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

[Alexandergreat3]

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.

[xris]

Originally Posted by Alexandergreat3

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.

[deepthot]

Originally Posted by Alexandergreat3

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/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.

[prothero]

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.

[sneer]

Originally Posted by Alexandergreat3

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.

[deepthot]

Originally Posted by sneer

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.}

[Krumple]

Originally Posted by Alexandergreat3

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)

[sneer]

Originally Posted by deepthot

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.

[jgweed]

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.

[Theaetetus]

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.