Demons and Gods
There’s a demon and a god
An elf, ogre, dragon and a gnome,
All out of
Our imagination.
We made them real,
Set them free,
To roam and rampage
All around our nation.
Sucked out of nothing,
To terrify,
We placed gods in the sky,
To spread
The all-time greatest lie.
To help us believe
We live forever.
Created, not evolved
And oh so very clever.
Unfortunately, it’s not true
Another power game
To control
Me and you.
Opher – 25.6.2022
As an antitheist I see religion as a power-structure. Right from its earliest inception in prehistory it gave power to the shaman.
The shaman communed with the spirits and brought back knowledge. Or did he?
The shaman created complex rituals and rites that gave belief and assurance to the tribe. Or did he?
The rain dances, hunting rituals, news from the afterlife – all just an elaborate hoax to gain power and control?
The most important person in the tribe – vying with the chief.
We created gods of suns, of rocks and trees. We created afterlives full of reward and punishment. The greatest crime was not to believe.
Religion preyed upon our fears – fear of death, fear of disease, fear of hunger, thirst and defeat. It offered answers to the eternal questions – what is this universe? What are we? What is reality? What is after death?
Religions came and went. Sacrifices were exacted. Blessings given.
When things went wrong it was always because the people had strayed from the path – time for more stringent worship. When things went right it was the power of prayer and ritual that appeased god.
Then came science to challenge superstition and explain the universe.
We discovered heaven was not above the sky. Hell was not below. The universe did not revolve around the earth. The sun was not a god.
But people are still superstitious. They need a crutch.
We need ritual and prayer. It’s a comfort.