Do Theists Need To Believe?

I was reading an article about James Randi reflecting on his observations of people who believe superstitious phenomena.

Of course, we all love to see magic tricks, however, most rationally-minded people will see the tricks for what they are, sleight of hand, or illusions.

However, there will always be those who actually believe that the performer actually has supernatural powers and that the magic is genuine. We saw this decades ago when Yuri Geller wowed so many people into believing that he could bend spoons and halt watches with some sort of oogidy-boogidy brain waves. He was a major international attraction and made a gazillion out of his assertions that he had this power.

Of course, Geller's career was suddenly cut short when Johnny Carson caught him out on his show. Yet strangely enough, there were still some who maintained Geller having powers, regardless of him being positively revealed as a scam.

So, what does this have to do with religion, I hear you cry in your relentless search for the truth?

Wherever there is a scammer, charlatan or fraudster, for example, a clairvoyant, a naturopath or psychic, you will always find the believers.

Randi stated that what he found over many years of research and observation is that these believers not only want to believe the con-artists, they need to believe.

So, as with other supernatural cons, is it the case that religious believers need to believe that there is a God as master and creator along with all the weird trimmings that are packaged into the belief?

Is it like some sort of drug or security blanket that religious believers need to believe:
 * for fear of their life falling apart?
 * for fear that their brain will become unfocused and explode?
 * because their credibility will be irreparably damaged?
 * because, subconsciously, their inflated egos will deflate leaving nothing to live for?