Is religion man made or God made?
44902
God. (cheating) This explanation is what everyone eventually resorts to when the other answers fail. Now, before I go any further, I should make clear that I'm not talking about any of the gods defined in various religions. Throughout all of human history, we've been trying to explain existence. But nobody has ever succeeded. And it's likely that nobody ever will. So we create the concept of God, whose only necessary property is being "that which explains existence." \n\nThis doesn't tell us much about god, though. It doesn't mean that any particular religion is correct. It merely defines god as something which answers The Question, because we have not been able to.
1145471
Hoo Boy!  If you take Genesis at face value, God made the universe, and laid down certain laws, physical principles, etc..  Man was later.  Man has made laws to regulate behavior, right wrongs, and to protect vested interests.
586100
You make some good points. I think it is like circular creationism. Humans create god and in return god creates humans. Simple. Reality creates fiction and in return fiction creates reality. Just look at how many religions there are in the world. Why? Because every culture imagines god(s) differently.
367659
I agree that the Universe was created by a higher being. I don't agree that said being created man at all. However, I do think that by becoming aware of ourselves and simply believing in said being's existence that said being is now aware of us. I don't believe that God/Diety/whatever you want to call it really gives a damn what we do. Anyway...I think that all beings, sentient or otherwise, that exist in the Universe are a result of the divine and since the divine makes no mistakes we are as we were meant to be. Flawed but still here. Still trying to find the meaning of it all.
627028
Humans have an innate longing for meaning and purpose. Then as life continues, the need for hope, importance, and worth grow and consume us. Religion fills those needs. But God is not a religion. There is a difference between following a religion and having a relationship with God. Religion will not give you what you need...only God can do that. But you have to discover that for yourself.
1025514
Religion IS just a way of life.  It is also man made but is helps one keep some sort of focus on life for the better.  There is only one main religion, the religion of the heart which teaches LOVE.
877801
First God was the Sun, Then God evolved into being a Woman (during Egyptian Culture aka: Goddess). Then God evolved into being an Idol (Paganism), Then around the time that Judaism got it's start God evolved in being a Man. God is whatever religion says  God is, Religion has the power to make God into a corn muffin if they so desire. Who has the power to go against the Global Religions? No one.
1093250
the religion of the universe
931872
Of course "god" is just ideas made up by men -- there is no evidence of any kind that there is a god, and plenty of evidence that all gods have been made up by humans.\n\nThat said, and even though I don't believe any of the god fairy-tales, I don't believe that it is entirely a waste of time.  Religion and devotion to made-up gods have served *some* good purposes throughout history -- giving people hope (false hope, but hope nonetheless) that can ameliorate fear of dying, giving them a moral framework to guide their lives, giving them rituals and associations which make them feel part of a larger "something", whether that's community or the brotherhood of all mankind.  Most of those things aren't bad per se.\n\nThe idea of god can be comforting, helpful, worthwhile.  I get that.  And those things can help fearful people get through their lives -- that's good.\n\nUnfortunately, religion has also been used IN EVERY SINGLE RELIGION to control people, to try to prevent them from questioning their leaders, as an incentive to war against "unbelievers," as a way to keep the masses in line.  Many religious people will brush those abuses aside, saying that the religion is pure but there are just bad people that abuse it...unfortunately, all we have to judge the value of any particular philosophy or "guide to life" is by the outward actions it induces in its followers.  Religion has a horrible track record when it comes to seeing what actions it produces in its followers.  For every "good christian" who selflessly gives to help the needy, there are dozens more who spew hatred, start wars, condemn all who don't believe as they do, and do not follow the teachings of their own religion's founder.  Even the bible says, "by their works shall ye know them" -- that being the case, the "works" produced by those who follow religion can only lead it to be roundly condemned as a terrible guide to living a good life, and as more an incentive to hatred and violence than to anything good.  That a small percentage of religious individuals let their philosophy lead them to good lives doesn't offset the monstrous evil done by the rest of the religious crowd.  On the whole, and judging by the works of its followers, religion has shown itself to be one of the worst guides to peaceful living in the history of the world.  A failed experiment that should be abandoned by anyone who actually thinks and looks at what religion has done.
264120
Men created gods and goddesses to explain the things he couldn't understand. As men evolved and learn ways to understand what was going on around him, the need lessened for deities. But even after all of these years, most of us still haven't let go those beliefs in things greater than ourselves. It's in our nature. Call it faith if you will. It may be right, or it may be wrong, but it is still what we personally choose to believe in.
992132
God is  Who made us,who made the sky, who made the earth and sea, who made air, who brings rain
305230
All religions are man-made. They were necessary as the original laws of behavior of peoples of a community. There needed to be some "Chief of Police" with the power and authority to enforce the man-made laws, and that Chief of Police needed to have powers that would make most people tremble at the thought of violating the laws. So, god was created with man-made rewards (heaven), and punishment (hell) to herd the people in the way the elder men (they were all men) thought best for an organized society.\n\nHeaven is a necessary concept for many people, especially for those who are being daily crapped on here on earth, and receive promise that things will get better if they only keep behaving and accept their plight in life.
322273
"So many religions": that just proves that Man's underlying need for religion is pretty common. Feelings of vulnerability, purposelessness, loneliness, and a need to belong are probably a universal part of the human condition. So Man created God (in his own image) to compensate for these shortcomings. \nWhich doesn't necessarily mean that Christians have got it all wrong, just soem of it!\nAnd no, they are not all Devil Worshippers. Only the Devil Worshippers are!
243983
I think that any religion that advocates peace and harmony among people, and harmony with nature, is pretty close to what God would want.  My thinking is that if God did create the Earth, and nature, and Man, then he would not want those things damaged.
220202
To me it is quite obvious that religions are man made.. all history and facts point to that. For example, the Bible is so scattered. It was written by different people over a long period of time. Anyone could justify an action or belief with a passage in it. \n\nLife is scary and strange and there is a big unknown out there. The idea of a monotheistic male creator and judger seems so silly. However, the interrelatedness of all life is apparent, and that connection with the godlike can happen to anyone, whether religious or not. Of course, those who believe will tell you it's merely a question of faith. Therefore, no consensus can happen. There is no arguement available in response to that.\n\nWhat I find funny is that a lot of typical religious teachings about how to behave in society make logical sense for the survival of the species. We don't need religion to teach us to be "good" people. In fact, many people are killed in the name of "God."
715525
Man created God...\nand faith allows people to believe in God without questioning his existence.\n\nWith God, humans have a purpose (greater than just reproducing) and also an explanation for the unknown that can be justified by invoking faith.  With God, humans have a reason to be civil to one another and not act like animals.\n\nSanta Claus is a man-made creation that is similar in nature.  Children have a reason to behave since if they don't, Santa Claus won't bring them any gifts....
896667
God didn't make varying sets of rules for different religions. Man made all religions but one, and made his own rules for each. God made a set of rules for HIS religion, the one true one.