Why do so many believe in God?

[Senter]

There may be a biological reason, and it may not be an exclusively human phenomenon.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39574733/ns/technology_and_science-science/

Animals (not just people) likely have spiritual experiences, according to a prominent neurologist who has analyzed the processes of spiritual sensation for over three decades.

Research suggests that spiritual experiences originate deep within primitive areas of the human brain — areas shared by other animals with brain structures like our own.

The trick, of course, lies in proving animals' experiences.

"Since only humans are capable of language that . . . (snip)

I have a simpler thought, but what you detailed out probably also plays into this...

We have all had experiences when either a sequence of coincidental events line up for us in such a way that our progress is enhanced or is thwarted, or experiences in which something unexpected and highly unlikely occurs in a startling way, or any of another half dozen types of experiences that cause wonder and surprise and defy explanation. And in such situations it is pretty normal, I think, to say "what did I do to deserve this?" or "what a gift!" or other such expression that implies a superior influence that controls our destiny making decisions affecting us. It is this sort of thing that religions are made of... -I don't mean the scriptures or the religious teachings, but the underlying feeling, conviction, or suspicion. And then eventually someone elaborates and in the context of your explanation invents a religion and writes a new scripture.

It is also reinforced in many cases, originally and at points along the way, with psychological and neurological realities you mentioned along with other studies that I don't believe you referenced in which a type of temporal lobe seizure was induced in subjects who would experience "the Presence" as a consequence (eyes closed). They described it (and I have experienced this) as a clear and unmistakable feeling/awareness of Someone face-to-face with me. It is like the experience you would have of an actual person (spouse?) standing directly in front of you, 2 or three inches from you as you look at them and are fully aware of their presence, only "the Presence" happens with eyes closed. But it is that real.

 

[dogtowner]

Always amusing watching non believers justify their position.

 

[Roscas]

An inherent nature of man is the need to connect, to belong to something or someone and believe to have purpose beyond himself. People need to have something to consistently believe in, to have faith in something or someone especially when the unknown remains unexplained or explanation is not acceptable and contradicts preconceived notions. Faith helps them to cope. Karl Marx bluntly said, "Religion is the impotence of the human mind to deal with occurrences it cannot understand." (http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/k/karlmarx385971.html). Friedrick Engels was gentler and merely asked, "Is man one of God's blunders? Or is God one of man's blunders?" http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/f/friedrichn141340.html).

The world is big enough to accept, tolerate, listen, learn and/or choose whatever faith or belief you want to work for you - that includes a faith to be faithless - for as long as mutual respect is there and nothing is imposed or forced upon anyone.

 

[Senter]

When I see how the world is turning to an evil sort of fundamentalism and the suffering and hate it causes and expresses, I need not justify atheism. Around 400 years ago the Catholic Church was starting to abandon its own tradition of truly spiritual practice consistent with the bible's teachings of Jesus in the NT. That was a sad day as the Christian "religion" became much more worldly, carnal, non-spiritual, intellectual and irrelevant to spirituality. It became so pervasive and it so brainwashed the congregation who leaned naturally toward worldliness as humans do that today, modern Christians actually reject that pure spirituality that was known then. They see it as "evil" and recoil from it.... -all except a tiny remnant who possesses an innate awareness of the spiritual principles. That tiny remnant is known as the mystics, like Fr. Thomas Keating and those like him. And he endures many slings and arrows for it.

 

[audrinaa]

I believe that so many people believe in god, because they want something to believe in when things go bad, and it makes them happy when they think about "all the things god has done for them" people don't believe that they can be happy alone or with someone they love they have to also believe in something that no one has ever seen. There is the bible but I look at that as stories and books people wrote to pass the time. I am not here to judge anyone but I do believe that is why there are so many believers. I look more at the science of things.

 

[Old_Trapper70]

If there is no God, then what is the purpose of life? We are born, we live, we die, and zap, that is "the end folks"?

Of course, if there is no God then there is no reason for moral behavior, and as we see a declining belief in God we do see more lack of respect for life such as in abortion, terrorism, gang membership, etc.