Why do people believe in 'god'?

Question

I am atheist (I don't believe in 'god' for those who don't know) and I don't see/understand why people believe in something such as 'god'. Please explain to me why you believe in a 'god'...

Answer 1

I have no idea, I don't believe in god, but I am not Atheist, I am Jewish

Answer 2

Possibly 2 reasons:

1.  They were taught their entire upbringing, to worship him, so this is all they know.

2.  They read/heard about him, and their hearts just believed.

Answer 3

Because I have felt and seen the difference in my life since I have restored my faith and strengthened my relationship with Him. You can't experience Him if you don't give Him a chance and believe in Him. He is there. Just find your faith and you will see.  

Answer 4

I believe in God because I have found the bible (the word of God) to be accurate and true. I was an atheist until I decided that I would give Jesus a chance. I decided I would read the bible and continue to question, "what if it were true?"

I was astounded to find that there is a God, and as much as I had mocked Him all my life, He still loves me.

Personally, prophecy convinced me of the accuracy of the bible the most. For example, Isaiah clearly announces the coming of Jesus. It is so accurate, many scholars once thought that it had to have been written after Jesus died. Copies of Isaiah turned up in the Dead Sea Scrolls, however, which were dated much older than the time of Jesus.

Even current events are foretold in the Bible, including alliances in the middle east and pending war against Israel. Keep this in mind when a nuclear bomb is dropped on Syria, wiping out Damascus completely. This too is foretold (Isaiah 17). If I am understanding the sequence of events correctly, after Damascus is bombed, Syria will join with other countries including Iran and Russia to attack Israel. They will be defeated by divine intervention, however (Ezekiel 38 & 39).

These are just my reasons for believing (as a former atheist).  

Answer 5

The quest for meaning and purpose is central to human existence. This search for meaning launches us on a journey in which all aspects of life – joys, sorrows, struggles, and successes – can become avenues to deeper understanding and purpose. Everything experienced along the journey plays a part in forming and fashioning our lives.

Spirituality is the belief system of a person lived in relationship with the transcendent. A person’s spirituality may or may not incorporate the rituals, practices, and beliefs of a particular religious group however institutionalized religion does provide the setting in which personal spirituality is expressed and developed by billions of people around the world. Religion acknowledges both the communal dimension of spirituality and the place of tradition in the spiritual journey. It provides a connection to the wisdom and richness of the spiritual experiences of those who have gone before. Religion enables the tradition to come alive within experience and it calls the faith community to apply the tradition to the needs and hopes of the present.



The search for meaning and purpose that defines our spirituality can sometimes feel like a solitary journey. Choosing to share this journey with others enables us to face emotions, limitations, and hopefully find a place for healing and growth.

Spiritual care is intended to support spiritual well being. It involves attentive listening and assistance in finding resources that may nurture spiritual health.  It may involve:

-seeking out leaders of various religious traditions to provide sacramental and ritual ministry

-worship and prayer.

Answer 6

If there is no such thing as God, where do you think this World came from? The Big Bang Theory? Okay, so than where did YOU come from? Your parents, right? Where did the first human beings come from? Evolution? That basically means that us and monkeys fall into the same category..... Just ponder upon how HUMAN BEINGS came into the picture, because us evolving from animals l*****g the lice of each others backs doesn't cut it for me

Answer 7

It keeps the population in line if we didnt have believers the world would crash ( I dont practice even though I am Catholic).  Have a good day from Sandy in Australia/

Answer 8

people believe and make up gods because they are afraid they are going 2 die.  so if they believe in a god or gods it comforts them so they dont have 2 face the fact that when they die.  they are DEAD!

answer mine plzz??  http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;...

Answer 9

Because they are not sane. Only mentally unstable people believe in imaginary beings.

Answer 10

Because people want to feel like they arent alone in the universe maybe, or that there is something more out there after you die.  It all comes down to faith in the unknown.  Believe what you want if it makes you feel better about the life you live.

Answer 11

ahh ok this is my theory

because everyone belived in god back in the day

and when everyone is doing something

more people tend to follow and do it to..

but everynow and then theres a rebel who

goes there own way its kinda weird

like... why do girls like boys and boys like girls??..

i think its because everyone just started liking the opposite

s*x but if everyone started liking the same s*x then more people would

follow

you know what i mean??..

Answer 12

Throughout history, people have tried to explain things.

Science has now shown us how the sound of thunder is produced, so we no longer "fear" the retribution of "thunder gods" for not propitiating them accordingly.

However, the creation of life (as we know it), the explanation of how the Universe came into being, is still an area that science has not yet been able provide a satisfactory answer for.  Therefore, "Creation" is as good an explanation as any other offered to explain "life"; and if you have creation, you must have a creator.

