Interceding

This happens then that happens. However, to say that that happens because this happens is not always true, even though it may, especially in retrospect, seem that there must be a connection. This is – of course – one of the reasons why religions were created and why they can – even in this day and age – still seem to have some credibility, especially to the more credulous.

For if the priestly caste, or the wise men, witch doctors or others of their forebears could say that this happened and then that happened because of the way they could interact with the spirits, the powers that controlled such events, then, such interventions could increase the status of those seemingly on the inside of the process; those that could intervene with, or interpret the actions of a seemingly otherwise hostile and indifferent earth as the motivated actions of some other more powerful entity.

Thus from the spirits that animated the world were the gods born. The more powerful the god then the more power, respect and status could those who interceded on behalf of the tribe could command. That is probably why – quite often – many gods became one god – the more powerful the god, the more awe-inspiring the person who dared intercede with that god.

[See here for an explanation of these posts labelled as Fragments]