Is superstition genetic?

[Lyzandra Daria]

British study links spread of faith to `believer gene'

http://www.christiancentury.org/article ... iever-gene

LONDON (RNS) A British university study suggests that people of strong faith can spread religion through a "believers' gene" that is part of their DNA.

Cambridge University economics professor Robert Rowthorn theorizes a "predisposition toward religion" in a paper published in "Proceedings of the Royal Society B," a prestigious journal of Britain's Royal Society of scientists.

Rowthorn suggests that people with strong religious beliefs tend to have more children and that this, combined with a genetic predisposition to believe, can explain the expansion of religion.

The academic cites the World Values Survey in 82 nations from 1981 to 2004, which found that people who attended religious services more than once a week had an average of 2.5 children; those who never attended averaged only 1.67.

"The more devout people are," Rowthorn wrote, "the more children they are likely to have."

This, coupled with a "genetic endowment" that his theory ascribes to strong believers, could mean the spread of faith across the broad sweep of the population.

As one example of a rapidly growing religious community, Rowthorn cited the explosion of the Old Order Amish population in the United States, from 123,000 in 1991 to 249,000 in 2010.

In practice, Rowthorn said, many people leave their childhood religions behind, or marry outside them and have less children, thus slowing the spread of the "believer's gene."

But the genetic disposition remains so strong that "the religiosity gene will eventually predominate," and a significant increase in religious believers should still be on the cards, Rowthorn suggests.

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I see a need for some genetic engineering, IMO.

If some humans are predisposed to superstitions...does that mean that god exists or just that humans who are superstitious can be duped easier than humans who are not genetically predisposed to be superstitious?

How much of this supposed genetic predisposition is reinforced by society? In other words, if a person who is predisposed to superstitious beliefs were raised in a secular society...would the individual still be inclined to believe in the supernatural?

[byteresistor]

If some humans are predisposed to superstitions...does that mean that god exists or just that humans who are superstitious can be duped easier than humans who are not genetically predisposed to be superstitious?

God exists afterall! Allah says in the quran that he has "sealed the hearts of disbelievers". Maybe this seal is the equal of not having the gene to believe in him blindly?

[pr126]

Wow! Gullibility as a genetic condition? Isn't science wonderful?

[Lyzandra Daria]

Wow! Gullibility as a genetic condition? Isn't science wonderful?

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simple algebra

A = C
and
B = C

Therefore A = B

Predisposition to religion/superstition is genetic (A = C)
and
Mental illness is genetic (B = C)

Therefore, religion/superstition is mental illness. (A = B)

Isn't science grand?

[Sten]

I think I get this formula...

Let Fish & Chips = A, Orange = B, and Food = C.

A = C

B = C

A = B

therefore Fish & Chips = Orange.

Wait...

[Lyzandra Daria]

I think I get this formula...

Let Fish & Chips = A, Orange = B, and Food = C.

A = C

B = C

A = B

therefore Fish & Chips = Orange.

Wait...

>>>
I am so honored that you would waste your time on such a trivial post. (seriously).

Do you have anything more compelling to contribute (since Sten knows everything and nobody else knows anything)?

Do you have an opinion on whether superstition/religion is genetic?
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[pr126]

Cambridge University economics professor Robert Rowthorn theorizes

...

As one example of a rapidly growing religious community, Rowthorn cited the explosion of the Old Order Amish population in the United States, from 123,000 in 1991 to 249,000 in 2010.

The Amish are a closed community, where it is nurture and not nature is the case. Aka brainwashing.
Any mention of inbreeding? What about those religious imperatives of "go forth and multiply"?

Questionable research. What is the professor's motive? Where is the peer review?

I call BS.

[Lyzandra Daria]

Cambridge University economics professor Robert Rowthorn theorizes

...

As one example of a rapidly growing religious community, Rowthorn cited the explosion of the Old Order Amish population in the United States, from 123,000 in 1991 to 249,000 in 2010.

The Amish are a closed community, where it is nurture and not nature is the case. Aka brainwashing.
Any mention of inbreeding? What about those religious imperatives of "go forth and multiply"?

Questionable research. What is the professor's motive? Where is the peer review?

I call BS.

