There Is Mostly Only One Reason Why People Believe In God.

[Twilight Hue]

That is the time when most people have the opportunity to outgrow religion. Why do so many, instead keep some form of it in tact?

I think it's more comfortable. Sobering up to actuality can take some getting used to, and many don't like or would become distressed over seeing a world that they once knew and lived in just shatter away in order to get a glimpse of the framework that was the basis for an entire belief system.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I don't think there is a human being on this planet who when faced with extreme distress does not cry out 'God help me'; even non-believers!
Belief in God is innate, the concept of God is learned.

What a bunch of rot.

 

[Vinayaka]

That is the time when most people have the opportunity to outgrow religion. Why do so many, instead keep some form of it in tact?

I am guessing it is because amongst all those 'teenage rebellion events' there are some that support religious belief to some degree. For example, a few years back when I decided to go on pilgrimage to India my daughter (maybe 22 at the time) asked, "Can I come?" I hesitatingly agreed. The event changed her entire outlook, at least in part.

 

[Sabour]

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Actually it is the other way round. People are born believers in God. That is the way God created them.

 

[jeager106]

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Mostly the only reason why adults & children "believe" in God is because their parents and teachers taught them to do so.

...and your point was what? I've always wondered why a professed athiest would bother to post an opinion on a religious forum.

 

[Quintessence]

...and your point was what? I've always wondered why a professed athiest would bother to post an opinion on a religious forum.

What's to wonder about? Why wouldn't a person be interested in discussing and learning about one of the most important facets of human culture throughout history? Plus, there are non-theistic religions, so why would we bat an eye at the presence of a Buddhist or atheistic Unitarian Universalist on our forums? Then there's the inevitable folks who register to bash (a)theism and/or (ir)religion for one reason or another. Such people quickly learn that this is not what these forums are for.

 

[johnpeter1970]

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Mostly the only reason why adults & children "believe" in God is because their parents and teachers taught them to do so.

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

 

[roger1440]

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Mostly the only reason why adults & children "believe" in God is because their parents and teachers taught them to do so.

Did you ever notice, young children do not hate? Who is teaching who?

 

[Glaurung]

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Mostly the only reason why adults & children "believe" in God is because their parents and teachers taught them to do so.

It can work the other way around too you know. If explicit atheism is the status quo in a non-religious household, and thus children raised within that household are raised to hold to explicit atheism, what's the difference? Indoctrination is indoctrination right?

Of course the beliefs of the parent are important in the shaping of a child's wordview, what's your point?

 

[psychoslice]

Yep, conditioning, fear, the need to be in a group of likeminded people, there are all sorts of reasons.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Of course the beliefs of the parent are important in the shaping of a child's wordview, what's your point?

One can grow out of it. My family is theists, elders as well as younger ones. The difference is whether one thinks independently or follows the line.

 

[Storm]

"There Is Mostly Only One Reason Why People Believe In God."

Wrong before we even get to the op...

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Mostly the only reason why adults & children "believe" in God is because their parents and teachers taught them to do so.

Gee, never heard that one before.

So, if nobody believes in God without being taught, where did the idea come from?

(Who wants to bet me that it's some riff on "lies for political control?")

 

[Desert Snake]

The OP is so incorrect there's no point in responding.

 

[Storm]

That is the time when most people have the opportunity to outgrow religion. Why do so many, instead keep some form of it in tact?

Could it possibly be that people think for themselves and still disagree with you?

 

[Storm]

I think it's more comfortable. Sobering up to actuality can take some getting used to, and many don't like or would become distressed over seeing a world that they once knew and lived in just shatter away in order to get a glimpse of the framework that was the basis for an entire belief system.

Have you ever noticed that when, say, hardcore Christians "explain" why people don't believe in God, it's almost always ridiculous, transparently self-serving bull****?

Yeah, it's really no better in reverse. I don't know why people think it would be....

 

[Uberpod]

Could it possibly be that people think for themselves and still disagree with you?

Sure - was hoping for the specifics on that. How often do they settle back into what they have known? Why not more often convert to a new religion? How do they not take into account the history of religions across the world and how right each quite different religion believes they are?

 

[Storm]

Sure - was hoping for the specifics on that. How often do they settle back into what they have known? Why not more often convert to a new religion? How do they not take into account the history of religions across the world and how right each quite different religion believes they are?

Oddly enough, all of that depends on individual temperament, history, and circumstance, meaning that there's not a simple, universally or even generally accurate answer to hand you.

That shouldn't really be a surprise.

Why do you assume "they" don't take history into account?

 

[ChristineES]

That is the time when most people have the opportunity to outgrow religion. Why do so many, instead keep some form of it in tact?

"Outgrow?" My God, why do people make faith out to be a childish thing to be outgrown? It's rather demeaning, to me.

 

[Koldo]

No child ever woke up one morning and suddenly ran downstairs crying: "I believe in God!"

Mostly the only reason why adults & children "believe" in God is because their parents and teachers taught them to do so.

I have a slight disagreement with this statement. It is not just parents and teachers teaching them. It is generally the entire background ( or at least most of it ) being supportive of this idea. People influence others all the time.

 

[Koldo]

Exactly.

With this I disagree completely.
Being introduced by someone else doesn't make it false.