“At the trial of God, we will ask: why did you allow all this?
And the answer will be an echo: why did you allow all this?’’
-Ilya Kaminski, A City Like a Guillotine Shivers on Its Way to the Neck
Most people, throughout the history of humanity, have believed in the existence of an empirically unproven and unverifiable God. Often described as the ‘ruler’ or ‘creator’, the concept of God has become central to many, as highlighted by the vast body of psychological studies around it. However, due to its subjective nature, it has never truly been objectively defined. Scriptures, historical literature and religious books all tell different tales. Even a simple Google search on the term yields more definitions than can be counted. This leaves us wondering: What should we believe? More importantly, why do we believe?
Why people believe: Ultimate and Proximal Causes
The fragments of this complex puzzle, that is God, are scattered through both history and time. In order to better understand the bigger picture, science has divided the causal factors of our belief into two distinct categories: ultimate and proximal. While ultimate causes deal with the functional origins of behaviour and thought, proximal causes deal more with the immediate factors affecting the same.
Although humans are known to have been around for approximately five to seven million years, it is unknown how far back the concept of religion dates. We may wonder — Did our ancestors, perhaps, while relying on the stars to show them direction, believe that there was a higher force—a God, even—guiding them? Studies on evolution suggest that in prehistoric times, since failing to identify threats was more dangerous than sounding false alarms, humans evolved a sense of hypervigilance towards human-like presence. Even today, many are biased towards perceiving supernatural beings such as God as being responsible for relatively natural phenomena such as earthquakes, storms and floods. A study performed on the development of religiosity in humans showed that children as young as 7 years of age are capable of attributing the cause of an unexpected event to an invisible agent.
Proximal factors for our belief include cognitive factors such as intelligence and self-enhancement. Those with higher IQ levels have been found to have a lower need for beliefs in religion and God, due to their self-sufficiency in generating the psychological benefits that these beliefs provide. It has also been proposed that these individuals are more likely to not conform; thus, they may feel more comfortable deviating from the religious majority and identifying as non-believers. For many, belief in God is motivated solely by self-enhancement. Perceived relations with God improve self-regard and allow people to see themselves in a positive light. This may, in turn, condition them into being overly religious. Another significant reason for religious and divine faith is the sense of control that it provides. Interestingly, science has even found a relationship between brain functions, religiosity and perceived control. When damaged, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex of the brain, often linked to emotions and affect, has been observed to increase the strength of an individual’s perceived relationship with God and hence, their sense of control.
A perspective on the science of Religion:
The concept of religion is intertwined with that of God such that one cannot stand without the other. It is often described as a way of life; a system of beliefs and activities built around the perceived supremacy of a supernatural being. Although religion peaked in the mid-20th century, the number of theists and believers has substantially decreased in the last few years.
While following a religion may have numerous positive effects on humans, it has its downsides. Many members of religious groups perceive serious illnesses such as HIV as being punishments for supposed sins. Therefore, by providing answers to existential questions, religion may prevent us from questioning or seeking them further. Due to the arduous nature of this seeking, many may find it easier to simply believe what is told to them. Ignorance is, in a way, bliss, and is used by religious extremists to promote their views and ideologies. In addition to spreading misinformation, religion has also been hypothesised to lower self-esteem and induce guilt in believers. Shame, guilt and lower self-esteem have been positively correlated to depression in the past; thus, hinting at a possible link between religiosity and depression.
Understanding transcendent indebtedness to God:
The idea of religious indebtedness to God is not new, with Christian beliefs stating that followers are indebted to God due to the sacrifices made by Him. Additionally, indebtedness to God has been correlated to increased prosocial behaviour. Usually, this occurs due to ‘diffused reciprocity’, a phenomenon in which individuals in a community pay forward good deeds not in hopes of returns, but because everyone else in the community is doing so, too. Most, if not all religions, follow a strict code of morality and ethicality which is positively and negatively reinforced by fear. Through concepts such as hell in Christianity, karma in Hinduism, and paradise in Islam, religions reinforce believers to fear the consequences of their actions through those of God. The act of doing wrong cannot be prevented by the prospect of a reward as much as it can be prevented by that of punishment. This is explained by the theory of Loss Aversion, which states that the psychological pain of loss is much more powerful than the pleasure of equivalent gains. While studying the link between God and ‘good’ behaviour, belief in a punishing and less loving god resulted in comparatively more ethical and moral behaviour as compared to belief in a lenient, all-forgiving God.
As individuals living in a post-modernist society, we may find ourselves frequently questioning authoritative beliefs. While it is important to deconstruct our beliefs and rethink blind submission to religious claims, it is also imperative to remember that, as of today, science has neither the required tools nor the resources to prove or disprove the concept of God and divinity. The most it can do is use available and accessible knowledge to link theories and possibilities in psychology and philosophy. In conclusion, only further research will allow us to take gradual steps towards completing the intricate and fascinating puzzle, that is, God.
Masumi Pradhan