>>>
OK...pr126

Amish usually only provide education (in their own schools) to the 8th grade. Hard to find gainful employment if you only have an 8th grade education (these days especially). Also, about the same age, the young people are allowed an opportunity to leave the commune and get a taste of the outside world. If they can make it on the outside/in modern society, they might choose to stay or can decide to chuck that life and return to their (Amish)community.

Could it be that the supposed increase in Amish population in the US is due to young people who left, couldn't support themselves, and chose to return to the commune? Just as likely...but also proves your 'questionable research'.

As for inbreeding...it wouldn't be in the best interest of the Amish to permit that. I find it highly unlikely that the Amish are getting 'converts' in significant numbers.

As for 'go forth and multiply'...isn't that what is going on? Those who carry the gene (for superstition/religion) would be most likely to seek out and 'multiply' with a similarly inclined/infected individual. Isn't that also what the author of the article indicated?

"Rowthorn suggests that people with strong religious beliefs tend to have more children and that this, combined with a genetic predisposition to believe, can explain the expansion of religion. "

"The more devout people are," Rowthorn wrote, "the more children they are likely to have."

PS: I'm all for zero population growth.

[Sten]

Do you have an opinion on whether superstition/religion is genetic?

First of all a person with this "believer gene" will not automatically believe in whatever anyone tells them, it means they are MORE LIKELY to be superstitious and LESS LIKELY to be skeptical than someone who does not have the gene. It also means that they are more likely to adopt the beliefs of their parents, but the study didn't say anything about other faiths. Second of all, likening this "believer gene" to one of the many genes that trigger mental illness shows that you misunderstood the article. Mental illness is not contagious, you cannot "spread" it through a population. No matter how long a paranoid schizophrenic rants, he cannot convert others to his schizophrenia.

I'd be the first to agree that people who are fanatical believers in religion display behaviour that is similar to mental illness, but if anything this study shows that hereditary mental illness and hereditary religious belief are NOT the same thing.

Rowthorn suggests that people with strong religious beliefs tend to have more children and that this, combined with a genetic predisposition to believe, can explain the expansion of religion.

This doesn't sound ludicrous, although there is a distinct lack of hard evidence to go with the "theorizing". Where on a person's genotype is this gene located? What parts of the brain does it affect? Is it sex-related (which the study would suggest), and if so, does that mean that women are twice as likely to be superstitious as men?

It's worth noting that Robert Rowthorn is a professor of economics, not biology. This means that he has come to his conclusion without actually isolating the gene. He is merely saying that such a gene may exist.

[Lyzandra Daria]

Sten,

Good point(s)

"...will not automatically believe in whatever anyone tells them, it means they are MORE LIKELY to be superstitious and LESS LIKELY to be skeptical ..."

Which is probably why people will 'leave' one superstitious practice and switch to another. Like switching a brand of cigarettes for smokers (sort of). Such people are addicted to or uncomfortable without the 'crutch' of religion.

No...I don't believe I misunderstood the article. Using the word 'infected' was just unfortunate choice of word. I know that mental illness isn't infectious...nor is religion/superstition. However, the genes which might cause mental illness could be connected or similar to those genes which might cause a person to be superstitious/religious...I'm also not a biologist (but like playing one on TV).

"...people who are fanatical believers in religion display behaviour that is similar to mental illness"

That's the point I'm trying to make (I would leave out the words 'similar to'). Thank you.

I also don't believe that the people must be 'fanatical' believers. Just to insist that there exists some anthropomorphic supernatural being and the desire to participate in rituals supposedly to please said entity is enough IMO. The more extreme the superstitious/religious behavior (i.e., self-mutilation or emulating crucifixion) the more extreme the mental disease or defect.

Thank you, again.

[Sten]

Sten,

Good point(s)

"...will not automatically believe in whatever anyone tells them, it means they are MORE LIKELY to be superstitious and LESS LIKELY to be skeptical ..."

Which is probably why people will 'leave' one superstitious practice and switch to another. Like switching a brand of cigarettes for smokers (sort of). Such people are addicted to or uncomfortable without the 'crutch' of religion.

