Originally Posted by MageB420666

First off, let me just say that I do believe that humans are just another animal, we are not anything special, nor are we more "evolved".

Second, I have to disagree with your statement that religion is JUST socially driven, it is driven by both society and biology. Without a meaning or a reason to live, or the idea that we are part of something "larger", depression and other issues begin to set in. People stop doing what needs to be done for survival and growth because all they can think is "What is the point? I'm just gonna die anyways, and none of this is going to matter me." So the "divine impulse" becomes a helping factor of survival.

With humans being the only species on the planet(as far as I know) that is actually aware that at some point it is going to die, the matter of finding a purpose to life became a biological and social need. Religion came about as a direct result of this need, suddenly instead of us just existing with no purpose or reason to survive in a harsh and painful world, there came the idea that there is a reason for us to be here, we do have a purpose and it is worth the effort to survive.

Of course that is all assuming that we did evolve the "divine impulse" and weren't created by god(s) and/or goddess(es).