Ancient man invented the 'God' concept. Why do people still believe these ancient myths?

Question

Is it because then man is no different from animals? We die like pigs, with nothing more... does that make you sad?

I think it might be that most people are just too intellectually lazy (and dishonest) to do the work in their mind, and realize there is no god, no heaven, no afterlife of any kind. There's simply no evidence for any of it, and people only believe because they want to. It makes them feel better.

It seems a bit weak to me... the idea that we believe something is true simply because it makes us feel better, but that's what it amounts to.

Why can't modern Christians see that their god is fake just like Zeus? They reject Zeus without a 2nd thought!! HOW can it be SO easy for them to reject ZEUS, yet they remiain TOTALLY BLIND to the fact that their god is just as fake??

Help me atheists!! Help me understand these Christians!!

Answer 1

they are emotionally weak

Answer 2

For ancient man the world was a brutal place. In constant danger from predators, exposed to earthquakes & storms, no established society to impose law and order so men attacked each other and took what they wanted, and lived in fear that someone stronger would do the same to them. And there was death everywhere. Sometimes explained, sometimes not. Children dying young. Women dying in childbirth. And they had gods. They had a god for rain and a god for a mountain and a god for storms, for every natural disaster or occurrence you can think of. These gods were capricious, uncaring of humans and needed to be placated with sacrifices. The gods were all powerful and could decide to destroy men anyway. The question you need to ask is, in the face of all this, how in the world did men ever get the idea that God is good? How could such an idea ever be invented by such people, in such a world? Where did they get such an odd notion, in total contradiction to the evidence of everything around them? Could it be that there was more than reductionist materialism at work?

Answer 3

Being rational doesn't come easily. It's something you have to work at. Religions (naturally) are opposed to people thinking rationally, because the religious leaders know that rational people tend to be atheists, and those leaders have a vested interest in keeping people religious. That's why they make such a big thing out of blind faith, portraying it as a virtue instead of a flaw. So, when you combine people's intellectual laziness with the effect of religious authority figures and social convention and so on, it's not hard to see why there are still a lot of religious folks in some parts of the world. We just have to keep trying to help them, especially the kids.

Answer 4

Ill tell you why we believe in God (talking for all religions that do). Look around you do you seriously think that the sky,clouds,mountains,oceans,animals,air and everything just cameout like that without a God. Ancients saw this and knew there was a higher being but they didnt know how to name this higher beings. Some said it was 6 Gods who did this while others say 10 and more Gods. Then come the Prophets who were revealed to the truth by revelision of Gods Angels. And we believe in God not 10 not 6 but just God. We cant create a soul and give it life how else would you explain what we are doing on this earth. This Earth is a test for all humans to see if they obey and worship this higher being with all knowledge without limitation GOD. The animals that are in this earth are our means of survival, the rivers where we drink waters the trees when we build our landscapes etc.

Answer 5

We won't stop believing because we did not invent the idea of God. He is a true ever-existent Being that created everything in existence. And your arguments against Christianity are pitifully weak.

Answer 6

If we did invent God, why did the idea that He is a loving Creator come about? I've seen the argument of pain many times, and you will probably say that pain has always been here, so all these bad things existed thousands of years ago. If that's the case, how did the idea that the universe is the result of a loving Creator ever get started? Was the first person to believe it insane and ignorant of the world around them? Possibly, but then why did it become so popular?

So that's my question (borrowed from C.S. Lewis), how did we come up with a LOVING creator, as opposed to the gods in other religions that were selfish, adulterous, spiteful, etc?

Answer 7

Here's a book you might like to read: "Why God Won't Go Away" by Andrew Newberg and Eugene D'Aquila. Its subtitle is "Brain Science and the Biology of Belief."

It's a fascinating study of the neuro-biology of religious and mystical experiences.

Answer 8

I went to school with a person who has suffered with Parkinson's for six years now. Today I find out he is about to leave this planet. His family called the Hospice Chaplin. He wants to know if it is too late for Him to "earn" Heaven. He never payed attention to God all his life and now in his last hour he is desperate for an answer. Luckily for him the Bible clearly states that as long as he is still breathing air he still has time to place his faith in Christ. For some of you this is what it will take to finally except the truth. For others, you will laugh and mock him. So you ask, "Why do people believe these ancient myths?" Perhaps, because it is no myth at all but God is the core of who we are some are just too self involved to hear Him

Answer 9

Many people believe in God because their lives on Earth are filled with hardship and pain - so they have to hold onto the hope that there is a better life on the other side, so they can make it through every suffering and struggle-filled day in this one.

Answer 10

I think many people hold on to the great sky pixie because their lives are not very fullfilling and they want to hold out a hope for a better one. Atheist, on the other hand, seem much more content to enjoy the life they have now. Still...it's hard to understand how these old superstitions can still be clung to in 2007. It amazes me every day of my life.

Answer 11

Please read my words carefully:
If you see footmark in the sand, you'll say that someone passed from here...
If you see a piece of dog sh*t on the ground, you'll say that a dog passed from here...
So what about the enormous universe, the sky, stars, planets, earth and all the beauty in it, doesn't it lead to that someone made it?!!!

Some people say that everything is created by itself after the big-bang... I won't ask you about what caused the big-bang, but I'll ask you a simple question:
If you take all the letters of the alphabet, multiples of them, and you threw them randomly on the floor. Do you expect (by a chance of one in infinity) to get a poem like shakespear's??!!

Can't you see how organized our universe is, the planets, the eco-system on earth, look even in your own body... Can you control your heart-beat? Can you control your breath while you're sleeping? Who stopped your eye-lashes from growing after reaching a certain length? Who told the baby turtles to move towards the sea and not to the earth after they come out of their eggs? Who taught the bird how to make nests?

My friend, think with your heart and brain. If you're still lost, think about the following:

Do you know how to play safe?
Non-believer's case:
If there's no God and you do all what you want in life, then nothing will happen to you after life. But if there was God and you were mistaken, then you'll blame yourself FOREVER...

Believer's case:
If there's God and I followed His commands in life, then I'll be in Heaven after life FOREVER. But if there was no God and we're mistaken, then nothing bad will happen to us after life...

Now you know how to play-safe, in case you're not convinced?