The Claim "Since We Can't Explain Everything There Must be (a) God" Live On

 


Over the long period I have written this blog interest in religion in general has gone up and then down. Just now it seems like it is ascending. The New York Times, for years, had no little to no discussion of religion. Then it added Ross Doubthat. Then is added David French. Now it has added a newsletter one can subscribe to. According to the link, there is big money now in sites offering paid subscribers the opportunity to chat about feelings toward the unseen and unknown. 

 I'll admit to being a bit presumptuous here, but I think I know why there is such an interest in paid sites that just chat with people about their troubles. It's the same reason most every newspaper still in existence still has a love-lorn, Ann Landers type, column. It's why TV news that show tears of those interviewed are the ones that sell the ads that pay for the news. All of this, plus all religion since the beginning of humans, is because many, maybe most, of us humans carry uncertainty or what we call "melancholy" around in our heads. Humans are drawn to places that deal with this condition.

It fun to speculate about evolution and this unease of the mind. Some have speculated it is a defense against danger. Some animals never seem to really sleep at all. They are ever aware of danger around them. Could it be the humans who survived from hundreds of thousands of years ago where those most nervous about what was going on around them and many of us are still worriers? I'm not a worrier so I would have been eaten by something.    

Worry about danger is not, or course, the main issue people feel the need to talk to others. More falls into the category of unhappiness, purpose and meaning in their lives. I don't claim to know the latter are outgrowths of worry by early humans about danger. 

It is claimed the interest in religion recently comes from the search of escape from the various forms of unease and unhappiness. This is not, however, reflected in greater church attendance nor higher numbers who believe in traditional religions. There are gazillion sources available to "help" with these feelings that do not involve traditional religion. If one is willing to pay membership fees or for any of thousands of counseling sources the old-time religion is not in play. 

The old story you are OK because an ancient imaginary god loved you so much he died for you does not play like it used to.

Comments

  1. AnonymousSeptember 17, 2025 at 4:22 PM

    And if we can’t explain a god, or multiple gods, they must not exist either.

    ReplyDelete

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