Noted author discusses religion's impact on society

Students and Bloomington residents poured into Rawles Hall on a rainy Thursday evening, filling every seat as more than 30 audience members resorted to standing in the back or sitting in the aisles to hear noted author and philosopher Daniel C. Dennett speak on "Religion as a Natural Phenomenon." His lecture examined the Darwinian perspective on religion, the immense impact religion currently holds in society, and the possibilities of how it will shape our future.\nDennett gave his second speech of the week at IU as part of the prestigious Patten Foundation's series of lectures. His most recent book, "Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" is a self-described "scientific, rational examination of religion that will lead us to understand what purpose religion serves in our culture." \nDennett laid out five possibilities on what religion will evolve into. His ideas ranged from religion sweeping the planet, religion being in the death throes and even the judgment day scenario.\n"Our lives depend so much on religion and what it will become," he said.\nBy comparing animals to humans, Dennett showed the humanism required for religion.\n"Are there any grandparents in the crowd?" Dennett asked. After a dozen hands went up, he asked, "How many of you judge your worth on whether you have more grandchildren than your contemporaries?"\nThe audience laughed, but Dennett insisted it is a uniquely human trait to have a higher goal of living to dedicate one's life to God, instead of merely propagating the species.\nDennett used an extended metaphor throughout his speech of Darwinian views on evolution to explain the staying power of religion.\n"If the survival of the fittest has any validity as a slogan, then the Bible is truly the fittest of texts," he said. "It has been copied the most times and survived the longest."\nThe crowd received Dennett warmly and attentively, even if some members' views did not reflect his.\n"The way he interweaves religion and science could almost be considered blasphemy," said senior Kari Stevenson. "But he remained respectful." \nA picture on his Powerpoint of a church sign that read "Good without God becomes 0" prompted Dennett to claim there is good outside of religion. \n"To say you can't be good without God is simply not true," he said.\nHe ended his speech by requesting that one policy from his book be implemented. He asked that whether public, private or home-schooled, students should be taught about the history, creed, rituals, ethics, commandments and prohibitions of all world religions. \n"It was a bit ambitious to approach religion as a whole," said graduate student Steve Harris. "But I think his idea of more education on religion was well-taken"