God Arises
Challenge of Modern Knowledge
~ 21 ~
The third argument against the reality of religion is
provided by history. Anti-religionists maintain that
it was the particular historical circumstances in
which man found himself which gave birth to
religious concepts. In ancient times, before the
discoveries of modern science, man had no means
of saving himself from natural calamities, such as
floods, storms and epidemics. Frequently finding
himself in insecure positions, he pictured to himself
extraordinary forces which could be invoked in
times of need, which could be trusted to come to his
rescue in the face of disaster and which would act
as a panacea of all ills. In order that society might be
well integrated and its members firmly focussed
around one central point, a cohesive force was
needed. Deities of one sort or the other fulfilled
these needs and man then, began, to worship such
gods as were considered superior to all human
beings and whose favours had to be sought as a
matter of religious duty by all individuals. The
Encyclopaedia of Social Science
has this to say:
Political and civic forces also permanently
influence the development of religion. The
attributes and the names bestowed upon the
