Did God Create Us or Did We Create our Concepts of God?

Since our early ancestors first appeared, anthropologists estimate that 18,000 gods, goddesses, animals, or objects have been worshipped. So, is God a divine revelation or an invention of the human mind? How did the concept of God “grow-up” in the thousands of years that followed to become a political force as tribes grew into cities, states, and nations, along with their deities? Using archeology and the anthropology of religion, we will explore how the concept of the afterlife first evolved with the human brain. Today, an estimated 80% of people worldwide say they are religious or spiritual. But why do we believe what we believe? And what’s next for our concept of God when we can already have a “divine” experience with a headset in an alternate reality? How do beliefs in God and religion continue to impact society today? We will trace the evolution of polytheism to monotheism in the Old Testament, New Testament, and Koran; and today’s multinational God of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Our text is Robert Wright’s best seller The Evolution of God (Back Bay Books, 2009), which was called “brilliant” by The New York Times. We will also have supplemental articles, videos, and guest speakers. Join us for some thought-provoking discussions.