A 3min clip on UTube,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMjTSJR3M6M , shows our nearest animal ancestors, chimps, with whom we share 98.5% of our DNA acting in ways that in my opinion are very suggestive of our human religions both in overt behavior as well as in their emotional and functional significance. The chimps kneel to show reverence to their Supreme Being, aka dominant male. They rest easier knowing that such an all powerful figure is looking after them. The dominant male, in this case as High Priest, represents his parishioners to the presumed creatures threatening them with thunder and lightning, direct predecessors of our ancestors Gods of thunder and lightning.
To me all of this suggests that religion is mother nature's anti-anxiety drug,serving the purpose of getting us to find a place in a social group ruled by a dominant male, warlord, Supreme Being etc. For animals and our early human ancestors, acting "worshipfully" assured our species survival thanks to the dominant male at the helm of our group: "God's in His Heaven all's right with the world."
If all of this is indeed the genetic basis for why religion is omnipresent in human societies, then we are compelled to take part in one form or another of such "hero worship" no different than our genes compel us to have five fingers on our hand.
To me the evidence seems to say that our religious behavior has its origins in a genetic inheritance from our nearest animal ancestors. I would look forward to reading other interpretations of this behavior.
Jay Glass, Laguna Beach, CA
Edited by offlineJ, : No reason given.