The Gods We Create

Have you ever wondered why different cultures and individuals have such wildly varying concepts of God? From the serene, all-loving deity of many religions to the vengeful, capricious gods of ancient mythologies, the spectrum is vast. Yogi Ramacharaka offered a profound insight into this enigma: "As man grows, his conception of Deity advances—a man’s idea of God is merely himself magnified." In essence, we create God in our own image.

Even other humans have been subject to this magnified conception. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs were considered gods on earth, their rule justified by divine right. In Rome, emperors were often deified, their statues erected in temples. These leaders projected their best selves onto their idea of God, and their followers did the same, creating a cycle of worship and power.

But why do we do this? Perhaps it's a way to cope with the vastness of the universe and our own insignificance. Or maybe it's a desperate attempt to control the uncontrollable.

Whatever the reason, it's clear that when we worship a magnified version of ourselves, disguised as a god, we create an imbalance. History is rife with examples of this, from religious wars to genocides. People believed that their God, like them, wanted sacrifice and death.