The Mutant Says in His Heart, “There Is No God”

[Chris]

I am left-hnded.

The Mutant Says in His Heart, “There Is No God”: the Rejection of Collective Religiosity Centred Around the Worship of Moral Gods Is Associated with High Mutational Load

Dutton, E., Madison, G. & Dunkel, C. Evolutionary Psychological Science (2018) 4: 233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-017-0133-5

Abstract

Industrialisation leads to relaxed selection and thus the accumulation of fitness-damaging genetic mutations. We argue that religion is a selected trait that would be highly sensitive to mutational load. We further argue that a specific form of religiousness was selected for in complex societies up until industrialisation based around the collective worship of moral gods. With the relaxation of selection, we predict the degeneration of this form of religion and diverse deviations from it. These deviations, however, would correlate with the same indicators because they would all be underpinned by mutational load. We test this hypothesis using two very different deviations: atheism and paranormal belief. We examine associations between these deviations and four indicators of mutational load: (1) poor general health, (2) autism, (3) fluctuating asymmetry, and (4) left-handedness. A systematic literature review combined with primary research on handedness demonstrates that atheism and/or paranormal belief is associated with all of these indicators of high mutational load.

[nathanbforrest45]

The original meaning of sinister was "left handed". They may have been on to something.

[mamooth]

If I was going to try to correlate religious belief or atheism with mutations, I'd ask people about their beliefs, ask for DNA samples, and count the mutations. The authors of that paper went for vague fuzzy data instead of clear direct data, an indication of pseudoscience.

Also, check these links. To summarize:
1. Atheists are not less healthy.
2. Left-handedness is not an indicator of mutations.
3. Atheists do not have a higher rate of asymmetrical body parts.
4. There is a slight correlation between autism and atheism, but that does not indicate mutations, in the same way that a slight correlation between schizophrenia and high religious belief does not indicate mutations.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...ts-are-mutants

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...eist-advantage

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/b...-hand-daftness

[MisterVeritis]

Smart people also say there are no gods. The reason is simple. There are no gods.

[Peter1469]

Smart people also say there are no gods. The reason is simple. There are no gods.

Everyone can be wrong at time, regardless of intelligence and education.

[Chris]

Individualism started off as an outworldly relationship between the individual and God. It's ended up, for the enlightened left or right, an inworldly relation between the individual and nothing but the State. Echoing Louis Dumont.

[Mister D]

Individualism started off as an outworldly relationship between the individual and God. It's ended up, for the enlightened left or right, an inworldly relation between the individual and nothing but the State. Echoing Louis Dumont.

Marcel Gauchet explores this theme in greater detail but only in its religious and cultural dimensions. He does say much about its political consequences.

[Chris]

Marcel Gauchet explores this theme in greater detail but only in its religious and cultural dimensions. He does say much about its political consequences.

I've found Disenchantment difficullt to read, too abstract. Dumont is a delight.

[Mister D]

I've found Disenchantment difficullt to read, too abstract. Dumont is a delight.

I did too but I persevered. Some of his insights were very valuable. For example, he articulated some of the nuances of Greek religion and science. That cleared some things up for me. His commentary on the state in early history was also fascinating.

[jet57]

I did too but I persevered. Some of his insights were very valuable. For example, he articulated some of the nuances of Greek religion and science. That cleared some things up for me. His commentary on the state in early history was also fascinating.

Thrall us with his insights on the subject?