>>9416
From an atheist perspective, I imagine religion evolved somewhat like this:
Goofus: Hey Gallant, I just got some shellfish, you want some?
Gallant: No, and don't eat those, they could kill you.
Goofus: Naw, my cousin ate some last week and he's fine.
Gallant: Yeah, but remember Steve and Fred? They're both dead now, and they had recently eaten shellfish before they died, so it's really not a good idea.
Goofus: Whatever, I'm going to eat them
Gallant: Look Goofus, I didn't want to tell you this, but there's an invisible man in the clouds, and he's going to be really pissed if you eat them, and he'll set you on fire.
Goofus: Okay, guess I better not.
Steven Pinker has a somewhat similar view, that we should look at the evolution of the priest and the congregation somewhat separately (though I don't think that all priests necessarily disbelieve what they're saying, in fact I imagine it was adaptive for them to believe it too after a while)
But the problem is that I don't think the taboos are so arbitrary, and I think that critical thinking can only get people so far. What person who's gone through puberty would come up with the idea that they should remain a virgin until marriage? And yet studies are showing that it leads to more stable relationships, and long-term happiness. Secular schools give out condoms and lube (the lube was flavored, and not to be used vaginally as it could cause a yeast infection). As time has gone on, I find myself seeing more and more things that in my youth seemed to be stupid taboos turning out to be intelligent ideas.
It's funny you mention Plato, he has been and continues to be a very large influence on me. It's one of the reasons I started looking back into Christianity, I had read about how heavily Plato and AriPost too long. Click here to view the full text.