Why do people believe in god? (And other things)

[Creepoc Infinite]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

[MERIZoC]

A desire for comfort, either in their current lives, or after they die, a moral compass, and fear of the unknown (sort of goes with #1.)

[Hirota]

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

Not sure it's a failed attempt, since it clearly still has people accepting it as an answer and has done so for a very long time.

It's perhaps more accurate to say it's failing, since religion appears to be on the decline, but I don't have the figures to support that.

(Hard Atheist here by the way)

[Creepoc Infinite]

A desire for comfort, either in their current lives, or after they die, a moral compass, and fear of the unknown (sort of goes with #1.)

So placebo? That's plausible.
They'd want the world to look brighter in the dark times religions are usually founded in.

[Humans Are People Too]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

Authority figures may have raised them in those beliefs, they may have found comfort in believing that or they simply think it is a reasonable answer to an arguably unanswerable question.

[Creepoc Infinite]

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

Not sure it's a failed attempt, since it clearly still has people accepting it as an answer and has done so for a very long time.

It's perhaps more accurate to say it's failing, since religion appears to be on the decline, but I don't have the figures to support that.

(Hard Atheist here by the way)

What I meant by failed is that it has failed to do any benefits to society the way science has

[Empire of Vlissingen]

Because they are stupid studies have shown that countries with an higer average iq have a higher % of atheists in the country.

[Creepoc Infinite]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

Authority figures may have raised them in those beliefs, they may have found comfort in believing that or they simply think it is a reasonable answer to an arguably unanswerable question.

Doesn't mean they're right.
But it seems it's probably a form of control used in politics.

[The United Remnants of America]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

How do I believe in football?

Well excuse me when I start praying because Arsenal is down 2-1 at the half.

And how do you not believe in video games?

[Infected Mushroom]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

it gives them the strength to go on and be the best them they can be...

if they throw aside all of their doubts and just believe that they can reach eternal salvation, they are not afraid of death and they are able to get over the painful existence in the office and in the classrooms.

Some people have this capability, others don't.

[Ashmoria]

ive been thinking about this

i think its because what we really believe in, and have proof of, is EVIL.

bad shit happens; people die; people get sick; people end up homeless through no fault of their own. sometimes it feels like the universe is against us. it feels like there is active evil in the world that is out to get us.

then we see that some person doesn't die, doesn't get sick, doesn't end up homeless due to no good reason. we wonder how they avoided it and how then WE can avoid it. so we make up the idea of god(s) and what we might do to please this god and get that same unearned protection. from time to time it works--our child doesn't die of leukemia--and we believe all the more. (the psychological term for random rewards escapes me).

the fear of evil drives us to the belief in a way out of that evil--"god"

[Creepoc Infinite]

Because they are stupid studies have shown that countries with an higer average iq have a higher % of atheists in the country.

I am inclined to believe that, but what study says so?
Also, I've made this point before, but there seems to be a correlation between religiosity and poverty and violence.

[Creepoc Infinite]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

How do I believe in football?

Well excuse me when I start praying because Arsenal is down 2-1 at the half.

And how do you not believe in video games?

In the context of non related to god stuff, the question is: why do people sometimes have religious attitudes towards these things?

[Creepoc Infinite]

I haven't heard many explanations on why people believe in god. Or why people are religious in general, it can be anything.
Football, Video Games, Jesus Christ, doesn't matter.
Why do people believe this shit?

Honestly, I'm more interested in why people believe in god, but if you wanna explain your theories as to why people do, or why people don't, or why people are passionate about other stuff, I'd like to hear from ya!

Personally, I think religion is a failed attempt to explain the world around us and give us the illusion of having answers in the bleaker times religion has it's roots in.

it gives them the strength to go on and be the best them they can be...

if they throw aside all of their doubts and just believe that they can reach eternal salvation, they are not afraid of death and they are able to get over the painful existence in the office and in the classrooms.

Some people have this capability, others don't.

A very dangerous thing that is.
There are many other, arguably better, ways to deal with life.
And fear of death has plenty of disadvantages.

[Benuty]

Because they are stupid studies have shown that countries with an higer average iq have a higher % of atheists in the country.

Hardly because both the correlation, and the causation has not been proved. These people aren't with a lower IQ because they are religious its because many of them are poorer. Just look at the education disparity between the countries where the studies were taken.

[Neutraligon]

How do I believe in football?

Well excuse me when I start praying because Arsenal is down 2-1 at the half.

And how do you not believe in video games?

In the context of non related to god stuff, the question is: why do people sometimes have religious attitudes towards these things?

I can explain why people are so into sports. Humans are tribal by nature, we are competitive when it comes to groups. Sports is a way to create those tribes while for the most part remaining peaceful.

[Empire of Vlissingen]

Because they are stupid studies have shown that countries with an higer average iq have a higher % of atheists in the country.

I am inclined to believe that, but what study says so?
Also, I've made this point before, but there seems to be a correlation between religiosity and poverty and violence.

The study that is showed in this youtube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdtwTeBPYQA
It is done by the global peace index.

[Benuty]

In the context of non related to god stuff, the question is: why do people sometimes have religious attitudes towards these things?

I can explain why people are so into sports. Humans are tribal by nature, we are competitive when it comes to groups. Sports is a way to create those tribes while for the most part remaining peaceful.

Unless you engage in wars over football >.>.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_War

[Creepoc Infinite]

Because they are stupid studies have shown that countries with an higer average iq have a higher % of atheists in the country.

Hardly because both the correlation, and the causation has not been proved. These people aren't with a lower IQ because they are religious its because many of them are poorer. Just look at the education disparity between the countries where the studies were taken.

That's true.
I love in South Carolina and it has shit education and there's a huge number of religious folk

[Infected Mushroom]

it gives them the strength to go on and be the best them they can be...

if they throw aside all of their doubts and just believe that they can reach eternal salvation, they are not afraid of death and they are able to get over the painful existence in the office and in the classrooms.

Some people have this capability, others don't.

A very dangerous thing that is.
There are many other, arguably better, ways to deal with life.
And fear of death has plenty of disadvantages.

He who conquers Death conquers Fear, but through Religion he gives up his chances of attaining Godhood for himself. For how can a mere mortal attain the status of godhood, if he lives his days in unquestioning submission to another? This is a path which if chosen, shuts out many of the great secrets of the unknown multiverse.

I see what you mean...

[Hirota]

In the context of non related to god stuff, the question is: why do people sometimes have religious attitudes towards these things?

You mean like Wide Receivers thanking God for helping them catch a inflated pigskin, whilst people die in Africa?

No idea!

[MERIZoC]

Because they are stupid studies have shown that countries with an higer average iq have a higher % of atheists in the country.

Hardly because both the correlation, and the causation has not been proved. These people aren't with a lower IQ because they are religious its because many of them are poorer. Just look at the education disparity between the countries where the studies were taken.

Poverty causes a lower IQ? Source?

[BlazingAngel]

To be honest, it all depend of what the people believe in.

[Creepoc Infinite]

Hardly because both the correlation, and the causation has not been proved. These people aren't with a lower IQ because they are religious its because many of them are poorer. Just look at the education disparity between the countries where the studies were taken.

Poverty causes a lower IQ? Source?

I don't think that's what he meant. I don't know what causes IQ levels to fluctuate. Random chance?

[Tea Party Separation of America]

*Looks around*
*Takes cover in bunker for fear of impending flame war*