The only things you 'need' are food, water, shelter and maybe a little bit of lovin'.

I tell Kirk Cameron to get the hell off my couch and get out of my house!!

Some people 'need' heroin. We treat them for addiction, we don't justify their habit.

I suppose I can empathize in a sort-of-related way...

I have a father who is not very book-smart. He has more common sense than most people I have met, and he's very wise, and he gives good advice. He lives smart. But he utterly lacks scientific knowledge, utterly fails to care that he lacks scientific knowledge, and he can't spell to save his life. He's good with mathematics though (up to the algebra 1-ish level anyway).

He's also addicted to work. I have no idea how this is possible, but he seriously loves doing physical labor and will tell you so with a smile on his face. He works 40 hours a week at a factory, comes home and does all of his own yard work (3 acres), and still finds time to help shingle houses, hang siding, hang drywall, repair basic plumbing, and I don't know what else. The man is a machine. He NEVER STOPS. He often says he enjoys the labor in itself, but he also likes that it makes him feel closer to God. Hm.

He loves his wife, but he isn't in love with his wife. He has confessed before that his love for her is not romantic, but he stays married to her because of the family and because he knows that God wants it that way, and he's happy doing God's will.

When he isn't being a labor machine to support himself or to help other people, he's being a labor machine for his church (recently helped coordinate the raising of a new wing). He teaches sunday school classes, hosts bible studies, and even writes lessons for other teachers. His only non-family friends are people in his church.

The guy is crazy about JC. To him, God literally gives his life purpose.

Now almost everyone here is going to say, "Yeah, so? It doesn't make God real." And you're right. But can you imagine what it would mean for him to find out God was an empty myth? He's believed in God his entire life, and he's in his 50's, and he has said with his own mouth that he wrestles with the fact that he's on the dreaded decline. What would it say about his marriage? What would it say about the work he enjoys? He associates nearly every aspect of his life with God in some way. Even if he learned the truth now, he was indoctrinated from birth and was deluded for most of his life. I hate to think what discovering the truth now might do to him.

He's the one person I really don't debate the existence of God with. I really would like to, but in this case, it seems like it's better to just let him continue being ignorant.

Maybe it's just a case of a son who doesn't have the heart to make his dad frown, but I just can't do it. If it gets done, it will have to be somebody else.

Maybe he doesn't "need" God, but I feel like it's better if he continues to believe.

Still, this says nothing of its truth.

I agree with Archeopteryx. Loosing the belief in god can be very traumatic for some people, and there are situations where it would do more harm than good if we would try to "enlighten" them.

I was like you once. Then one morning a roomate said, "Here. Have a cup of coffee." Now I can't imagine life without coffee. It's hard to explain the feeling I get from drinking coffee. I don't know what turned you off to coffee but I think you should try it again. Ninty percent of Americans drink it so it can't be bad.

In some cases this might be true. Some sad pathetic creatures may require religion to help them through life. I would say that a good therapist would probably help them better and will work out cheaper in the long run though. If one is unable to cope with life without religion then I would suggest some kind of proffesional councelling is required. 

I remember my transition from Christian to Atheist was not an easy one. I mean it's like being told santa isn't real as a child multiplied by 100. Infact I compare Theists to little kids screaming "Your lying and I hate you!" (Like I did when I was told santa wasn't real) After a while it actually feels better to know that you are free of the fear and paranoia that comes along with religion. But I guess I would say to them, "Why? what purpose does believing in imaginary beings serve to society?" Ask them what if everyone decided to create some imaginary reality with imaginary friends and imaginary requirements and went around proclaiming that it made them feel better and they needed it...do you know what kind of situation that would cause? I would rather know the truth.