Origin of Religions

About this Project:

As one might guess from the title, this project aims to explain the origin and diversity of religion just as Darwin’s Origin of Species explained the origin and diversity of life. In short, your religion evolved from a primordial soup of primitive superstitions.

This project is meant to be an accessible explanation of the evolution of religion. Part of understanding the evolution of religion involves understanding evolution as it applies to biology – and a few other things. There truly is an underlying “connectedness” of all things. That connectedness can be understood without any mysticism – the answers to all the important questions may be easily understood using the languages of mathematics, physics and other sciences. There may be some surprising conclusions along the way. As you read the draft chapters, please keep in mind that this is a work in progress. There remains a tremendous amount of work to be done.

Chapters – Draft Form:

• Dedication
• Introduction
• What is a cat?
• What are we?
• What is human conciousness?
• What is a dog?
• Other replicators
• Evolution in review
• When natural selection breaks
• What is religion?
• Religion as final architect of humankind
• A few words on creationism
• When genes and memes collide
• Civilizations we'll never know
• Planet Earth as a bologna sandwich
• Should mankind continue?

Religion: the final architect of humanity

• A presentation in three parts transformed from a slide show format to YouTube video. Total run time is about thirty-six minutes. It considers religion as a thought contagion co-evolving with the gene pool of humanity. This will certainly be offensive to creationists – if I can figure out a publicity angle to get it “under their noses.”

The Pope Made You Gay: How Religion Causes Homosexuality

• Origin of Homosexuality

George W. Bush: closet atheist

• Yes, I am applying logic and rational analysis to the utterly irrational, which is as shoveling sand against the tide, but I am compelled to try to “out” George W. Bush as the closet atheist which he is.

Why Ask Why?

• A question was posed to one of the speakers at the American Atheists 2009 National Convention. The speaker really didn't have an answer, but I did! We'll have to cut the speaker some slack though. My answer runs on for over 3500 words – and would not have fit in the time allotted for questions and answers at the convention. Read this essay to learn why the reason for the question is sometimes more important than the answer.

The irony of the proof for Intelligent Design Theory

• “Intelligent Design Theory” does have a legitimate application – read this essay to learn what that application is.

• A supporter of “creation science” emailed me a supposed rebuttal of the essay entitled “The irony of the proof for Intelligent Design Theory.” I could have just deleted it, but decided to post this response instead. Perhaps it will shed some light on the thought contagions of “creationism” and thereby help inoculate someone against this particular thought contagion.

• Later I may update the original essay to preclude some of the criticisms imagined by the supporter of creation science.

Codependent Irrationalities

• An essay which explores the relationship between religion and greed.

Evolution of Ideas: Papers from English class

• Origin of Religions
• Origins Revisited

$5000 Prize for Evidence Disproving Evolution

• Governing rules and particulars here.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Questions and Answers here.

If you would like to help, then contact via the address below. Things which would be useful include illustrations as well as publicizing the website and website content for starters. See my wishlist for details.

You may send comments/suggestions and hate mail to: