Where Does God Come From?
Believing in a supernatural being who monitored and judged anyone at all times encouraged people to avoid acting on their immoral impulses, helping them survive, says author Jesse Bering.
Language allows humans to express our idea of God, but did our ability to communicate inspire our belief in deities in the first place? “Language allowed onlookers to report on someone else’s behavior long after the event had occurred. This meant that if you were caught doing something objectionable, such as stealing, you had ‘foolishly gambled away’ your reputation and consequently your reproductive prospects. Thus, believing in a supernatural being who monitored and judged anyone at all times encouraged people to avoid acting on their immoral impulses, helping them survive.”
