Buddha's popularity isn't surprising; according to all the stories, he had everything figured out, which is exactly what everybody wants.  \n\nAs for god, most people don't believe in Santa Claus either and he's just god for little kids, or maybe just for grownups who wish they were kids.  Most Asians think that the ancestors who made it possible for us to be here are deserving of respect and regular acknowledgment; that's why they practice what westerners call ancestor-worship.  Since they have that, they don't need god.\n\nSo there you go.