Most people, for most of human history, have believed in a higher power. Terrifying weather events led humans to conjure a sentient being orchestrating these phenomena as a response to their behavior. Religion has brought, and still brings, psychological benefits if you’re the right candidate. Church, mosque, and temple-goers score higher on optimism and cooperation with one another, which are key paths to prosperity.1 Believers are more likely to survive than their atheist friends.
