the evolving mind

In religious veneration the image of the tree still looms large; it grows to cosmic dimensions in myths about the ‘world tree.’ But it can be outdone by the mountain which no doubt is more exalted, and the mountain in turn is superseded by heaven; at all events, gods are high, preferably the highest.
- Walter Burkert (9)

But he [Jesus] continued, “You are from below; I am from above.” (John 8:23, New International Version)

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After scoring a touchdown many football players point skyward. Why? Because they are giving glory to their invisible alpha, who is “up there.” It would be a peculiar thing to see a believer give recognition to their god by pointing down. Could a hominid feel reverent about a deity beneath its feet? Or is something underfoot too easy to dominate, too easy to put under one’s heel and perhaps snuff out?

At least for our species, great means big means above. Perhaps a blue whale, equipped with whatever cognitive abilities necessary (and some-time disabilities?), would aim one of its long, arm-like flippers toward the dark depths to give thanks to its underwater, sacred leviathan. Only the biggest, strongest whales can dive out of sight and perhaps even sonar detection and beyond. The greatest whale could only be found in the distant depths, where lessers could not follow.

From the earliest days of their church, Christians believed that upon death, Jesus did not move down or sideways or simply change form. He ascended; he was risen up. (10)

Up is greater, more powerful, good. Down is lesser and bad. That theme is very common in religious myth. Where did Zeus live? On Mt. Olympus, a high place, where he could look down upon his lessers . . . and, as importantly, where lessers could look up to and perceive the greatness, if not see it.

Many verses in the Bible illustrate this human penchant, likely innate.

For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD, there in the land the entire house of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. (Ezekiel 20:40)

LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? (Psalms 15:1)

[T]he Most High gave the nations their inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:8)

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. (Luke 10:15)

Whether or not the Biblical great alpha lives on a hill, a mountain, in a cloud, in the sky, in the heavens, or simply “most high,” the direction is the same. Up.

Similarly, Chapter 14, verse 18 of the Hindu Bhagavad Gita reads, “Those situated in the mode of goodness gradually go upward to the higher planets; those in the mode of passion live on the earthly planets; and those in the mode of ignorance go down to the hellish worlds.”

Where does Krishna reside? He is “the Lord in the spiritual sky.” (11)

Ancient Egyptian gods too (from at least 500 BCE), as documented in The Cult of Ra: Sun-Worship in Ancient Egypt, ascended to the heavens following death. They attained a truly celestial afterlife where they would live on untouched and untouchable. (12)

One of the benefits of a deity living in a distant realm is that he or she is hidden from our eyes. A mysterious existence to match the mysterious events attributed to it. Furthermore, distance means safety from earthly challenge, and thus likely persistence.

Consider these Bible verses:

So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels. (Exodus 40:38)

Proclaim the power of God, whose majesty is over Israel, whose power is in the skies. (Psalms 68:34) (13)

After he said this, he [Jesus] was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. (Acts 1:9)

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)

Look up, children. No, not at the cloud that resembles the Michelin tire marshmallow-man. Look deep into the distant, white cloud version of a dynamic inkblot. Can you sense god? For that is where our god lives. He is that great.

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(9) Burkert, W., Creation of the Sacred: Tracks of Biology in Early Religions, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 1996, p. 83
(10) Doherty, E., The Jesus Puzzle: Did Christianity Begin with a Mythical Christ? Canadian Humanist Publications, Ottawa, Canada, 1999, p.70
(11) Prabhupada, A.C. Bhaktivedanta, Bhagavad Gita As It Is, Collier Books, NY, 1972.
(12) Quirke, S. The Cult of Ra: Sun-Worship in Ancient Egypt, Thames & Hudson, New York, 2001, p.67
(13) Also see Genesis 1:2, Mark 9:7, Luke 24:51, etc.

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