Quote:
Originally posted by sacX
the way i like to think about religion is the idea of the 'meme'.
A meme is basically an idea that is transmitted through society and subject to the pressures of natural selection.. Those ideas that are able to adapt, propagate, crush competing memes will do well
Religion is an example of a meme, it is able to propagate (e.g. lets go convert the natives) or we'll pass the idea on to our offspring.. It is also able to adapt, for example in catholicism Hell used to be all fire and brimstone, but now it's more 'an apartnet from God'. It is also able to crush competing memes, lets burn the witches or kill the infidels etc..
Most memes have a life span, i think traditional religion is probably nearing it's end in the Western world.. time will tell though.
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I believe in the meme, too. Of course, I usually put the word "screaming" before it, but it sounds like it's basically the same thing.