Ever since man spread through southern Africa and dispersed across the globe, he has had plenty to fear. Storms, wild animals and hostile tribes likely topped the list but natural events such as comets, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions also triggered fear and uncertainty. With the development of agriculture, some 10,000 years ago, he also learned to fear drought, floods and insect hordes. Of course, as the first animal capable of intellectual fear, he has long worried about injury, illness and death.
Throughout his history on Earth, man has associated various gods with the natural forces that either threaten or sustain him. He learned to thank gods that brought him rain, light, hunting success or a good harvest; he also learned to appease the gods that threatened him with storms, fire, flood or other natural disasters. Today, we enlightened humans look back on the "pagan" rituals and beliefs of these early humans with a sense of superiority; how silly and ignorant they were.
But modern religions, founded before the scientific era and professed to be grounded in love and charity, are still sustained by guilt and fear. History is repleat with religious leaders who have used threats and fear to retain power and to fend off the influence of science and spiritual philosophy. In reality, religions are just another means of dividing us; they have brought more suffering than peace and they have no dominion over morality.
