meritocrat

How does it improve one's life? What benefits are there?

Why is it 'better' than not believing?

Kosh

It's the adult version of the cuddly blanket.

or as Mad Kally used to say:

"God is Santa Claus for adults"

Paperstreet

Its like having an omnipotent bouncer following you, making sure things go your way. And if you are loyal to that bouncer, you get to live forever with eternal bliss. Dieing is scary. Humans are scared of what they do not know, so religion is the ultimate security blanket.

Paperstreet

It also makes you feel special thinking the most important guy in the universe and of all existence actually cares about you.

philechat

I think God is the projection of the collective ideal. It is of no surprise that within whatever culture or class a given religion was developped in had gods that reflected the values of the given culture or class.

Jet Grind

I think it gives them hope. When you fall on hard times it's good to believe that there is someone very powerful watching you and caring for you. That's why I'm not necessarily anti-religious, it does help a lot of people when they need it.

Ojuice5001

The main reason belief in gods is so tenaciously held is simply that it's true. Theists look at the world and see the activity of god(s); therefore, it takes a lot to convince them that the world really isn't that way. It's no different from the fact that most atheists at most times look at the world and see things as if they happen without the guidance of the gods. No other explanation is necessary.

And I disagree that religion is that good of a wish fulfillment. Yes, the gods often look out for their followers, but it's important to see that there's always some force that opposes your god. Yahweh's will, Jupiter's will, Postverta's will, are all sometimes thwarted, and one's own case could always be one of those cases. Not only that, but gods are notoriously capricious. You never know when they'll decide you haven't pleased them enough, and cast you down in some way.

quartodeciman

It's fun!

sphinx wui

It is death honey. We- human beings- are the only creatures who know that we will die some day and we have to by pass this horrible knowledge by some imaginations!

Don’t underestimate the importance of this knowledge, can you tell me why the idiots in ancient Egypt spent all those years and effort to build the pyramids which no body has any use of them!! Have you ever heard of the “book of death” which was written by them thousands of years ago to describe the after life journey, why they bothered to mummify their dead?? Sometimes I call the ancient Egyptian civilization “the death civilization”

Without this imagination life will be absurd, why we wake up in the morning and go to work or do any thing if we will die any way and that is the end of the story.

Omar

meritocrat

Non sequitur.

I can get 'fun' from driving a car. I don't worship it or expect it to save me on Judgement Day.