The idea of feeling really, really grateful for a "god-given" life is plain selfishness considering that every moment, thousands of people suffer or die around the world. If a loving god created everything out of love, then why do people around the world starve or suffer or are in pain? Certainly a loving god is not doing anything about it, therefore, it could be that god is just tired or he/she doesn't exist at all!

I am grateful for life, but don't believe in God.

No studies needed. Look inside you for the truth. You do not a validation for the truth inside you.

I am DOG the Great and Powerful!
And I created the Heavens and the Earth.
And I created everything which walketh, crawleth, slinketh, or stinketh upon the Earth!
I created everything which swimmeth, or flieth, or twerketh!
And I created both God, and the Devil, to thoroughly confuse you!
In my name's sake!

An interesting thought. I dunno if there are studies out there on this, though there is a psychology discussion group here, someone there might have some knowledge on this.

God(s) originated out of a need to control fear through stories, myths etc. A way to define the unknowable nature of a cruel capricious world. From there it evolved into a way to to define a cultures place in the world and carry on stories and information to the next generations and glue together larger and larger groups. I do not think it had much to do with being grateful in the beginning more it was about trying to understand the world with a distinct lack of reliable information.

It’s difficult (impossible?) to have an idea of anything one has never perceived, or the parts of which one has never perceived (like a flying horse). Freud suggests that the idea of God comes from our idea of a father whose imperfections have all been imagined away. That seems probably right to me. But why should believe that there exists such a being? I think Xoviat’s suggestion that we feel a need for someone to thank for our existence—and any other undeserved bounty—has merit.

I believe we do need to express gratitude for our existence and that that gratitude should be expressed in the way we take care of our planet and its inhabitants who made it possible. Okay with me if you call that god.