Thank you for question on religious belief in the 21st century, “Why do people still believe in religion in the 21st century?”
Here are some reasons why people still believe in religion:
A. Science may answer how humans came into existence, but it can’t give the purpose for humans or individual lives. It is not enough to know how we came into existence, but what is my purpose or the purpose of humans on earth.
B. If a person accepts the theory of evolution, then everything is relative. There can’t be social justice for that is inhibiting the evolutionary process of the survival of the fittest. The domination of another person or people group is the natural process regardless of the means. In other words, Adolf Hitler’s desire to make a master race falls within the evolutionary process and may be viewed as being “right” in becoming a better race of people. It’s logical but it is not humane. I don’t agree with that viewpoint. Humans are more than just an animal.
C. As a person looks outward to the Universe, there is the belief that there is something bigger than oneself. The explanation for the Universe is not fully satisfied to state the Universe always existed or that it came into being by itself without a cause. Nothing can’t produce something if there is absolute nothing.
D. As a person looks at the natural laws being so uniform instead of chaotic or contradictory, the likelihood of that just happening all by chance is not credible. What are the odds of that happening again and again in the development of life on earth and of humans?
E. As a person looks beyond oneself, he likes to think that there is someone or something made the Universe, Earth, and oneself. If he made me, then this being must be interested in earth and perhaps its inhabitants otherwise why would he make “living” beings.
F. As a person reflects on oneself with the ability to think and feel, that the maker or creator must also have that ability to think and feel. A person has the ability to express oneself, to ponder the past, to live in the present, and to plan for the future. Does the maker have a plan even as humans make plans?
G. As a person reflects on seeing death of other animals, one wonders what happens to them if anything at all after death. One ponders is there anything more to oneself than just a physical body. Can there be another dimension of him that is beyond the physical realm? He ponders that.
H. As a person lives on earth, s/he would like to think that his/her life has meaning and purpose, that his life is not in vain at the end. If death is the end of the line, then there is no reason to prolong the life of the very elderly or the most sickly. It should not matter at all who dies and at what age for there is nothing at the end.
I. As a person grasps or hopes that there is a life beyond the grave, it gives one comfort to know that it not all in vain. The injustices on earth will be rectified by the maker and hopefully one will be able to see that justice.
Belief in a religion may provide greater purpose and reason for living a “good” life than an evil life. There’s no real good reason to be loving and compassionate if there is no God.
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus would be justified that the Rich Man care less for the poor for he has one life: To eat, to drink, to be merry for some day he will die and that is the end of it.
I accept the premise that there is a God and that he is the Judge of all mankind otherwise I wouldn’t be spending my time on Quora. We would all be better off doing something else if there isn’t a God, wouldn’t we?
For more perspectives:
https://www.quora.com/Why-do-people-still-believe-in-religion-in-the-21st-century