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Why Do People Believe in God?

In an age when "belief" is looked skeptically down, one wonders why people still continue to believe in God. At the same time, there are those who wonder why people aren't able to believe in God.

Following may be some reasons why people believe in God:

1. Simplicity. There is a law in both philosophy and science called Occam's Razor that says that the simplest explanation must be preferred to a more complicated one. Belief in God is simple, therefore, people believe in God.

2. Rationality. Belief in God answers several questions that may not be, otherwise, answerable. It solves the question of creation and destiny of the universe, the question of justice, morality, and truth, the problem of evil, the question of life after death, and the problem of man's purpose in life.

3. Practicability. Belief in God is practical and useful. It helps one to face life in a positive manner. At the same time, the believer's experience of God's answer to his prayers, of miracles, and of help in time of need strengthens his faith in God.

4. Existentiality. Belief in God gives man a purpose in life. Life is no longer accidental, haphazard, and absurd. Life has a purpose. Even in the midst of the severest evil, this belief in God gives man the reason to be and do good. It gives meaning to such virtues like love, mercy, truth, justice, and righteousness.

Domenic Marbaniang, 2010
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