"C J Campbell" wrote in message
...
Again, why? And please understand, I am not some wild-eyed creationist; I
accept evolution as scientific fact. However, I fail to see a strong
selective advantage in a sack of chemicals wanting to be happy.

Really? Basic happiness comes about from several instinctual urges:
procreation, hunger, and protection from elements. Humans, being the
socially complex animals that they are, have managed to find a host of other
ways to stimulate those pleasure centers, but in many cases, those
activities still benefit the human animal in a positive way.

Furthermore, there is a very real health advantage to happiness. A feeling
of happiness is correlated with low stress, while conversely a person who is
not happy has increased stress. Higher stress levels cause problems with
one's immune system (stress stimulates the adrenal glands, which causes the
hormone cortisone to be produced, suppressing the immune system), and
general ability to cope with life (interferes with mental processes,
including problem solving and decision making, for example).

But regardless, none of this is even required to show that you don't require
religion to justify happiness. A simple global desire to be happy is
sufficient (if you have no such desire to be happy, you may have a hard time
comprehending this, but it sure would explain some other things). That's
why large groups of humans get together and agree to try to be happy
together, rather than killing and stealing from each other all the time.

Religion need not come into the issue at any time. Lack of a religious
basis does not necessarily require a biological basis (even though in this
case, there certainly is a biological imperative to try to be happy).

Pete