In your view, why do people want to believe in a God?

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Whether or not you believe in a God, here is my philosophical question that is open to all:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?

In my view, the reason why people want to believe in a higher being, a God, or Buddha, etc., is because they all hope that there is a better place for them after they die - a Heaven or Nirvana - that would give them an eternal life in ultimate bliss and happiness.

I believe that this desire for a Heaven or Nirvana came about because the current lives of the people in question are neither happy nor fulfilling, or in rare cases, the people are afraid that their current lives will be short-lived and they will lose everything and everyone that is dear to them. And they hope that by there being a Heaven or Nirvana, their lives will be continued there forever.

My second question is:

If a creator existed but he does NOTHING for you - he doesn't give you a better life - would you still want a creator or God? And if yes, explain why?

In my view, I see there is no point in wanting a creator or God to exist if he does nothing for you to give you a better, happier life.

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@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

Whether or not you believe in a God, here is my philosophical question that is open to all:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?

In my view, the reason why people want to believe in a higher being, a God, or Buddha, etc., is because they all hope that there is a better place for them after they die - a Heaven or Nirvana - that would give them an eternal life in ultimate bliss and happiness.

I believe that this desire for a Heaven or Nirvana came about because the current lives of the people in question are neither happy nor fulfilling, or in rare cases, the people are afraid that their current lives will be short-lived and they will lose everything and everyone that is dear to them. And they hope that by there being a Heaven or Nirvana, their lives will be continued there forever.

My second question is:

If a creator existed but he does NOTHING for you - he doesn't give you a better life - would you still want a creator or God? And if yes, explain why?

In my view, I see there is no point in wanting a creator or God to exist if he does nothing for you to give you a better, happier life.

Its nothing to do with desire, its indoctrination from religions that have originated when faith overcame irrational fear of the unknown. Its a hangover from our ignorant past that is impressed on our young by a dogma that has the power of the church to enforce.

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@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

Whether or not you believe in a God, here is my philosophical question that is open to all:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?

In the quote by Thomas Kinkaid at the end of Post #1, and in Post #44, of this thread which I posted, and which you may not have noticed - or failed to read carefully if you did glance at it - the question you ask was answered. See:
http://www.philosophyforum.com/philosophy-forums/secondary-branches-philosophy/philosophy-religion/5686-proof-god-morally-good-other-properties-god.html

Although in a courtroom a judge often over-rules a motion by uttering "Asked, and answered," in Philosophy no answers are final, as I say in my manual, a link to which is offered below.

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@Alexandergreat3,

Because people do not want to think they live in an indifferent universe and that life and experience are the result of purposeless process and without ultimate or transcendent meaning, value and significance.
They look at the world around them and just do not believe it. 90% believe in god or some higher power or spirit.

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@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?[/B][/SIZE]

First of all, its a inner property of many minds, probably archetypic or developed accross the evolution. Religions were important factors in evolutions of societes, because it was a system for social management based on fear.

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@sneer,

sneer;103766 wrote:

First of all, its a inner property of many minds...

Religions ...was a system for social management based on fear.

I'll mention four religions and you tell me how they are 'based on fear' -- OK?:

The Unitarian Church, the UNITY church; Vedanta; the Hicksite strain of Quakers.

The philosopher, Edgar Sheffield Brightman, defined the term as follows.

Religion is a concern about experiences which are regarded as of supreme vaue; devotion toward a power or powers believed to originate, increase, and conserve these vaues; and some suitable expression of this concern and devotion, whether through symbolic ritual or through other individual and social conduct.

I like his definition - even though I have attended no house of worship or social religious gathering in over 40 years.
{I am, however, deeply devoted to what is my concept of God. It is definitely NOT the traditional one ! To learn more about it, see the link offered in my first post above.}

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@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

In my view, the reason why people want to believe in a higher being, a God, or Buddha, etc., is because they all hope that there is a better place for them after they die - a Heaven or Nirvana - that would give them an eternal life in ultimate bliss and happiness.

