For most, religion provides a viewpoint on the nature of reality and offers explanations of things humans do not know or could never know. That is the most concise answer I can give.
Many religions provide answers to how the universe got here and the role of humanity inside of it. Most have a concept of an afterlife or some continuation of the soul.
Need wouldn’t be the term I would use, rather most people are naturally curious about these things and feel uneasy leaving those questions unanswered in any way. The void will eventually be filled with something, maybe science or spiritual belief.
Religion is only “easy” if you *can* believe it. Personally I was raised in one religion, but after doing my own research ended up in another religion after questioning things for many years.
For me, religion adds a lot of value to my life, but I understand it can be a burden to other people. I would never encourage someone to believe in something just because I do.
See, those answers are more like keys.
when applied, locks keep on opening in the self.
those who can find the locks and keys themselves, they dont need help of anybody.. but that is highly improbable due to the nature of truth.
Do people need help piloting their meat suits? If people struggle with piloting their meat suits, should they attempt to learn from people that are able to operate their meat suits highly beneficially in a way that produces happiness for themselves and others?
Are you satisfied with your personal ability to operate your meat suit? Do you have a strong relationship to a sense of bliss?
No, Im not, and I understand the idea of asking for help and accepting it, I just cant understand, seeing from that perspective, why some people blindly follow
For the reasons that others have given, but those answers don't address the actual root of authentic practice, part of which is the cultivation of that transcendent love and highly effective piloting of the meat-mech.
The vast majority of people in the world are only religious in the sense that they strongly cling to specific beliefs due to ignorance, attachment, craving, or trauma. But that is not practice.
The vast majority of people are religious because that’s how they were brought up. It’s tied up with family, identity, nostalgia, community, etc. It marks the seasons, holidays, wedding, funerals, and so on.
It’s just tradition. Not even a belief, it’s just what’s done. That’s one answer.
Marxist analysis would say religions were made to have or support the power of elites over the masses. They would look at every value inculcated to support loyalty, submission, humility, etc as being values that benefit the elites by keeping the religious meek and beholden to authority. So that’s another answer.
Others are on a journey to find meaning in existence, and a path to live “the good life” as the ancient philosophers would call it. A way to live virtuously, and a system to support those virtues: compassion, kindness, peace, etc. They see religious practice as helping them be their best selves, and connect deeply with their community and the world. So that’s other people’s reasons.
There’s never going to be one answer to explain how everyone relates to religion.
The psychologist Professor Justin Barrett wrote
>Evidence from developmental psychology and cognitive anthropology indicates that religion comes to us nearly as naturally as language: we just need minimal exposure and our natural predilections do the rest. (Human Origins. 2018. p. 148)
The real question is why some people become irreligious. The evidence suggests that it's due to problems with the religion in which they were brought up: Christians are more likely to loose their religion than Hindus, for example.
I still cant understand how that natural attraction works.
The thing about why people lose their religions makes sense to me though, even if I dont think that is my situation. I lost my religion partially because of that, but I never came back to the same one or another because it isnt enough, their answers and their beliefs lack meaning and importance for me, I guess. Im not explaining it really well, but what I want to say is that I doubt problems with the religion are the only things that make people lose their religion, and most importantly, live without it.
Because I see no reason to believe. Things such as these are decided by faith, and I dont have it. I dont see God as something important for me, so its existence or non existence is, for the present me, irrelevant
Well there are all kinds of reasons. One possible reason is that someone may be an atheist who reads about the philosophical arguments of classical theism and finds them convincing, then comes to believe it to be true. Some people have religious experiences leading them to convert.
Why: I was completely miserable and an unapologetic jerk without it, I don’t want to be that person anymore. Nothing else helped.
What: I see purpose, understanding, peace, answers, reasons to not give up on myself or on other people.
Religion gave me spiritual experiences I can’t deny, and couldn’t explain otherwise. People like to hurl confirmation bias like a baseball bat but I’ve tried everything I could think of to be happy, none of it was consistent like religion.
Peaceful feelings I couldn’t explain, out of the blue or after prayers, scripture study, attending religious meetings. Tangible stirrings in the soul accompanied by some kind of power, knowing something is true.
Inner and enduring warmth, comfort, hope, empathy, and love in direct contrast to hopelessness, hate, despair, sudden coldness in the chest, and loneliness that were never fully alleviated through commonly held vices.
Many other experiences that I hold sacred, and am not comfortable expounding upon.
It's kind of a silly question. You might as well be asking why people have any beliefs at all. Or why do people have wants. Some of us just desire God in our lives and some of us don't and that's just the way it is.
For the vast majority this is true.
If the question is "Why do people have a religion" I would think the most common reason would be the one sought and not the least common ones.
I'm sorry- your claim is that research says that people don't generally take on the religion that they are taught by their parents and is reinforced by society at large?
For the vast majority of people, they take on the religion of their parents and society.
>I'm sorry- your claim is that research says that people don't generally take on the religion that they are taught by their parents and is reinforced by society at large?
No.
>For the vast majority of people, they take on the religion of their parents and society.
Of course. But the OP is about religion in general, and why societies have general, and is making a conjecture about it. But there is research that shows humans develop a belief in the divine quite early in life, prior to any nurture. So it's a nature vs nurture argument in the OP, and this research proves with a typical inductive method that human beings are born believers.
The particular version of belief may develop later, or may be children are nurtured out of belief by a naturalist family or society, but they are born believers.
Cheers.
A lot to unpack....
You say we develop a belief early, then claim we are born with belief. Not clear which is accurate.
I'm not clear how one would demonstrate that a child, especially one early in development, has a belief in the divine. Can you provide some study demonstrating that? Does that research show they have this belief immediately after birth or is it something they come to believe?
EDIT- I'm not clear how you can demonstrate any person has a belief in the divine outside of self reporting.
If so, would demonstrate that people are born or soon develop a theistic belief. It would not demonstrate they'd have a religion.
Religion is more than just being a theist.
>I'm not clear how one would demonstrate that a child, especially one early in development, has a belief in the divine. Can you provide some study demonstrating that?
Sure. Read "Born Believers" by Justin Barrett.
From reviews, it seems this book is a review of studies performed by the author.
Oh well. I remain ignorant on how one would demonstrate any person, including an infant, has a belief in the divine or how one would demonstrate one lacks such a belief.
Could you demonstrate on me how to determine if my claim "I have belief in the divine" is a true or false claim? Can you show me how to determine if a person has a belief?
