QUOTE
A critical awareness of religion as a peculiar
phenomenon of human behavior first appears, so far
as the extant evidence shows, in the writings of the
Greek philosopher Xenophanes (sixth century B.C.). As
the following fragments disclose, Xenophanes had
perceived the ethnic relativity of the personification
of deity, as well as its innate anthropomorphism:
"Mortals think that the gods are born, and wear clothes like
their own, and have a voice and bodies. But if oxen and
horses or lions had hands and could draw with them and
make works [of art] as men do, horses would draw the shapes
of gods like horses, oxen like oxen; each would make their
bodies according to their own forms. The Ethiopians say
that their gods are flat-nosed and black; the Thracians that
theirs are grey-eyed and have red hair" (Kirk and Raven,
pp. 168-69).
phenomenon of human behavior first appears, so far
as the extant evidence shows, in the writings of the
Greek philosopher Xenophanes (sixth century B.C.). As
the following fragments disclose, Xenophanes had
perceived the ethnic relativity of the personification
of deity, as well as its innate anthropomorphism:
"Mortals think that the gods are born, and wear clothes like
their own, and have a voice and bodies. But if oxen and
horses or lions had hands and could draw with them and
make works [of art] as men do, horses would draw the shapes
of gods like horses, oxen like oxen; each would make their
bodies according to their own forms. The Ethiopians say
that their gods are flat-nosed and black; the Thracians that
theirs are grey-eyed and have red hair" (Kirk and Raven,
pp. 168-69).
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DH...i.cgi?id=dv4-13
its so stupid the beliefs when you look at them, there is one richard dawkins vid about a pidgeon who in a test belived that when it moved its head it would be rewarded with food, it seems stupid when you look at it, but think of the catholic traditions, every sunday turning up at church to drink wine that is supposed to be jesus blood, and wafery biscut things that ares supposed to be his body.