Fearing so much and knowing so little, early mankind sought explanations for the behavior of nature. They imagined a world of supernatural beings that regulated the courses of the stars, controlled the wind and lightning, earthquakes, volcanos, and floods. By befriending these beings and seeking their favor through sacrificial ritual, mankind gained the delusion of control over his surroundings. But with the new sense of control came a new set of fears—the fear of the gods themselves.
Opportunistic people gained power by claiming to speak for the gods giving rise to the priesthood and the idea of divine revelation which gave rise to religions such as Judaism, Christianity and Islam. No longer demanding blood sacrifices these belief systems now demand the sacrifice of free thought, divide us into the saved and damned, induce unwarranted guilt and instill yet more fear by promising grotesque tortures for the unbeliever.
Understanding why we invented the gods empowers us to let go of the toxic Abrahamic idea of God and evolve a spirituality free of fear, guilt and divisiveness.
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