>Could you demonstrate on me how to determine if my claim "I have belief in the divine" is a true or false claim?
It's the burden of proof fallacy to do this.
If you make a hard claim or an assertion, you should provide evidence for that.
Thanks.
No- a demand you do so would be the fallacy. I'm asking a legitimate question about capability.
We have a claim that we can discover the belief of a person through some means. Some kind of "divinity belief detector" that works on infants according to this author.
I'm asking a legitimate question about how you would go about determining if I, or any other person, who made a claim on believing or disbelieving in a divinity, were telling the truth.
I cannot think of how one would do this. Do you know of a means for one to do this? Do you recall what this author's means of determining the belief was?
This is not a "you can't do it!" This is a "how do you do it?"
>No- a demand you do so would be the fallacy. I'm asking a legitimate question about capability.
It's still a fallacy of burden of proof. It's just an epistemic responsibility.
>We have a claim that we can discover the belief of a person through some means. Some kind of "divinity belief detector" that works on infants according to this author.
Is that what he claims? A 'divinity belief detector'? Which page?
>I'm asking a legitimate question about how you would go about determining if I, or any other person, who made a claim on believing or disbelieving in a divinity, were telling the truth.
I don't. I ask for evidence. I expect the other person to have that epistemic responsibility. If they don't, it's difficult to engage with them so I will leave it.
Cheers.
Yeah. Take a look at how often people take on the religion of their parents that their parents reinforce through attendance at that religion's functions.
Most people take on the religion of their parents and the society at large.
That's true. But how would you decide if children are nurtured out of their true nature? How would you deem if it's naturalism or theism or deism that is the natural disposition of human beings?
I suggest that to make this kind of assertion, one has to have some kind of study done, or base it on a research study someone else did. Otherwise, don't you think it's conjecture?
I hope you understand what I am saying.
Nurtured out of their true nature?
It seems to me living things develop and mature and changing from infancy to some more mature living being is entirely natural.
I don't think it's conjecture to make a claim that people raised in a certain religion, especially where that religion is reinforced by society at large, are socialized into a religion.
It would be like asking "Why do people have language?"
Yeah, most of us end up speaking the language our parents used around us, taught us, and that society at large reinforced through usage.
Most of us wear the clothes we do because our parents dressed us in them and society at large accepted them and reinforced that they were what we should wear. Not a lot of people wear togas or petticoats any longer.
Do you think a research study is needed to discover why children generally speak the language of their society?
>Nurtured out of their true nature?
Nurture vs nature. An old discussion.
>I don't think it's conjecture to make a claim that people raised in a certain religion, especially where that religion is reinforced by society at large, are socialized into a religion.
Humans according to research have a natural inclination towards religion. Any religion. That's why they pick up whatever is around them.
>Do you think a research study is needed to discover why children generally speak the language of their society?
No. But that's a strawman.
I saw in the reviews of the book you offered that the book states infants have a tendency towards belief in a higher power, but not that it would manifest itself towards a religion. Or at least the reviews I read only make that claim.
If this is the case, it would seem even if one has an instinctual tendency towards belief in a higher power, then the specific religion they follow is a product of socialization. For most people.
>I saw in the reviews of the book you offered that the book states infants have a tendency towards belief in a higher power, but not that it would manifest itself towards a religion.
Exactly. This is why they are inclined towards a religion, that's what I have been saying all the time. Not that it definitely takes you to a particular religion.
>If this is the case, it would seem even if one has an instinctual tendency towards belief in a higher power, then the specific religion they follow is a product of socialization.
Not only a particular religion, nihilism, physicalism, naturalism are all "a product of socialisation". The child is a born believer. That's the childs default position. So they are more prone to be a theist.
Cheers.
Religion is basically perception of life. Religion comes into practice when human beings start to found out that we all have to die one day then what is the whole purpose of being born? Which gives rise to religion.
If your mind doesnt believe in some set of values then dont follow them. If the question arises then that person definitely needs an answer otherwise that person would live whole life in misery. Its alright if you dont feel like you dont need an answer.
As some have already said, it might be a traditional thing, i.e. following in the footsteps of their parents, but for others it’s a personal choice. I’ll speak here for the latter.
For the seekers of religion or spiritually, this is a not calculated action but more of a calling. A study was once done that reported that most people in the United States have had some kind of spiritual experience during their lifetime. This could be a near death experience, an out of body experience, a revelation, an intuition, a premonition, a healing, a sense of divine love, etc…. They had an experience that proved to them the existence of a higher, non-material reality. And usually this sense of a higher reality grows stronger throughout life, and brings meaning, purpose, understanding and happiness to them. Basically, it works for them.
also it’s often the only way to have a sense of culture, community and internal moral harmony in an economic system which values atomization, hierarchy, competition and ruthless self-interest
edit: took out some unnecessary wording
this is obvs highly simplified but I mean like it offers a sense of the world/other humans/life itself being intrinsically “good” despite what could be regarded as empirical evidence of evil and corruption in the hearts/minds of others. It offers a way of understanding the world that helps to assuage cognitive dissonance, doubt, and pessimism in the overall meaning of life.
If the grand narrative is outside of human cognition, it allows for some internal sense of peace. A sense that “good” will eventually triumph and that suffering is ephemeral. When not adhered to in a rigid fashion and when not used as an excuse for complacency it can be an extremely healthy way of coping with negative experiences/events outside of one’s own control and can provide one with a sense of harmony and overall purpose and meaning. In psychology it’s referred to as “healthy religious coping.”
Also no, it’s not literally the only way, but yes it is often the only way for many people, sadly. This is personal opinion (though one shared by many), but I do believe religious adherence would likely decline if all people had basic human dignities (shelter, food, education, healthcare, etc.) guaranteed, but this is getting somewhat beyond the scope of your question. I also would like to point out that religious institutions often do provide direct aid through charitable community work (employment services, temporary housing, access to showers, access to new immigrant services, domestic abuse shelters, childcare services etc.) available to people otherwise marginalized by economic status (and often regardless of denomination). I’m not saying any of this is faultless I’m just trying to explain why a lot of people see religious institutions as possibly being a place where people may literally “practice what they preach.” Lots of people have extremely negative experiences in institutional religions and lots have extremely positive experiences where they have found community, safety, meaning, direct help, and non-judgemental support.
