Religion is a product of evolution, software suggests – life – 27 May 2008 – New Scientist

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13983

God may work in mysterious ways, but a simple computer program may explain how religion evolved

By distilling religious belief into a genetic predisposition to pass along unverifiable information, the program predicts that religion will flourish. However, religion only takes hold if non-believers help believers out – perhaps because they are impressed by their devotion.