Why do people believe in religion?

[Diederick]

It is more than obvious, that people who identify as religious, are (consciously) ignorant of certain facts of reality. They avoid scientific evidence and when it is in front of them they explain it away in the most pathetic fashion. It seems they care so much about their delusion that they actually fight to defend it. Why?
Almost every debate with an atheist and a theist ends in the fake conclusion that it "is a matter of faith". This is ********. Something is either true or not true. The chances of a God existing are so small, that it seems a waste of time to even consider the possibility. It would seem like something a second-grade philosopher would one day write his only book on. It's a waste of time and resources, quite frankly. But somehow religion took over almost all of the world, abusing our weakness as a species.
Now, if religion had no negative effects, apart from taking up some time and resources, I would have no problem with it. But this is not the case. Religion makes people feel better than they really are, it makes them feel right, healthy and safe. It is a placebo where it is by far not always needed; and it is an addictive one, with side effects. Religions are not equally bad, some are worse than others. The worst ones are, ironically, the most popular ones. But I don't think I need to sum up the negatives to you all.
My question is, why do people believe in religion? While it is absolute nonsense, is rather unfortunate and affects other people. My answer to the question is this:
People believe in religious superstition, because it makes them feel better about themselves, it enables them to blame other(s) for bad things that happen ("others", like evil) and it superficially redeems them from death. It gives great comfort and is quite a handy tool, in either *****ing on other people or for social reasons. Some even make quite a lot of money out of selling empty promises.
I pose it here, because I think I might be a little too one-sided. I'd like to hear your take on this.

 

[EtuMalku]

Not true . . . many of us see faith as a crutch for not believing in our own Self.
There is a God but it is within You and needs to be made manifest.

There is no need to be looking outward towards all these allegorical books and beliefs that hide the truth of which is, we are our own God and we need to Spiritually evolve and manifest this Inner Self.

 

[Sunstone]

It is more than obvious, that people who identify as religious, are (consciously) ignorant of certain facts of reality. They avoid scientific evidence and when it is in front of them they explain it away in the most pathetic fashion. It seems they care so much about their delusion that they actually fight to defend it. Why?

I think you've begun here with a false premise. Not all religious people are especially ignorant of science. There are even some scientists who are religious.

 

[Valjean]

Fundamental precepts and religious attitudes are picked up early in childhood, before we develop any critical faculties or logic. Ie: no firewalls, no spam filters.
Ideas that any reasonable adult would reject outright can go right into ROM, they become part of our operating systems and, essentilly immune, to reason or contrary evidence.

 

[Just_me_Mike]

Fundamental precepts and religious attitudes are picked up early in childhood, before we develop any critical faculties or logic. Ie: no firewalls, no spam filters.
Ideas that any reasonable adult would reject outright can go right into ROM, they become part of our operating systems and, essentilly immune, to reason or contrary evidence.

While this is a beautiful explanation it would only be as solid as you speak if it was consistant.
Although it makes me wonder a bigger question, are we as humans predesposed to "God" in whatever form or definition as children, from native Americans, to Aboriginals. If this is the case then your words might be true.

It would be itneresting to isolate a human from any know form of God from youth up and see what happens.

 

[monta]

I have never figured out why people believe in god, when I was a child I thought it was something you pretended was real, like santa claus, my first realisation that I was supposed to actually believe this came from an akward conversation with my grandmother.

I agree with Sunstone that most religious people do accept science, and with Seyorni that beliefs that have been hardwired into us during the intuitive phase of our childhood development are difficult to shake.

We are all susceptible to superstition to varying degrees , if for example someone came up to you and said unless you say boo bah someone you love will die a painful death, I think most people would say it, difference between this and religious belief is afterwards we would feel foolish and embarrassed.

We are also susceptible to mass hysteria, if our peer group is panicking wholesale around us it is difficult not to join in, some aspects of religion seem to bring out this hysteria on a low level.

 

[Diederick]

This is exactly what I mean. I can find myself in many of your points, apart from the one made by EtuMalku - of course.

Not all religious people are the same, of course. And certainly, religion survives because people indoctrinate their children, when their minds naturally accept everything an adult tells them. "Mass hysteria", or what I would call social pressure, is a factor as well. Scientific people who claim to be religious are the perfect example of why I claim religious people are ignorant. They know what is right, but pretend otherwise just because it benefits them - for any of the positives I mentioned earlier, like comfort.

But religion has its roots in a quite distant past, why does it persist so?

Personally I'd say that, if children were taught what's really going on in the world and made strong by exploring their deeper self, religion would not be necessary. Without the assurance that death is not actually the end, that people you love who are dead are not to be missed forever, that naughty people will be punished eventually, that there is something incredibly powerful watching over you, etc.; the world becomes a rather frightening place. Equally frightening as the boogie man, or whatever you feared was under your bed as a child.

My point is, reality is not as attractive to most people, because it simply isn't. I don't fool myself, because I don't like the alternatives - and really, I think it's just infantile to pretend there is a fairytale world behind this one. But why do other people not make the same judgement?

