“Religions may provide a possible response to human beings’ instinctual need to make sense of the random and uncontrollable environment in which they find themselves, and a possible means by which to come to terms with their unavoidable yet inconceivable mortality.
(The exact nature of a religion, whether or not it is exploited for political or financial reasons, or to what extent it can be considered to be truthful, logical, intelligent or moral, may itself be random, uncontrollable and irrelevant.)
As a result, religious people may generally be more optimistic, self-assured and have a greater sense of purpose.
In contrast, non-religious people may generally be more susceptible to come to the conclusion that life has no meaning apart from any meaning they may choose to give it.
Religious people may therefore be more susceptible to want to reproduce both themselves and their beliefs to a larger extent, which could be considered to confer to them an advantage in evolutionary terms, and this may also be one explanation for why certain religions and other forms of spirituality continue to thrive despite the advance of science.”
Any views on this?