What are some reasons a person becomes religious?

1. Fear of death.
2. To find meaning
3. To connect to others
4. To experience something they haven’t previously.
5. To figure out many of the ‘why’s’ they’re asking themselves.
6. ...Because they’ve been indoctrinated into it.

Conditioning by environment.

Particularly family members.

because they’ve become convinced via some evidence that it’s pertinent to their existence at the moment.

I do not believe any single religion has any more authority on god over the other. I was brought up a Christian myself, I have read the entire Authorized KJV of the bible. I can honestly say I am not religious in any way. I do believe everyone has a soul, I do believe your soul goes someplace. I do not have much beliefs beyond that. I’m not even sure which religion even best describes my beliefs. My beliefs are way different from that of which I was taught to believe.

Perhaps religion/spiritual beliefs offer many people a glimmer of hope that they will see their loved ones again upon physical death. Being spiritual and being religious are two completely 2 different things.

@Simone_De_Beauvoir Took my answer :P

I think one reason is because people are rarely content to accept that what is is all there is. They think the observable world is somehow mundane, and the world cannot be so boring as to be without supernatural battles between good and evil (the only place these two concepts are clearly defined) that somehow revolve around humanity.

People in this situation are usually ignorant of science, which in my opinion is far more intriguing, beautiful and emotionally powerful than any religion. Once you accept that space and time warp in response to the presence of matter, that every particle is also a wave, that space-time itself is expanding in the wake of the decay of a mass-energy plasma, and that information can be transmitted faster if it goes via another universe, I think the idea of someone speaking the universe into existence is juvenile and mundane.

@FireMadeFlesh

I don’t agree with your statement that “the idea of someone speaking the universe into existence is juvenile and mundane.” I believe that there was far more to the creation of something as majestic and awe inspiring as the universe than just speaking a few words.

I think that this only proves the Creator is a scientist, who uses natural laws. And He is also an artist, whose works are more beautiful and perfectly conceived and designed than those any human hand can create. How sad that so many can not appreciate and be grateful for the magnificent creations that were purposed for mankind.

Its the way I was raised, and they way my relatives have been raised for centuries.

@eden2eve We know how the universe was formed, and my personal opinion is that these processes are far more beautiful than the ancient religious creation myths. Beauty is subjective though, so if you find these stories beautiful then who am I to disagree?

They were brought up to believe. Some people were born into it, and then drift away when they get older or change their preference.

@FireMadeFlesh So you assume all theists have the same views it seems on how the universe was formed.

@Jabe73 Not at all. Where did I say that?

One of my therapists once told me that some people attach themselves fervently to a religion (and she meant of the more fundamentalist kind) because they cannot handle certain aspects of being human, like sexuality, anger, violence, etc., and that adhering to a strict code of behaviour as is the case in most fundamentalist sects, gives those people a sense of control over their impulses. They get their sense of self from being a “good girl” or “boy”.

Because nothing else has worked. Or they have had an experience or learned something.

The lifelong search for meaning and value. But healthy forms of religion require maturity and the ability for critical thinking.