Least and most religious nations

[Thorne]

Ergo we are to a certian degree "hardwired" to be what we are.

Perhaps that's true, perhaps not. Hard to tell at this point. But even if it were true, what does that mean? After all, men are "hardwired" to be polygamous. People are "hardwired" to kill enemies. There are numerous traits which can be considered to be "hardwired" in our brains, yet we have the ability to overcome them. That's a part of being human, too.

Just because there was once a survival advantage in believing in the supernatural doesn't mean that we must still do so. As humans haven't we advanced to the point where such simplistic explanations for the world around us are no longer necessary? And perhaps no longer advantageous. We no longer can afford to believe that mumbling a few trite phrases will help us to overcome disease and adversity. There are better ways which actually work. Our survival, MY survival right now, is dependent upon those rational methods of curing disease. No gods are going to help me, or you, or anyone else. Doctors and medicine and science just might.

[thir]

Perhaps that's true, perhaps not. Hard to tell at this point. But even if it were true, what does that mean? After all, men are "hardwired" to be polygamous. People are "hardwired" to kill enemies. There are numerous traits which can be considered to be "hardwired" in our brains, yet we have the ability to overcome them. That's a part of being human, too.

There is absolutely no scientific evidence that we have such a hard-wirering.

Nor for listening to the rich, nor that seeking profit at all costs is a human trait we absolutely must obey

Just because there was once a survival advantage in believing in the supernatural doesn't mean that we must still do so.

What advantage was that?

As humans haven't we advanced to the point where such simplistic explanations for the world around us are no longer necessary?

I don't know..this hard-wire thing for one seems pretty simplistic to me. And so do a good many other manipulative, simplistic ideas and slogans.

And perhaps no longer advantageous. We no longer can afford to believe that mumbling a few trite phrases will help us to overcome disease and adversity.

Why not? In so many places that is all people have.

There are better ways which actually work. Our survival, MY survival right now, is dependent upon those rational methods of curing disease. No gods are going to help me, or you, or anyone else. Doctors and medicine and science just might.

For those who can afford it, you mean.
Other methods are used by people who cannnot, and some of them work, even if not a part of Western medicine.

[Thorne]

There is absolutely no scientific evidence that we have such a hard-wirering.

Of course not. We call it reflex (such as "fight or flight"), or instinct, or innate ability. Kinda hard to have hard wiring in a soft and squishy brain.

What advantage was that?

Who knows? Perhaps declaring a place to be the "abode of the gods" was a good way to keep people from walking in places where they could be killed. Maybe it just made people feel good to believe there were powerful beings looking out for them. Why do we consider it bad luck to walk under a ladder? It isn't, really. It could be dangerous, though.

I don't know..this hard-wire thing for one seems pretty simplistic to me. And so do a good many other manipulative, simplistic ideas and slogans.

It IS simplistic. It's a metaphor for autonomic responses in our brains. And those manipulative ideas and slogans try to access those responses and nudge people to move in a particular direction.

Why not? In so many places that is all people have.

Because it has been shown that such things do not really work! We need to make sure people have things which DO work.

For those who can afford it, you mean.

I'm not going to get into the whole poverty issue here.

Other methods are used by people who cannnot, and some of them work, even if not a part of Western medicine.

See my response to denuseri, above, regarding acupuncture.