The need to believe
Man's common sense and simple elementary logic would have made quick work of monotheism from its very beginning, if the irresistible NEED to believe in their promises could be conquered.
We have seen that belief is an acceptance to "know" something without proof.
We believe the elements of nature are sentient beings or are controlled by sentient beings, with which we can interact to make our life better,
We believe there are gods who control both our environment and destiny, with whom we can interact as well to make our life better,
We believe there is a creator who has communicated with us and given us laws not only to make our life better, but to literally strike an alliance with us, and
We believe this same creator has communicated with us later, twice, to show us the way to be rewarded by a better life in some afterlife.
What is the common point in all these beliefs?
A better life. A better existence. Better (or best possible) conditions of existence here, or if not here, then up there.
There is nothing "spiritual" in desiring a better life.
"A better life" may surely include "spiritual" factors like love and happiness, but "A better life" does not automatically mean "A better spiritual life".
The "better spiritual life" is only a means to have the best possible "better life" here, or... up there.
"A better life" has always meant having more abundance, or being more abundant to have more strength to have more abundance...
"A better life" is always about better living conditions.
It was the case when we believed in the supernatural, in the gods, as it was the case when we believed in the one God (Genesis-Exodus), who on many occasions talked about the increased numbers, increased "substance", even taught to obtain "substance" by "spoiling".
The revelation of having this better life in an afterlife is the difference that makes no difference, since our belief always involves a better (or the ideal) living conditions.
Belief is the "knowledge" that by some interaction with the entity believed to exist, we can influence factors that will enable us to have a better life and/or fate.
Even "saving our soul" is for the same purpose.
If we knew the factors that determine our life and fate or knew how to influence these factors, then we would no longer believe in entities that could influence these factors, since we would be those entities.
So any real knowledge renders belief obsolete.
Belief implies the absence of real knowledge.
Nobody needs to believe in something he knows for fact.
But where does the capital factor of any belief system, the need to believe, come from?
We "need to know" that by our actions, we can influence the factors that determine our life and fate, to make them better (a better life).
We "need to know" that what was promised, which are our greatest desires (the human consensus) will be filfilled.
We "need to know" that we have the understanding to deal with what we don't know.
We "need to know" that there is an order in our life, and if we do our part, at the end all will be well.
The "need to know" is the need to be assured, and appeased that we know what we are doing and know where we are going.
I think that believing in a religion is a "shortcut" that immediately satisfies the human need to understand and know the world around us and our place (and maybe purpose) in it.
All humans have exactly the same need, including the scientists.
What differs is the manner of satisfying that need.
Satisfying the need to know be it by really knowing or by thinking we know, is very appeasing and comforting for man.
So the need to believe in religions is and always was a need to know.
Be it by "direct" knowledge,
Be it by "emotional" knowledge,
Be it by "spiritual" knowledge,
Be it by "transcendental" knowledge,
Be it by "meditative" knowledge,
Be it by "inspiration",
Be it knowing by faith or
Be it by understanding,
We definitely are one humanity under "knowing".
But the real knowledge guaranteeing a better life here and now for all humanity (which cannot be in contradiction with any universal religion) is all that humanity should be interested in, because every other way are only promises of a "better life" exclusively to a minority, be it here and now, and/or up there and "later".
We have seen that belief is an acceptance to "know" something without proof.
We believe the elements of nature are sentient beings or are controlled by sentient beings, with which we can interact to make our life better,
We believe there are gods who control both our environment and destiny, with whom we can interact as well to make our life better,
We believe there is a creator who has communicated with us and given us laws not only to make our life better, but to literally strike an alliance with us, and
We believe this same creator has communicated with us later, twice, to show us the way to be rewarded by a better life in some afterlife.
What is the common point in all these beliefs?
A better life. A better existence. Better (or best possible) conditions of existence here, or if not here, then up there.
There is nothing "spiritual" in desiring a better life.
"A better life" may surely include "spiritual" factors like love and happiness, but "A better life" does not automatically mean "A better spiritual life".
The "better spiritual life" is only a means to have the best possible "better life" here, or... up there.
"A better life" has always meant having more abundance, or being more abundant to have more strength to have more abundance...
"A better life" is always about better living conditions.
It was the case when we believed in the supernatural, in the gods, as it was the case when we believed in the one God (Genesis-Exodus), who on many occasions talked about the increased numbers, increased "substance", even taught to obtain "substance" by "spoiling".
The revelation of having this better life in an afterlife is the difference that makes no difference, since our belief always involves a better (or the ideal) living conditions.
Belief is the "knowledge" that by some interaction with the entity believed to exist, we can influence factors that will enable us to have a better life and/or fate.
Even "saving our soul" is for the same purpose.
If we knew the factors that determine our life and fate or knew how to influence these factors, then we would no longer believe in entities that could influence these factors, since we would be those entities.
So any real knowledge renders belief obsolete.
Belief implies the absence of real knowledge.
Nobody needs to believe in something he knows for fact.
But where does the capital factor of any belief system, the need to believe, come from?
We "need to know" that by our actions, we can influence the factors that determine our life and fate, to make them better (a better life).
We "need to know" that what was promised, which are our greatest desires (the human consensus) will be filfilled.
We "need to know" that we have the understanding to deal with what we don't know.
We "need to know" that there is an order in our life, and if we do our part, at the end all will be well.
The "need to know" is the need to be assured, and appeased that we know what we are doing and know where we are going.
I think that believing in a religion is a "shortcut" that immediately satisfies the human need to understand and know the world around us and our place (and maybe purpose) in it.
All humans have exactly the same need, including the scientists.
What differs is the manner of satisfying that need.
Satisfying the need to know be it by really knowing or by thinking we know, is very appeasing and comforting for man.
So the need to believe in religions is and always was a need to know.
Be it by "direct" knowledge,
Be it by "emotional" knowledge,
Be it by "spiritual" knowledge,
Be it by "transcendental" knowledge,
Be it by "meditative" knowledge,
Be it by "inspiration",
Be it knowing by faith or
Be it by understanding,
We definitely are one humanity under "knowing".
But the real knowledge guaranteeing a better life here and now for all humanity (which cannot be in contradiction with any universal religion) is all that humanity should be interested in, because every other way are only promises of a "better life" exclusively to a minority, be it here and now, and/or up there and "later".