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Title: Why do YOU believe in God? Religion is just a way of satisfying 16 basic human desires, scientist claims
Source:
Daily Mail Online
URL Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencet ... -desires-scientist-claims.html
Published: Oct 13, 2015
Author: Richard Gray
Post Date: 2015-10-13 08:44:08 by cranky
Keywords: None
Views: 5073
Comments: 45
The history of the Christian church, the pursuit of personal desire has been frowned upon and at times even fervently discouraged. But a new theory of why people believe in God has claimed that religion is simply an attempt to satisfy 16 basic human desires that afflict all human beings. Professor Steven Reiss, a psychologist at Ohio State University, claims this may also help to explain why many of the world's major religions are so wracked with contradictions. Religious belief is more about meeting a complex mix of 16 basic human desires than an attempt to find a greater meaning, according to psychologist Professor Steven Reiss. He says people will seek out religion to help them feel part of a family, for example, such as during Catholic mass (pictured) He insists it's impossible to boil religion down to a single motivation and that to be successful a religion needs to appeal to the various of human nature. So while people who are humble may find the idea of an all-powerful God appealing, those who are status seeking will find the idea that God made humans in his own image attractive. Professor Reiss said: 'It doesn't matter whether God exists or not as religious belief is aimed at fulfilling our basic human desires. 'If you want to build a religion that will have a lot of followers, you have to address all of the human desires in strong form and weak form. 'If you insist the only way to reach God is through mediation and study then extroverts will stay away while if you teach the opposite then introverts will stay away. 'You have to have a religion that will support the values of all these people.' Professor Reiss argues previous attempts to explain religion in terms of psychology have been too narrow by focusing on its ability to provide a moral framework or a way of coping with death. Writing in a new book The 16 Strivings for God, he says religions instead address all 16 of the basic human desires at once - curiosity, acceptance, family, honor, idealism, independence, order, physical activity, power, romance, saving, social contact, eating, status, tranquility and vengeance. He said that while everyone has these basic desires, they experience them in different levels and so their motivations will be different. His conclusion looking at motivation after surveying 100,000 people about how they embrace different goals. Psychologist Professor Steven Reiss (left) claims religion can be boiled down to an attempt to fulfil the 16 basic desires that afflict humans in his new book (right) Professor Reiss said: 'We have looked at about 270 different religious beliefs and practices and how they connect to basic human desires. 'I think just about everything in religion is an expression of one of the 16 basic desires or a combination of them. 'For example, if you are extremely ambitious, you will value achievement much more than the normal person. God is seen as the creator of the universe, which must be the ultimate achievement, so that will appeal to you. 'If you are a penitent person, then in the wrath of god in the bible will have value to you. But if you are the opposite personality type – a peacekeeper – you will be turned off by a wrathful god. 'They instead have the God of turning the other cheek. 'Religion comes in opposites to be attractive to different personalities of the population.' Differences in individual desires can also help to explain why certain people will embrace one particular religion over another. The tradition of unity within the Catholic Church and the idea of its followers being part of a 'flock', for example, is a major draw for those who have a strong desire for family, says Professor Reiss. In some cases it can also help determine whether someone believes in a religion at all. Professor Reiss claims that certain practices like Holy Communion in the Catholic faith may be part of an unwitting attempt to fulfill basic human desires
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#4. To: cranky (#0)
Curiosity Acceptance Family Honour Idealism Independence Order Physical activity Power Romance Saving Social contact Status Tranquility Eating Vengeance I am of the school of thought where someone puts forth such lists they must be complete and accurate. This one is incomplete. The author does not explain people who die for their faith. Unless he categorizes such under "social contact."
You forgot everlasting life in Paradise where everything is perfect every day. That one is a biggie.
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Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestTHE 16 DESIRES THAT MAKES RELIGION APPEAL TO MAN
#18. To: redleghunter (#4)
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