By: Mira Kaufman

Religion and philosophy have shaped our world but why do people believe in a God or creator and how have we humans continued to have faiths for thousands of years?

According to Nick Perham, on Independent, only 16 percent of the world’s population are considered not religious. This means that 84 percent of the world believe or have religious values passed down into their lives. There are many reasons why 84 percent of our world’s population believes and follows religion, but even so, these questions have been asked for thousands of years, and yet we may never truly have answers.

The first reason for religious practice is heritage. Many families identify with a religion or philosophy, meaning they raise their children through generations with tradition, practice, belief, and followed values. In many religions, followers are not taught to question the system but to follow, allowing beliefs to continue with little interference. In religious families, practices become meaningful even without a belief involved. For example, many Americans celebrate Christmas but would not consider themselves a Christian.

When a person believes in a God/s it comes with a sense of purpose and belonging. This may include the goal for placement in an afterlife. Believing in a given path in life is quite common too. In many religions, followers find comfort in purpose and reason. For many, it is scary to not know why one exists, which is a leading reason for why people believe in god/s to find comfort in their everyday lives.

Another reason is the lack of proof for the answers of the universe. There is no direct proof of God/s existence nor is their proof of no God/s. This gives people the allowance to believe for there is no scientific evidence that they are right or wrong.

People are curious beings all with different values, opinions, and stories. Religions and philosophies shape who we are and tell a story of our society. A person’s spiritual beliefs are a powerful tool to shape their identity. Whether you believe in God/s or not it is essential to see and hear each other’s stories. We, no matter what we believe, are all humans. We must take it upon ourselves to open our minds and find community and respect for each other to keep living on the same earth that we have all these years.