Could Scientists Design the Perfect Religion?

Could we use science to create the perfect religion for everyone? Hypothetically, yes, but should we?

To explore these questions, we need to understand a bit about the evolution of religion. Did humans evolve to me religious? Is religion a set of memes? Here, I acknowledge Emile Durkheim's Adaptationism championed by Jonathan Haidt in many works including The Righteous Mind, while also acknowledging the issue of religious harm raised by many atheists. Could we eliminate that harm but keep other aspects of religion around? Religiously unaffiliated people, or "nones," are increasing in number, and many are seeking out new religious ideas. If there's any time to explore all of these questions, it's now.

For a primer on hypotheses surrounding the evolution of religion, Check out my last video:
Is Religion a Flawed Play Style for Humans? (feat. TierZoo)

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Thanks to Jeremy Levi for editing

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This video contains 100% therapeutic grade skepticism.*

*This statement has not been evaluated by the FDA

[GeneticallyModifiedSkeptic]

So if the perfect religion existed, what would it be called? What would be its core principles? Would you practice it?

[evanbalser]

If you write scripture for a new religion in the 21st century make sure to lock the editing on your google doc so that heretics don’t corrupt it

[jursamaj]

"Knowledge is knowing that Frankenstein is not the monster. Wisdom is knowing that Frankenstein is the monster."

[Tohob]

Instructions unclear, reverted to direct sun-worship.

[HolyKoolaid]

I still can't believe you left the church.

[cleanerben]

PRAISE ATOM!
Atom, in his shining divinity shall enlighten all of us! Atom is the very matter out bodies, our world is made of! The glory of division shall be bestowed upon us all in time, and only the true believers shall be blessed with his gifts in the time following the Great Divide! A paradise created on the earth for Atom's children! Rejoice, embrace the glow!

[corwin]

It’s always been interesting to me that astrology, palm reading, etc is labeled as “new age” when it predates most current religious practice

[hermitcard]

"Facts don't care about feelings."
...
"Faith doesn't care about facts."

[BlackPearl]

Hi! Love your videos, they make me reflect not only about religion but about myself

[Excultbaby]

Lmfao not having a haircut for a while seems to have paid off in the form of looking like a mad scientist 💀

[MegaChickenfish]

5:10 I mean there's some truth in it. My christian family and church *carved out that hole* out of my self-worth, and stuffed god in there so my self-worth would be tied to being a part of the church.

[brenton]

Religion is just mythology that doesnt know it yet.

[SerKnightGuy]

Sorry, Drew, but the Pastafarians already did this.

[OdinOfficialEmcee]

Good video and an interesting concept. However, like with the intro skit I feel that the problem with religion is the act of being religiously attachted to ideas. When you give a person or group of people, a book, or selection of thoughts and moral instructions as being divinely inspired by an omniscient and omnipotent God/ Gods then those ideas become infallible - untestable and irrefutable in the eyes of believers. The only religion I would support is one without moral instruction, without a God, and without thoughts, people, or texts being divinely inspired. However, these are the defining characteristics of religion. Therefore, no religion and religious-like practice or writing can ever be good for people and without being rife for abuse and manipulation.

[ElCampeador]

The only religion I adhere to, is Thighdeology. Blessed are those that gaze upon the sacred thighs.

[portlyoldman]

Religion? I’ve read about that in history books from the dark ages...

[pastelcataclysm]

i mean, there are existing atheist “religions” and religious/spiritual practices, and they do have their own issues. laveyan satanism has questionable morals/ethics and was founded by an even more questionable atheist. atheopaganism is a very tiny group and its founder talks about difficulty moderating the facebook group of only a couple thousand members.

i think spirituality from an atheist-skeptic lense can be helpful on an individual level. but, organized religion just tends to always be a breeding ground for the exact issues it’s against.

[threethrushes]

Our Father who art in ice,
Gretzky be thy name.
Thy goal will come,
Thy face-off be won,
In the defensive zone,
As it is in the offensive zone.
Give us this assist,
Our daily point,
And lead us not into the penalty box,
And forgive us our high-sticks,
As we forgive those who elbow against us.
For thine is the slapshot,
The wrister, and the snapper.
For ever, and ever, NHL.

[Zekrom]

Pro tip: if you want to see religious beliefs based on scientific evidence on action, try visiting an agile/lean developer team...You would find dogmatic views pretty much anywhere which some of them can be justified by the scientific methods, while others are overhyped "features" of that methodology...This was made for handling small projects which lacked well defined requirements while nowadays it is used pretty much everywhere...I guess in a similar fashion a religion based on scientific evidence might introduce unproductive dogmatisms down the road...And even with failsafes still this can lead to some kind of "undefined behavior" that will lead some preachers exploiting it like a black hat hacker to capitalize on the fears of the followers...

[zamoradecesare]

Amazing video once again. The quality of your videos is astounding and the ideas you present are beautifully organized and intriguing at the same time. I rarely comment but you deserve all the praise I can give.