But then you would consider the chupracabra as your God then you couldn't be an atheist anymore. Could you handle that? Doubtful. The thought of a supreme being terrifies you.
Actually, this brings up a good point about why I do continue to harass you good god fearing folk. The truth is, I'm intensely fascinated by the religious condition. The idea that so many people will disregard reality and put their faith in fiction really does fascinate me to no end. Of course, I have my own theories on what drives people towards religious belief.
1.)
Indoctrination. You love your momma and daddy with all your heart, and think the world of them. The thought that they could have been wrong about god and lying to you as a child is unfathomable. You put your unwavering trust in them and the church they brought you to. This also involves peer pressure, as one would be less inclined to dissent when their entire community operates in faith. To publicly disagree with aspects of your faith in a faith centered community is a frightening prospect to many.
And yet, many people who went through the process of indoctrination come to their senses and leave the church. So, simple indoctrination cannot explain the attraction in total.
2.)
Lack of education. The less one knows about science and the natural world they live in, the easier it is to dismiss their superiors and continue to surround themselves in a veil of ignorance. It's no surprise that the more educated and those with higher IQs are less religious. When one furthers their education, their understanding about the process of evolution, carbon dating, and other areas of science will often lead them to question their religious beliefs, as they are often not compatible with their new-found understanding.
And yet, I know people with no college education who left their beliefs behind. Obviously, further education is not the only thing that frees the mind from its religious restraints.
3.)
Pride. For someone who spent their entire life believing in a deity, to have contradicting views threatening their way of life is immensely offensive. Not only is it offensive, but scary, because if these opposing views are correct, you would have to admit to yourself that you've been massively duped. Not just scammed by some online identity thief. You've been scammed to the very core of your being, and you've been on your knees worshiping something that doesn't exist. For someone with a large amount of pride, it must be nearly impossible to even consider the consequences of being wrong about this.
And yet, I still see prideful people who left the church later in life. So pride is not the linchpin of belief.
4.)
Fear. This, in my humble opinion, is the strongest force in maintaining one's faith. There are two specific, yet intertwined fears. I think there is a certain type of person with a typecast mentality that these fears really effect. The first fear is the fear of nothing after death. The idea that we simply rot in the ground after we die is so scary to people who strive for meaning in their lives that they rationalize an afterlife. Once this fabrication is maintained, they can operate with much greater peace of mind. The second fear is the fear of hell, which inspires them to go to church, tithe, etc. While many would spin it another way, I'm particularly convinced that this fear is inherently selfish. They participate in their own Pascal's Wager, believing it's better to be safe than sorry. So instead of doing good things or being kind out of their own prerogative, they do it to secure their place in heaven and avoid the the punishment of hell. The people with this mentality, the overwhelming fear of death, are the ones who flock to god the most.
And that is why I believe fear is the greatest determining factor of many people of faith, though the first three things I also talked about certainly play a part as well.
I'm gonna get bashed for this post, but I wouldn't expect any less considering the majority of this forum is populated by believers. I'm not going to lie and say that I tried to put things as delicately as I could, or attempted to mitigate any patronizing that occurred. I'm just a person trying to understand a certain mindset belonging to a certain type of person. Peace. :hi: