Why Humans Need God Essay -- Religion Belief Faith Society Essays

Why Humans Need God Why is there a God, deity, or higher consciousness in all cultures found around the world? Why won't the concept of God go away? Do humans need God? Is there even a God, by any religious standard? These are all interesting questions that spur a topic for me that may appall some Christians, but may make sense to a lot of other people. I started out a few years ago when I was evaluating my beliefs and asked myself "Why is there God?." I could not at that time believe without proof that there was a God, and I had no proof. I never got any real proof, just self realization upon self realization that there has to be a God, or at least the thoughts in my mind that corresponded with the thoughts of others in the past and in the present have been dubbed "God" to me. So I go on this journey of writing a paper questioning why in every culture from the first signs of ceremonial burials among Neanderthals to today's highly sophisticated rituals, rights and ceremonies of evolved religion, there seems to be something beyond us, higher than us, something we do not understand, but comforts us on dark, cold lonely nights when we are most vulnerable. In the book, Why God Wont Go Away, by Andrew Newberg, it seems that we are psychologically built to alleviate the existential fears and comfort us in this confusing and perilous world through invention and myths. From the earliest weapon to the latest technological revolution we are trying to make ourselves more secure in this world. That's one reason why it seems that in Christianities' earlier years it was either science or religion; you could not have both. Not only because they had conflicting goals and views, but also because when you had science, the human mind's ... ... Hayes, Brian J. "Friedrich Nietzsche God is Dead." Age-Of-The-Sage.org . 12 Nov 2003. Oct 2002. http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/philosophy/nietzsche_God_dead.html Martin, Joel W. Native American Religion. New York: Oxford University Press, 1999. Mbitu, Ngangar, and Ranchor Prime. Essential African Mythology. San Francisco: Thorsons, 1997. Modern Spiritualities. Eds. Laurence Brown, Bernard C. Farr, R. Joseph Hoffmann. Amherst: Prometheus, 1997. Morris, Tom W. Philosophy for Dummies. New York: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc, 1999. Newberg, Andrew, Eugene D'Aquili, and Vince Rause. Why God Won't Go Away. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002. Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Gay Science: With a Prelude in Rhymes and an Appendix of Songs. Trans. Walter Kaufmann. Vintage Books, 1974.