The Buddha isn't a god. Enlightenment isn't about living for ever and Nirvana is not a heaven. It is called blissful because there is nothing. Nirvana is referred to as a "blowing out" or "extinguished flame". Basically when the desire for existence ceases then that is nirvana.

Samsara is the existence we experience which plagues us with endless sufferings, disappointments, anxieties, worries ect, but it is nothing other than Nirvana viewed incorrectly.

You can't compare christian views of god to that of the Buddha, they are not anything at all the same. You also can't compare heaven with that of Nirvana, because they are not the same. There is a heaven realm in certain buddhist schools of thought but they are considered inconsistent and impermanent. Meaning you do not exist in heaven for ever and the Buddha is noted with saying the heaven realm is still subject to the desire for existence which will ultimately lead to future suffering (dukkha)

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@deepthot,

deepthot;103985 wrote:

I'll mention four religions and you tell me how they are 'based on fear'

Read again, what I wrote. Not "is" but "was". Don't know religions you've mentioned, but many religions are good businessess for their followers.

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@Alexandergreat3,

One might generally account for the belief in a supreme being by pointing out that only humans can ask the question, what does it mean to be human or that only humans are aware of their own ceasing to be at some future time in their existence.

But even by making the elementary distinction between examined unexamined belief, I would suppose that one would find all sorts of explanations about why a particular person believes as he does. And these would be so various as to make any attempt at reducing these to just a few reasons without completely forgetting that they are held by individuals.

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@Alexandergreat3,

I don't think it is so much that people want to believe in God, but rather they are raised to believe in God. People are not born in isolation of others, and thus, they adopt many of the beliefs of those who care for them in their youth. Because so many people are raised in an environment that believes in God, they naturally have a tendency to adopt that belief as well.

In general, humans often want to believe in a God for comfort and to provide value to their existence. The idea that there is no God can lead people to despair and hopelessness, and thus, nihilism. But the idea that there is a God can provide comfort that they are not alone in a vast cold universe. The idea that heaven is the next potential place in the journey of the soul gives value to this life in that there is a future reward.

1 Reply

@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

Whether or not you believe in a God, here is my philosophical question that is open to all:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?

In my view, the reason why people want to believe in a higher being, a God, or Buddha, etc., is because they all hope that there is a better place for them after they die - a Heaven or Nirvana - that would give them an eternal life in ultimate bliss and happiness.

I believe that this desire for a Heaven or Nirvana came about because the current lives of the people in question are neither happy nor fulfilling, or in rare cases, the people are afraid that their current lives will be short-lived and they will lose everything and everyone that is dear to them. And they hope that by there being a Heaven or Nirvana, their lives will be continued there forever.

I believe that people want to believe in a god for a number of reasons. For starters, I think that people like the idea that there is an intrinsic meaning or purpose to their existence instead of having to search for their own, and the belief in god grants them this illusion. Another reason is because many people are pessimistic and passively nihilistic about life, and so they conceive of a world where all of the pain and suffering, that makes up the experience of life, does not exist. For these individuals, life can only be justified by another type of life, and this other life is granted by a god. Yet another reason is because their society doesn't challenge religious beliefs enough, and it teaches them that this is the only way to cope with the agonies of life. I myself prefer truth over convenient delusion, and affirmation over negation.

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

If a creator existed but he does NOTHING for you - he doesn't give you a better life - would you still want a creator or God? And if yes, explain why?

This is a good question, because many of the most religious people live lives of deprivation. Once again, I think they believe that if this god doesn't grant them a better life while they're actually alive, he'll grant them one when they die.

0 Replies

@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?

One of the things that enhances life and makes it a good life is to have 'an attitude of gratitude.'

God serves as the central focus of that attitude: whenever you feel you are lucky, or whenever something goes right in you life, you may express your gratitude to God, Who is always present for that purpose. [The God in which I believe is both immanent and transcendent and thus is omnipresent.]

So because a creative force, that you have personalized (-just as poets address their furniture -), and found a way to communicate with, serves as the recipient of alll your thanks even when some humans -- who you feell grateful toward -- are not there for you to also thank as well. They may be around, or they may not be, yet God is continuously there, no matter what.