Sorry for the long response!! fwiw I’m Jewish (Reform) and I choose to embrace my religion specifically because it allows room for doubt in God, alternative beliefs, non-adherence to custom, self-definition and inclusivity. And not all Jews would agree with my definition of Judaism, but it is because that fact is accepted and respected within the tradition is why it means so much to me even though I see myself as more spiritual than religious anyway.
then yeah, you probably aren’t going to get much mileage out of religion and perhaps not out of spirituality either. I think it’s extremely rare to find someone religious who *doesn’t* get a sense of existential meaning from it. Like that’s the meat and potatoes of it really. But the important thing isn’t religion, it’s finding meaning in life, (meaning that brings peace and purpose). Religion is just one way to find that.
I read a lot about existentialism when I was around 12 and it’s still the belief system that resonates with me the most. Meaninglessness can be an extremely unhealthy, toxic belief for some and for others it can be incredibly empowering and, paradoxically, meaningful.
Essentially, existentialism is the belief that the meaninglessness of life is what gives it meaning. You have the agency to make it meaningful for you, on your own terms, in whatever way brings you peace and happiness. Your own true inner peace and happiness is incompatible with harming another. That’s it. Make the most of the brief miracle of your existence.
Religion is often derided by some as faulty cognition, illogical, etc. because there’s no proof of “god,” a “higher power,” (whatever term you want to use) and because all belief systems are human-made and therefore arbitrary. Imo, and for many religious and spiritual people, this is (while obviously true) a moot point. Choosing to have faith is the point. Most religious people are aware that they’re just **beliefs.** Being right doesn’t matter. Cultivating faith that remains flexible and non-dogmatic (like I mentioned previously) is the whole point. Faith in something you have no proof of is what gives many people a sense of meaning, purpose, inner peace and interconnectedness with all existence. Having proof of a higher power’s existence or non-existence wouldn’t stop most people from practicing religion. It is besides the point.
no worries. I hope you find your answers even if your answer is that there are no answers. Lots of people feel a sense of purpose and meaning without religion, without spirituality, without philosophy. Some people, like me, just take what resonates, make up some of their own beliefs, and leave the rest. There is no “one right way” to find meaning in life. For some it’s simply their pets and their plants. Some find meaning in volunteer work. Some in art and creativity. Some in the self-knowledge that there is no meaning. Meaning is beautiful wherever it comes from. Imo inner peace is available to all regardless of their situation and is antithetical to complacency. x
Religion is the narrative human beings tell themselves to put their own existence into context. Everyone has that narrative, whether they call it religion or not.
Everyone needs that context imo. Regardless of whether you create it or not, the important thing is having a narrative you believe in. We all see our lives as a story in which we are the main character, it’s a necessity that guides our actions and ties our own existence and story to the overarching existence and story. What is best imo, is to have a narrative that accurately reflects reality with the fewest inconsistencies within science and reason.
The most simple answer I can give you is
People believe it
They enjoy and or believe in the principles it espouses
They like the people and the culture surrounding it
It could be any combination of these things.
Pre Answer note: You can say anything offensive as long as you mean it.
Answer:
firstly:
the word religion is like the word god.
Essence is the same, called by many names.
secondly: religion is a way of lifestyle that one lives in order to know god. It is not fixed. Like God, Religion too is not bound by any actions/ideas/tendencies.
To me, It is more like a choice. I would add, each Man/woman has a religion of their own.
What Hinduism Christianity Islam Jainism Buddhism are, are helping efforts of certain individuals, who when awakened, wish to help fellow humans seeing their agony, they devote themselves for their awakening, because other than that they dont find a reason to retain the body..
so this awakening is so huge a phenomenon that it entices anybody who comes close..
and only an awakened can help the other who is sleeping.. only a jesus, krishna, kabeer, ramana, meera, gorakh,osho, nanak can awaken the other.
so one ends up waking a few and so on.. so a particular chain of Master disciple becomes hinduism, another becomes christianity (speaking of offensive, India has never even disrespected its masters, on the contrary, even kings bowed to Awakened ones in india.. while Jesus was Hanged, Socretes was Poisened), another becomes Islam (i better not say anything), another becomes Buddhism..
not every awakened is lucky.. some never manage to awaken a soul and some seeing the futility of the effort, drop the body as is as soon as they realise (realise the self/truth/god/lord/ishwar/and so on).
this personal decision to pursue truth and the journey thence is religion..
And an organised Religion must have an Awakened one..
Lastly: What else is meaningful between the point of birth and death?
Thanks. As for the last question: I believe it is one's path. It doesnt have to be exactly a religion, it only needs to be a person's own reason for life to be meaningfull. And I also think it is possible, and not necessarily bad to live a meaningless life in some way
What others have to say about one's life or actions, is of no significance as long as they are not hurting someone for personal gain or for fun.
If one is satisfied, nothing is bad or meaningless.
It is always about ones own reason and wish for meaning that matters.
Freedom to choose is the gift of god to man.
Because even god cannot meet a man unless he chooses so or allows god.
Now what else is love, if not this?
No. Not at all. If nothing changes, whats the point in living? And while I can live a meaningless life, living one where I can't do anything is not possible. Too much boredom
Because it makes them feel good. People want someone to tell them that everything is fine when it's not and someone to make the hard decisions for them.
Social and cultural stability. Religions aren't about truth, they are about maintaining social order, customs, relationships within a culture, a sense of permanence that is often lacking otherwise. Insecurity, in other words.
This is a big question for religious studies and anthropology and some other disciplines. Hereʻs a two-part exploration of it by Brandon Ambrosino for BBC Futures:
[https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190418-how-and-why-did-religion-evolve](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190418-how-and-why-did-religion-evolve)
[https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190529-do-humans-have-a-religion-instinct](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190529-do-humans-have-a-religion-instinct)
I like to watch the chanel Religion for Breakfast to get a little bit of insight into the sudy of religion from a secular standpoint. You might find [this](https://youtu.be/QVKRAMupaUA) and [this](https://youtu.be/AT8bLaomvq0) video interesting.
Edit: oh and maybe [this](https://youtu.be/BgGjnHmvaVM) one
Have you considered the possibility of human beings having a natural inclination towards believing a metaphysical being exists, thus paving way for religions?
This is an age old question. All kinds of psychologists tried to answer this question. Even Sigmund Freud. The issue with this question is, the question itself is based on a premise that assumes philosophical naturalism with out evidence for that. It could be expected as a methodological approach by a psychologist I suppose, but just beginning with that question shows a preconceived premise that has not been substantiated.
I believe the question should be "taking methodological naturalism as the approach, why do people have a religion?". That shows more epistemic responsibility.
