Even if there is no God, is it a social necessity that we create one?

Answer 1

Congrats. I didn't think I'd see the day when someone with half a brain actaully posted something in Yahoo! Answers about the existance of God.

You are absolutly right. Societies across time have needed a figure higher than them to explain how thing happen. Every people have needed a way to explain why we are here; why does man exist. The ancient Greeks needed a way to explain how lightning and thunder originated so they give their prinicpal god that ability to create such lightning. This is where, what we call in modern times, mythology originated from. The need to explain how things happen.

Even today we need a God to explain why things happen that we don't understand. A prime example is why does person X have to die? Because it is God's will, or it is God's plan. It is much easier to accept that quick an dirty answer than understand the medical reasoning someone died or -- if they died in a car crash -- what possessed Person Y to drive drunk that day.

If there is or isn't a God isn't an issues. If there is a God then we beleive in said god. If there isn't a God, we'd make one up because it is easier to put our faith in on object than our faith in the unknown.

It is only when people finally do not need an explaination of why things happen would there be no need for an existance for God. If you look at the final days of the greek gods, they finally left this plain of existance about the time when their great thinkers started to understand the whole thunder/lightning and other issues to the point where Zues wasn't needed to explain things anymore and the idea of those gods finally just dissolved into the wind.

Answer 2

Your logic leaves a lot to be desired, but I'll go with the question I think you intended: If there were no God, would it be necessary to create one? Yes, it probably would, although the Romans tried to make their emperors into gods, and that didn't work out too well.

People need a symbolism that provides a focus for spiritual development. The Jews got away with having an invisible god, but they needed a god. Most others want statues or symbols of some sort to provide that focus. If there were no such thing as a spiritual side to life at all (which may be what you meant by "no god"), then such a focus would not be necessary. The fact that we need this focus proves that there is such a spiritual part of life.

But as to God, in the capital-G monotheist sense, no. People in many cultures have been polytheists, recognizing different attributes and personalities to different parts of the world, and having a Sun God, Moon Goddess, Earth Goddess (We usually know which gender to assign, don't we?), Rain God, etc. This gave them a variety of focal points, depending on the circumstances. Some postulated a Chief or Father God, some did not. Many postulated a Mother Goddess as the head of the pantheon. The images and stories are not nearly so important as the ability to provide a focal point for meditation, prayer, supplication, and the like.

Answer 3

Since some societies exist without the concept of divinity, for those societies no necessity exists for such a concept. For societies that do contain a divine concept and define themselves by such a concept then there might well be some real social necessity for a deity. Since deities are human creations, it depends on the society. Some societies which are theocratic in nature do subscribe to the existence of a God and do believe that a God is a social necessity. For these societies, the adherence to a belief in a God is actually a mandatory requirement for full membership in the society. And in many others, such a belief is not at all a requirement for membership. So, in short, there is no universal necessity for the creation of a God; but, in order to be accepted in some societies, it is necessary to profess a belief in God. It depends on what society one is a member of. For instance, because of the first amendment to the USA Constitution, one does not have to profess a belief in a deity to be a citizen of the United States; but, just because the majority of Americans do subscribe to such a divine belief, it would be extremely difficult to hold any high public office in US if one choose to advertise to the voting public one's professed atheism.

Answer 4

For some people yes. For some reason, some people need to have the comfort of believing in some god, some superior power that is always there for them, specially in times of misfortune. But I think the main issue here, is the belief in some sort of existence after death, where a god may forgive you for whatever you did wrong on this Earth, or where you can be rewarded for whatever good you did. Basically I think that the need for god results from the fear of death.

Answer 5

Societies based on a "pecking order" tend to function best, but they have an inherent flaw in that "the person at the top" seems to be getting a much better deal than everyone else. To alleviate the danger of an angry subordinate trying to take out the leader, it is natural to invent a higher power that "top guy" (whether a King, a Queen, a President, etc.) answers to.

Answer 6

I don't think it's a social necessity; but I believe it is a personal necessity to satisfy man's natural instinct to inquire into nature of things and find satisfactory answers.

Answer 7

Freud, now a witch doctor in psychiatric circles, stated the need for Totem and Taboo.

There's a pecking order.

In Communism it is "the State" we do things for "the State" because we are good commrades.

In religion it's God and we do things for God because we are good brothers and sisters.

In the abscense of God we create Police, Judges, Supreme Judges and Governors or Presidents who can pardon or forgive us our sins.

In the abscense of Government we create guns and he who draws fastest is God.

Answer 8

First, remove the "if" from your question. It's unnecessary.

Anyone who is too weak to live by their own moral code needs an authority figure to tell them what to do and how to live. That's part of why gods were invented.

That, and to explain away the things that science has since found explanations for.

Answer 9

'Socially' is the only reason to create a God. The society needs him. You may not.

Answer 10

It needs inner eye to see God. Your existence is the proof of God. He is present in everything you don't need to create Him.
I think you need to understand the meaning of God first, because it seems that you are referring those statues as God. They are not God's They are mere symbols.