Why do people believe in god when there is so much evidence to the contrary?

Question

OK, god is supposed to be al knowing, all seeing, all caring, and all good, but yet, there is immense pain and suffering in the world, and religion is the very cause of most of it.
why cant people see that its all a scam to get your money, and create a world order. religion is aimed at world domination.
please, give me an EDUCATED response, and only after you've actually thought about it.

Answer 1

Well believers in the bible don't actually have to think for themselves, this makes many of them blissfully unaware of reality, the operative term there being blissful.
Many of the questions posed here to make them think for them selves are written in a way that makes the people asking seem as if they are not happy people. Perception is 9/10's of reality, so why would a person give up their faith in God which makes them blissful to believe in no God and be unhappy?

Answer 2

Why do bad things happen to good people? Everyone is a good person.
Sufferings is because of human nature. We pretty much suck. We make really bad decisions, and often we make them in His name. Some people believe truly, madly, deeply, and religion has been used since the beginning of time to explain what we don't understand. It can be very threatening to have someone question a belief you've built your life around. What if someone told you that you were an accident, your "happy family" is a lie, or something of the nature? You'd try to punch them in the face, and likely not believe them.

Some--too many people--take advantage of power. Unfortunately being seen as doing the will of god gives you a lot of power, and is a good excuse to kill people for reasons that are actually all about money.

"The faith that stands on authority is not faith."
It's not always about money, power, or world domination. Sometimes it's just about a quiet pocket of hope in your life.

Answer 3

Religions may want world domination in the way that they think they are all right and the other one is wrong. God does not want world domination or he would just come down and do that. God wants us to learn how to take care of our selves. If we people would but put 10% to the taking care our our neighbors no one would be hungry, poor, lack of a warm place to sleep. All would have a job even if supported by the 90%. But the support would in turn give benefits to the whole as in less work and more freedom. God has to let us chose to be what we are and let some suffer from lack of every thing but they will be in return paid well in heaven with plenty, those who have had plenty and never shared with those who lack will then have their share taken from them and know how it feels. You must understand that the learning does not stop in this life but will go on into the spirit world. Those who have learned well and kept their estate upon this earth will be given charge over many and will be responsible for their welfare and learning how to better themselves until they are perfect of which time the reward will be every thing that God has or another words be with him in his kingdom as an equal to him.

Answer 4

I will only speak of Christianity which by the way is, a way of life, not really a religion. We should live by the example given to us through Jesus Christ. Yes, the world is full of hurt and pain but one should never refuse to admit that it is also full of many good things too. It is true that there are religious fanatics that give "Religion" a bad name, but if you look close you will notice that most of the sin or, as you mentioned, pain and suffering, is usually a result of selfish reasons. People don't steal in the name of religion, they steal because they're greedy and envious. Here's an educated question for you. The next time someone cuts in front of you in a checkout line, or pulls out in front of you on the highway, what is it that quickly arouses your anger, religion or self? Good luck

Answer 5

Through Faith and beleiving evidence has come to me that God does in fact exist. Religion is not the cause of so much pain and suffering, Man is responsible for it but likes to blame God for just about everything under the sun, Man needs to except responsibility for everything evil under the sun because man is responsible not God.

Answer 6

As I understand it, God is supposed to be a lot cleverer than us. That we don't see or understand his plan is because of our shortfalls not his. He is "ineffable".

Religion isn't the cause of most of the world's suffering, although a fair slab of it can probably be put down to people wanting to shove their beliefs down someone else's throat. That includes not beliefs other than religious ones, too. Most of the world's suffering is down to greed, parochialism and sheer indolence.

It is always wise to remember that absence of proof does not prove the alternative view.

I know some perfectly nice people of various religions who are active in helping others, are tolerant and gain considerable comfort from their religious beliefs. Personally I don't follow any religion and do not believe in a god or higher power. I recognise that my position is based on a belief and has no hard facts to back it up - it merely reflects my personal experiences to date.

Answer 7

An educated response huh?

Remember that word "brainwash"? Yeah, well, that's it. We are all born atheists - with a lack of belief in the supernatural. We are taught theism. Unfortunately, in a lot of cases, parents indoctrinate their offspring to believe in a certain religion and that religion's god (or gods) as the "truth" and only way to live life to the fullest. It's all ignorance and this method suppresses science.

Answer 8

The religions promise a second chance at life. They know that once you're dead you can't come back and complain that they lied. Religion is also the opiate of the masses. Especially the less fortunates.

Answer 9

You are incorrect. There is so much evidence that God does exist. The Bible is historically and archaeologically accurate, just do some research. The pain and suffering in the world is not God's doing. All of our actions have consequences. Pain and suffering is a consequence of man's actions.

Answer 10

well, i personally am not a religious person, but from what i can gather from my friends and family who are it's just faith that there's something higher above us watching over us, and they want to believe that this force exists. it gives them someone to pray too when times get rough, and it gives them some source of hope. even though there's a lot of evidence against it, for some people it would be really hard not to have that higher being to look up to for help.