Is it lack of intellect, or education? People who have been raised as a religious person, can free themselves of it. I got out two months after I got in, all by myself. Why doesn't everyone?

 

[S-word]

It is more than obvious, that people who identify as religious, are (consciously) ignorant of certain facts of reality. They avoid scientific evidence and when it is in front of them they explain it away in the most pathetic fashion. It seems they care so much about their delusion that they actually fight to defend it. Why?

Almost every debate with an atheist and a theist ends in the fake conclusion that it "is a matter of faith". This is ********. Something is either true or not true. The chances of a God existing are so small, that it seems a waste of time to even consider the possibility. It would seem like something a second-grade philosopher would one day write his only book on. It's a waste of time and resources, quite frankly. But somehow religion took over almost all of the world, abusing our weakness as a species.
Now, if religion had no negative effects, apart from taking up some time and resources, I would have no problem with it. But this is not the case. Religion makes people feel better than they really are, it makes them feel right, healthy and safe. It is a placebo where it is by far not always needed; and it is an addictive one, with side effects. Religions are not equally bad, some are worse than others. The worst ones are, ironically, the most popular ones. But I don't think I need to sum up the negatives to you all.
My question is, why do people believe in religion? While it is absolute nonsense, is rather unfortunate and affects other people. My answer to the question is this:
People believe in religious superstition, because it makes them feel better about themselves, it enables them to blame other(s) for bad things that happen ("others", like evil) and it superficially redeems them from death. It gives great comfort and is quite a handy tool, in either *****ing on other people or for social reasons. Some even make quite a lot of money out of selling empty promises.
I pose it here, because I think I might be a little too one-sided. I'd like to hear your take on this.

quote=Diederick; Something is either true or not true.

A car is traveling from the north to the south, one person standing on the eastern side of the road makes the claim that the wheels of the car are turning in an anti-clockwise direction; another person who stands on the western side of the road makes the claim that the statement of he who is looking at the situation from an apposing standpoint, is untrue, for he sees that the wheels of the car are in fact turning in a clockwise direction.

Seeing that you have made the statement that something is either true or not true, and knowing that both of the above observers are speaking the truth according to their own personal viewpoints, yet both statements contradict each other, then it is you who are speaking an untruth, for something can be true and a statement that is in complete opposition can also be true, depending on each persons viewpoint.

 

[Diederick]

quote=Diederick; Something is either true or not true.
A car is traveling from the north to the south, one person standing on the eastern side of the road makes the claim that the wheels of the car are turning in an anti-clockwise direction; another person who stands on the western side of the road makes the claim that the statement of he who is looking at the situation from an apposing standpoint, is untrue, for he sees that the wheels of the car are in fact turning in a clockwise direction.
Seeing that you have made the statement that something is either true or not true, and knowing that both of the above observers are speaking the truth according to their own personal viewpoints, yet both statements contradict each other, then it is you who are speaking an untruth, for something can be true and a statement that is in complete opposition can also be true, depending on each persons viewpoint.

I don't see how this disproves anything. Both statements are true when submitted from the point where the observers each stand. Why would we pretend that the subjects are too stupid to change perspective from their own to that of the person across the road? The person on the East side can logically conclude that his position on the horizontal plane decides the direction of the car, it is moving to the left of him. But a child knows that if he was standing on the other side of the road, the car would be moving to the right of him. If they get in disagreement on this, they are both terribly stupid or insane.

 

[EtuMalku]

This is exactly what I mean. I can find myself in many of your points, apart from the one made by EtuMalku - of course.

Oh, I must certainly question your statement, please expand on it!

 

[Apex]

Is it just me or have we had a sudden influx of posts and threads claiming religious people are automatically ignorant, pathetic, or uneducated?

 

[S-word]

Is it just me or have we had a sudden influx of posts and threads claiming religious people are automatically ignorant, pathetic, or uneducated?

Not really, I think the the greater majority of people who have never applied their minds to the question, "What is life all about," have always believed that.

 

[Storm]

It is more than obvious, that people who identify as religious, are (consciously) ignorant of certain facts of reality. They avoid scientific evidence and when it is in front of them they explain it away in the most pathetic fashion. It seems they care so much about their delusion that they actually fight to defend it. Why?

Not all religious people are the same, of course.

Then you really shouldn't make blanket statements about them, should you?

 

[EtuMalku]

Is it just me or have we had a sudden influx of posts and threads claiming religious people are automatically ignorant, pathetic, or uneducated?

No it is you, ignorance, pantheism and noneducational understanding towards the Truth has existed for what . . . 2009 years now?

 

[Diederick]

Oh dear.

