Why is religion such a great driving force?

You have a very profound question.

Yes, I agree that us humans are hard wired to worship the creator. That in it's self is a driving force. However, we can't ignore that in the "name of religion" many atrocious things have been done.

Here is a quote from an article I just read:

["Does religion unite or divide us?” That question was posed to the readers of The Sydney Morning Herald. Of those who responded, the vast majority—some 89 percent—felt that religion divides us.]

89% is a sobering. It is sobering because in the name of religion many have been driven to kill and destroy others...and people know this. Here is another quote from the same article:

"The Bible contains God’s standards, which are like a blueprint. We can build our lives on what the Bible says. Those who have embraced it have overcome racial and religious prejudices and have learned to work together in peace and unity."

Here is the rest of the article:

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp2014...

It is very intellectual and weighty.....

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp2014...

The only way primitive religion exists today is through the child abuse of forcing it into very, very young children but thanks to better education and growing intellects so many teens are able to discover the truth, throw off the indoctrination and step into the real world!

Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord. - Adolf Hitler

My feelings as a Christian points me to my Lord and Savior as a fighter.

- Adolf Hitler

George W Bush started FIVE wars in less than eight years stating each time that it was his "God Given Duty” and on September 16th 2001 even called it a Crusade!

Not his duty to the electors!

Just his duty to keep slaughtering heathens for his god!

Not his duty to America!

Antagonism towards others and the intolerance, hatred, bigotry, homophobia and persecution from Christians is such a powerful set of terrible human emotions that are easily used by despots!

The Devil is the Father of Lies and this is his chief lie.

THE LIE

The Gods of War: Is Religion the Primary Cause of Violent Conflict? Paperback

by Meic Pearse

THE TRUTH

Atheists are responsible for most of the killing of the past 100 years.

128,168,000 VICTIMS: THE DEKA-MEGAMURDERERS

1. 61,911,000 Murdered: The Soviet Gulag State

2. 35,236,000 Murdered: The Communist Chinese Ant Hill

3. 20,946,000 Murdered: The Nazi Genocide State

4. 10,214,000 Murdered: The Depraved Nationalist Regime

And don't forget the words of Nobel Prize Winner Solzhenitsyn who studied the 60 million Russian murders over a lifetime...

“Men Have Forgotten God” – The Templeon Address

More than half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that had befallen Russia: Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.

Since then I have spent well-nigh fifty years working on the history of our Revolution; in the process I have read hundreds of books, collected hundreds of personal testimonies, and have already contributed eight volumes of my own toward the effort of clearing away the rubble left by that upheaval. But if I were asked today to formulate as concisely as possible the main cause of the ruinous Revolution that swallowed up some sixty million of our people, I could not put it more accurately than to repeat: Men have forgotten God; that's why all this has happened.

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In perhaps his most convincing chapter, D'Souza examines "A License to Kill: Atheism and the Mass Murders of History." Here he challenges Richard Dawkins's assertion that "'what matters is…whether atheism systematically influences people to do bad things. There is not the smallest evidence it does.'" D'Souza points to the 100 million or so deaths inflicted by Stalin, Hitler, and Mao (all professed atheists) during the 20th century, which surely qualify as "bad things." On the other hand, the deaths produced by more than 500 ostensibly Christian undertakings of religious warfare or internal persecution, such as the Inquisition, the Crusades, and witch burnings, amount to only one percent of the body count accumulated by the atheistic ideologies of Stalin, Mao, and Hitler. In D'Souza's words, "It's time to abandon the mindlessly repeated mantra that religious belief has been the main source of human conflict and violence. Atheism, not religion, is responsible for the worst mass murders of history."

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Peace !! [ IF you want it ]

Chi girl is correct. We are hardwired to believe in a higher power or higher principle.

Until recently, there was nothing else really for people to bond over except their god-beliefs and common customs and rituals. Humans have this need to bond and associate and connect with each other.

