Expert: Margaret Placentra Johnston - 2/24/2010

Question
why are so many people believing in a lie? If there were really a god he/she wouldn't have people against each other for the way they natural are. I mean what makes Christians right and gays wrong, or Mormons right even though they commit horrible acts, that god supposably himself said was wrong.

Answer
Most people who are the Faithful level (http://www.exploring-spiritual-development.com/The-Faithful.html) of spiritual development very much NEED those beliefs they hold because the beliefs make their life work for them.  They need to feel their religion is right and all the others are wrong, also that their lifestyle is the only right one, their political party, their country is the only right one, their football team is the best, etc.  

Those at the Faithful level cannot allow themselves to see that their beliefs are most unlikely: how could a god, who is supposedly good, create all these billions of people over the course of millennia - and only give the opportunity to be saved to one small group out of all the others?  As you point out, why would a good God want people to fight against each other and shun some who merely live a different lifestyle?  

Also, because the Faithful level people are very susceptible to whatever their accepted authority tells them - they can easily be led and misled by their religious leaders.  If the leader tells them they will gain favor with God by blowing up buildings in the West, they will believe this without question because they are not self-governing and do not trust their own reason in figuring things out.  They CANNOT do otherwise - they simply are not mature enough.  (I do not know specifically what Mormon acts you might consider horrible, that is why I did not give you an example regarding Mormons.)

Contrast the Faithful group with those at the Rational level (could that be perhaps where you are?  By your question, it sounds like it) (http://www.exploring-spiritual-development.com/The-Rational.html)  These people do NOT accept the authority of a religious leader without question, in fact many do not accept any particular religion - precisely because they HAVE questioned and came up with questions like you asked me.  Also, those at the Rational level do not have quite as much need to be right as the Faithful folks.  At least many at the Rational level are not limited to thinking only their own group is right. They have expanded their level of concern to something larger than their own group - and that is a sign of a higher level of spiritual maturity - even in those who do not believe in god.  

I do not pretend to have any answers you do not have, but I hope the perspective I have shared with you helps you reason out your own answers to the questions you ask.  If not, feel free to send a follow-up question.