog tag. One day, you can tell God how that is not your religion.
I don't have a dog tag and there are no gods.
Certain religious people like to spread this nonsense - "Atheism is a religion".
Absence of belief is not religion. I assume you have no belief in elves, pink unicorns and face shifting lizards posing as humans. Would you say that your lack of stupidity in those areas qualifies as a "religion"?
Sorry, Lord. I tried to tell him.
Now that's done with. Let's go to Ipswich and get a box of clams, brother.
Ipswich? A bit too far for me :)
Okay. How about pizza? I am sick of New Yorkers and Chicagonites arguing about who has the best Pizza. The best pizza can be found in Boston!
Not according to us. We say the best pizza is at the Town Spa in Stoughton. How many pizza places get people driving 1400 miles to buy their pies? http://www.boston.com/Boston/metrodesk/2011/08/dro
"Atheism is a religion, like abstinence is a sexual position."
~Bill Maher
Really like it.
:)
Bill is fun..
I love Bill. I can't believe they posthumously baptized Mitt Romney's father-in-law. That's absurd! Not to mention disrespectful of his wishes and the life he lived. Wow, Christians never cease to amaze me.
Awesome hub though!
Somehow the respect is unimportant when measured against the desires of their gods.
Sophia Angelique Level 6 Commenter 3 months ago
The latest study on twins indicates that whether one believes in a religion or not depends on one's genes - not on one's environment. You can read the study in the latest issue of the National Geographic.