--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Traditional religious beliefs have been…" description: "\"“Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so much by humiliating disproofs of their mythologies as by the growing awareness that beliefs are..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg" --- # Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so… ![“Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so much by humiliating disproofs of their mythologies as by the growing awareness that beliefs are really enabling mechanisms for survival. Religions,” quote by Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg) > ““Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so much by humiliating disproofs of their mythologies as by the growing awareness that beliefs are really enabling mechanisms for survival. Religions,”” [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Religion persists because it offers adaptive social functions, not merely because its myths are proven true or false. **In simple terms:** Beliefs help societies survive, regardless of factual accuracy. Key Takeaway Religion as an evolutionary survival tool. Themes Religion Evolution Social cohesion Belief systems Mood Analytical Reflective Type Philosophical Sociological When to use this quote - Community building - Moral frameworks - Crisis coping Key Concepts Adaptive function of rituals Cultural transmission Practical Applications - Design inclusive social policies - Study religious impact on health Questions to Reflect On - How do survival benefits shape religious practices? - Can secular institutions replicate these benefits? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on utility may ignore personal spiritual experiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religious beliefs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-beliefs/) ## Related quotes > [Much of the left-liberal elite despise traditional religious beliefs ... in general, they are profoundly uncomfortable with religious institutions and the traditional values they embody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bennett/much-of-the-left-liberal-elite-despise-traditional-religious-beliefs/) [William Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bennett/) > [“ He rejected traditional religious beliefs (Jewish, Christian, and Islamic) not on the basis of any reasoned argument, nor even with an expression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-j-moore/he-rejected-traditional-religious-beliefs-jewish-christian-and/) Walter J. Moore > [The traditional religious right's failure to restore public-school prayer or pass an antiabortion constitutional amendment has likely helped fuel the spread of the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/the-traditional-religious-right-s-failure-to-restore-public-school/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [Of course, there is no reconciliation between the theory of evolution by natural selection and the traditional religious view of the origin of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/of-course-there-is-no-reconciliation-between-the-theory-of-evolution/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [It's very hard to grow up in a traditional religious family and not fit the norm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snow-tha-product/it-s-very-hard-to-grow-up-in-a-traditional-religious-family-and-not/) [Snow Tha Product](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snow-tha-product/) > [I believe that traditional religious belief and scientific knowledge depict the universe in radically different ways. At the bedrock they are incompatible and mutually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/i-believe-that-traditional-religious-belief-and-scientific-knowledge/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [My beliefs really haven't changed since I was in government. If anything, it gave me appreciation for how challenging it is for the government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-beckstrom/my-beliefs-really-haven-t-changed-since-i-was-in-government-if/) [Rod Beckstrom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-beckstrom/) > [I hope you'll have the kind of life where what you stand for is so important that it makes some people outright hostile. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-bauer/i-hope-you-ll-have-the-kind-of-life-where-what-you-stand-for-is-so/) [Joan Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-bauer/) > [Our beliefs are really rules for action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-james/our-beliefs-are-really-rules-for-action/) [William James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-james/) > [We don't just respond to things as we see them, or feel them, or hear them. Rather, our response is conditioned on our beliefs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/we-don-t-just-respond-to-things-as-we-see-them-or-feel-them-or-hear/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [People are still people, and they make their decisions based on their life experiences and their beliefs. You really can't divorce the two. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-walker/people-are-still-people-and-they-make-their-decisions-based-on-their/) [Benjamin Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-walker/) > [“The vast majority of our beliefs are really beliefs once removed. Our faith that we are right is faith that someone else is right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-schulz/the-vast-majority-of-our-beliefs-are-really-beliefs-once-removed-our/) [Kathryn Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-schulz/) > [I want to convince you that humans are, to some extent, natural born essentialists. What I mean by this is we don't just respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-want-to-convince-you-that-humans-are-to-some-extent-natural-born/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [“God forces us to quantify our religious tenants by measuring them against the family problems they solve. If your religious beliefs aren't solving