why not believe?

Does it seem strange that no new gods have been invented in the last 2,000 years? There was a time (around the centuries of Jesus' birth) when they sprouted all over the middle-east. It would seem that the advance of technology (and the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution and the rise of scientific medicine) turned religions which served survival functions (to deal with illness, drought, etc.), at least it appeared so for believers, to institutions that dealt almost exclusively with the problem of our mortality, to what happens after death.

JLN,

I have thought about this a lot too. No new gods (or very few) in 2,000 years.

One idea I have on it goes something like this:

All the major permutations have been covered.

I mean just speaking in very broad strokes: Take Hinduism, Judeo-Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Egyptology, Greek, Roman, Native Religions (ie American Indian). If one has a basic understanding of just those, there's a heck of a lot of gods and demigods involved in the above.

It would be challenging for someone to come up with a new god that doesn't resemble something from one of the above. I mean it would be a challenge to create a new original god that is plausible, that one could relate to on a meaningful level (even if its all imaginary, etc). A new god.

I guess one could come up with some space alien type god or something that wouldn't have much to do with the classics above. And there are other exceptions I'm sure.
***

I'm just thinking: the field is saturated! All the gods have been done! (joking--semi).

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By the same token, I live near a new-agey community, and every couple weeks somebody seems to come up with a slightly new cult or semi-god/goddess to worship.

But most of them don't seem to be truly inspired, truly something new.

***

Anyway, I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm working on creating some new gods. I was going to announce on TV, after I have my 1-900 pay number ready.

But I like everyone here so much I decided to let you all in on the ground floor.

Want to be a member of my new cult, anyone?

Rules, Beliefs and Any New Gods, TBA.

-EM

LOL, very good EM.

Do you need any help creating some idols?

No, seriously, a room-mate and I, back in the sixties enjoyed an afternoon with beer and plans to form a religion. We were convinced that we could formulate a wacko ideological system that would attract enough people to make us rich...rich but crazy with shame.

The scary thing is, there are people who stood at that placeyou stood wtih your roomate, and they went ahead and created the religion. Then became wealthy, powerful, and caused untold damage.

Some of these people did this oh last year or so.

Some of them did it 5,000 years ago.

I think that is interesting.

I have no doubt that some religions started 1500-8,000 years ago were started by true believers who really believed and were earnestly trying to bring their vision to humanity.

Then there were other groups who created religions more for personal gain, swindlers so to speak.

Now which religions are which? How would we ever know?

Not that it matters much anymore.

I just think its interesting. Probably some of the world's major religions had their seed with two roomates bs-ing one day.

Some of the other religions started with truly inspired holy people.

Which are which? (rhetorical--no answer expected)

I often entertain the idea of doing it (starting a religion) just to demonstrate that it could be done...with the long term hope of reducing the overall gullibility level.

But I fear losing control of it !

I also wonder if that was L Ron Hubbard's goal.

I just find it likely that a science-fiction author would attempt it eventually.

Who needs new gods when there are so many old ones to choose from?

God of the Month Club

Nice!

I have finally seen the light(s)!

Love it !

If I sign up, can I still have the occasional atheist sabbatical ?