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

[Reconstructo]

OPINION, MERELY MY OPINION
We are structured for God. We are mythological animals. Jungian Archetypes. Check it out, both atheists and theist. I think to call religion nothing but a lie is a short-cut to understanding its real fascination for people who were geniuses, whose art was inspired by "God" or the mystical. Let's say "God" isn't supernatural at all but just a feeling. Still, if this feeling is good enough, this "God" is worth studying. Or is Doubt our God? Do we enjoy what might be shallowness and ignorance for the pleasure it allows us in mocking what we have not carefully investigated? No doubt there are many frauds, many salesmen. But can we write off the martyrs and mystics so easily? Did anyone ever believe in virgins giving birth or does that go back to Egypt? Myth is not random. There are repeating themes. The structure of our human mind is revealed in myth. Etc. Give peace a chance.

[xris]

Scrutiny for many of us is a necessity of truth. It does not follow we don't see the need or its importance. Do I envy the simplicity of certain believers certainty? not really. Why should I deny my urge to examine or ignore the obvious falsities of belief? Examination may lead me to a logical and far stronger belief. The truth will be far more uplifting and mystical than any man made faith, that fails investigation.

[deepthot]

For me, God is not a controller, but is a Force out there - and within - that I want to get in harmony with. I would like to merge with it, and acquire its Love, and its capacity to give love. God is a healing force, and whenever I have the slightest ailment or discomfort I pray to this person, or personal force, and it heals me. Isn't that alone enough reason as to why I would want to believe in this God? Sure it is !

God is the Creativity principle, and the Love principle (and beauty, truth, and goodness.) Goodness includes all the other values: integrity, harmony, liberty, community, purity of heart, diversity-within-unity, serendipity, authenticity, spontaneity, etc., etc. So let us one and all merge with Goodness. If we do, what a wonderful world it will be!

[Reconstructo]

Let's say that maybe there is a meta-ideal as one of our instincts. Maybe this meta-ideal has certain ideals attached to it. The meta-ideal is the energy behind the contingent ideal-of-the-moment. The meta-ideal would be the force that drives culture. One person prides themselves on being rigorous, seeks a more provable truth. Another person prides themselves on creativity. Do the scientist and the artist have different contingent ideas? It seems so. But is there a meta-ideal behind both of their contingent ideals? Are we programmed to "incarnate" an ideal self? Is this ideal self determined largely by our experience? As children do we find certain ideals more congenial, put our chips behind those cards? As we get older it seems as thought we edit the self-ideal, as we discover new possibilities, new conceptions of virtue.