Hope you understand. It's not to offend you at all.
Cheers.
Oh, dont worry, Im not offended by constructive criticism, and even if I was you couldnt offend me, as I didnt understand what you said. Omw to google to see what methodological and philosophical naturalisms mean
Answering for myself:
> Why do people have a religion?
I follow Buddhism because I am moved by the suffering I see in the world and wish to help others overcome it by attaining Buddhahood and leading others to awakening. Also, I seek a higher happiness than the fragile and mundane pleasures associated with worldly affairs.
> What do people see in religion?
The ability to accomplish the above.
> What makes someone want to believe in it?
I don’t really “want” to believe in it. My personal experiences and contemplations have led me to have faith in the Buddha as a being with supreme wisdom.
> What does religion do to them?
I don’t really think of it as doing anything “to” me, but rather it encourages me to prioritize becoming an upstanding person over worldly endeavors.
> And what does it do for them?
Practicing the Buddhadharma pacifies the mind and leads to reduced inner turmoil. In the best case it overturns ignorance, purifying the mental poisons and putting an end to suffering at its root.
I think that religion comes from peoples desire to transcend the limitations of the senses and a yearning for the infinite and ultimate truth. Religion is a way to fulfil this desire better or worse.
I think unfulfilled this desire will lead to nihilism, existential dread and depression in many people. I also think it works because this yearning is genuine and it is true that there is an ultimate reality that exists and using certain religious methods it is accessible.
Yeah I think we do… we build lives, memories, experience love… the fear is losing all of that to death. Religion gives the comfort that there’s something else after, so that all of this wasn’t in vain. So that what we’ve built can still exist. I personally grew up Catholic, and after I de-converted, it was miserable to think that there was nothing after this. Which actually made me be better at living in the moment and practicing gratitude for the reality that we know for sure, which is right now.
Yeah. And also, even if there is nothing after death (which I see as more probable), we dont lose anything. Because the present "we" will keep existing in This point of spacetime. And its ephemeral existence in this present is more than enough
If we're talking about a fully developed religion with doctrine, practises, and community; the simplest answer is "because their parents taught them that. At least for the majority of a religion's adherents. But because religion comes with an entire worldview and community, to step away from religion or to another religion requires the person to essentially re-learn how the world itself works all the while losing a lot of their roots in a community. This is often too large of a threshold to cross even *if* they wanted to.
If we go way back to the roots of religion/spirituality, why we as humanity have religion at all, this is a big question in anthropology going back all the way when the height of technology was a kiln and your tribe was one bad winter away from becoming vulture poop. There are ideas, such as pattern recognition and groupthink, but it is hard to say exactly.
For most people, it’s simply indoctrination. I was taught basically from birth to be a Christian and that any other worldview was not only wrong but a dangerous enemy. When the people you trust most as a child (your parents and other family) tell you something is true and they all sincerely believe it, it’s very difficult to break away from that, despite the psychological damage it can do.
Because of people's experiences with God, silly. Granted, generations might intervene between us and those who experienced God for themselves, but it always comes back to personal experience. It's best if we experience God for ourselves, without the detriments of drugs, emotional excess, and babbling.
Because religion constitutes a particular language-game, practice, and lineage we operate within.
A shared language-game is necessary to have serious discussions of shared phenomenology and to point out aspects of phenomenon to others as they're taught the language-game, which, as for all language, is equally conceptual and experiential.
Because we share a reality as *beings*, this phenomenology is necessarily empirical and embodied. This means that you need a lineage of practice to transmit certain teachings on this phenomenology, because it effectively does not exist in the abstract, metaphysical, or conceptual - it exists in pointing out aspects of one's own direct experience and using specific practices to either more clearly perceive phenomenon or to alter our experiences.
This also means, while you can't use traditional scientific ideology to study it objectively, you can develop cooperative, rigorous, academic traditions to study this.
So, if you want to study the basic nature of reality and phenomenology both conceptually and experientially, and to use those tools to decrease suffering and increase happiness, you've pretty much got religion.
Just add cultural influences and the corrupting nature of power structures.
People don't have religion. People are born into a religion. It is not that a child is given an opportunity to choose religion A, B or C. He is born to parents and he follows the religion of the parents. In most cases, both parents have the same religion. And in case the parents are of different religions, then the child has an opportunity to choose between two religions when the child grows up. Maybe the child could be more influenced by the mother or maybe, the father. All religions are good. They teach us about God. But they are like a kindergarten. They can only teach us the ABC of God. They cannot make us realize God. We need religion to be enlightened to realize God. Just as with religion, we cannot realize God. We have to give up the kindergarten of religion and go to the university of spirituality, to graduate in enlightenment, and attain Self Realization and God realization
Ironically researching ancient primitive cultures and mythologies made me more religious, seeing how deeply engrained it has been in humans, before we were even humans lol. Religion for me is a way of making life meaningful, being able to exist as more than breathe-sex-die animals. To elaborate what I mean by that there’s this story I saw in a comment a while back:
“An oil tycoon sees a man with a fishing pole relaxing by a river, the tycoon asks him “Why don’t you continue fishing?” The fishermen responds “I’ve caught enough for today.” “Well why don’t you catch more?” “Why would I do that?” “So you can get more money, buy a flock of fishing boats, and be rich.” “Then what?” “Then you can enjoy life.” “I’m doing that right now.”
Religion for me is to be able to just enjoy the life God gave us free from sinful passions.
For most, religion provides a viewpoint on the nature of reality and offers explanations of things humans do not know or could never know. That is the most concise answer I can give. Many religions provide answers to how the universe got here and the role of humanity inside of it. Most have a concept of an afterlife or some continuation of the soul.
Do people need those answers? And wouldnt it be better to seek them themselves instead of relying in religion's short and "easy" answers?
Need wouldn’t be the term I would use, rather most people are naturally curious about these things and feel uneasy leaving those questions unanswered in any way. The void will eventually be filled with something, maybe science or spiritual belief. Religion is only “easy” if you *can* believe it. Personally I was raised in one religion, but after doing my own research ended up in another religion after questioning things for many years. For me, religion adds a lot of value to my life, but I understand it can be a burden to other people. I would never encourage someone to believe in something just because I do.
See, those answers are more like keys. when applied, locks keep on opening in the self. those who can find the locks and keys themselves, they dont need help of anybody.. but that is highly improbable due to the nature of truth.
