Why We Believe in God(s)

Gods are assumed to perceive, feel, and act like ordinary folk, and behave like the best and worst of us. These basic operating assumptions about gods are always there, embedded like bricks in the wall of any foundation.

Religions always assign simple, mundane human capacities to gods

This is why it is not a joke to say that if you understand the psychology of fast food, you understand the psychology of religion.

For example, you and I plan to meet at a theater for the 9 p.m. movie. We have constructed a plan to cooperate in a joint venture. Each knows of the other’s commitment to the task. But you know I can be late. So you told me to be there on time, and I know you are frustrated with my tendency to be late. And you know I know of your displeasure with my tardiness. When I arrive in plenty of time for the movie, you smile. I know you are pleased at my punctuality, and you know I see and understand your pleasure. Not a single word need be said

This cognitive ability to attribute agency to abstract sights or sounds may have helped our distant ancestors survive, allowing them to detect and evade enemies. It kept them alert, attentive toward possible danger. Better to jump at shadows than risk something or someone jumping at you

theory-of-mind mechanisms

Why is it you mistake a shadow for a burglar but never a burglar for a shadow?

Humans are strongly biased to interpret unclear evidence as being caused consciously by an agent, almost always a humanlike agent

In short, we can make complex judgments about a person we don’t know and a mind/brain we can never directly see.

We use the shorthand of transference to assign to others feelings and attitudes we originally associated with important figures in our early lives