Douglas Adams also has a fun explanation for it:
Quote:
"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God, "for proof denies faith, and without faith I am nothing."
"But," says Man, "the Babel fish is a dead giveaway isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves that you exist, and so therefore, by your own arguments, you don't. Q.E.D."
"Oh dear," says God, "I hadn't thought of that," and promptly vanishes in a puff of logic.
|
But as to why people think that a greater force outside of them exists... well, I think that would be more easily answered by wondering what the world would be like if we didn't. What would happen if God were dead, to all of us?
Scientific studies (though I can only cite Dr. Phil and the anecdotal evidence of a friend of the family's who was abused as a child) show a trend that religious people are generally healthier-- less stressed in the belief that some things are just out of their hands, that there's a plan for them and that they're loved unconditionally even when alone. Best placebo ever.
We can't deny the impact that monotheism has on our culture for better or worse (whether we ourselves are religious at all or not, that the superpowers are predominantly monotheist is enough,) and the very concept of monotheism must have pushed worlds of progress for our thinking in abstractions-- Being, and Love... rather than many specialized anthropomorphs of a river, field, sun, marital relationship, etc. (Even though polytheism has its place in thinking creatively...)
Most importantly I think-- if God were dead to all of us (even if He were alive to ALL of us,) that would be one less point of view, or way of life, to vary among people-- judge for yourself if the world would be poorer or better for that.
I hope that all made sense.