Answering the cosmic questions is not the reason for the origin of religion, if you embrace Darwinian evolution
Asking what happens to us after we die and our purpose in life is a secondary function of religion, not its original purpose.
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A common explanation for the origin and purpose of religion is that it provides answers to people’s questions and concerns. What is our purpose in life? Why do we die, and what happens to us after we do? How was fire stolen from the gods and given to humans? I call this answering the existential mysteries function of religion.
On the Hidden Brain podcast, Professor of Psychology Eranda Jayawickreme at Wake Forest University said,
The fundamental role of religion is to help us understand why there is suffering and trauma in the world. Why do the people that we love get sick and leave us at some point? Why do we suffer unavoidable pain and undeserved suffering? These are fundamental questions that we can’t answer rationally.
And why not? Religion certainly provides answers for people who adhere to their religious doctrines. Religious mythologies serve to reduce anxieties and discomfort because of life’s unpredictabilities. The myths and religious dogma try to explain why random bad things happen and provide mechanisms for ameliorating finicky, persnickity gods, so they won’t be angry and punish people.
In his article, I think about religion a lot, Van Talmage says,
Religions and their explanations originated long before scientific knowledge and understanding came about. Religion most likely got started when very early hominoids made gods the answer for things unknown[…]Gods, as explanations, made sense and helped individuals understand their world. Comfort and solace helped with dying and living. From…
