Why Did Humans Invent the Gods?

[Nakosis]

I suspect mostly because people were convinced they had experienced some form of divine communication and were able to convince others the truth of this.

 

[The Sum of Awe]

Assuming for the sake of discussion that humans invented the gods, why did they invent the gods? What motivated them to do so or what caused them to do so?

I realize the question has been asked before, but that was sometime ago. There are plenty of people on the forum now who were not around the last time the question was asked.

I guess the general consensus is for comfort.

As for myself, I think the human brain functions in certain ways that make the invention of gods a likelihood. For instance, we are all born with Agent Detection, Theory of Mind, etiology, innate respect for elders (at least for the first few years), and so forth, and these innate mental functions give us a predilection to believe in ghosts, spirits, dead ancestors, and -- perhaps eventually -- deities.

But what do you think? Why did humans create the gods?

Please Note: If you wish to argue that humans did not create the gods, then please start your own thread on it. That subject would be off topic in this one.

In my opinion, the belief probably sprouted out of fear of death, and the heavy focus on an afterlife brought them to seek ways how to get in this afterlife. Egyptians especially.

I don't really think it has a purpose though; if you have language to describe history, it's inevitable to run into fictional histories. Thus God. (I do believe in God by the way).

Not to mention, in the simplistic lifestyles ancient cultures had, their scientific study was limited, and it made it easy to assume all forces are controlled consciously by gods.

Some time later, monotheism came about, because you can attribute every god in your pantheon into one god. This made worship, prayer, etc a lot more simple.

 

[Neo Deist]

Why Did Humans Invent the Gods?

Because early man did not understand much of the world around them. They explained things as gods or goddesses because they could not fathom any other reason. Almost every culture on earth had a sun god at some point. They did not understand that the sun was a star and is a natural part of the universe.

The same can be said of the moon. The ancient Chinese used to think a dragon swallowed the moon (or sun), and if they performed their rituals, the moon (or sun) would return. We call it an eclipse...and don't do anything other than watch it.

 

[Revoltingest]

Why Did Humans Invent the Gods?

Because those gods weren't going to invent themselves.

 

[NulliuSINverba]

Assuming for the sake of discussion that humans invented the gods, why did they invent the gods? What motivated them to do so or what caused them to do so?

Disobedient children needed to be scared into toeing the line. That's my guess. Also, people got tired of being asked so many questions and invented god(s) to serve as a rubberstamp answer that required no evidence and (ideally) brooked no challenge.

"Now shut up and do as you're told!"

 

[Theweirdtophat]

I still don't know why people assume that they made the deities. How would they make it up when they don't even know what a deity is to begin with?