Gods and Man

From an Atheism thread over on a pod-cast board I subscribe to.

People look for answers. They look for something to invest themselves in and believe. I feel that these are basic human traits. I think that these two ideas help explain most of human history, why people join movements, why we create gods to believe in. We search for meaning in life, both on our grand scale and within our own lives.

A third aspect is the desire for power, to have control over our own lives. There are those for whom this is their primary motivation, their drug. They manipulate the first two urges, giving people something to believe in that tries to reduce them to being a vassal of a higher will. They create gods who speak to them, prophets for whom they are his direct servants.

For many people, they look to define their lives by one of these urges. Those who seek answers become philosophers or scientists. Those who seek something to invest themselves in join groups, like the priesthood or the military to help them find purpose. These are not definite concepts, but maybe, they might be something like an explanation.

I don't really mention gods before this point here. That is because I believe that gods are defined by people. We define, each and every person, who and what forces we believe in. Those who believe that all gods are one seek to find a common brotherhood through the same goal via a differing path, that there is a common human morality that is given by a single God who reveals himself in many forms. Those who believe in a vengeful God see a world full of things to be afraid of, to hate and fear; including many emotions within themselves. Those who believe in many gods often have their gods seem very human, because they see an imperfect world filled with an imperfect race; how could a perfect creator have wrought this? Atheists or Brights, whatever you choose to be called, see no point in trying to give any cloak of illusions upon their world, they strip it to what is solid and real. Agnostics can see no supernatural forces in this world, can look at every god and find them wanting, but still leave that maybe. Each person defines it themselves, so no attempt to categorize it is perfect, so if I have you pegged wrong, I wasn't talking about you.