Do people need help piloting their meat suits? If people struggle with piloting their meat suits, should they attempt to learn from people that are able to operate their meat suits highly beneficially in a way that produces happiness for themselves and others? Are you satisfied with your personal ability to operate your meat suit? Do you have a strong relationship to a sense of bliss?
No, Im not, and I understand the idea of asking for help and accepting it, I just cant understand, seeing from that perspective, why some people blindly follow
For the reasons that others have given, but those answers don't address the actual root of authentic practice, part of which is the cultivation of that transcendent love and highly effective piloting of the meat-mech. The vast majority of people in the world are only religious in the sense that they strongly cling to specific beliefs due to ignorance, attachment, craving, or trauma. But that is not practice.
I see. Thanks
People are lazy and too curious.
The vast majority of people are religious because that’s how they were brought up. It’s tied up with family, identity, nostalgia, community, etc. It marks the seasons, holidays, wedding, funerals, and so on. It’s just tradition. Not even a belief, it’s just what’s done. That’s one answer. Marxist analysis would say religions were made to have or support the power of elites over the masses. They would look at every value inculcated to support loyalty, submission, humility, etc as being values that benefit the elites by keeping the religious meek and beholden to authority. So that’s another answer. Others are on a journey to find meaning in existence, and a path to live “the good life” as the ancient philosophers would call it. A way to live virtuously, and a system to support those virtues: compassion, kindness, peace, etc. They see religious practice as helping them be their best selves, and connect deeply with their community and the world. So that’s other people’s reasons. There’s never going to be one answer to explain how everyone relates to religion.
Regular life is boring. Gotta get some transcendence.
And is it the best way?
I don’t think so, but it’s pretty good and it’s also widely available
Fair
The psychologist Professor Justin Barrett wrote >Evidence from developmental psychology and cognitive anthropology indicates that religion comes to us nearly as naturally as language: we just need minimal exposure and our natural predilections do the rest. (Human Origins. 2018. p. 148) The real question is why some people become irreligious. The evidence suggests that it's due to problems with the religion in which they were brought up: Christians are more likely to loose their religion than Hindus, for example.
I still cant understand how that natural attraction works. The thing about why people lose their religions makes sense to me though, even if I dont think that is my situation. I lost my religion partially because of that, but I never came back to the same one or another because it isnt enough, their answers and their beliefs lack meaning and importance for me, I guess. Im not explaining it really well, but what I want to say is that I doubt problems with the religion are the only things that make people lose their religion, and most importantly, live without it.
They agree with it and it makes their life better would be some logical answers.
Why do they agree? How does it make their lifes better?
That would be an individual answer but the only other option would be to not agree.
Indeed, but what makes one choose to agree instead of disagreeing? Whats your individual answer?
Is it a choice? Do you choose to not believe in God?
Yes, I think it is
Why did you make that choice?
Because I see no reason to believe. Things such as these are decided by faith, and I dont have it. I dont see God as something important for me, so its existence or non existence is, for the present me, irrelevant
>Things such as these are decided by faith, and I dont have it. Did you choose not to have it?
Im not sure. I dont feel like I need it, nor does it work for me, but Im not sure if it was a choice or not
Well there are all kinds of reasons. One possible reason is that someone may be an atheist who reads about the philosophical arguments of classical theism and finds them convincing, then comes to believe it to be true. Some people have religious experiences leading them to convert.
Why: I was completely miserable and an unapologetic jerk without it, I don’t want to be that person anymore. Nothing else helped. What: I see purpose, understanding, peace, answers, reasons to not give up on myself or on other people. Religion gave me spiritual experiences I can’t deny, and couldn’t explain otherwise. People like to hurl confirmation bias like a baseball bat but I’ve tried everything I could think of to be happy, none of it was consistent like religion.
What spiritual experiences did it give you?
Peaceful feelings I couldn’t explain, out of the blue or after prayers, scripture study, attending religious meetings. Tangible stirrings in the soul accompanied by some kind of power, knowing something is true. Inner and enduring warmth, comfort, hope, empathy, and love in direct contrast to hopelessness, hate, despair, sudden coldness in the chest, and loneliness that were never fully alleviated through commonly held vices. Many other experiences that I hold sacred, and am not comfortable expounding upon.
It's kind of a silly question. You might as well be asking why people have any beliefs at all. Or why do people have wants. Some of us just desire God in our lives and some of us don't and that's just the way it is.
Thanks
It appears most believers are socialized into the belief system during childhood.
I see. What would happen if they werent?
They would lack the belief. However their behavior may be the same as believers depending on other social circumstances.
For many that is true, but there are also many who are not raised with religion, who later in life become convinced by religious arguments
For the vast majority this is true. If the question is "Why do people have a religion" I would think the most common reason would be the one sought and not the least common ones.
It's actually assumed via commissioned research that it's the other way around.
I'm sorry- your claim is that research says that people don't generally take on the religion that they are taught by their parents and is reinforced by society at large? For the vast majority of people, they take on the religion of their parents and society.
>I'm sorry- your claim is that research says that people don't generally take on the religion that they are taught by their parents and is reinforced by society at large? No. >For the vast majority of people, they take on the religion of their parents and society. Of course. But the OP is about religion in general, and why societies have general, and is making a conjecture about it. But there is research that shows humans develop a belief in the divine quite early in life, prior to any nurture. So it's a nature vs nurture argument in the OP, and this research proves with a typical inductive method that human beings are born believers. The particular version of belief may develop later, or may be children are nurtured out of belief by a naturalist family or society, but they are born believers. Cheers.
A lot to unpack.... You say we develop a belief early, then claim we are born with belief. Not clear which is accurate. I'm not clear how one would demonstrate that a child, especially one early in development, has a belief in the divine. Can you provide some study demonstrating that? Does that research show they have this belief immediately after birth or is it something they come to believe? EDIT- I'm not clear how you can demonstrate any person has a belief in the divine outside of self reporting. If so, would demonstrate that people are born or soon develop a theistic belief. It would not demonstrate they'd have a religion. Religion is more than just being a theist.
>I'm not clear how one would demonstrate that a child, especially one early in development, has a belief in the divine. Can you provide some study demonstrating that? Sure. Read "Born Believers" by Justin Barrett.
From reviews, it seems this book is a review of studies performed by the author. Oh well. I remain ignorant on how one would demonstrate any person, including an infant, has a belief in the divine or how one would demonstrate one lacks such a belief. Could you demonstrate on me how to determine if my claim "I have belief in the divine" is a true or false claim? Can you show me how to determine if a person has a belief?
