I guess if I were to rephrase my question, it would be...
What is Faith? or what it is about faith that makes people so determined that what they believe in is as real as the keyboard I'm typing on.
Well, to be perfectly plain, faith is defined by the dictionary as "a belief not based on proof." As to the reason...
Human beings have evolved to recognize patterns. It gives us the ability to read, to rationally examine the world around us, to recognize that there may be a predator stalking us, and to see fluffy bunnies in clouds.
Unfortunately, sometimes we're
too good at recognizing patters, and we see what isn't there. We commonly refer to this as "the mind playing tricks on us."
Religion combines this pattern-recognition with primitive mythology "explaining" various unknowns to create a self-perpetuating meme that infects humanity almost literally like a disease.
For example, when the world around us is explained as being created and controlled by an all-powerful, all-knowing deity who has a plan for everyone and works in mysterious ways, a confirmation bias is established whereby
all events, positive or negative, regardless of rational examination or contradictory evidence, are taken as evidence of that deity's direct hand. If you pray for a sick child and it lives, it's a miracle, praise God. If the child dies, God works in mysterious ways, praise God. Small events in an individual's life (especially small coincidences, like hearing an appropriate song for what you were just thinking, especially if the thought and song were faith-based, a likely occurance for the extremely religous) "confirm" the established belief over and over again.
Memes like this are typically passed on to children, meaning they are literally brainwashed from birth with confirmation-bias beliefs, to which is added the fear of social stygma if you don't believe like everyone else does. In teh case of Christianity they're raised going to church at
least weekly, where they are taught stories from the bible (and told they are true). This is of course met unquestioningly most of the time, because they're children. They sing songs that just so happen to repeat certain phrases over and over again, drilling them into their young minds, They practice repetative rituals and respons by
rote repetition, not by a thoughtful response.
Christianity (and others) add the not-so-subtle threat of divine wrath for unbelievers. This means that rational examination fo those beliefs is actively discouraged to the point that even
thinking about questioning the truth of those beliefs causes fear and apprehension. "Oh no, I won't be saved!" "My faith isn't strong enough!" "It's the devil trying to lead me astray!" These fears are often addressed by a renewed zeal as the individual attempts to purge themself of doubt by investing more time, energy, and thought into the teachings of the religion (attending church mroe often, Bible studies, somethimes even joining the clergy). Joining a community that holds similar beliefs where individuals will confirm the faith of the one feeling doubt serve to re-establish the doubter in the faithful community. This, of course, restarts the cycle and again strengthens the confidence of the faithful - "God saved me from my weakness," etc.
There's more than this, of course. Many religions offer a reward of some sort for accepting their beliefs - heaven for Christianity. Scientologists have their "Manifested Thetan" (I think I have the name right). Others have Nirvana, or a positive reincarnation. Christianity's offer of a "personal relationship with Go" is also attractive for many - who doesn't want to feel loved by the Creator of the Universe Himself! These would all fall into the "wishful thinking" category, and it's extremely strong. Challenges to such beliefs provoke fear - such challenges are felt to threaten salvation and their cosmic father figure, after all. Children don't like giving up their imaginary friends, either.
As a guy with no faith whatsoever, I want someone to baby spoon feed me the rational (the key word here is 'rational') reasoning behind the strong belief people have for things that as of yet have no substance, physical or theoretical, or have such an abstract application to reality.
This is a question of curiosity, I simply want to discuss the science behind faith, and one's absolute certainty that something incredible, such as God or a virgin giving birth or miracles, exists.
As a guy who used to have faith and now has none, the above is what I think goes on in the minds of the faithful.
Some of my words were harsh (brainwashing, disease), but that's my honest appraisal, having been a participant in the process for my first 20-some years.
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