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To: thames_sider who wrote (737)	3/1/2002 10:14:50 PM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 21057

My own suspicion is that the invention of Gods was a subordinate step to the invention of morality, which was in turn an important survival mechanism. Moral codes serve a clear function: they reduce friction and conflict within a social group. In fact, the idea that we should apply our moral code in dealings with individuals outside our social group is a relatively new one that has yet to catch on among many. Humans are pack animals, and packs that minimize internal conflict effectively have a huge advantage over those that do not. This is why packs that developed a moral code were more likely to prosper than those that did not. I think the moral codes came first, and Gods were developed to provide the carrot and the stick needed to induce individuals to place the moral code - the interests of the pack - above their own individual interests. JMO, of course.