To put it more succinctly as Dawkins says, its a misfiring of the same genetic meme that allows young children to not question their parents.

Having children questioning "dont eat that, its poisonous", or "dont touch that, youll burn and die", and carrying out experiments to confirm or deny the "preachings", if you will, would result in a failed species.

*british

Adding video to channels (British) - requested by Zonbie.

So basically religion = superstition and we're programmed to think it, kthnksbai?

Maybe I'm missing the religion gene myself...

Not so much.
Religion is the byproduct of a gene that is supposed to deactivate when you reach an age capable of thinking for yourself. It looks after you as a child, makes you follow what your parents tell you without question, good for survival etc.

But its broke, and doesn't always turn off apparently.

*promote

Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Monday, August 4th, 2008 5:35pm PDT - promote requested by gwiz665.