Answer 13

One word, fear

it emulsifies everything

Answer 14

I believe in GOD because everywhere I look I see his presence.  Fear is also a good answer, but not fear like if you do bad GOD will condemn you.  But a healthy fear of displeasing your heavenly father.  Just like making your earthly dad unhappy.  You just don't want to do it.

Answer 15

wow, how lucky you are to let the hole world know that you are an atheist, i dont know how old you are but i hope you can say the same in 40 years. When life has given you a few blows and you can hang on to your poof. See god can give and he can take away just read the sermon on the mount and think about someone else besides yourself, maybe you will be lucky enough for god to open you eyes and ears.See God left you that choice but if you have to be an Atheist please be a good one.GOD BLESS

Answer 16

it is easier to let someone/somegod think for you than use your own brain to decide what is right or wrong.  and if you believe in god you can get away with murder and many other crimes just by doing it in god's name against "heathens" or nonbelievers.

Answer 17

Is it truly that you cannot conceive of a universal intelligence or that you simply reject the infantile concept of God that one often hears?

Answer 18

well i hope when u die and become fertilizer, u become a tree and a woodsman chops u down and they make u into paper and print the bible on u!!!

Answer 19

it gives hope of life eternal, it also gives you peace knowing you are forgiven,

and there is EVIDENCEsupporting it

Answer 20

People understood that

- there should be a creator who created them

- they understand that God is all powerful

- they understand they must worship for all the blessings He has given

- ...and so many reasons....  

Answer 21

I am an atheist as well. To me, i think they want to believe in a GOD because it gives them hope, plain and simple. If you ever notice, when something good happens, they thank god; when something bad happens supposedly god can fix it. If God wasn't part of their lives, they'd be lost, no direction, no hope, no one to follow. Is it realistic, no really but they can believe in anything they want to.

I respect people that do believe in a god/religion.....but here's an FYI. Every, and i mean every war in the past was based on religion, or some part of it. Manifest Destiny, God's Will, Mideast Al-ah and the infidel, and the list goes on.

Answer 22

people need something to believe in. something to assure them that they arent just walking around without a purpose.

maybe he does exist. maybe he doesn't...the choice is yours.

its just that atheist think that they're so f*kin cool and smart because they dont have beliefs... im not a religious person but i do believe in a higher being...

how can u explain anything? existentialism and nihilism do prove sh*t...they just make more questions. and even though creationism is some what absurd...which i thnk is just a load of c**p... how can u explain anything???  

Answer 23

doesn't necessary have to be God, it can be another deity thats u feel a connection to.

Believing in some form of higher power and boost your self esteem and gives a feeling of protection.  

Answer 24

After reading Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Leibniz, Kant, Hegel, Locke, Flew, Platinga, Aquinas, Anselm, and Godel on the subject, I found some of their arguments convincing. Before that, I didn't really see much reason to believe in "god."

Answer 25

Everyone believes in something. For atheists, maybe themselves. I would like to believe in myself, but I know I'm gonna die some day. Might as well believe in someone who is stronger than humankind.  

Answer 26

childhood indoctrination is the biggest reason.

Others do it out of fear, or are not satisfied with their life and use religion like a sort of mind drug to feel better.

I suggest you read "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins.  He breaks it down and explains your question very well.  It is a bestseller and an excellent read

Answer 27

I was brought up going to church, and ever since have believed so. I believe in God because he has answered my prays. We believe in God because he's the only one in this universe who you can trust in and he will never fail you. We believe because without his love and power nothing would exist.

Answer 28

How else would humans have learned the concept of the God Yahweh if Yahweh didn't physically contact certain people to convince them to their death that He was real. If it wasn't for Divine intervention with humans, mankind never would have evolved out of the wild species of primate like the apes and monkeys of today. It was the God Yahweh that domesticated the human race through His advanced teachings and not something mankind taught ourselves.  

Answer 29

Because I can and do.

Faith is not based on 'proof' and 'reasoning'.

Its just simply faith. I believe hes there. its also very hard for me to say 'know'.  

Answer 30

I believe in the GOD.  The personal God of the Bible.  But I agree with you, just believing in a "god" isn't good enough.  It doesn't make much sense.  You may as well believe in the God of the Bible or nothing at all.  And why?

A.  Causation proves a loving, personal creator God is the first cause of all things (otherwise there is no explanation for the essence of love, personal relations, feelings, etc)

B.  The Bible has overwhelming evidence to support it (case for Christ by Lee Strobel will point you in the right direction)

C.  Evidence is that God can change lives on a personal level (give people hope, a reason for living).

But I wouldn't be a Christian if it wasn't true.  I used to be a strict atheist but then I researched and found it undeniable.  God MUST exist, He DOES exist and He loves you.  :D

Answer 31

Because people hold there priorities in a higher power. It creates a sense of hope.

This may sound ridiculous, but for some people, it gets them through the day.

To each their own, I say.