Why do so much people feel the need to "believe" in a fictitional greater being, "a god"?

Question

as an extension to this question, why the need for an "afterlife", is one not enough, is your ego so big that it needs to go on for ever.
Personal observation: the worse the educational system of a country the higher percentage of it's population believes in a god.
Best example is the US. One might draw the conclusion that believing in a god is basically related to ignorance or even worse intellectual lazyness. Religion gives simple answers to complex questions, truth is their last concern, keeping their idea alive whatever it takes takes president over everything else.
Reaction towards disbelievers is ofter very violent, so they must be pretty insecure in their idea's.
Final extra question for the car: will we ever lose this need for a god and how can we speed this proces up. My only hope is better and more education.

Allthough this is not a violent question at all, responses of people who do believe in a god seem to be either condecending or violent.

Answer 1

I think people choose to believe (in a god) because they can't or won't accept that we are just small insignificant creatures living on this planet. The human race is too conceded to put itself in that place. Also most folks are raised to believe the religion of their parents and it's hard to go against the grain and question a subject that most hold very dear to themselves. I don't mind those who have religion in their lives, just keep it out of mine!

Answer 2

1:The belief in God is not the result of a feeling to believe.
2:Why do you have so much 'faith' in this life, since you don't believe in an afterlife? If there is "no more" then there are no consequences for your self or others. I'll let you figure out where this thinking leads.
3. It is intellectually lazy for you to conclude that Believing in God = Ignorance. Talk about an ego and ignorant !!! Have you ever heard of men like George Washington, Lincoln, Madison, I could go on and on? Some of the greatest men this world has even known. Yet you would set your self up wiser, more enlightened than they, dismissing them.
4: People who truely believe in God have always been the most tolerant people in the world. Have you ever hear or the USSR? How tolerant where they?
5: What violence are you talking about?
6: You do not want education you want indoctrination,. Education will always lead men and woman closer to God. The glory of god is intelligence.

Answer 3

The problem with the world today is that so many are choosing to ignore the need for GOD.I believe in him and an afterlife because without the hopes of something better,the state of humanity and the world as I know it isn't worth the living.I believe that there is something better and that this physical life is just a test.I see more wrong with the world,than right.There are too many problematic people that are causing more harm than good to mankind that to think that it will never be better is horrifying.To those of you that are lovers of the world and the state that it is in........I fell great sympathy for you.For I know what it is like to lose all hope,and to think that you can save the world,only to find that you can't.I change what I can(which is myself only) and leave the rest to MY GOD!!! Because he can do all things.Maybe if we get back to religion there would be more people who can atleast pray for all of you who have lost hope and think that you are omnipotent,omnicient,and somewhat omnipresent.The world is going to hell in a hand basket and it saddens me deeply that so many are willingly going along with it.I know that these things have to take place and I will endure whatever I have to so that one day I will meet my maker,and live forever,in a more peaceful,crimefree,drugfree, place.A place free of abomination.I will add you to my prayer list.

Answer 4

I only agree with one thing you said witch is pretty much...people are lead to believe what they are lead to believe and dont even look for what the real truth can be! They just look at the world through a vail and except it.
It is not good to say that there is no GOD!
I can not believe that universe started from something that has name and is described as having feelings this is wrong GOD is not love God is not all the things that people says he is to make a long story short god made the human race...maybe? There is a high probabilty....think of it this way.
If you have an infinte amount of dice that have just six numbers whitch= the six main factors of life what are the chances of them rolling all 6 of them next to each other in sequence to make those 6 factors happen the thing is there are more then six factors that just happened to make LIFE(think about it)...there is more to this threoy
later!

Answer 5

Wow, maybe people just don't want to think about their life ending so they like to think it extends beyone death. As far as the beliving in a God I think you answered your own question, ignorence. The fact that people really believe there is a greater being out there that created the world is just silly.

Better education would be great for more than just the belivig in God reason. Better education is a great answer to almost everything, and I think that starts with putting more money towards education which would result in higher pay for teacher and attracting better teachers.

Just a thought.

Answer 6

although religion is not a bad thing it does fill a void in places where it is very needed. Countries that are very poor are going to have a high percentage of people that believe in god because they probably live in very bad conditions and this life doesnt offer them anything. Then someone comes along and says "let me tell you about God." Religion doesnt cost you anything and its reasonably easy to learn and it promisses of paridise when you die. Sounds pretty good if you ask me.

Not all reaction towards disbelievers is violent. I find that the less educated a person is the more likely they are to be violent about challenges to their beliefs.

Answer 7

You might want to learn English before saying somthing so stupid about the US.Think about it moron.The big bang theory has the same odds of having happened as an explosion in a print shop,resulting in the encyclopidia Brittanica falling from the sky.Do you sit around all day trying to think of something clever to say?When and how often do you feed the hampster running around in your head?Why do you have a problem with people believing in god?An athiest by nature should not care either way.It's like walking 10 miles to crush an ant hill.What is your point other than simple minded arrogance?

Answer 8

What is wrong on having a believe? If it makes someone happy, or if it fills their life's, them what it's wrong with believing in a higher power, and if some one wants to believe that they will live for ever then let it. It is not your concern what some one else wants to believe or not. Let it be, you will not change the world or it's believe, and just so you know the US is not the only country with its believes, every country has a mayor religion and believe, so do your research first and then trow some information that is wrong. Christianity is a 33% (this will include Catholic, protestant, eastern orthodox, pentecostal, Anglican, monophysite, latter day saints, evangelical, Jehovah's witness,and others) and Islam is a 21 % and this is in the world.....hum.

Answer 9

It easier to believe than not to believe.

If you believe, then there is someone that you can blame for all sorts of stuff, there is some who's forgiveness you can ask when you do evil stuff.

People need to believe to explain evil, it is not possible to explain evil without having god create the devil.

The after life idea is also much easier than having to deal with fact that your deceased loved ones will seize to exit.

Actually the idea of God is not bad; the idea of the Jewish/Muslim/Christan God is the bad one.

The ideal God would be:

* A God who communicates with humanity in a way the average person understands
* A God could cares less if people worhshiped him or not(which would show his maturity).

Unfortunately the concept of God will live on, until humans can create life on there own and until they can proof all the stuff in the bible to be a bunch of BS

Answer 10

The universe is a scary place.

Things happen that we, as humans, cannot comprehend. What is the purpose of life?

There has to be something more.

Religion (whomsoever you call your God) offers a kind of solace against the vageries of life and that there is something at the end of the trail, aside from being worm food.

Do not confuse religion with theology or dogma. That is where the heart of the problem lies, with one set of people believing that God told them to kill the infidels.

Well, what if the infidels are right and you are wrong? That seems kind of arrogant to think you have the GodsHousekeeping Seal of Approval on your faith.

Answer 11

believing in a god and the afterlife gives people hope who wouldnt normally have it. people believe that god is the answer for all their troubles, and a way to escape their problems and believe that they can get outr of their otherwise hopeless situation. we will never lose this need for a god because as long as poeple are suffering in the world, there will be the search for a higher being who can change the suffering. not all people who believe in a god do not want to believe in the truth. That is a stereotype if I've ever heard of one. the simplest way to answer your question is to say that religion gives people hope in a hopless world and much needed answers to unanswerable questions. some people who believe in a god are just as ignorant as those who refuse to when they decide to preach to everyone who will listen and turn to violence. they are misguided, i agree with you, and people should not look to them as an example of people who are religious. I hope this helps.