I vaguely remember reading someone's comment that the judeo-christian god must be real because humans are incapable of creating/imagining something that doesn't exist. He went on to point out that most other religions and art forms have been based on some sort of objects or animal that we can see (the sun god, for example, or the god of thunder). I think it was buzsaw that made the comment but I'm not sure.
A long time ago, in a house far, far away... we had a couple of cats. One of the cats was lazy and obese while the other very active. The active one loved to go out hunting and do whatever she was doing outside all day long. The problem was she kept bring back dead stuff and put them in the house. The more we yelled at her, the more dead stuff she brought back. One time, she even killed my bird and brought the corpse to me.
Fast forward in time. Not too long ago, I buried a couple of dead crabs (either bury them or eat them I guess). The next day, my dog was able to dig up one of the crabs and tried to bring it inside the house after he rubbed it all over himself.
Now that I think about it, these behaviors eerily resembles how primitive tribesmen make sacrifices to their gods. The hunters would offer some of their kills and the gatherers would offer some of their finds as sacrifice.
Before you say anything, let me just point out that I absolutely do not think my cats and dogs thought I was their god. I do, however, think that they probably thought of me as leader of the pact or a being with much greater control over their resources. After all, I control their food supplies.
This got me thinking. The hunters and gatherers would bring back gifts for their clan leaders. Some would start to make sacrifices to appease the greater beings that seemed to control the elements (the sun, the sky, the rain, etc.). Again, they probably didn't view these beings as omnipotent and omniscient gods. They probably viewed these beings in a very similar way as my dogs and cats view me, a being that seemed to have more control over life than they did.
Naturally, a primitive form of division of labor came along and we would have groups of people who specialized in appeasing and communicating with the "gods". Then you know the rest.
Isn't it possible that people's natural lean toward religious beliefs came from a very ancient form animal instinct that never died out?
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