Why do so many people believe in God?

Most believe in God because of (1) their parents and their culture, (2) seeking meaning, (3) intellectual laziness (NOT because they are stupid per se :), (4) lack ofeducation, and finally (5) out ofnecessity.

1. The vast majority of believers have their religion from their parents and/or theirculture.

Then they were just too lazy to look at other religions (or none at all). That is why there are relatively few who change their religion or turn away altogether.

However, it is not entirely clear to me why a moody God, whom no one really sees through, should make sense. The idea of paradise also seems to me to be a little unfinished, since there is no evidence for it, nor an idea of what should be good about spending eternity (among other things) with his in-laws (or even a moody god:)

Because they are comfortable and gullible, they simply believe everything without questioning the details. Ask a Christian if he believes everything in the Bible. If he says yes, ask him if he also believes in the (fire-breathing) dragons in the Bible (yes, exactly!).

Above all, Adam and Eve are the more convenient explanation for the origin of humanity.

The higher the education, the less religious peopleare.In other words, the longer they go to school, the less they go tochurch.

This favours the development and dissemination ofreligion.A recent study also shows that “watchdog gods” arise mainly in larger, anonymous societies, apparently because there is a greater need for social control.