Once hominids were intelligent enough to wonder, the concept of God was born. By then, the Universe was already 13.6 billion years old.
Since that time, God has been the target of man's hope and the refuge from his fear. Early human civilizations worshipped numerous gods, each associated with specific needs and threats. Rituals, designed to appease these divine powers, became an integral part of their culture. Modern, Western religions, though monotheistic and based on a humanized God, were established before the scientific revolution and retain a focus on ritual.
Science cannot prove nor disprove the existence of God but it does lend perspective to man's interpretation of the natural world. We now know that the Earth is not flat; it does not lie at the center of the Universe, nor at the center of our galaxy, nor even at the center of our solar system. We have come to understand the natural forces that shape our planet and the evolutionary processes that produced our species. There is, of course, still room for faith in a Divine Architect, but I am inclined to believe that God is Nature; I reject the vindictive, judgemental, ritualized God of Western culture.
