Why do people believe in God?

[Paul the Human]

I've been trying to figure out why people believe in god(s) for almost as long as I can remember. I've asked a lot of believers (including here in these forums) to explain why they believe and I have never gotten what I consider a 'good answer'. I suspect that belief in god provides psychological and emotional comfort for many of them, so they choose to believe... because they want it to be true. Others believe because they have been told all their lives that god is real and the belief is deeply ingrained through indoctrination. Whatever the actual reason, each believer will be able to tell you they believe because of 'X', but as an atheist, 'X' is not likely to satisfy you, nor provide you with a reason to believe yourself.

[Atheist_named_Christian]

Is it because they are weak and cannot take reality?

Is it a chemical imbalance in their brains (or in ours)?

Is it genetic? Are Atheists the next step in evolution?

I assume it is at least partially genetic. This: http://www.ebonmusings.org/atheism/ghost.html very nice article (was also posted here somewhere) summarizes that scientists found believe in the supernatural to be linked to activity in a special region of the brain (something like a spatially confined epilepsy - as far as I understood it). Therefore at least the likelihood to believe in some sort of god is likely to be genetic.

For an evolutionary explanation of how we became religious and also why we still are (although we know better now) I can strongly suggest reading Daniel Dennett's book "Breaking the Spell: Religion as a Natural Phenomenon" (I'm only through about 1/2 and so far I consider it one of the most interesting books I have ever read)

[KichigaiNeko]

Wouldn't waste my time AnC.

It is a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

People believe because they want to...like smoking cigarettes...hard habit to break.

[fr0d0]

Does everyone believe because they see real benefit? Isn't that the only reason you'd change from position A to position B? Sometimes that benefit may be selfish/ driven by selfish ambition.

[The_Flying_Skeptic]

Does everyone believe because they see real benefit? Isn't that the only reason you'd change from position A to position B? Sometimes that benefit may be selfish/ driven by selfish ambition.

i can see why someone would maintain a belief based for its benefits rather than its truth. many people grew up with religion and only have friends through their religious group making it harder to leave the idea... You have to start making new friends all over when it comes to converting from religions in some cases. I know someone that was silenced from speaking about her slightly different beliefs in her church.

[fr0d0]

hmm I didn't mean those fake reasons... I was talkin REAL reasons

[KichigaiNeko]

hmm I didn't mean those fake reasons... I was talkin REAL reasons

What fr0do ...like........

You will be vilified if you don't believe as your neighbours

You will be killed if you disagree with the group

You will have no social status within the group

You will have no access survival resources UNLESS you believe as the group believes

You will have no ability to reproduce UNLESS you believe as the group believes

You WILL be hounded down and persecuted and killed on the whim and fancy of the 'group'

There is no benefit other than social conformity to believing in the social deity.

[Edwardo Piet]

I think people only genuinely believe in God if:

A: They themselves believe they have genuine reasons, directly, to believe it.

or

B: They believe they have genuine reasons to "have Faith" and therefore believe in God without evidence rationally, more indirectly than 'A'. (Rationally according to them that is! I don't myself see anything remotely rational about believing without evidence, ever. That's the very opposite of rational belief in my view).

EvF

[fr0d0]

hmm I didn't mean those fake reasons... I was talkin REAL reasons

What fr0do ...like........

---

You will be vilified if you don't believe as your neighbours

You will be killed if you disagree with the group

You will have no social status within the group

You will have no access survival resources UNLESS you believe as the group believes

You will have no ability to reproduce UNLESS you believe as the group believes

You WILL be hounded down and persecuted and killed on the whim and fancy of the 'group'

There is no benefit other than social conformity to believing in the social deity.

---

Sounds like your Atheism would promote the same thing Kitchen

...and what is this social deity you speak of??

There is actual benefit from genuine belief. It's why people really believe. Don't kid yourself.

[Atheist_named_Christian]

Wouldn't waste my time AnC.

It is a no brainer as far as I am concerned.

People believe because they want to...like smoking cigarettes...hard habit to break.

Of course you can compare to such things - then still it is an interesting question, WHY people like smoking cigarettes. Just "because they want to" is not a sufficient explanation. For me, as a scientist, there has to be natural explanation for anything.
Also I think a drug addiction and religious believe are not exactly the same.

I don't think I waste my time reading e.g. Dennett's book at all. It is very interesting (in a scientific sense) and it helps me understand religious people better - understanding why they believe in gods etc.. Religion is a very interesting and important phenomenon in my opinion - especially when you can observe it from a neutral position.