The Evolution of Religion

      Each religion, if you think about it, is like its own organism. Each has a body of followers, a head to lead, and a spine, its core beliefs which branch off to nerves to supply and supplement the body. Even St. Paul of Christianity described the Church as a body. If each religion is its own body than each religion is subject to evolution. Religion as a whole is subject to evolution.

      As we humans evolved, so did our religions. We created religion in order to understand the world around us. They started as simple tribal beliefs, but they grew more complex as we grew more complex. As our understanding fluctuated so did our religions.  Generally though, especially in the last several hundred years, our understanding of the world, and universe, has only increased. This has been detrimental to religion as a whole.

      Most religions have evolved over time in order to continue to exist. After all, one of the basic rules of evolution is survival of the fittest. Religions are not immune to this. Science is the catalyst of this evolution. Religions are constantly competing to survive, to agree with science. That's why they continue to look for gaps and holes in science. They fill those with God. As science advances and closes those gaps, religions will no longer be able to use God as an excuse and will have no facts or proof behind them, not that they really do today, but it eventually it will become clear to all. This closing of gaps began hundreds of years ago.

      As time went on the weaker religions died out. The tribal religions, the ones with weather gods, then the great mythological gods and religions. This went on until nearly all the ancient religions were gone. Science killed them. Quite frankly, they deserved to go. Facts were against them and they could no longer live. The next weaker religions were the polytheistic. Except for Hinduism, all of these have died as well.

      The last religions to stand up to science (but no longer do) are the big four. Judaism, Islam, and of course Christianity. Hinduism too, but I'm honestly surprised it has survived so long. Buddhism is still strong, but I'll get to that later.

      The reason the first three still exist is because they fight so hard to exist against science. Monotheism is a strong concept. One God who is not connected to any tangible things like the sun or moon is a hard God to disprove (but he can be). They exist because they cling to gaps and holes, and sometimes even to ones they make up. Another reason they're still around is because their followers just haven't been exposed to or opened their minds to the facts.

       As our understanding of quantum physics, the universe, and human psychology and behavior advance so too will the demise of religion. Fact will triumph, science will win, and evolution will kick out religion. But as I said before, there's still Buddhism.

      Buddhism has the ability to remain strong because they do not cling to a god. It is a religion of spiritual advancement and peace. It doesn't focus on the worship of a god. It focuses on humanity. I myself am not a Buddhist, nor do I ever plan to be one, but I believe they are the strongest of the remaining religions and have the ability to continue. It doesn't depend on gaps in science. It is for the advancement of humanity.

      Now there will always be small tribal religions, but only because those people are isolated. They do not have access to our scientific knowledge, and only have a few hundred followers.

      My personal definition of religion is a sect that indoctrinates people into ancient beliefs that either already have or will be, disproven by science. People need to look to facts and science. Only then can they break the chains of indoctrination. Only then can they be enlightened and independent. Then it will not just be evolution of religion. Then it will become a part of human evolution.
[For further reading check out "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins, it deals more with the existence of God than religion]