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

If a creator existed but he does NOTHING for you - he doesn't give you a better life - would you still want a creator or God? And if yes, explain why?
In my view, I see there is no point in wanting a creator or God to exist if he does nothing for you to give you a better, happier life.

I agree with you. In reply to your first query: No, if a creator did nothing to give us a better life I wouldn't worship it because it would not be worthy of our worship.

If there is evidence that this god created the universe, then it may merit our adoration for it did contribute something to our life.

My own God, the one I constructed the theology around, is the Creativity Principle itself, the creator of all creativity that occurs. Hence it is worthy of worship and adoration: it does make for a better life. And like the poet and philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson addressed the flower in this memorable quotation:

""Rhodora! if the sages ask thee why
This charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
Tell them, dear, that if eyes were made for seeing,
Then Beauty is its own excuse for being."

in the same way I speak to my God, when I pray; and God answers in strange and wondrous ways !!

Also, Alexander, as you see, I agree with your second sentence, when you wrote:, "In my view, I see there is no point in wanting a creator or God to exist if he does nothing for you to give you a better, happier life." You make a good point in what you say here.

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@sneer,

sneer;103766 wrote:

First of all, its a inner property of many minds, probably archetypic or developed accross the evolution. Religions were important factors in evolutions of societes, because it was a system for social management based on fear.

Let's not forget how much of a positive influence religions can have on cultures - the religious traditions passed down which contribute to familial and societal innerworkings. These traditions have nothing to do with fear, or any such negative notion. In fact, they promote the exact opposite!

Religion isn't always practiced by those religious, you know. One could be familiar with religious tradition, not because they are a believer or even care about God, but because they value tradition and closeness of family. And, yes, religious tradition does do this, all across the world. Whether or not someone is a believer or considers themselves religious, they should be able to understand this.

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@Alexandergreat3,

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

If a creator existed but he does NOTHING for you - he doesn't give you a better life - would you still want a creator or God? And if yes, explain why?

I don't understand the question. A creator creates, creating is something. If a creator did nothing for me, I would not exist.

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@xris,

Thank you, everyone, for your replies.

xris;103666 wrote:

Its nothing to do with desire, its indoctrination from religions that have originated when faith overcame irrational fear of the unknown. Its a hangover from our ignorant past that is impressed on our young by a dogma that has the power of the church to enforce.

There is a lot of truth to this, as I have seen, that most of the people who belong to a religion are so because they were raised to believe when they were young. However, I have seen/heard of a few cases where people do actually have desires to search for spiritual paths or faiths, etc.

deepthot wrote:

In the quote by Thomas Kinkaid at the end of Post #1, and in Post #44, of this thread which I posted, and which you may not have noticed - or failed to read carefully if you did glance at it - the question you ask was answered. See:
http://www.philosophyforum.com/philo...rties-god.html

Although in a courtroom a judge often over-rules a motion by uttering "Asked, and answered," in Philosophy no answers are final, as I say in my manual, a link to which is offered below.

I check out the link you gave, and this is what I found:

Quote:

If God brings you to it,
He will bring you through it.

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

----------Thomas Kinkaid.

I'm not exactly sure how this answers question #1, but I'm assuming that Thomas Kinkaid is saying is people who seek God do so they are having difficulty in their lives.

That's the reason they look for God?

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@Theaetetus,

If you want a reason to believe in G-d, study kabbalah and the hebrew language. Vendanta, Sufism, Gnosticism etc and the other pagan mysticisms are simply a perversion and deviation(hence the gematria of the hebrew word tassur - to deviate is 666) from the one G-d.

Anyone who turns this into a theological issue and doesnt even bother to consult mysticism or has read the works of Jung for instance really doesnt have much to say on this subject.

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@Alexandergreat3,

I'll buy this thread for a dollar...

Alexandergreat3;103661 wrote:

Whether or not you believe in a God, here is my philosophical question that is open to all:

Why do you think people want to believe in a God?