family…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ben-zehabe/god-forces-us-to-quantify-our-religious-tenants-by-measuring-them/) [Michael Ben Zehabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ben-zehabe/) > [“valuable lesson from the experience: people with entrenched religious beliefs will always sidestep reason and fall back on toeing the party line, people from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-winters/valuable-lesson-from-the-experience-people-with-entrenched-religious/) Joseph winters ## More by Edward O. Wilson > [“Nature is the birthright of everyone on Earth. The millions of species we have allowed to survive are our phylogenetic kin. Their long-term history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/nature-is-the-birthright-of-everyone-on-earth-the-millions-of-species/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [ “\[E\]very major religion today is a winner in the Darwinian struggle waged among cultures, and none ever flourished by tolerating its rivals.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/e-very-major-religion-today-is-a-winner-in-the-darwinian-struggle/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Overall, it seems now possible to draw a reasonably good explanation of why the human condition is a singularity, why the likes of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/overall-it-seems-now-possible-to-draw-a-reasonably-good-explanation/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“let’s also promote the humanities, that which makes us human, and not use science to mess around with the wellspring of this, the absolute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/let-s-also-promote-the-humanities-that-which-makes-us-human-and-not/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Moreover, we look in vain to philosophy for the answer to the great riddle. Despite its noble purpose and history, pure philosophy long ago…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/moreover-we-look-in-vain-to-philosophy-for-the-answer-to-the-great/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Annie Dillard was a pioneer in her Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 1974. Among other notable examples are David…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/annie-dillard-was-a-pioneer-in-her-pilgrim-at-tinker-creek-which-won/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“The creation myth is a Darwinian device for survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/the-creation-myth-is-a-darwinian-device-for-survival/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Human beings and their social orders are intrinsically imperfectible and fortunately so. In a constantly changing world, we need the flexibility that only imperfection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/human-beings-and-their-social-orders-are-intrinsically-imperfectible/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Another principle that I believe can be justified by scientific evidence so far is that nobody is going to emigrate from this planet not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/another-principle-that-i-believe-can-be-justified-by-scientific/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“To explore and affiliate with life is a deep and complicated process in mental development. To an extent still undervalued in philosophy and religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/to-explore-and-affiliate-with-life-is-a-deep-and-complicated-process/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Social intelligence was therefore always at a high premium. A sharp sense of empathy can make a huge difference, and with it in an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/social-intelligence-was-therefore-always-at-a-high-premium-a-sharp/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Somewhere close I knew spear-nosed bats flew through the tree crowns in search of fruit, palm vipers coiled in ambush in the roots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/somewhere-close-i-knew-spear-nosed-bats-flew-through-the-tree-crowns/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Meat yields higher energy per gram eaten than does vegetation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/meat-yields-higher-energy-per-gram-eaten-than-does-vegetation/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“Dawkins is an eloquent science journalist. What else is he? I mean journalism is a high and influential profession. But he’s not a scientist,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/dawkins-is-an-eloquent-science-journalist-what-else-is-he-i-mean/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) > [“HISTORY IS A bath of blood,” wrote William James,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/history-is-a-bath-of-blood-wrote-william-james/) [Edward O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) [Explore all 56 Edward O. Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so much by humiliating disproofs of their mythologies as by the growing awareness that beliefs are really enabling mechanisms for survival. Religions,”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward O. Wilson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been-eroded-not-so-much-by/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faith" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been-eroded-not-so-much-by/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14e/edward-o-wilson-12084_faith_traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been_118102.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded, not so much by humiliating disproofs of their mythologies as…” — Edward O. Wilson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Edward O. Wilson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-o-wilson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Traditional religious beliefs have been eroded,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been-eroded-not-so-much-by/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-o-wilson/traditional-religious-beliefs-have-been-eroded-not-so-much-by/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```