Why do we base our world on the belief of God?

Question

I believe in God- don't get me wrong- I am NOT athiest . I, however, see nothing wrong with not being Athiest. But, I wonder- why do we base our every action, thought, and faith- on the belief of "God" that could have simply been made up by Ancient Storytellers. We have no proof in this world that a being like God ever existed- so why do so many people believe in him? There is no proof except for old drawings, sories, and books. I hope this question is not offensive to anyone- it is simply a 13-yr. old's inquiry.

Answer 1

When you say "WE" that is not all. I personally went to private(Catholic) school for my entire life. I have my own opinions on God and religion now. While I am not discounting the possibility that there is a God, I see religion more as a set of core values that society should abide by. Whether they believe in a "Supreme Being" or not.

Answer 2

Your inquiry is justifiable and very natural. Indeed, I find it is the mark of a maturing individual to have these questions come to mind. When we grow up taught about God, as children we tend to take what is told to us at face value. We have no reason to ask for proof or examples. As we get older, we sense that much is missing and being to wonder and question our thoughts, beliefs and attitudes.

First of all, it will be hard for you to understand, if you are 13 as u say, that your questions stem from a long, long history of people asking the same questions. The idea of God has existed from the earliest threads of social construct. We know that the Greeks believed in several gods and so did the Romans. Their beliefs stemmed from a desire to explain the world about them and were noted down in books such as the Odyssey or the ILIAD. Some of Greeks most celebrated philosophers actually negated the notion of their own gods. The idea of pluralism (more than one) in the gods to them was already appearing ridiculous. While it was difficult to explain exactly who God is or how God is, there was nonetheless a serious reason to hold that God, or a supreme being which we call God to be brief, exists.

This has never failed to stop. Throughout the centuries many of the greatest minds have come to the same conclusion. While many of these thinkers were religiously orientated, many others still were not and came to much of the same conclusions. Much of the problem that people have with their thought is that they have not demonstrated sufficiently God's existence. That statement is unfortunately only a half-truth. While they could not say "here it is - the definitive proof' nor say "ah ha - here is God", their thought neither denied the reasonable conclusion that God exists.

Indeed, the problem is that our society today continues to be influenced by the effects of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a period in human history in which unprecedented scientific discoveries were taking place. Many of the old beliefs and theories were discredited. While it was an important moment for humanity it also became too obsessive. It was thought that physical proof could be discovered of all things. Many held that man could unlock the secrets of nature, and eventually God himself.

So really, if people say to you "prove it", know that this phrase has come to us from that period. We live in a culture where everything has to be proved. I want tangible (physical) proof of this or that. Many have used this 'proof' as a way of discrediting the idea of God. Some say simply that God is a lie, but mostly because they say so themselves, which is pure intellectual egoism. Scientists will tell you that they cannot give proof of everything. Maybe one day in your science studies you will discover how we do not really know what an electron is or does. The only way for scientists to see an electron is through other electrons. Hence, introducing other electrons conjures a reaction between electrons, meaning that they see an electron in that moment but not in a single active state.

I guess what I'm trying to tell is that proof is something culturally imbued in us to such an extent that we do not even question it. Most proofs are only theories. It takes a careful eye and an open mind to consider both sides of the spectrum.

Answer 3

The same reason 80% of the earth's population has as distorted worldview.

There's a scientific reason for the belief in god or the 'religious presence.' Neuroscientists can now artificially trigger the 'religious presence' by probing certain areas of the limbic system of our brains. This is where our innermost beliefs reside, hate, anger, religious beliefs, etc.. The development of this mechanism (for lack of a better word) was a defensive or survival mechanism evolved over eons by our primitive ancestors.

Consider the Jesus freaks, evangelicals and other deeply religious folks, all have reverted to that primitive limbic systems of our brains, the place where our deepest emotions reside. The 'born-again' Christian phenomena has a scientific basis. When people are in deep despair, near death, nearly starved, or other highly emotional states, the 'religious experience' is triggered. Hormones, dopamine receptors and other chemical reactions take place...all good for the body. They help to fight diseases, etc. It was a survival mechanism, like i said above, our bodies have developed since the days of our primitive ancestors

The cerebral cortex is a more recent development, say within the last 100,000 years. This is the rational and logical thinking part of our brains. We all have that last remnant from our reptillian past which provided a distorted world view even in the face of evidence to the contrary. 20% of us, however, are using the rational and logical cerebral cortex.

Answer 4

I think people cling to a religion for guidance in spiritual matters - which non religious people might call psychological matters. It's about ethics, love, decency, fairness, charity - we are so confused. Should we kill and rob those we can because we can? Or should we help those who are sick and poor and helpless? What shoudl we do? I think people feel so bewildered that they cling to any kind of "super parent" guidance scheme that seems solid and has been around for a long time.

Personally, I think that all that stuff comes up inside each of us as our feelings. Feelings are the source of knowledge of right and wrong, wisdom, our tendency to be kind and to form groups and care about others. Some say that's God's will, and that's fine, tho a bit tough to logically accept, and others say I don't know where it comes from but it seems to be pretty universal among all people. I think decent, kind people in China probably do the same things as decent, kind people here or in Norway, etc. In my opinion, modern sociology and psychology are trying to address these same issues, and either method works, science or religion. Except that in science, you don't feel like you have to kill those who don't agree with you.

Answer 5

Almost everyone asks the same question some point in life... its heard to explain. When get hurt who do you call on to help you, when you are sick, lonely, etc. you call on God. No one really knows if he is real, you just HAVE to believe he is real so that you are safe and happy in your afterlife.

Answer 6

Those who do as you suggest, are making God a patsy for their own failings. I've met and even tried to argue with those kind of people. They want to lay everthing at God's door, when in fact, they are at fault.

Answer 7

Because, if the world didn't have religion people would lose their minds!

Answer 8

I'm an aithiest and I definetly do not base my life on "god"

Answer 9

Hmm, i'm not sure. =) lolz.