Why do people believe in religions?

Question

a question for religious and non-religious alike.

What function do they serve?

How do they make people happy?

If they make the individual believer happy, do they make society in general happier?

Are there viable alternatives?

Answer 1

What function do they serve?
They serve to help people get through hard times by believing that something out there is behind them, helping them, believing in them.

How do they make people happy?
They provide a false sense of hope. Most religions have churches to which people can belong and the sense of comraderie and community these provide also make people happy.

If they make the individual believer happy, do they make society in general happier?
I don't believe so, no. People are people, afterall, and life gets in the way of faith at times. Also because there are so many different religions, there is conflict between them, with each one believing they are the "right" religion. As each tries to go out and witness to all the rest, there is lots of anger among both the other religions and the non-religious.

Are there viable alternatives?
I don't think so, no. I'm not trying to sound like a big bummer, but I don't think man is capable of changing enough to make a difference, with or without religion. Life just IS. There are too many people on this earth, so spread out, for any type of alternative to take hold and spread.

Answer 2

First, people don't believe in religion. If they do...they are missing the point. People believe in a god or gods for spiritual satisfaction.

As far as contentment and function, believing in a greater power generally creates the understanding or knowing that there is an afterlife or something more than what is here on Earth. So yes, knowing that when I die I get to see lost love ones or don't just cease to exist makes me happy.

It doesn't seem to work for societies. Conflicts have arisen since the beginning of time regarding religions vs. religions. God vs. God. Etc. 90% of wars are founded from religious disagreement.

No, there are not any viable alternatives. There is only the truth or the truth that you accept as the truth.

Answer 3

I follow the Roman Catholic religion, because the Bible tells me that the Catholic Church is the one founded by Christ Himself (Matthew 16).

As for what function it serves -- plenty! The Catholic Church is, by far, the single largest nongovernmental charitable organization on the planet. It has been for centuries.

You speak of individuals or society in general being happy -- well, happiness is a good thing and it's nice if the Church can bring it about.

But at the end of the day, the ultimate goal of the Church is not to make people happy -- it's to help people get to Heaven, which is what TRUE happiness is all about.

Baseball teams are not happy until they win the World Series. Football teams are not happy until they win the Super Bowl.

Likewise, we don't know true happiness -- even though we think we do -- while on this earth. Once we are allowed through those gates and into God's Kingdom, only then will true happiness be ours.

Christ established His Church on earth to help us bring that about. Even with all its wonderful charitable work, no greater purpose can exist for a Church than the ultimate work of charity -- helping people get to Heaven.

Answer 4

why do people believe in santa clause?

it's a bullsh!t story taught to children and they grow up believing it's true... and are told all sorts of controlling (you will burn in hell if you don't believe) and there's no proof so that's why you MUST believe...(as if this makes any sense)

just like racism is something that has to be taught

people will believe anything if explains a question they are not able to find an answer to themselves

i don't hate religions, but i think they are not the way
they do serve to keep some order in society, and give people a positive direction to live their lives, and contribute to the community,... but at the same time, it's a way to control people and since each claims it is the only true religion, there is causes too much conflict...

Answer 5

The human mind is prone to religion because of Brain Physiology or the hard wiring of the brain. Every human society has formed the concept of a deity(s) It is an accident of evolution. The cause of religion is thus the brain itself. So called Bio-Theology. the cultural acceptance of religion by society allows it to prosper.

The function of religion historically is as an instrument of control. It allows the control of the people by the ruling classes.
ie bad behaviour will lead to punishment.

Religion can make the individual happier and perhaps society in theory but i cannot think of an historical example. There are countless examples of the ability of organised religion to cause misery.

I believe if we can teach secular ethics from a young age we can dispense with organised religion but we will never rid ourselves of a need for spirituality because of the aforementioned Brain Physiology.

Answer 6

Most people feel the need for something to believe in, a reason for being. Generally they believe in the same religion that they have been taught since childhood. This can be a good thing if it helps them through life and at the end of life, provided they do not deliberately do harm to others and then think it will be okay if they confess to their God. Unfortunately there are those in the world who are not content to believe in their own religion and let others believe in theirs. They try to force everyone to believe in the same as them. This applies to people of nearly all faiths and those of non faith. Having travelled quite a bit, I have been most impressed by those of the Buddhist faith. They look after their families, young and old, and generally seem to be good genuine people. They are quite happy to answer questions about their faith and have never suggested to me that theirs is the only true faith. I, however, am not a Buddhist.

Answer 7

There's several reasons, but keeping in mind that religion is MAN'S view of God, I would say that most people are more comfortable with religion than salvation because it allows them "poetic license" when it comes to interpretation of the Bible, sorting out the things they don't understand or don't think apply to them and such. They're sadly mistaken however, because we're all going to have to give an account for our lives as the Word of God outlines that we should live them, not through some watered-down religious interpretation. As far as I know, there are no other alternatives to what "thus saith the Lord", so I'd be putting my face in the Bible more and trying to understand it better in as truthful of a manner as possible.

Answer 8

I would typically ask that you post each question separately. But these mostly go together, so....

Why? Because people are sheep - they need to feel they have answers to unknown items, and people tend to find comfort in like-mided groups.
How? By providing answers to unknown quesitons - how we got here (poof! God created us!), where we are going (to heaven if youre with me, to eternal damnation if youre not).
Do they make society happier? Absolutely not - just look at all the war and destruction fought over false beleifs. Because people want to belong, and want to belong to the group that is always right, both sides are right - which leads to fighting amongst believers of differing faiths. This is the reason that Muslims hate America....at least one of them...
Are there alternatives? Unfortuantely not - Religion is here to stay. Eradicate religion - and people will find other ways of forming groups to subject weaker people to their terror and philosophies.

Hope that helps.

Miss Duck - Neptune was the Roman God of the Sea - not the sky. It was Zeus they blamed for Lightening, not Neptune... And to psycho-babble Julia - You believe because the Bible TELLS you to???? Man, I sure am glad the Bible doesnt tell you to jump off a cliff...... I mean, it sure is a shame it doesnt....

Answer 9

Religion, whether it is true or not, offers stability and a central source of spirituality and faith to most people. It offers them answers to questions everybody has about the purpose of life and where we are headed after we die. To most people, it's a lot more comforting to have faith that we won't just cease to exist when we die. Overall, religion and spirituality have a positive effect on society, because religion is often the catalyst for social values and mores. However, like everything, there has to be a balance to everything. Secularism, in my opinion should always be as equally valued as religion in order to prevent fanaticism from taking control of society. This is evident from the dangers that theocracies have posed through history.

Answer 10

People believe in religions to borrow from P.T. Barnum because "there's a sucker born every minute" People believe in religion because their community and their family expect them to; they also believe because they feel the pressure of "tradition" upon them. And, people believe in religion because it makes them feel better.

The function of religion is to explain the human condition in such a way that reality doesn't appear nearly as bleak as it, in fact, is. Knowing that the reality of injustice, old age, sickness, suffering, and death has a purpose and that there is a "reward in the hereafter" for those who believe can do much to alleviate the stress and despair that characterize a more realistic assessment of life on this planet. So, religion at least potentially can do much to make believers happy.

However, the unfortunate truth is religion does not make believers any safer if it lulls them into a false sense of security and prevents them from assessing the world accurately and taking sensible measures to avert or cope with disaster. Believing in Jesus will not save anyone from the severe consequences of global warming.