So does that mean that belief in a god or gods is a natural state for human beings? Or do we create our belief systems based entirely on our environment, the beliefs of those around us and the experiences of our everyday lives? The researchers spent three years talking to thousands of adults and children in 20 different countries, looking at both religious and atheist societies.
And they found that huge numbers of people across many different cultures instinctively accept the idea of gods and the supernatural and believe that some part of their mind, soul or spirit keeps on existing even after death. In fact, some of the information the researchers found makes it seem as though believing in the supernatural is less to do with a god and more to do with us.
For example, they discovered that people living in cities in more developed countries places that have a higher standard of living, a stronger economy and better technology and trade were less likely to have religious beliefs than people who lived in more rural areas. We found that religion is less likely to thrive in cities where there is already a strong social support network. This suggests that faith might not just be about the thing you believe in, but also about what the thing you believe in can help you to accomplish.
So if the thing that unites people is as significant as belief in a god or a supernatural power, that can mean that living and working together as a society is a lot simpler because you share so many of the same values, ideas and goals. Some people would definitely find that a good motivator for belief.
So it seems like both nature and nurture have a part to play in faith and a belief in the supernatural. But does that help us get closer to the truth about whether or not a god exists? A big concern for many people in the 21st century is that religious belief can fuel extremism and violence.
If religion drives people to extreme action, should we be more critical of it? This video looks at the complex links between extremism, religion, politics and culture. Across the world, religious belief has inspired great art, music, poetry and architecture.
Art historians, Dr Maya Corry and Dr Katherine Cross University of Oxford explore what a selection of works of art can tell us about the role that religion plays in human lives. This monumental rock carving shows two riders on horses, both trampling enemies underfoot.
On closer inspection, the figure on the left turns out to be the new Persian king, Ardashir I AD , while the right-hand figure is the god Ohrmazd. The central focus of the whole image is a ring passed from god to king as if bestowing the right to rule.
The carving communicates that Ardashir enjoys divine favour. What could be a more powerful way for the king and his new dynasty to get their message across? This whalebone box presents a bizarre contrast. On the right you see the three Wise Men bringing gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Christ and the Virgin Mary.
The left-hand scene, from a northern European myth, shows a magical blacksmith called Weland wreaking a bloody revenge. Why pair these scenes? Perhaps the contrast emphasizes the peace and order brought by Christianity. But maybe the two images are equals: the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus is just another story to tell. A parochet is a curtain that covers the Ark chamber which contains the holy Torah scrolls in a Jewish synagogue. It creates a physical barrier between the human realm and that of divine truth, and communicates that believers are in the presence of holy mysteries.
This parochet is beautifully decorated: embroidered flowers flourish around symbols of Jewish worship. In the centre are the Ten Commandments, which God handed down to Moses on two stone tablets. These form the basis of a moral code for people to live by, providing a clear sense of right and wrong.
The community who worshipped at this synagogue would have been reminded of these lessons whenever they saw their parochet. This statue probably represents Odudua, an earth goddess revered by the Yoruba people of West Africa. Her face shows the marks of deliberate scarring a sign of great beauty and she wears fine jewellery.
The statue is carved from solid ebony, and the artist depicts Odudua as a powerful, maternal figure. The Yoruba believe that she helps to guarantee fertility, safe pregnancy and the birth of a healthy child. Many religions use ceremonies and works of art to mark key moments in the life-cycle: birth, the end of childhood, marriage and death.
These rituals and objects provide structure to life, create bonds within a community, and help people to make sense of transitions and feel protected. Beneath him, little men and women are kneeling. They represent the family who paid for the embroidery to be made. By doing so, and by including their portraits within it, they hoped to gain blessings that would secure them a good reincarnation, moving them closer to nirvana. An ex-voto is a gift left at a shrine in thanks for divine attention.
This one shows a man in Rome who has been hit on the head by a falling flower-pot! Luckily, the Madonna and Christ Child who we see hovering in the sky above him have protected him from serious harm. For centuries Catholics around the world have produced ex-votos to show their gratitude for the miraculous interventions of holy figures in their lives.
Many ex-votos refer to healings from sickness or accidents. In a world that can feel dangerous and uncertain, it is comforting to believe that you can face the trials of everyday life with divine help and protection. Scientology is a set of beliefs — including the belief in an alien overlord called Xenu — developed by the American science-fiction writer, L.
Ron Hubbard. Like in other religions, Scientologists believe that you are essentially a spiritual entity that can survive the death of your body. The Church of Scientology has been and continues to be a controversial organisation.
For example, it wages a campaign against psychiatry, denouncing it as unscientific. Joining the Church of Scientology involves signing a legal contract promising not to leave the organisation for one billion years and giving large financial donations.
Its most famous member is the American film star, Tom Cruise. He joined in and has since made some pretty remarkable statements. For that reason, many European governments have labelled it as a cult. We live in a world where society has now changed.
Women can get married to women, men to men, men can be women, and women can be men. It is a beautiful thing to see how we have grown.
But sometimes, it is a bit scary because we now brand people of faith. At first, it was the people of faith doing the branding, but now people who never met the status quo before a few years ago brand the people of faith. Funny how we millennials claim to be the generation of free speech, free love and acceptance, but I noticed that we do not live up to that claim. We brand the people of faith; Muslims, Catholics, Jews, scientologists, etc. We judge them all in one way or another: Muslims are terrorists, Jews are stingy, Catholics are homophobes, etc.
Millennials now shy away from religion. All religions are a foundation for morals and beliefs; it helps shape us and determine what we see as right and wrong. I am Catholic. I was raised to respect everyones beliefs, even if I do not agree with them. I feel as though millennials are growing up and deciding to keep away from religion because people of any faith were branding those who did not fit their molds.
But, if we are the generation that teaches the next one that religion is wrong, religion itself will die out. Inter-America English. Esperanza TV Costa Rica. Chinese Hope. Middle East. South East Asia. Sri Lanka. Czech Republic. United Kingdom. Religion is an important part of life for many people. Even people who are not all that religious by nature consider it to be important. The question is why do they feel this way? The reason is largely down to the belief that society needs religion.
As a society we benefit from our collective religious beliefs. In fact, there are many people who would argue that we could not function without religion. The biggest reason that society needs religion is to regulate behavior. Most of the laws that we follow today have their basis in religious teachings.
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