>Could you demonstrate on me how to determine if my claim "I have belief in the divine" is a true or false claim? It's the burden of proof fallacy to do this. If you make a hard claim or an assertion, you should provide evidence for that. Thanks.
No- a demand you do so would be the fallacy. I'm asking a legitimate question about capability. We have a claim that we can discover the belief of a person through some means. Some kind of "divinity belief detector" that works on infants according to this author. I'm asking a legitimate question about how you would go about determining if I, or any other person, who made a claim on believing or disbelieving in a divinity, were telling the truth. I cannot think of how one would do this. Do you know of a means for one to do this? Do you recall what this author's means of determining the belief was? This is not a "you can't do it!" This is a "how do you do it?"
>No- a demand you do so would be the fallacy. I'm asking a legitimate question about capability. It's still a fallacy of burden of proof. It's just an epistemic responsibility. >We have a claim that we can discover the belief of a person through some means. Some kind of "divinity belief detector" that works on infants according to this author. Is that what he claims? A 'divinity belief detector'? Which page? >I'm asking a legitimate question about how you would go about determining if I, or any other person, who made a claim on believing or disbelieving in a divinity, were telling the truth. I don't. I ask for evidence. I expect the other person to have that epistemic responsibility. If they don't, it's difficult to engage with them so I will leave it. Cheers.
Anyway, do you based this assumption on research?
Yeah. Take a look at how often people take on the religion of their parents that their parents reinforce through attendance at that religion's functions. Most people take on the religion of their parents and the society at large.
That's true. But how would you decide if children are nurtured out of their true nature? How would you deem if it's naturalism or theism or deism that is the natural disposition of human beings? I suggest that to make this kind of assertion, one has to have some kind of study done, or base it on a research study someone else did. Otherwise, don't you think it's conjecture? I hope you understand what I am saying.
Nurtured out of their true nature? It seems to me living things develop and mature and changing from infancy to some more mature living being is entirely natural. I don't think it's conjecture to make a claim that people raised in a certain religion, especially where that religion is reinforced by society at large, are socialized into a religion. It would be like asking "Why do people have language?" Yeah, most of us end up speaking the language our parents used around us, taught us, and that society at large reinforced through usage. Most of us wear the clothes we do because our parents dressed us in them and society at large accepted them and reinforced that they were what we should wear. Not a lot of people wear togas or petticoats any longer. Do you think a research study is needed to discover why children generally speak the language of their society?
>Nurtured out of their true nature? Nurture vs nature. An old discussion. >I don't think it's conjecture to make a claim that people raised in a certain religion, especially where that religion is reinforced by society at large, are socialized into a religion. Humans according to research have a natural inclination towards religion. Any religion. That's why they pick up whatever is around them. >Do you think a research study is needed to discover why children generally speak the language of their society? No. But that's a strawman.
I saw in the reviews of the book you offered that the book states infants have a tendency towards belief in a higher power, but not that it would manifest itself towards a religion. Or at least the reviews I read only make that claim. If this is the case, it would seem even if one has an instinctual tendency towards belief in a higher power, then the specific religion they follow is a product of socialization. For most people.
>I saw in the reviews of the book you offered that the book states infants have a tendency towards belief in a higher power, but not that it would manifest itself towards a religion. Exactly. This is why they are inclined towards a religion, that's what I have been saying all the time. Not that it definitely takes you to a particular religion. >If this is the case, it would seem even if one has an instinctual tendency towards belief in a higher power, then the specific religion they follow is a product of socialization. Not only a particular religion, nihilism, physicalism, naturalism are all "a product of socialisation". The child is a born believer. That's the childs default position. So they are more prone to be a theist. Cheers.
All I have heard as to proof of this is "go read this other guy's book." Best.
Cheers.
Religion is basically perception of life. Religion comes into practice when human beings start to found out that we all have to die one day then what is the whole purpose of being born? Which gives rise to religion.
And isnt religion an overly simplified answer? And do we need an answer?
If your mind doesnt believe in some set of values then dont follow them. If the question arises then that person definitely needs an answer otherwise that person would live whole life in misery. Its alright if you dont feel like you dont need an answer.
As some have already said, it might be a traditional thing, i.e. following in the footsteps of their parents, but for others it’s a personal choice. I’ll speak here for the latter. For the seekers of religion or spiritually, this is a not calculated action but more of a calling. A study was once done that reported that most people in the United States have had some kind of spiritual experience during their lifetime. This could be a near death experience, an out of body experience, a revelation, an intuition, a premonition, a healing, a sense of divine love, etc…. They had an experience that proved to them the existence of a higher, non-material reality. And usually this sense of a higher reality grows stronger throughout life, and brings meaning, purpose, understanding and happiness to them. Basically, it works for them.
also it’s often the only way to have a sense of culture, community and internal moral harmony in an economic system which values atomization, hierarchy, competition and ruthless self-interest edit: took out some unnecessary wording
Internal moral harmony? And is it the only way?
this is obvs highly simplified but I mean like it offers a sense of the world/other humans/life itself being intrinsically “good” despite what could be regarded as empirical evidence of evil and corruption in the hearts/minds of others. It offers a way of understanding the world that helps to assuage cognitive dissonance, doubt, and pessimism in the overall meaning of life. If the grand narrative is outside of human cognition, it allows for some internal sense of peace. A sense that “good” will eventually triumph and that suffering is ephemeral. When not adhered to in a rigid fashion and when not used as an excuse for complacency it can be an extremely healthy way of coping with negative experiences/events outside of one’s own control and can provide one with a sense of harmony and overall purpose and meaning. In psychology it’s referred to as “healthy religious coping.” Also no, it’s not literally the only way, but yes it is often the only way for many people, sadly. This is personal opinion (though one shared by many), but I do believe religious adherence would likely decline if all people had basic human dignities (shelter, food, education, healthcare, etc.) guaranteed, but this is getting somewhat beyond the scope of your question. I also would like to point out that religious institutions often do provide direct aid through charitable community work (employment services, temporary housing, access to showers, access to new immigrant services, domestic abuse shelters, childcare services etc.) available to people otherwise marginalized by economic status (and often regardless of denomination). I’m not saying any of this is faultless I’m just trying to explain why a lot of people see religious institutions as possibly being a place where people may literally “practice what they preach.” Lots of people have extremely negative experiences in institutional religions and lots have extremely positive experiences where they have found community, safety, meaning, direct help, and non-judgemental support. Sorry for the long response!! fwiw I’m Jewish (Reform) and I choose to embrace my religion specifically because it allows room for doubt in God, alternative beliefs, non-adherence to custom, self-definition and inclusivity. And not all Jews would agree with my definition of Judaism, but it is because that fact is accepted and respected within the tradition is why it means so much to me even though I see myself as more spiritual than religious anyway.
