The God Gene at work?

I struggle to understand how an otherwise intelligent and insightful adult can believe in the existence of what is an obviously fictional supernatural being. The only explanation I have encountered which makes sense is that humans are genetically disposed towards such belief, as proposed by geneticist Dr. Dean Hamer with his God Gene theory. I have great respect for Ben Shapiro, and I agree with most of his sociopolitical views, but I suspect that he wouldn’t reciprocate that respect if he knew my views on religion and spirituality.

The Madness Of The Multiverse And The Strangeness Of Atheism | The Daily Wire

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I would be interested in the article, but I get a blank black page.

Human beings cannot be genetically disposed towards belief in the supernatural. If they were, there would be no atheists. And atheism, we know, is very old, and today incalculably widespread.

Most of our fellow American conservatives are believers. We have to overlook it.

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I think there may be something to the “genetic” aspect, in that humans are born with a need for parental protection, love and care, which can very easily be exploited, throughout a lifetime of religious indoctrination, into a dependence on “God” as a father figure.
I haven’t read the book, so I don’t know if this idea is reflected in it - just my theory.

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I edited the link, and perhaps that may fix the problem. Does it work for you now?

A genetic disposition isn’t an absolute. Some – and depending on the particular gene, perhaps many – individuals lack a specific gene, or that gene is dormant in them for some reason. I can’t think of any other reason why religious belief would be so widespread, even amongst highly intelligent and educated people. I don’t think that cultural influence is enough to explain it. I was raised in a religious household, and almost all of my friends and family are believers. I have not suffered any great prejudice or hostility from my theist friends, at least not openly, and I get along with them far better than I get along with fellow atheists who embrace collectivist ideology.

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Regrettably it still does not work.

Maybe I’ll sign on to read it. It gives that option.

Later: Ah, no! They want to be paid. And I can’t listen to Shapiro. He talks too fast. Gabbles.

I’ll trust you to give me the gist of what the article is about - which you have done.

There are thousands of libraries full of volumes discussing why people believe in gods. A “god gene” is as sound or unsound a theory as many another.

Liz’s theory that a “god gene” could be a “need for a parent” gene is a plausible one, I think.

I too am puzzled that adult, sane, educated, intelligent people can believe in the supernatural.

I too would rather be among conservative believers than collectivist atheists.

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I don’t believe in god and I don’t believe in the god gene either, I think religion is merely a tool of social control, brainwashing, and I think perhaps there is something in what Liz suggests as well. One thing the plan/scam/demic has taught us surely is just how easily the majority are misled, particularly when irrational ideas are repeated over and over again by those in authority…

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