Good question!

"Jesus called Satan “the father of the lie.” (John 8:44) The descriptive name Devil, meaning “Slanderer,” identifies that one as the foremost slanderer of God, his good word, and his holy name. The Devil employs innuendos, false accusations, and outright lies in challenging Jehovah’s sovereignty, and he uses these same tactics to malign God’s loyal servants. By heaping reproach on these Witnesses, he can make a severe trial even more difficult for them to bear.

Consider what befell Job, whose name means “Object of Hostility.” In addition to causing the loss of Job’s livelihood, his children, and his health, Satan made Job appear to be a sinner who was being punished by God. Though he had been highly respected, Job came to be despised, even by his relatives and close friends. (Job 19:13-19; 29:1, 2, 7-11) Further, by means of false comforters, Satan sought to ‘crush Job with words,’ first insinuating that he must have committed some serious sin and then directly condemning him as a wrongdoer. (Job 4:6-9; 19:2; 22:5-10) How disheartening that would have been for Job!

As the foremost upholder of Jehovah’s sovereignty, God’s Son became the chief object of Satan’s hostility. When Jesus came to earth, Satan sought to make him look spiritually disfigured, as he had Job, making Jesus appear to be a sinner. (Isaiah 53:2-4; John 9:24) People called him a drunkard and a glutton and said that he ‘had a demon.’ (Matthew 11:18, 19; John 7:20; 8:48; 10:20) He was falsely accused of blasphemy. (Matthew 9:2, 3; 26:63-66; John 10:33-36) This distressed Jesus, for he knew that it reflected unjustly on his Father. (Luke 22:41-44) Finally, Jesus was impaled as an accursed criminal. (Matthew 27:38-44) In maintaining perfect integrity, Jesus endured much “contrary talk by sinners.”—Hebrews 12:2, 3.

In modern times, the remaining ones of Christ’s anointed followers have likewise become objects of the Devil’s hostility. Satan is described as “the accuser of [Christ’s] brothers . . . , who accuses them day and night before our God.” (Revelation 12:9, 10) Since he was ousted from heaven and confined to the vicinity of the earth, Satan has intensified his efforts to paint Christ’s brothers as despicable outcasts. (1 Corinthians 4:13) In some countries, they have slanderously been called a dangerous sect, even as the first-century Christians were. (Acts 24:5, 14; 28:22) As noted at the outset, they have been maligned through lying propaganda. Yet, “through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good report,” the anointed brothers of Christ, supported by their “other sheep” companions, have humbly endeavored ‘to observe the commandments of God and do the work of bearing witness to Jesus.’—2 Corinthians 6:8; John 10:16; Revelation 12:17.

Of course, not all reproach that individual servants of God experience is for “righteousness’ sake.” (Matthew 5:10) Some problems may be the result of our own imperfections. There is no special merit if when we “are sinning and being slapped, [we] endure it.” However, if a Christian “because of conscience toward God, bears up under grievous things and suffers unjustly, this is an agreeable thing” in Jehovah’s sight. (1 Peter 2:19, 20) Under what circumstances might this occur?

Some have been treated abusively because they refused to share in unscriptural funeral customs. (Deuteronomy 14:1) Witness youths have been the target of relentless name-calling because of adhering to Jehovah’s moral standards. (1 Peter 4:4) Some Christian parents have been wrongly labeled as “neglectful” or “abusive” because they sought nonblood medical treatment for their children. (Acts 15:29) Christians have been ostracized by relatives and neighbors solely because of becoming servants of Jehovah. (Matthew 10:34-37) All such ones are following the pattern set by the prophets and by Jesus himself in suffering unjustly.—Matthew 5:11, 12; James 5:10; 1 Peter 2:21."

Driving force indeed.

It drives people crazy, as seen right here on this board.

this board is a huge advertisement for atheism.

Though we need no advertising.

Because it's the truth

False hope, power, etc.

LIES