Why did hominids suddenly start believing that there are higher powers, gods etc.?

Question

Why did hominids suddenly start believing that there are higher powers, gods etc.?

Answer 1

It was in the nature of the law of society. Once having formed a society, homo sapiens sapiens (and not hominids) was obliged to submit his behaviour to ethics; no society is livable without some ethics. And as no individual has ever been dowered with the authority allowing to emit ethic laws, it was inevitable for them to turn for it to God (which they took a long time to become familiar with), first in a very primitive way.

Answer 2

Imagination does wondrous things. Imagine if you will what the world would be today if our scientists had no imagination. We have always made up answers and attempted to prove them true. I think this is the same of higher powers and such... its just that ... these really were made up things.

Answer 3

"Mitch S" from above is correct.

The simple answer is fear of death.

But you can't fear your own death until you know yourself, until you know that you even exist.  You need self-consciousness to be afraid of death to the degree that you can believe in an invisible magic men in the sky (give me a break!).

Humans have been religious since the beginnings of self-consciousness--which some studies say began 60-80 thousand years ago in southern Africa, where sea shells were found strung as beads for necklaces.

"Me four-shelled-brown-necklace, Thag.  Thag see enemy three-shelled-white-necklace, Thug, move no longer, speak no more.  Thag see Thag like Thug.  But Thag not like Thug, Thag have bigger, better daddy than Thug."

Give me a break!

When are we going to get over ourselves, its been 80 thousand years of the worthless, dangerous garbage?

Answer 4

We know Homo Neanderthal had ceremonial burial, which is indicative of a belief in an afterlife. Therefore, the belief in a higher power probably precedes Homo sapien.  We are not sure about Homo erectus.

My hypothesis is that imagination & curiosity, combined with the knowledge that they would eventually die, led to the philosophy of a higher place & power.  Humans are very curious animals that seek an answer to every question, & when they can't find an obvious & provable solution, they invent one that seems to fit.

Answer 5

Some theories say that some extraterrestrials came and influenced them and they showed their incredible technology, knowledge, wisdom, and power. Why is it a theory? Because these extraterrestrials are a superior species compared to the hominids. That is why many cultures worship to the heavens or skies.

Answer 6

Their gramps tol 'em so to shut them up.

Answer 7

Why?  Why not?  They had the brains, the imagination, the secret longing in their souls.  Why not?

Answer 8

Because people have always wanted answers for the things they cannot explain.

Answer 9

In the time span I think their brain developed to quick.

Answer 10

No one answers this better than Douglas Adams. Brilliant!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=TTOzM2-jxy...

Answer 11

Wow the answer to this question seems completely obvious to me. Call me crazy but......

Fear of death. Humans are conscious of our own eminent death and due to our fear of death we need a belief in a higher power so that we may have a future life after death.

Answer 12

because they could kill things and learn to avoid being killed.

Answer 13

It all started with farming, within the past 10,000 years...

Before that, Hunter/Gatherers left us no evidence that they practiced religion of any sort...

All ancient Holy temples that have been excavated, were built on sites which were originally grain storage buildings...

What's the connection?

The world's first Non-Hunter/Gatherer farmers, could store food for more than one season, and they learned how to remain in one place and survive. For this, humans became very grateful. This, and the fact that grain can be made into beer...

So, living a stable life, at the same location, with food and alcohol provided, led us to believe that these conditions were given to us as a gift from something greater than ourselves. First Mesopotamia, then Egypt, and then in the Indus River Valley, is where religion was born...And it was born, when our survival instincts were given a chance to rest, and reflect...