The Pew Research Center's recent survey reveals that beliefs in life after death and spiritual forces are prevalent worldwide, countering Freud's expectation that religion would diminish with rational thought. Freud misunderstood the enduring nature of spirituality, which has persisted amid societal changes. The survey shows that shared religious sensibilities, such as beliefs about spiritual forces and the afterlife, are historically and culturally ingrained. These existential themes, such as suffering and ecstasy, are constants in human experience, underscoring the necessity of religious expression across time and cultures.
Sigmund Freud mistakenly believed that human civilization would mature and outgrow childlike thinking in religion, but the Pew survey shows that spirituality remains deeply embedded in society.
Pew's report indicates that while human notions of spirituality may evolve, the fundamental existential realities that inspire religion—such as death and suffering—remain unchanged.
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