I READ with some interest the report (Oxford Mail, December 5) about the last census results concerning religion in Oxford.

I’ve often wondered why only humans, of all animals, have religions and remembered that scientists had claimed the belief in the supernatural was hard wired into the human brain and was, therefore, genetic and had something to do with human survival.

As far as I can work out, religion appeared in fairly recent history and comes with modern man.

It did seem the only way religion could have assisted in our survival was that it helped to keep the members of the various tribes together. The leaders of each tribe claiming they had a god, or gods, superior to those of other tribes.

These leaders could then make laws and state that they were laid down by their gods and threatened that, if they were not followed, there would be punishment from above. This is, of course, a useful form of blackmail that promotes a tendency to protect those of your faith or those nearest to you.

No doubt that, in the past, when populations were fairly static this would have worked but, today, with so many religions and racial groups mixed together across the world, it could be interpreted as a recipe for conflict.

DERRICK HOLT, Fortnam Close, Headington