People believe in God for a variety of reasons. One reason being the way a person has been or is being brought up.
Nurturing a child from birth or early childhood is known to have a profound effect on the way of life a person chooses to uphold in their future. This instilling of beliefs ensures that strong foundations are put down, making it too difficult perhaps for a person to question their faith, God, beliefs and/or religion, in the future.
Often, a family will not allow questioning of why a particular religion or way of life has been chosen. It is also somewhat easier to just accept the way things are. If a child is not allowed, or actively forbidden from questioning their way of life, then their natural curiosity will have been curtailed. A child also has nothing to compare it’s life to and cannot control it at that time.
A belief in God is seen as a perfectly natural thing to have.
Each generation passes down its beliefs to the next. It can be extremely hard for a person to go their own way. A person who wants to give up their religion or decides that they do not believe in a god may be cajoled into keeping the faith. If they do not let themselves be talked around or bullied, then they might be shunned. Therefore, it can be easier to just accept the way things are.
Human beings are social animals and are naturally pre-disposed with a need to belong.
Religion; God, provides something for people to cling to and can bring them enormous comfort. Believing in God and being promised the gift of eternal life, after death can be very uplifting. These beliefs can also diminish the fear of death.
People also need hope. ‘Knowing’ or believing that life carries on after death here on Earth can be very soothing. It is often not an option for people to think that after death there is perhaps nothing. The thought of not existing, or never seeing one’s loved again in an afterlife, could be too much to bear.
God is regarded as the supreme being.
He/she is believed to hold all the answers to life and death. Believing in God means that one can surrender themselves to him completely.
God goes hand in hand with prayer.
Praying to God can provide great solace in times of despair. People need to be comforted and feel loved. God is touted as being all forgiving and loving. God can be a crutch for people to rely upon to help them live their lives in a Christian way.
Superstition may play a part in why some people need to believe in God. Many people are brought up to believe that God and the devil co-exist. Some religions call upon people to renounce the devil. Fear of the devil and evil can have a strong influence over people, ensuring that God is uppermost in people’s minds. Gaining control of people’s minds from early childhood often ensures a strong unwavering belief in God for the rest of their lives. This fostering of beliefs is then passed down to the next generation.
