Is religion a psychological need that people tend to develop in order to feel safer?

Question

Don't you think this is how religions started to develop? I think that people NEED to have a perfect model to follow, and that's why they made up religions... It's like an imaginary friend...

Answer 1

The fact that every civilization in history, even those that were pre-bible had very similar ideas and all believed in a diety or multiple dieties says that it might be a universal human condition...

who knows?

Answer 2

That's a great question. The old "religion is a crutch for weak people." I must admit, I don't want my life to be meaningless. To live however long God allows and then to be put in a grave and push up daisies for the rest of eternity is not exactly a refreshing thought. Christianity is based on an historical fact and event. A man named Jesus who was from Nazareth claimed to be the Messiah, the Savior, eternal God come to earth, died on the cross in the place of sinners. That's not psychology, that's history. There is not only psychological reasons for believing in Jesus, there are historical ones as well. What is the psychology of the atheists? They don't want God to exist because it makes them accountable, resposible. However, if God does not exist, then everything is permissible. A person can have sex with anyone he/she wants, smoke anything, drink anything, Of course this also means there is no basis being against rape, murder, and abuse because morality is relative, it is all one's personal bias.

Answer 3

There is a critical period in childhood from about age 5 to age 13 when life long beliefs are imprinted. The brain actually rewires itself to make these beliefs a permanent part of the person’s thought processes. With most people the beliefs are provided by the parent’s religion and ethnic culture. If, for some reason, a person gets through this critical period without being imprinted they frequently grow into adulthood with a mind free to use logic and reason to cope with the world around them. Due to their imprinting it’s difficult for the religious to accept this but religion is illogical and absurd if viewed rationally. Have a nice day!

Answer 4

When I was a Christian, I did feel safer. It felt good to "know" someone was looking out for me, and that I had a loving father with me at all times. So yes, it does fulfill that psychological need. We all fill that need somehow I think, but some can fill it by having faith in ourselves and our own abilities.

Answer 5

If you read the Bible it will tell you how Christianity started, the other religions started because someone wanted to create a sense of belonging but stil maintain their sinful nature.

Answer 6

And since you phrase everything to be SO open to other people's opinions... Religion was undoubtably created by Man, the only question is whether there is truth in it. I think there is.

Answer 7

There are 2 parts -

#1 is people denying their own mortality - they are afraid of death.

#2 is other people realizing they can make money off of those people by promising them eternal life.

Answer 8

I notice people tend to get more religious as they get closer to death because they are afraid of teh unknown, which is a contradiction to religion, as you're not supposed to be afraid of death.

Answer 9

no religion was designed to control the masses and make them think a certain way

Answer 10

God created us with a spiritual need. People who don't fulfill this need sense something missing in their lives, so they try to fill it with material things and money, or recreation and pleasures.