"This makes a good deal of sense if God has purposely created
us with a tendency to believe, but atheists have no plausible
explanation for the origin, development, and thriving of religion."

The
"goddidit" argument. Anything for which we don't have an answer gets
the pious insert. But actually we do have an explanation. But it's
doubtful it will ever matter. People have a need to believe certain
things and no amount of evidence, explanation, reason, truth, or
downright facts, is ever going to change a belief unless and until the
believer no longer fears believing something else.

Our most
primal instinct, one born out of survival, is fear. The survival
instinct is based in ...

"This makes a good deal of sense if God has purposely created
us with a tendency to believe, but atheists have no plausible
explanation for the origin, development, and thriving of religion."

The
"goddidit" argument. Anything for which we don't have an answer gets
the pious insert. But actually we do have an explanation. But it's
doubtful it will ever matter. People have a need to believe certain
things and no amount of evidence, explanation, reason, truth, or
downright facts, is ever going to change a belief unless and until the
believer no longer fears believing something else.

Our most
primal instinct, one born out of survival, is fear. The survival
instinct is based in fear. Religion, or the belief in a supreme
protector or supreme punisher is based in fear.