First of all, I have in fact "opened my mind" to the question what life is all about, deep enough that I began finding it uncomfortable. I keep exploring but I seel it generally with a good dose of ignorance, a.k.a. Existentialism.
Secondly, that I state not all religious people are the same, doesn't magically mean I retreat from my position that they all, by definition, hold a good bit of ignorance (in a way that I do, but then to hide from something else).
Thirdly, the God that resides within me does not exist. This is the secular part of the forum so I didn't expect such an answer, I'm sorry if I seemed harsh. In writing this post, I had imagined this to be a place of secular people, or at least people that don't believe there are entire Deities within our body.

But let's get back to the point. What makes people want to believe? As opposed to simply accepting reality and facing it as one would expect of grown-ups.

 

[Humanistheart]

While this is a beautiful explanation it would only be as solid as you speak if it was consistant.
Although it makes me wonder a bigger question, are we as humans predesposed to "God" in whatever form or definition as children, from native Americans, to Aboriginals. If this is the case then your words might be true.

It would be itneresting to isolate a human from any know form of God from youth up and see what happens.

That's a very western look at it. The poster asked about religion, there are religions without gods. Humans are not predisposed to a kind of god, but on metaphysical concepts such as life after death.

 

[Humanistheart]

It is more than obvious, that people who identify as religious, are (consciously) ignorant of certain facts of reality. They avoid scientific evidence and when it is in front of them they explain it away in the most pathetic fashion. It seems they care so much about their delusion that they actually fight to defend it. Why?
Almost every debate with an atheist and a theist ends in the fake conclusion that it "is a matter of faith". This is ********. Something is either true or not true. The chances of a God existing are so small, that it seems a waste of time to even consider the possibility. It would seem like something a second-grade philosopher would one day write his only book on. It's a waste of time and resources, quite frankly. But somehow religion took over almost all of the world, abusing our weakness as a species.
Now, if religion had no negative effects, apart from taking up some time and resources, I would have no problem with it. But this is not the case. Religion makes people feel better than they really are, it makes them feel right, healthy and safe. It is a placebo where it is by far not always needed; and it is an addictive one, with side effects. Religions are not equally bad, some are worse than others. The worst ones are, ironically, the most popular ones. But I don't think I need to sum up the negatives to you all.
My question is, why do people believe in religion? While it is absolute nonsense, is rather unfortunate and affects other people. My answer to the question is this:
People believe in religious superstition, because it makes them feel better about themselves, it enables them to blame other(s) for bad things that happen ("others", like evil) and it superficially redeems them from death. It gives great comfort and is quite a handy tool, in either *****ing on other people or for social reasons. Some even make quite a lot of money out of selling empty promises.
I pose it here, because I think I might be a little too one-sided. I'd like to hear your take on this.

You make many presumptions in your post. But in an effort to answer you I'd say primarily religion continues because parents teach it to children in their formative years, thereby training their brains to accept it so when they get older they are, as you said, they are condistioned to make their religion fit dispite the facts or reality. Others turn to religion when life becomes unbearable. Some do drugs or start cutting themselves, some go with religion. Still for others it just seems to fit them. There are a lot of reasons people believe in religions. Not all religions fit into your defined explanation, bhuddism for example, but it fits well for most of them.

My question is not why people believe in religion but how can they? I think there's some 'belief genes' that allows one to believe in the supernatural that I must not have inherited.

 

[OmarKhayyam]

Not really, I think the the greater majority of people who have never applied their minds to the question, "What is life all about," have always believed that.

I don't know about that.

I have asked that question and found a satisfactory answer. My life is about whatever I say it is about. Nothing else. It has a much meaning as I assigned to it. My doings are of interest to myself and some handful of others. Few others need - nor will they - even acknowledge my existence. The same is true for the vast majority of us.

And that's just the way it is.

 

[Storm]

Secondly, that I state not all religious people are the same, doesn't magically mean I retreat from my position that they all, by definition, hold a good bit of ignorance (in a way that I do, but then to hide from something else).

No more than you.

But let's get back to the point. What makes people want to believe?

If you wanted to understand, you would have asked believers, not fellow atheists. This:

As opposed to simply accepting reality and facing it as one would expect of grown-ups.

... merely underscores that you have no interest in anything but ego masturbation.

 

[TheKnight]

The chances of a God existing are so small, that it seems a waste of time to even consider the possibility.

This statement is foolish. The chances are not small.

What makes people want to believe? As opposed to simply accepting reality and facing it as one would expect of grown-ups.

You poor mind. Reality is not nearly as cut and dry as you'd like it to be. In fact, the very fact that you are so dependent on your view of reality being correct puts you in the exact same boat as those religious people who will defend an ignorant position.

The answer to your question is that events in peoples lives lead them to reasonably conclude that certain religiously promoted ideas about reality are correct. It's not a matter of accepting reality, it's a matter of living life and interpreting your experiences as you see them rather then interpreting them as someone else would.

In any case, your mind is about as open as Pat Robertson's. The spurious and blanket generalized statements you make (that are so obviously laced by hatred and bias that come from previous negative experience with the religious) are almost not worth responding to.

If you don't mind my asking a personal question, what is your sexuality?