Humans are just another species of animals, right? Let me know if I am mistaken. Accordingly, we share many similarities with mammals. Yet we are distinct in our thinking capabilities, and much more as well, but let's focus on one point. We also have what I think is called self awareness (I'm guessing that is the wrong term). It is the fact that we are conscience of our own existence. This another field in which we differ from animals, I think.
So my question is, why do humans believe in gods, or worship of any kind? Animals don't do this do they? Where did all these beliefs of beings outside of our realms originate?
Is there something in the human brain that calls for such beliefs?
Forgive my lack of information if any, I am just a high school student
This is a very good question coming from a high school student!
Humans have always sought answers and they personalize things. Why is this thunder and lightening happening? It must be the gods, who are angry at us. Or the gods are being good to us and sending rain for our crops.
Animals do not ask questions. They do not have the same communication pathways that we have, nor do they take things personally. They cannot speak long sentences to put together logical constructs the way we do. In some ways, that makes them freer than we are because they are not plagued by worries and fears about the future. They also do not have shame or guilt about the past.
A dog may be mistreated by someone and remember that person when he sees that person again, but he will not be plotting revenge for years on that person.
Our questions and fears about this huge universe: Why we are here? What is the good life? Are we being punished for bad stuff we didn’t even know we did in a past life? Does anyone out there really care about us?. . . separate us from all the other creatures.
These questions led us into creating gods, sometimes in our own image. Some of them are wrathful and punishing. Some are loving and forgiving. All of them exist somewhere “out there,” and need to be appeased or bribed so they won’t mess with us and still bring us what we want.
This is now a primitive view of God, which is part of human evolution. The next step is to recognize the Divinity within. The next step in the evolution of how we view Universal Source Energy is that we are an extension of the Universe and not just puppets of capricious gods that play with us for their amusement or to teach us painful and horrible lessons. Like the ancient Roman and Greek gods, who no longer speak to the needs of our times, these widely-held ideas of God will eventually be phased out.
Humans have always sought answers and they personalize things. Why is this thunder and lightening happening? It must be the gods, who are angry at us. Or the gods are being good to us and sending rain for our crops.
Animals do not ask questions. They do not have the same communication pathways that we have, nor do they take things personally. They cannot speak long sentences to put together logical constructs the way we do. In some ways, that makes them freer than we are because they are not plagued by worries and fears about the future. They also do not have shame or guilt about the past.
A dog may be mistreated by someone and remember that person when he sees that person again, but he will not be plotting revenge for years on that person.
Our questions and fears about this huge universe: Why we are here? What is the good life? Are we being punished for bad stuff we didn’t even know we did in a past life? Does anyone out there really care about us?. . . separate us from all the other creatures.
These questions led us into creating gods, sometimes in our own image. Some of them are wrathful and punishing. Some are loving and forgiving. All of them exist somewhere “out there,” and need to be appeased or bribed so they won’t mess with us and still bring us what we want.
This is now a primitive view of God, which is part of human evolution. The next step is to recognize the Divinity within. The next step in the evolution of how we view Universal Source Energy is that we are an extension of the Universe and not just puppets of capricious gods that play with us for their amusement or to teach us painful and horrible lessons. Like the ancient Roman and Greek gods, who no longer speak to the needs of our times, these widely-held ideas of God will eventually be phased out.
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