It's my view that we can't understand religion without understanding the dual psychological and anthropological nature of the phenomenon. Preprint A Unified Psychological and Anthropological Model of Religion

At the heart of a religion is what I refer to as a "religioid" belief, which is a belief which has certain cognitive signatures, and seems to be related to self perception. These beliefs, when integrated with various cultural elements, the kind of elements listed in Smart's seven dimensions of religion, constitute a religion.

There's a very complex interplay of culture and cognition. We of course needed to evolve to have culture in the first place, but we also needed to evolve to have a sophisticated self of sense, as well as the ability to think abstractly.

What causes a religioid belief to form? I don't have a full answer. But they seem to form because of our desire to understand reality, even when we have no empirically driven answers. Then, natural selection of culture takes over and continues to shape this belief and the associated cultural dimensions, in ways which are adaptive.

Looking for matters like well being , peace of mind, and happiness is indubitably an indispensable part of human essence. Feeling hopeless, lonely, and at times disappointed, makes man look up his/her answers from the world over and beyond the immediate surroundings. However, as you have astutely observed , cognition is complemented by culture. The tendency towards religiosity is stronger in certain cultures compared with the others.

There has been some interesting work done in anthropology related to this, as well as sociology. I am somewhat partial to Durkheim's notion of religion as basically an ordering system that helps to create a sense of moral and social identity among a particular group in relation to others (see The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life). For me, a question that is important is why something like religion would emerge unless it had some sort of adaptive advantage for humans. Humans seem to have a general predilection toward belief in fantasy beings like God, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and so on. Why that is the case is a fascinating question.

The ancient man felt fear to the dark, to the sudden death, to the natural calamities, to the famine and flood etc.

So, in most if the ancient religions, there are many God's or Goddess who had the power to control all these.

In ancient Egyptian civilization, we get different God or Goddess with human like bodies and animal or bird like heads.

In other ancient religions also, such proofs are there.

In The Vedas, the most ancient religious book of Hinduism, God Varuna (god of natural force like rain, storm etc.) was an example.

Afterwards, Goddess Saraswsti ( god of education), Lakshmi (god of wealth) etc. were found.

Afterwards, mono- God concept was developed.

The Jewish, Christianity etc were developed. Islam comes last. Concept of the late coming religions got root concept from the ancient one. As example, Christianity got basic concept from Jewish and Islam got basic concept from Christianity. The newly formed religions added some new ideas also.

It is found that along with passing of days, the newer religions are becoming more rigid and aggressive than the former one.

Spread of own religion among the followers of older religions becomes a target in such cases.

It is the main cause of inter religion conflicts of present time.

The only way to stay outside of that conflict is : all followers of ALL religions have to TRUST that all the religions are Correct as his/ her own one and the world can never be with the followers of only one religion.

Thanks.

Well, another way to stay outside of that conflict would be to do away with religion...

One of the central debates is the "number". Is there only One or Many? This issue divides many people and leads to conflict.

Fear for the inexplicable is the main reason.

Dear Dr. Tham,

Religion is a matter of trust, develops from the childhood through brainwashing by the close people and environment.

So, nobody will agree with the thoughts of other group/s.

AND

Scientifically, NOTHING CAN BE PROBED!

Dear Professor Pattanyak,

Usually in the English language, "brainwashing" has a negative meaning. Are you sure you want to use this word to describe what you are suggesting?

1. Cultural origin of religion may be refinement of entropy in social system and GOD incarnated on earth for streamlining of inhabitants via religious 'Truth'.

2. Bhagwad Gita is religious truth of Hindu religion and Lord Krishna one of the incarnation of Lord Vishnu taught supreme lessons 5000 years ago.

3. Religion is under under umbrella of religious truth and freedom of religion is in the vein of democracy of India.

4. Part-III guaranteed numerous freedoms pertaining to religion and protected by Higher Judiciary without penetration of Union Government, State Government and Local Government.

5. Culture is segregated from religion and have organs (a) Custom (b) Traditions (c) Dialect (d) Rituals (e) Belief.

"Belief and Religion are not same as per my understanding and person is follower of one religion in addition multiple belief via protection of freedom of other religions"

Dea Dr. Tham,

When religion is a matter of ethics and personal belief, it do not cause any harm to others and to any country or society.

But when religion acts as a mass hysteria to force others or act as some mean of political gain or personal/ group power holding, it is a SIN, and can not be supported.

From the second type of thoughts, it can be said that the term 'brainwashing' is TOTALLY CORRECT AND APPROPRIATE in strongest negative sense.

Thanks.

Reinforcement of cultural diversities and Religious diversities secure stable human civilisation.

Theology is the field of scientific research of sources, determinants of the development of religion in a given community and, inter alia, the relationship with the development of culture.

Best wishes

Following

Following

Refer this..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_religion