But again, that could just be because they were raised without being taught how to think critically. Skepticism isn't usually something that can be self-taught, you need someone experienced in seeing through the BS to teach you how to seperate lies from truth. Religion isn't the only source of misinformation in society. The type of people who are sucked in by religious claims are also the type who believe in Ouija boards and psychics, and believe all the advertisements that promise beauty and fame and friends if you just buy their product. I just don't think we can say that a certain gene is responsible for this until we actually isolate it. If it was a professor of Biology I might be more inclined to believe him, but a professor of economics theorizing about genes? Something smells a little off.

No...I don't believe I misunderstood the article. Using the word 'infected' was just unfortunate choice of word. I know that mental illness isn't infectious...nor is religion/superstition. However, the genes which might cause mental illness could be connected or similar to those genes which might cause a person to be superstitious/religious...I'm also not a biologist (but like playing one on TV).

"...people who are fanatical believers in religion display behaviour that is similar to mental illness"

That's the point I'm trying to make (I would leave out the words 'similar to'). Thank you.

I also don't believe that the people must be 'fanatical' believers. Just to insist that there exists some anthropomorphic supernatural being and the desire to participate in rituals supposedly to please said entity is enough IMO. The more extreme the superstitious/religious behavior (i.e., self-mutilation or emulating crucifixion) the more extreme the mental disease or defect.

Thank you, again.

But that could also be a product of the lack of critical thinking, coupled with the addictive behaviour that you mentioned earlier. I'm just wary of attributing every quirk of human behaviour to a gene, I think the psyche is a bit more complex than that. I tend to lean towards nurture rather than nature as an explanation for people like Fred Phelps and Anjem Choudry.

[Lyzandra Daria]

Life's Extremes: Atheists vs. Believers
Adam Hadhazy, LiveScience Contributor

http://www.livescience.com/17299-atheis ... evers.html

This December is chock full of "holy days," or holidays. On Dec. 25, Christians commemorate Christmas. For Jews, Hanukkah starts this year on Dec. 20 in the Western and international Gregorian calendar. Shia Muslims, meanwhile, celebrate Ashura today (Dec. 4), the 10th day of the Islamic lunar calendar's first month. Yet others in the Northern Hemisphere will party on Dec. 22 for the winter solstice, as druids might have ritualistically done so at Stonehenge in the U.K. 4,000 years ago.

Religion, it goes without further saying, is a very popular phenomenon. In the U.S., as in much of the world, a majority of people claim to practice some form of it. According to recent surveys, around 80 percent of American adults say they belong to an organized religion.

A minority of that population takes its religion very seriously. These individuals' behaviors and attitudes are largely influenced by what is perceived to conform to their faiths' dogmas. On the opposite end, another, smaller percentage of the population thinks that religion is absolute hooey.


Where do you fall on the spectrum from atheist to believer?
CREDIT: Karl Tate, LiveScience Infographic Artist
View full size image

Psychologists, sociologists and neurologists continue to study why some gobble up religion as profound truth while others reject it as superstition.

"This whole area [of research] teaches us something about the human mind and brain," said Andrew Newberg, director of research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University and author of "How God Changes Your Brain" (Ballantine Books, 2009).

"There are a lot of philosophical and theological implications of this work and about how we understand the world," Newberg added.

Religion's broad appeal
Virtually every society throughout history has worshipped and feared supernatural deity figures, from animal and ancestral spirits to Olympian gods and goddesses to Jesus and Satan.

Religion in some fashion has emerged, and oftentimes independently, "in every culture and society going back 100,000 years when the human brain began to form and expand," said Newberg. This fact has led some researchers to suggest that a tendency toward religion is "built" into our brains, perhaps as a byproduct of the development of complex cognitive abilities. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain]

Whatever their source, religious sentiments remain strong in the 21st century. "There are more religious folk than non-religious folk in most of the world," said Barry Kosmin, director of the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture at Trinity College and co-principal investigator of the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS). "Religion is the normative position." [The World's Top Religions (Infographic)]

Identifying the holy-noers ….
Yet some individuals buck this trend. According to the latest ARIS and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life data, 15 percent and 16 percent, respectively, of people in the U.S. are unaffiliated with or indifferent to organized religions.

