"Iain" <iain_inkster@hotmail.com> said:

If everyone in the world was atheist, then all else being equal (e.g.
degrees of education etc), do you really think the idea of gods would
emerge?

I think the idea is vague enough to be recurring, but that it would not
become widespread, and would not gain the kind of credibility it has
today.

Many arguments for gods feel right because the idea of gods is always
lurking at the back of peoples' minds, ready to fill the gaps in
peoples' knowledge, ready to present itself as an answer to anything.
In my hypothetical world, this is not the case because the idea of gods
has not yet been introduced. People would still ask questions on "first
cause" and the structures of modern organisms, but the idea of an
intelligent all-present, almighty mind would not naturally follow, and
would be rightly viewed as superfluous if it were ever suggested.

People would feel that introducing a god expands the original questions
rather than answering them. Listing all the organisms in the world and
then asking where their structures come from, and then suggesting a
god, is like adding an extra organism to the list and repeating the
same question.

What think we?

Well, I for one think that the existence of a god, as an explanation
or answer to certain questions, has popularity due to issues that are
far more important to people than explaining the structure of
organisms. For example, the apparent finality of death can be overcome
(mentally, at least) by belief in a god that will deliver us to a safe
place after we die. The apparent injustice of the world can be
overcome by belief in a god who delivers justice after death. Also,
having a god on your tribe's/nation's side can help justify actions
you take against other tribes, and help condemn those same actions if
taken by that tribe against you.

So, unless there is reason to believe that humans today are somehow
remarkably different from the humans who *did* invent gods, I'd say
that humans today would invent gods.

A bigger question, for me, is whether and how a tribe/nation
predominantly of theists, could ever become entirely non-theists, and
how could such a move improve the odds of its survival.

-- Jim07D6

Iain wrote:

If everyone in the world was atheist, then all else being
equal (e.g. degrees of education etc), do you really
think the idea of gods would emerge?

Yes. Definitely. In some sense, this already had to happen.

I think the idea is vague enough to be recurring, but that
it would not become widespread, and would not gain the
kind of credibility it has today.

Although many here would argue with me, I can't deny
that spirituality is a human component, a fact supported
by numerous studies claiming to find "spiritual centers"
in the brain.

http://www.passig.com/pic/Religion&TheBrain.htm

Now I think we can all agree that "Spirituality" doesn't
require organized religion nor even a god, but we have a
great deal more than spirituality to deal with.

We have socialization, for example.

Personally, I see religion as a manisfestation of the
brawn-v-brains conflict... though that may be
unnecessarily complicating my position right now.

Many arguments for gods feel right because the idea
of gods is always lurking at the back of peoples' minds,

But the idea is external. It's not your idea. You were
born into a world permeated by it.

People would feel that introducing a god expands the
original questions rather than answering them.

Seriously? Does a look at human history tell you that?

Iain wrote:

If everyone in the world was atheist, then all else being equal (e.g.
degrees of education etc), do you really think the idea of gods would
emerge?

If children are raised properly, taken care of, educated, and allowed a
natural emotional development in a secure environment, then no, I don't
think there would be a reversion. God only "exists" where there is
ignorance and fear.

[Rest snipped]

Budikka

On 21 Oct 2006 01:59:55 -0700, "Iain" <iain_inkster@hotmail.com>
wrote:
- Refer: <1161421195.832063.12570@f16g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>

If everyone in the world was atheist, then all else being equal (e.g.
degrees of education etc), do you really think the idea of gods would
emerge?

I think the idea is vague enough to be recurring, but that it would not
become widespread, and would not gain the kind of credibility it has
today.

Many arguments for gods feel right because the idea of gods is always
lurking at the back of peoples' minds, ready to fill the gaps in
peoples' knowledge, ready to present itself as an answer to anything.
In my hypothetical world, this is not the case because the idea of gods
has not yet been introduced. People would still ask questions on "first
cause" and the structures of modern organisms, but the idea of an
intelligent all-present, almighty mind would not naturally follow, and
would be rightly viewed as superfluous if it were ever suggested.

People would feel that introducing a god expands the original questions
rather than answering them. Listing all the organisms in the world and
then asking where their structures come from, and then suggesting a
god, is like adding an extra organism to the list and repeating the
same question.

What think we?

~Iain

Depends what you mean by "gods".

I think it would be reasonable to expect a juvenile, especially an
infant, who think of their carers as a sort of god, on the death of
said parent in the child's formative years, to carry an internally
generated imagined impression of that parent, and it would "advise"
them later in life.

Thus, a child carries a disembodied impression of a respected superior
authoritative dead persons personality.

This phenomenon (which definitely exists) may manifest as a kind of
god "thingy".

If education is poor, (equally poor in your hypothetical example),
then I am confident that someone would theorize that the manifestation
phenomenon was NOT occurring inside anyone's head, but independent
from it.

Thus the idea of an incorporeal existence is born.

If the education were sufficient, then everyone would understand (at
least after puberty) that their phantoms are products of
neurochemistry. (By definition, almost.)

As you may have noticed, the answer to your question critically
depends upon the actual education level of the world's occupants.
Low, and they would invent god(s).

High enough, and they would not.