Lasseman

I believe I have read this somewhere, but I cannot remember where. Does anyone know the source? Here it goes:

Human (and other speices, surely) children are dependent on their parents, or other grown-ups for a relatively long time of their life. Life expectancy during our formative time as a speices being no more than 30-35 years.

This has caused a behaviour to evolve in children, where they do whatever it takes to be loved by adults.

The parents are, in the eyes of the child, omnipotent providers of food and shelter who are mostly kind but can display anger and even violence against the child.

This is analouge with theist wiews on god regarding the total trust in the diety of choice, and the will to appease god when he's mad at you, so you won't get punished.

Could it be that this need for a parent when we are children, is the same need for a 'superparent' that protects us and loves us when we are adults?

And since no such person is to be found, we invent one. The heavenly father.

If there is a fault in this reasoning, I cannot find it. Anyone?

Ender

This is a Freudian exposition of the prevailing belief in a "personal deity," specifically one that manifests "fatherly" or "parental" characteristics.

Best presented in his book Totem und Tabu or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0394701240/qid=1017738633/sr=1-11/ref=sr_1_11/002-1965174-2801651" target="_blank">Totem and Taboo</a> where he claims that the idea of God is a leftover of the subconscious memory of one's father from his/her youth.

~WiGGiN~

DarkBronzePlant

So, almost like Rainman...

Lasseman

thanks guys.

Maybe it was a reference to this Freudian idea I read.

I for one feel that it makes perfect sense.
Take this feeling mixed with an attempt to explain nature, add a wish to live after death.
Let it simmer for a few thousand years. Add moral rules and laws to taste and we get a freshly baked religion.