Of that group, just 0.7 percent in ARIS and 1.6 percent in Pew identify themselves as atheists. According to other survey questions, the overall percentage of those who not believe in gods is higher at about 7 percent, Kosmin said, but few opt for the term "atheist," which some see as having negative connotations. [Why Atheists Celebrate Christmas]

Slightly larger slivers say they are agnostics (unsure or think that gods are unknowable), at 0.9 percent in ARIS and 2.4 percent in Pew.

…. and holy-rollers
At the other extreme the religious zealots, naturally, do not self-identify as such. Surveys have shown, however, that about a fifth of Americans describe themselves as extremely religious, Kosmin said.

He also pointed out that attitudes revealed by the University of Chicago's detailed General Social Survey can help get at the percentages of those with extremely religiously motivated views.

For starters, about a quarter of the U.S. population attends a place of worship (primarily a Christian church) weekly. Within this churchgoing group, just over half (53 percent) believe in the Bible's inerrancy; that is, they believe that this collection of ancient texts is the literal word of the Christian god. Another 43 percent are opposed to abortion even in the case of rape, Kosmin noted, and some 79 percent are opposed to the acceptance of homosexuality.

The most zealous of the zealous, of course, would be those rare individuals who turn to violence by shooting abortion clinic doctors or becoming suicide bombers.

God's country
To an extent, atheists and enthusiastic believers are products of their environment, so to speak. Growing up in secular or highly religious families and communities can strongly influence an individual's world view.

Geographically in the U.S, the affluent West Coast and Northeast are well-known for their higher-than-average levels of godlessness, and are home to a disproportionate number of atheists. In contrast, poorer states, especially those in the "Bible Belt" of the southeastern and south-central U.S., have more zealotry.

"Regional cultures are strong," said Kosmin. "It's the Vermonts and Oregons of the world where you find more atheists and more secular folk, and it's Alabama and Mississippi, the Bible Belt where you find more of the religious people."

Religion and lack thereof in the brain
Beyond regional influences, brain conditioning may also move an individual out of the mainstream of mild and moderate religiosity into atheism or zealotry.

Newberg and other researchers have seen changes, for example, in the brains of those who meditate or pray frequently. Imaging studies have revealed that the brain's frontal lobes, which are activated during prayer, increase in activity and thickness in people. The thalamus, a key relay that integrates sensory information, also showed changes in people who prayed for as little as 12 minutes a day for two months, Newberg explained.

"There's this saying, 'the neurons that fire together wire together,'" said Newberg. "The more you believe in it, the more that belief becomes your reality."

For both non-religious and religious people, then, reinforcement of a set of beliefs modifies the brain to accept information supportive of that system and reject information that goes against it.

Inherent brain biology as determined by genetics could play a role, too. Some findings: A proposed "god gene" could predispose gene carriers to transcendental experiences, while those people with a more prominent brain fold called the paracingulate sulcus might be better able to separate real events from imagination.

"Clearly there are bits and pieces of our biology that make us prone to religious and spiritual ideas and beliefs," said Newberg. "As with all characteristics of human beings, there's a bit of a bell curve, with some finding it very easy to believe in these things and others finding it very hard."
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Something more to add to both sides.

I'm not a neurologist. I don't have any evidence that thickening of the frontal lobes and integrating of the sensory regions is good or bad. I would imagine, bad, if a person starts hearing 'voices' in their head and decides to go on a killing spree. I would have to agree that the ability to separate real events and imaginary ones would also be very good.

I'm still in the 'minority' category. I don't see any value in believing in the existence or potential existence of even a benign supernatural entity.

Whether on purpose or by accident, we are all on this planet together. Some of us want to focus on 'saving the planet' and thus saving our own species. The planet is doing fine and will do much better when we are extinct. The planet doesn't 'live' for us. We have worshiped everything and have conceived of all sorts of 'how we got here' stories.

One thing I do know (there is ample evidence in the news every day)...indoctrination such as Islam requires into a philosophy that is hate filled on so many levels, can't be good for any society.

[sumonht]

Define superstition and than give example.

[Lyzandra Daria]

Define superstition and than give example.

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If you don't know what superstition is, I suggest you look it up yourself.

One definition might be 'faith without evidence'. An example would be hanging a clay hamsa on the wall of your domicile in the belief that it will protect your family from harm.
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