Personally, I have never had faith, I've always found it fascinating people that have. Not in any bad way like you're stupid for believing in something that in my opinion just has no scientific proof but more a quiet intrigue (and to lesser extent admiration) for those who can put their faith in a higher power, some of these people I know are super intelligent, logical scientific minds, some are less so but all have that unwavering belief in something bigger. They tend to put this down things like the Big Bang/Evolution being the reason to how but not to why.
Firstly, let me just say as with everything in life I am pro choice - the way you chose to live your life, what you believe in, that's totally down to you.
From a historical point of view, it's easy to see why pretty much every culture throughout time has had some for of religion and the laws they put on society. it was used as a way to control populations and lots of these would form modern days laws and bring some order to chaos - I mean who really needs to be reminded today 'though shall no kill' or 'though shall not steal' right. Broadly most prescribe moral codes to live by in a more primitive world.
There is an innate human nature to understand the why of life, what are we here, what is the point of life etc which all religions tried to provide answers to in a pre-scientific age, it's also why all the most influential and successful classical civilisations philosophers were the rock stars of their times,
The sad reality all major religions are ancient and haven't modernised with the times - some better than others, but the thing is if you believe in a fundamental way (not to say you're a nutcase fundamentalist) but you take that dogma to the letter, letters that were written 1000s of years ago and really don't translate to the modern age.
Take for example most major religions views on suicide, you'll end in hell or purgatory and you can see the rationale behind this. life is hard today, imagine how shit things would have been 2000 years ago and you're told that there is this paradise of eternal life waiting for you, free from struggle, worry and strife when you die, who the fuck wouldn't just want to go there now. Justifying bad shit that happens to you as a test from god
I have had a lot of people tell me since my wife died that she's up in heaven waiting for me - and if that's their belief , fine, if that was mine I would have already joined her.
If you choose to believe then I respect your decision, what I have an issue with if when people try and force their views on your, or use religion to justify their heinous acts or beliefs - whether that be about suicide, homosexuality, terrorism or war ( I mean look at the situation now in Isreal/Gaza).
The reality is some people are just bad, some people are good - religious or not, whether that's nurture or nature is a whole other debate. I've always had one rule just don't be an asshole