Before we get going, I must ask: Which God are you refering to? The "God" of some religion or a more general conception of God? Since you didn't specify, I'm going to assume you're talking about a general conception of God.

This question is extremely broad, so, until the original poster is more specific, I"m going to give a general answer.

I think that people want to (and do) believe in God because they want to be connected to a loving entity that can provide them with strength and hope. Simple as that.

Quote:

In my view, the reason why people want to believe in a higher being, a God, or Buddha, etc., is because they all hope that there is a better place for them after they die - a Heaven or Nirvana - that would give them an eternal life in ultimate bliss and happiness.

I believe in God but your reason does not apply to me. I don't know if there is any sort of "afterlife" nor do I really care. The belief in a "afterlife" does not motivate me in any way whatsoever. I think this life, this present reality, is far more important than any "afterlife".

Quote:

I believe that this desire for a Heaven or Nirvana came about because the current lives of the people in question are neither happy nor fulfilling, or in rare cases, the people are afraid that their current lives will be short-lived and they will lose everything and everyone that is dear to them. And they hope that by there being a Heaven or Nirvana, their lives will be continued there forever.

Interesting theory, but I think it's a bit too generalized. Plus, there are many people who believe in God who do not subscribe to any religion such as myself.

Quote:

My second question is:

If a creator existed but he does NOTHING for you - he doesn't give you a better life - would you still want a creator or God? And if yes, explain why?

If God existed but did nothing whatsoever for me, would I still want that God in my life? -- No I would not. What would be the point?

However, God does do things for me and has changed my life and made it much better. Having a relationship with God has benefited me in every aspect of my life.

Quote:

In my view, I see there is no point in wanting a creator or God to exist if he does nothing for you to give you a better, happier life.

No argument from me there.

I will say this, though: God is not going to magically make your life better just 'because'. You have to work for it.

--IntoTheLight--

1 Reply

@IntoTheLight,

IntoTheLight;104805 wrote:

However, God does do things for me and has changed my life and made it much better. Having a relationship with God has benefited me in every aspect of my life.

How do you know it's a god? Could it just be your imagination that you have empowered to be something there?

For example I could pretend like I am constantly being watched by invisible people so that would cause an impact on my actions or things I said. Sounds like to me you are doing something similar but naming the concept a god.

Basically inventing a consciousness that rules towards some sort of idealistic values you have placed on it. An invention to curb yourself from yourself towards something you think is necessary.

1 Reply

@Krumple,

Krumple;104808 wrote:

How do you know it's a god? Could it just be your imagination that you have empowered to be something there?

Good question. I know because I had a personal experience with God and because God continues to help me with things I am personally powerless over. The help is external in nature ie. coming from an outside source.

Quote:

For example I could pretend like I am constantly being watched by invisible people so that would cause an impact on my actions or things I said. Sounds like to me you are doing something similar but naming the concept a god.

You certainly could pretend that, but you would be aware of the fact that you were pretending that so it wouldn't truly be real to you. Having a relationship with God is completely real to me. I have no doubt whatsoever that it exists.

Quote:

Basically inventing a consciousness that rules towards some sort of idealistic values you have placed on it. An invention to curb yourself from yourself towards something you think is necessary.

Anything is possible, but my experiences have shown to me this God entity does exist and has helped me in ways that I could not do so on my own. As I stated earlier, there are some things that I am powerless over and I recognize my limitations in these matters. However, I have asked God for assistance and it has been provided.

I choose to believe that help comes from God; you may think it's an elaborate subconcsious delusion - that's up to you. =)

--IntoTheLight--

1 Reply

@Alexandergreat3,

Hello ITL, and welcome to this global ship. Good going. Your profile offers little as to your background. Hope you don't mind me shortening your avatar a little; saves ink in my computer, ha! Nice response. Couldn't have said it better myself. As to the initial thread, why is it you think people "want" to believe in God? Being a veteran of such discussions groups as you have noted, I would be interested in hearing your opinion, if you care to offer it. This "God Guy" started some where; where do you think that was?

Again, welcome aboard

William

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