The Evolution of Religions

Jared Diamond, professor of geography at UCLA, received the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 1998 for Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. In 1999, he received the National Medal of Science. His most recent book is Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (2004).

Prof. Diamond argues that religion has encompassed at least four independent components that have arisen or disappeared at different stages of development of human societies over the last 10,000 years.

Read more about The Center for Religion and Civic Culture at http://crcc.usc.edu/

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[thirdimage]

I like how he explains his observations in an objective manner. He excludes his moral opinions in examining the subject matter and is quick to remind his audience to do the same. He's quite a grounding individual. He takes no sides. He makes no claims of right or wrong. He just points out religions' intentions, and lets us decide for ourselves. He's just real.

[Frankie Mahovolich]

You rode the short bus to school didn't you?

[lochinvar50]

His discussion of religion revolves mostly on Judeo-Christian-Islamic and tribal studies. I wish he could relate also some Hindu, Buddhist and Zoroaster studies.

[StefaniaEletta]

Geography has an indirect influence on religion. It does affect the cultural evolution of people: Different environments mean different needs and problems -> different reactions and solutions to them, and among these solutions we can find religion with its "functions" well defined by professor Diamond in this video. A good reason to not consider religions as "true".

[martingrannholmen]

love his BOOOSTOn accent.knawwhatiamsayin?

[atheist homophobe]

The belief in God is a psychological immune system to reduce stress.

[ericfeinberg28]

There is a little more to the question about geography versus religion than his answer let on. Often gods correspond to different environmental conditions, like the flood gods of Mesopotamia or the sun gods in Egypt and Iran. Gods were initially just explanations for mysterious phenomena like these; only later did they evolve into beings concerned with morality/justice. Read Robert Wright's "Evolution of God."

[moorek1967]

If you create a reality in your mind that is reality to you, indicates you might have a mental illness.

[moorek1967]

Whatever happened to the guy with parasitic testes? Did he die? The story jumped a few rungs.

[bary1234]

Imagine if people like Jared Diamond rund societies. If they were the world leaders. Firstly, the name "Jared Diamond" is awesome. Secondly, humanity would experience astonishing prosperity and peace.

I so hope WolfPAC succeeds, I cant see any other hope for this tiny bue planet.

[Jeebus1199]

The reality that one creates in their own mind IS their reality. If someone believes in religion long enough and vehemently enough, then that religion then becomes a reality for that individual, irregardless of whether others believe in it or not.

[KennyReddwooddforest]

What makes you so sure that your god is not invented by humans?