Reasons for becoming religious.

[Mike Cl]

I'm interested in making a list of why people join a religion or become religious.  I don't want to make any judgments about whether it is a good or bad reason--just interested in the reasons. 
So far I've come up with the following.  Please add more and show me where I've  doubled up.  So far my list has 8 reasons:
1--Hope for an afterlife; fear of death.
2--Socialization
3--Tradition
4--Searching for answers to problems.
5--Comfort and assurance.
6--Searching for purpose and/or meaning in life.
7--A person feels it provides a set of morals and a value system.
8--Lack of responsibility; a lot of people do not take responsibility for their actions and choices and the world they create around them.  They look for something to blame and something to send their      problems to. 


Please add or subtract from this list as you see fit.  Thanks.

[Solomon Zorn]

I don't know if this fits your list, but I see my own experience as a desire to know the unknowable, and control the uncontrollable. Even prayer was an attempt, at best, to know the mind of God, or at least, to move his hand.

[Mike Cl]

1--Hope for an afterlife; fear of death.
2--Socialization
3--Tradition
4--Searching for answers to problems.
5--Comfort and assurance.
6--Searching for purpose and/or meaning in life.
7--A person feels it provides a set of morals and a value system.
8--Lack of responsibility; a lot of people do not take responsibility for their actions and choices and the world they create around them.  They look for something to blame and something to send their      problems to.
9.  Know/control the unknowable.

Thanks Solomon--added to the list.

[stromboli]

Don't know what it comes under, but the majority of Mormon converts are from 3rd world countries. I think they are looking for better lives than what they have.

[Mike Cl]

Don't know what it comes under, but the majority of Mormon converts are from 3rd world countries. I think they are looking for better lives than what they have.

Thanks for the reply.  Would that fit under 'socialization', in that they want to find a 'fit' somewhere in our society and that is a good place to start?  That could easily be viewed as a ready built network, I would think.

[SGOS]

Your reasons seem plausible, but I have limited experience with people becoming religious.  Most people are just indoctrinated during early childhood.  I've know one person (the only one I know in real life) for 60 years who came from an atheist family and joined the Baptist Church around the age of10 or 12.  Her family didn't say much about it.  Her brother would just do an eye roll, like it was some kind of childhood phase.

I met her again 30 years later.  She had married an atheist, but she was still religious.  I had just survived a bout of cancer, and had a clean bill of health.  One thing she asked me was, "When you were diagnosed with cancer, didn't you feel any need to believe in God?"

My point is that something about her religion would seem to be necessary in her life when dealing with life threatening circumstances.  Like believing in God would make dying of cancer OK, or might even cure cancer.  I'm sure she had other reasons for believing, but that one jumped out at me as explaining at least a part of her need.

Now that I'm thinking about it, not for this woman, but for most religious people their biggest reason is that they were indoctrinated with the whole thing early in life, and can't see it any other way.  I suppose that falls under #3 Tradition, although I like both the word and concept of "indoctrination", and I think it looms large in the dynamic you're trying to explain.

[Mike Cl]

Your reasons seem plausible, but I have limited experience with people becoming religious.  Most people are just indoctrinated during early childhood.  I've know one person (the only one I know in real life) for 60 years who came from an atheist family and joined the Baptist Church around the age of10 or 12.  Her family didn't say much about it.  Her brother would just do an eye roll, like it was some kind of childhood phase.

I met her again 30 years later.  She had married an atheist, but she was still religious.  I had just survived a bout of cancer, and had a clean bill of health.  One thing she asked me was, "When you were diagnosed with cancer, didn't you feel any need to believe in God?"

My point is that something about her religion would seem to be necessary in her life when dealing with life threatening circumstances.  Like believing in God would make dying of cancer OK, or might even cure cancer.  I'm sure she had other reasons for believing, but that one jumped out at me as explaining at least a part of her need.

Now that I'm thinking about it, not for this woman, but for most religious people their biggest reason is that they were indoctrinated with the whole thing early in life, and can't see it any other way.  I suppose that falls under #3 Tradition, although I like both the word and concept of "indoctrination", and I think it looms large in the dynamic you're trying to explain.

I too, like the word 'indoctrination' as well.  I think it fits well under #3.  And it does loom large in why people become and stay religious.  I seem to remember reading somewhere that if a person were raised in a religion it was not uncommon for them to return to it later in life if they fell away in youth.  Indoctrination seems to work.

[dtq123]

Add incomplete logic in there. Until I thought it out completely, I was still religious for a while.

[Termin]

 Bit tongue and cheek ,but how about  . . .

Athazagoraphobia
The fear of being forgotten, ignored, or abandoned.

Gnosiophobia:
Your fear of knowledge

Hellenologophobia
The fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology.
 

[Mike Cl]

Add incomplete logic in there. Until I thought it out completely, I was still religious for a while.

I'm curious--were you born into your religion? 

But I can see what you are saying--some people lack the training in or ability of critical thinking.  That could sure keep one ensnared in a religion.

[Mike Cl]

Expanded list:
1--Hope for an afterlife; fear of death.
2--Socialization
3--Tradition
4--Searching for answers to problems.
5--Comfort and assurance.
6--Searching for purpose and/or meaning in life.
7--A person feels it provides a set of morals and a value system.
8--Lack of responsibility; a lot of people do not take responsibility for their actions and choices and the world they create around them.  They look for something to blame and something to send their      problems to.
9.  Know/control the unknowable.
10.  Lack of training or ability of critical thinking skills.
11.  To obtain order; gain a comprehensive worldview.  (could be related to #6, but it does seem a bit different to me)

[Mike Cl]

Bit tongue and cheek ,but how about  . . .

Athazagoraphobia
The fear of being forgotten, ignored, or abandoned.

Gnosiophobia:
Your fear of knowledge

Hellenologophobia
The fear of Greek terms or complex scientific terminology.

Would you consider the first one as being part of 'socialization'?  Or do you see it as being different?
Also, could the last two be lumped into the category of lacking training or skill in critical thinking?
Thanks for you input, BTW.

[SGOS]

Would you consider the first one as being part of 'socialization'?  Or do you see it as being different?
Also, could the last two be lumped into the category of lacking training or skill in critical thinking?
Thanks for you input, BTW.

As for the first, I think it's more closely related to fear of death.  Hell, I have no idea who my great grandparents are, and in all honesty I don't care that much.  What they did, or who they were is pretty much irrelevant to my life now.

And by extension, that's what my life will mean to people 70 years from now; Forgotten, ignored, and abandoned.

[Termin]

Would you consider the first one as being part of 'socialization'?  Or do you see it as being different?
Also, could the last two be lumped into the category of lacking training or skill in critical thinking?
Thanks for you input, BTW.

   The first one I wasn't so much thinking the aspect of going to church, but having that imaginary friend always there for you. Social groups don't meet 24/7. An imaginary friend however can always be there. The socialization would only be a reinforcement that the friend is real.

As for the other two,  they are potential causes of lacking training or critical thinking, but I would agree with lumping them in.

[Mike Cl]

As for the first, I think it's more closely related to fear of death.  Hell, I have no idea who my great grandparents are, and in all honesty I don't care that much.  What they did, or who they were is pretty much irrelevant to my life now.

And by extension, that's what my life will mean to people 70 years from now; Forgotten, ignored, and abandoned.

Yeah, I see what you mean--I agree.  Fear of death and wanting to leave a legacy can be powerful in some.