Why are we programmed so badly?

[mrgoodstuff]

Imagine what kind of answer you'd get to that question if you're wife was a porn star whose work involved being slapped and spat at in the face.

Probably a pissed beta

 

[aleste82]

why are we so badly programmed

You don't understand, you are very well programmed. You are supposed to be weeded out. Alphas don't exhibit any of your symptoms.
In nature, more than 50% of males don't reproduce. Let that sink in.

 

[Lynx nkaf]

 

[AttackFormation]

The reason why we continue to study Greek mythology is that Western values and philosophy have their roots in ancient Greek religion, so much so that Roman's adopted this mythology which formed the basis of dominant governments (representative democracy) that exist in the West. As Roman culture changed with expanding of the empire, the attempted integration of other cultures into their government and culture the Empire, Germanic migration as well as scientific and technical development. This is why Christianity became the dominate faith... it was consistent with an emerging multi-cultural. Emperor Constantine recognized that Roman religious practices, no longer mirrored the culture, and decided that Christianity would provide a means for unity.... but before he did this, he had to come up with a common framework which was achieved at the Counsel of Nicea. Prior to that, Christianity was composed of literally hundreds of sects and beliefs. Much has been mentioned about Constantine, and that he was a Christian convert.... the simple truth is that there is ZERO historical evidence that Constantine was a Christian, he was a pagan emperor. The father of modern Christianity was a pagan, the books of the Bible were personally selected by the bishops he hand picked at Nicea, and these bishops were threatened with death if they did not come up with a common framework. These books of the Christian Bible are still used today.

Christianity made sense because the emerging culture demanded change, and Christianity has changed a great deal over the last 1500 years, and one of the reasons why it continues to survive is Christianity's willingness to adopt to culture. Many of the Christian traditions, Eager Eggs, Christmas Trees, etc.... have their roots in paganism. It was much easier to covert people when you integrate cultural traditions into the new faith. We replace the multitudes of gods, with saints that people can pray too. Vikings would not longer pray to Thor, but rather St. Michael. Viking women, instead of praying to Gefion, would now just pray to St. Anne. Christianities strength is flexibility and forgiveness of sins, anyone can become a Christian by just asking. Islam is the same... all you have to do is submit. Then going forward, follow the rules.

I haven't done any in depth research on what enabled early Christianity to spread, but from what I remember, the Roman Empire was already largely christian by the time of Constantine. If he did anything, it was to formalise and give official sanction to what was already taking place. I also recall that the Council of Nicea did not immediately result in a christian unity. Irenaeus did gather together an array of texts that he recommended be turned into what is now the New Testament, denouncing everything else as heretical... but as I'm sure you know, it was anything but a smooth sailing from there.

About why Christianity in particular became the dominant religion across Europe I don't dare to speculate in too much without more reading, but I would be wary of any too simplistic perspective. And while your account is part of the story, it is as I'm sure you would know and agree, certainly not the whole story. I think a fundamental reason why it spread is that it was within the christian doctrine to spread the religion in the first place, same thing with Islam. This combines with your account of syncretism, which helped that evangelical/missionary doctrine to actually succeed. And then you have to look at the personal micro reasons why individuals took to Christianity, besides the macro forces like syncretism and evangelism.

I have an interest in likening modern "secular" ideology to religion. Communism could be said to be strongly teleological in its deterministic historical materialism, but is less relevant to us today as it thankfully imploded.

Within Capitalism, which "won"... you have The Market as the mystical deity that needs to be appeased with the right political offerings of economic practice (everything from mandates of workweek length to fights about energy policy and between deficit owls vs deficit hawks), economists as the innard scryers to interpret the appeasement of The Market, Jobs to subsist on which are graciously created and bestowed onto the populace as rain from a rain god if they are faithful to The Market, but which they must compete against each other for to receive much like pagans might compete for the favor of their gods, Wealth as both a sign and result of holy virtue (Hard Work) and salvation and the lack of it as the sign and result of holy vice (envy, laziness, stupidity) and damnation...

... And along the last line those who manage to accumulate wealth (stocks and the corporate voting rights they bring, bonds, real estate, patents) are looked up to as hagiographic Saints of The Market who should be emulated, while those who criticize the Holy Creed (the economic system) and point out flaws in the Gospel of Hard Work (barriers to entry, barriers to exit, anti-competitive practices, information asymmetry, externalities, usury-based economy, natural monopolies, the network effect and platform monopoly) are either tolerated to different degrees as particular denominations (Overton Window) or (if you're a left-libertarian sympathiser like me for example) denounced as satanic heretics who seek to misguide the people away from Salvation.