Why People Believe In God

People have a built-in capacity and desire to think about and emulate that which is better and that which is ideal. God is all powerful, all knowing, beyond moral infallibility, has infinite wisdom, and perfect judgement. The concept of God partially fullfills the human desire to be perfect. The faithful strive to follow the commandments of their perfect god and in so doing are being as perfect as their fallibilities allow.

It is human nature to wonder about how things should be - what is good, what would make life better. The more we know and understand, and apply that understanding to shape our futures, the more god-like we are. Being more god-like seems certain to enable humans to lead better lives. It seems certain that those god-like characteristics and endeavors would evolve the human situation to a better state. That perhaps is the most potent basic mechanism underlying man's progress.

We should be proud of this aspect of our intellect. It is part of what makes us human and what makes us great and what makes our lives enjoyable. Imagination to conceive a better future and determination to achieve improvement bring enjoyment to our lives.

Religions contain much great philosophy that should be appreciated and exemplified - from Christianity's Golden Rule to Islam's brotherhood and Budhism's open-mindedness and Amish community. Would it be great to adopt each of those great philosophical passions? Applying the great wisdom that is part of the world's religions is central to humanity's fast-forward progress.

Many positive results have come from the works of churches and religious organizations. But likewise, organizations not affiliated with a religious group have provided improvements to people's lives. In general, it seems to me that a belief in god and following an organized religion takes much time and energy: studying the religion's literature, attending worship services, fund raising, and other activities. It seems that more good would be done if people simply had more time to devote to self-improvement, charity, rest and relaxation, comtemplation, and improving the quality of life.

Getting the most bang for the buck from our intellects involves judging which of our particular beliefs are valid and in accordance with progress and which are not. We should cultivate our capacity and desire to change and improve by choosing philosophies that are most in accordance with our understanding. We need to guide our development to insure the most progress.

Choose well to most enjoy your journey forward.