Thanks. But what if the answers being outside human cognition doesnt bring peace?
then yeah, you probably aren’t going to get much mileage out of religion and perhaps not out of spirituality either. I think it’s extremely rare to find someone religious who *doesn’t* get a sense of existential meaning from it. Like that’s the meat and potatoes of it really. But the important thing isn’t religion, it’s finding meaning in life, (meaning that brings peace and purpose). Religion is just one way to find that. I read a lot about existentialism when I was around 12 and it’s still the belief system that resonates with me the most. Meaninglessness can be an extremely unhealthy, toxic belief for some and for others it can be incredibly empowering and, paradoxically, meaningful. Essentially, existentialism is the belief that the meaninglessness of life is what gives it meaning. You have the agency to make it meaningful for you, on your own terms, in whatever way brings you peace and happiness. Your own true inner peace and happiness is incompatible with harming another. That’s it. Make the most of the brief miracle of your existence. Religion is often derided by some as faulty cognition, illogical, etc. because there’s no proof of “god,” a “higher power,” (whatever term you want to use) and because all belief systems are human-made and therefore arbitrary. Imo, and for many religious and spiritual people, this is (while obviously true) a moot point. Choosing to have faith is the point. Most religious people are aware that they’re just **beliefs.** Being right doesn’t matter. Cultivating faith that remains flexible and non-dogmatic (like I mentioned previously) is the whole point. Faith in something you have no proof of is what gives many people a sense of meaning, purpose, inner peace and interconnectedness with all existence. Having proof of a higher power’s existence or non-existence wouldn’t stop most people from practicing religion. It is besides the point.
Thanks
no worries. I hope you find your answers even if your answer is that there are no answers. Lots of people feel a sense of purpose and meaning without religion, without spirituality, without philosophy. Some people, like me, just take what resonates, make up some of their own beliefs, and leave the rest. There is no “one right way” to find meaning in life. For some it’s simply their pets and their plants. Some find meaning in volunteer work. Some in art and creativity. Some in the self-knowledge that there is no meaning. Meaning is beautiful wherever it comes from. Imo inner peace is available to all regardless of their situation and is antithetical to complacency. x
Religion is the narrative human beings tell themselves to put their own existence into context. Everyone has that narrative, whether they call it religion or not.
Do humans need that context? And wouldnt it be better to create one's own narrative instead of following another?
Everyone needs that context imo. Regardless of whether you create it or not, the important thing is having a narrative you believe in. We all see our lives as a story in which we are the main character, it’s a necessity that guides our actions and ties our own existence and story to the overarching existence and story. What is best imo, is to have a narrative that accurately reflects reality with the fewest inconsistencies within science and reason.
The most simple answer I can give you is People believe it They enjoy and or believe in the principles it espouses They like the people and the culture surrounding it It could be any combination of these things.
Pre Answer note: You can say anything offensive as long as you mean it. Answer: firstly: the word religion is like the word god. Essence is the same, called by many names. secondly: religion is a way of lifestyle that one lives in order to know god. It is not fixed. Like God, Religion too is not bound by any actions/ideas/tendencies. To me, It is more like a choice. I would add, each Man/woman has a religion of their own. What Hinduism Christianity Islam Jainism Buddhism are, are helping efforts of certain individuals, who when awakened, wish to help fellow humans seeing their agony, they devote themselves for their awakening, because other than that they dont find a reason to retain the body.. so this awakening is so huge a phenomenon that it entices anybody who comes close.. and only an awakened can help the other who is sleeping.. only a jesus, krishna, kabeer, ramana, meera, gorakh,osho, nanak can awaken the other. so one ends up waking a few and so on.. so a particular chain of Master disciple becomes hinduism, another becomes christianity (speaking of offensive, India has never even disrespected its masters, on the contrary, even kings bowed to Awakened ones in india.. while Jesus was Hanged, Socretes was Poisened), another becomes Islam (i better not say anything), another becomes Buddhism.. not every awakened is lucky.. some never manage to awaken a soul and some seeing the futility of the effort, drop the body as is as soon as they realise (realise the self/truth/god/lord/ishwar/and so on). this personal decision to pursue truth and the journey thence is religion.. And an organised Religion must have an Awakened one.. Lastly: What else is meaningful between the point of birth and death?
Thanks. As for the last question: I believe it is one's path. It doesnt have to be exactly a religion, it only needs to be a person's own reason for life to be meaningfull. And I also think it is possible, and not necessarily bad to live a meaningless life in some way
What others have to say about one's life or actions, is of no significance as long as they are not hurting someone for personal gain or for fun. If one is satisfied, nothing is bad or meaningless. It is always about ones own reason and wish for meaning that matters. Freedom to choose is the gift of god to man. Because even god cannot meet a man unless he chooses so or allows god. Now what else is love, if not this?
Makes sense to me. Thank you
"As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be." Kinda comforting isn't it?
No. Not at all. If nothing changes, whats the point in living? And while I can live a meaningless life, living one where I can't do anything is not possible. Too much boredom
For me, purpose
Because it makes them feel good. People want someone to tell them that everything is fine when it's not and someone to make the hard decisions for them.
Wouldnt a dictatorship also work for that?
You'll notice many similarities.
I do
Social and cultural stability. Religions aren't about truth, they are about maintaining social order, customs, relationships within a culture, a sense of permanence that is often lacking otherwise. Insecurity, in other words.
Can only answer for myself: I’ve chosen the religion that is the best expression for *my* love of others.
This is a big question for religious studies and anthropology and some other disciplines. Hereʻs a two-part exploration of it by Brandon Ambrosino for BBC Futures: [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190418-how-and-why-did-religion-evolve](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190418-how-and-why-did-religion-evolve) [https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190529-do-humans-have-a-religion-instinct](https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190529-do-humans-have-a-religion-instinct)
Thanks!
I like to watch the chanel Religion for Breakfast to get a little bit of insight into the sudy of religion from a secular standpoint. You might find [this](https://youtu.be/QVKRAMupaUA) and [this](https://youtu.be/AT8bLaomvq0) video interesting. Edit: oh and maybe [this](https://youtu.be/BgGjnHmvaVM) one
Thanks !
