All empires, kingdoms, and cultures share some characteristics that define them as human civilizations. One of those characteristics is the belief in at least one deity. A deity is a supreme being worshiped, and often feared, by people in a social or cultural group. A deity can be a person with supernatural powers, a strictly spiritual being, or even an object that is believed to be sacred or to possess special meaning. Some civilizations focus their worship on one deity, such as the Christian God or the Allah of Islam, while others, like Hindus, worship many different gods.
Throughout human history, the meaning and nature of religion has changed. One constant has been the human belief that deities interact with people, and influence or control life on Earth. Every person is expected to have a relationship with their god(s). Sometimes, human interactions with deities are short and spontaneous. Other times, they are elaborate and complex. A group’s beliefs about spiritual matters, when combined with the way it worships or communicates with a deity, make up that group's religion.
The origin of human beliefs about what is sacred, or worshiped as divine, and how to approach the sacred, is a fascinating topic. Where did human beliefs about God come from? What influences them? The video segment below, which is the first in a series of documentaries about the roots of religion, offers one perspective on what God means to humans.
Throughout history, around the world, in every culture humans ever created the belief that there's more to life on Earth has been a constant. The idea that supernatural beings oversee human affairs, control the weather, demand worship, start or end wars, dictate a good or bad harvest, see the future, and offer the promise of life after death to those who are faithful is a deeply held human belief. Perhaps religion began with human attempts to turn local customary law into something greater, a reflection of divine order. The search for absolute law, absolute power, and absolute good or evil in the universe may have inspired the first religions.
Question
What are the possible origins of religion?
