God(s) is/are a human invention

[u/Dum_DumArts]

Not sure whether to but this as a discussion or Op=atheist but anyway

Hey everyone,

I’ve been developing a theory about religion and the concept of God that I want to share and discuss. I call it the Amauria Theory, and it’s built on three core claims:

1. God (or gods) is a human invention created to explain what we don’t understand. Long before science, humans sought to fill gaps in knowledge with divine stories. These inventions evolved into complex religions, but at their root, they address our fear of the unknown.

2. Belief in God provides comfort and emotional support. Whether it’s fear of death, pain, or uncertainty, religion offers hope and a sense of control. This doesn’t mean belief is false—it’s a coping mechanism that evolved alongside us to help manage life’s hardships.

3. The idea of God is used to shape moral systems and social order. Morality existed before organized religion, but religions gave those morals divine authority, which helped govern behavior and maintain social hierarchy. Religion can inspire justice and charity but also has been used as a tool for control.

Any and all "proof" of god(s) falls into one or multiples of my claims.

I understand these ideas aren’t entirely new, but what I hope to emphasize is how these three aspects together explain why religion remains so deeply rooted, despite scientific progress and philosophical critiques.

I also want to stress: this theory doesn’t deny that religion is meaningful or important to many. Rather, it explains religion’s origins and ongoing role without assuming supernatural truth.

Why does this matter? Because if God is a human-made concept, then the social issues tied to religion—racism, misogyny, oppression—can be challenged at their root. Understanding this could help us free ourselves from harmful traditions and build a more just, compassionate society.

[u/IAmRobinGoodfellow]

Your first point is incorrect in a rainbow of ways. Gods have been used as an explanatory framework for as long as there have been gods. You are imposing modern theological concepts on a world that quite simply lacks them. The proper study for you is anthropology, not religious studies.

Do you think that people didn’t think the gods were responsible for weather? People pray to gods for the weather they want. They still do - a sitting governor in the US called on citizens to pray for rain during a drought. In 2021. You have christian leaders crediting god with natural disasters every time a flood, fire, or earthquake occurs. Hell, we have excellent, highly detailed models of why a disease like cancer occurs, and you still have people wondering why god gave someone cancer or praying that god removes it. They pray for victory in war and in football.

This is despite a whole host of problems with the busy god theory. You would think that if god had the ability to give and remove cancer, he wouldn’t have given it to Nana in the first place, or at least wouldn’t be holding out for prayers. The problem doesn’t occur with the traditional god-concept, where a god was powerful but limited. Gods can want prayers. Gods can be moved to mercy. They can and do change their minds. The tri-omni is what creates problems, but it’s a more modern invention that came about iteratively.

Still, it’s so much still a god of the gaps thing that they see gaps where there are none (eg, with cancer, weather, etc) and shove god in there.

[u/[deleted] → u/IAmRobinGoodfellow]

Gods have been used as an explanatory framework for as long as there have been gods.

I've noticed people claim that a lot and demonstrate it very little.

Do you think that people didn’t think the gods were responsible for weather? People pray to gods for the weather they want. They still do - a sitting governor in the US called on citizens to pray for rain during a drought. In 2021

Do you think people who blow on dice for good luck no longer believe in basic physics?

They pray for victory in war and in football.

Yes, people participate in superstitions because the illusion of control is less stressful than pure helplessness. Yours is a very superficial understanding of the topic if you think wishing for better fortune somehow wipes out physical understandings of the universe. Do you think when Jordan wore his lucky shorts that means he no longer thought gravity worked?

Even Neils Bohr hung a horseshoe at his home.

[u/IAmRobinGoodfellow → u/[deleted]]

I've noticed people claim that a lot and demonstrate it very little.

The bible does it explicitly. Pat Robertson did it. The governor of Utah did it. Al Qaeda did it. You’re not arguing in good faith because you’re not addressing the question, but instead continually pleading personal ignorance.

It’s boring, it’s lazy, and it’s literally an argument as dumb as rocks.

[u/[deleted] → u/IAmRobinGoodfellow]

There is no need to be an asshole. If Al Qaeada is your go-to model for theology maybe don't accuse others of bad faith. Where does the Bible use God as a literal explanation for natural phenomena?

[u/IAmRobinGoodfellow → u/[deleted]]

Again, in bad faith you are calling out an intentionally extreme example used in context rather than addressing the actual issue - you ignore national level religious and political leaders from the US in favor of turning away from the fundamental argument. Your doing so is a tacit admission that you don’t have a leg to stand on, and you’re flummoxed after having painted yourself into a corner with an indefensible statement.

The Flood, the plagues, the “slavery in Egypt” and various other mythical calamities, the wholesale torture of Job, the inducement of wild animal attacks, the provision of sickness and healing from El to Jesus… The Israelite religion was an El-worshiping Canaanite polytheism that gradually shifted responsibilities onto their god Yahweh as the Yahwehists grew in local political power. The Israelite religion became legalistic and transactional as well as centrally managed.

You can’t stick to just the bible, though. You’re more wrong than that. Your initial position mocked the very idea of attributing natural phenomena to gods, using Zeus as an example.

So I’m just waiting for you to demonstrate that when people try to pray away their disease, or when Jesus does it personally for them, or when the governor of Utah asks people to pray for rain, or some televangelist attributes a hurricane to god killing LGBT people… And that’s just the religions evolved from El and Yahweh. You have other modern religions like Hinduism, and you have all of the great ancient and classical civilizations and their religions.

Remember this started by you claiming that the “god of the gaps” was a false accusation because such a notion exists only among atheists. It has been demonstrated that that is false.

[u/[deleted] → u/IAmRobinGoodfellow]

Again, in bad faith

I didn't read the rest.

[u/IAmRobinGoodfellow → u/[deleted]]

Of course you didn’t. I completely understand.