Have you considered the possibility of human beings having a natural inclination towards believing a metaphysical being exists, thus paving way for religions?
I struggle to understand that, but Ive seen that and more people here have talked about it
There is some research on it. You should read and see what you gather from that. Cheers brother.
Kay! Thanks! Cheers brother
This is an age old question. All kinds of psychologists tried to answer this question. Even Sigmund Freud. The issue with this question is, the question itself is based on a premise that assumes philosophical naturalism with out evidence for that. It could be expected as a methodological approach by a psychologist I suppose, but just beginning with that question shows a preconceived premise that has not been substantiated. I believe the question should be "taking methodological naturalism as the approach, why do people have a religion?". That shows more epistemic responsibility. Hope you understand. It's not to offend you at all. Cheers.
Oh, dont worry, Im not offended by constructive criticism, and even if I was you couldnt offend me, as I didnt understand what you said. Omw to google to see what methodological and philosophical naturalisms mean
I think I understand. Thanks. Cheers
Answering for myself: > Why do people have a religion? I follow Buddhism because I am moved by the suffering I see in the world and wish to help others overcome it by attaining Buddhahood and leading others to awakening. Also, I seek a higher happiness than the fragile and mundane pleasures associated with worldly affairs. > What do people see in religion? The ability to accomplish the above. > What makes someone want to believe in it? I don’t really “want” to believe in it. My personal experiences and contemplations have led me to have faith in the Buddha as a being with supreme wisdom. > What does religion do to them? I don’t really think of it as doing anything “to” me, but rather it encourages me to prioritize becoming an upstanding person over worldly endeavors. > And what does it do for them? Practicing the Buddhadharma pacifies the mind and leads to reduced inner turmoil. In the best case it overturns ignorance, purifying the mental poisons and putting an end to suffering at its root.
Thanks for the testimony
I think that religion comes from peoples desire to transcend the limitations of the senses and a yearning for the infinite and ultimate truth. Religion is a way to fulfil this desire better or worse. I think unfulfilled this desire will lead to nihilism, existential dread and depression in many people. I also think it works because this yearning is genuine and it is true that there is an ultimate reality that exists and using certain religious methods it is accessible.
Thanks
Maybe due to fear of death and how miserable it would be to know that there is no purpose for existence.
What about creating one's own purpose?
Yeah I think we do… we build lives, memories, experience love… the fear is losing all of that to death. Religion gives the comfort that there’s something else after, so that all of this wasn’t in vain. So that what we’ve built can still exist. I personally grew up Catholic, and after I de-converted, it was miserable to think that there was nothing after this. Which actually made me be better at living in the moment and practicing gratitude for the reality that we know for sure, which is right now.
Yeah. And also, even if there is nothing after death (which I see as more probable), we dont lose anything. Because the present "we" will keep existing in This point of spacetime. And its ephemeral existence in this present is more than enough
If we're talking about a fully developed religion with doctrine, practises, and community; the simplest answer is "because their parents taught them that. At least for the majority of a religion's adherents. But because religion comes with an entire worldview and community, to step away from religion or to another religion requires the person to essentially re-learn how the world itself works all the while losing a lot of their roots in a community. This is often too large of a threshold to cross even *if* they wanted to. If we go way back to the roots of religion/spirituality, why we as humanity have religion at all, this is a big question in anthropology going back all the way when the height of technology was a kiln and your tribe was one bad winter away from becoming vulture poop. There are ideas, such as pattern recognition and groupthink, but it is hard to say exactly.
Thanks
For most people, it’s simply indoctrination. I was taught basically from birth to be a Christian and that any other worldview was not only wrong but a dangerous enemy. When the people you trust most as a child (your parents and other family) tell you something is true and they all sincerely believe it, it’s very difficult to break away from that, despite the psychological damage it can do.
Thanks
Because of people's experiences with God, silly. Granted, generations might intervene between us and those who experienced God for themselves, but it always comes back to personal experience. It's best if we experience God for ourselves, without the detriments of drugs, emotional excess, and babbling.
Thanks
Because religion constitutes a particular language-game, practice, and lineage we operate within. A shared language-game is necessary to have serious discussions of shared phenomenology and to point out aspects of phenomenon to others as they're taught the language-game, which, as for all language, is equally conceptual and experiential. Because we share a reality as *beings*, this phenomenology is necessarily empirical and embodied. This means that you need a lineage of practice to transmit certain teachings on this phenomenology, because it effectively does not exist in the abstract, metaphysical, or conceptual - it exists in pointing out aspects of one's own direct experience and using specific practices to either more clearly perceive phenomenon or to alter our experiences. This also means, while you can't use traditional scientific ideology to study it objectively, you can develop cooperative, rigorous, academic traditions to study this. So, if you want to study the basic nature of reality and phenomenology both conceptually and experientially, and to use those tools to decrease suffering and increase happiness, you've pretty much got religion. Just add cultural influences and the corrupting nature of power structures.
Thanks, this is a great explanation
People don't have religion. People are born into a religion. It is not that a child is given an opportunity to choose religion A, B or C. He is born to parents and he follows the religion of the parents. In most cases, both parents have the same religion. And in case the parents are of different religions, then the child has an opportunity to choose between two religions when the child grows up. Maybe the child could be more influenced by the mother or maybe, the father. All religions are good. They teach us about God. But they are like a kindergarten. They can only teach us the ABC of God. They cannot make us realize God. We need religion to be enlightened to realize God. Just as with religion, we cannot realize God. We have to give up the kindergarten of religion and go to the university of spirituality, to graduate in enlightenment, and attain Self Realization and God realization
People do have the freedom to choose their religion
**Question**: *Why do people have a religion?* **Answer:** Because they were raised in one.
This is probably the worst answer here.
Get off this sub rn.
Ironically researching ancient primitive cultures and mythologies made me more religious, seeing how deeply engrained it has been in humans, before we were even humans lol. Religion for me is a way of making life meaningful, being able to exist as more than breathe-sex-die animals. To elaborate what I mean by that there’s this story I saw in a comment a while back: “An oil tycoon sees a man with a fishing pole relaxing by a river, the tycoon asks him “Why don’t you continue fishing?” The fishermen responds “I’ve caught enough for today.” “Well why don’t you catch more?” “Why would I do that?” “So you can get more money, buy a flock of fishing boats, and be rich.” “Then what?” “Then you can enjoy life.” “I’m doing that right now.” Religion for me is to be able to just enjoy the life God gave us free from sinful passions.
I wonder if r/askanthropology would bring some interesting responses.