Some are believers because they were raised that way. Some rebel because they were raised that way. Some have had things happen in their life that they require a support network for. Others have witnessed things they cannot explain. Some are afraid of death and need a comfort for it. The reasons are as many as there are people basically. My mom who was not religious answered my question about God like this. If you believe in God and there is not one you lose nothing. But if you don't believe in God and there is one you are screwed so bet how you want. I have saw a true healing in my life. It was my first wife. I'm not sure if she was healed by the ceremony and God or her belief that God would heal her. I do know she was healed of a terrible disease and to this day is healthy. There is still no know cure. Sometimes I think people are to weak to live in the world alone and need a group to help them through. Obviously I don't know the answer to your question but there are some things to think about. Also most religions are good and good things come from them. Yes there is always the bad apples and psychos. Lol.

I have a thought about bad things happening to good people. Bear with me while I try to explain. According to the Bible god will return at a predetermined time. When Jesus was on the Mount with the devil the devil waved his hand and said if you rebuke your father all this will be yours. I have thought that until God returns the devil is in control of the world. Otherwise how could he have offered it to Jesus? I think God and the devil made a deal per se and when God returns the deal is over. That is why the devil offered it to Jesus and bad things happen to good people. Basically a test of faith for humans. Yes God still steps in occasionally and performs a miracle to let people know he is the top dog but the devil is running the day to day world until God returns.
I have self studied many main stream religions and one thing I have noticed is the basic story is the same across most all of them. Yes details each religion feels are of great importance are different but the basic story is very very similar. Again I don't know anything. Just my thoughts on what I have read ect.

If the Devil is in charge and God is basically absent until He returns, isn't it a waste of effort to pray for good things to happen? Sounds like you believe in fate and any attempt to alter it is futile.

You did mention the odd time God will intervene, but if that is true then it is far too little.

On another debatable point, when the sun becomes a red giant and engulfs the earth, where will His chosen people (humans) be? Or do you believe there might be other versions of God's creatures and wonderful worlds somewhere?

It's funny that several people seem to want to attack my thoughts. They are just thoughts because no one knows. I'm not religious but have read several different Bibles for lack of a better word. Does anyone really think God worked 6 days and did nothing else in his eternal life? Good question huh? Here is a better one. How do you know we are not someone's science experiment sitting on a table in a lab? Or as my dad used to say. We could be an ant farm sitting on someone's dresser. My reply about good things happening to bad people was directed to someone who is a believer in God and I was presenting that person with my thoughts on that after having read several Bibles of different religions.