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What Gods Will the Aliens Worship?
Or Is Religion Uniquely Human?
Have you ever wondered if an intelligent alien civilization will be religious? On cursory observation, the question sounds hilarious — we haven't even found an alien amoeba to forget about signs of civilization. Nevertheless, would it be that amazing if we find a temple on an alien planet? After all, human civilizations invariably end up having a religious perspective even if they develop completely in isolation.
What human history teaches us?
It is thought that the rise of religiosity in humans can be traced back to the ceremonial burying of the dead. The rationale for this is thought to provide the dead with a pleasant afterlife. This becomes especially interesting when burials were done with jewels, utensils, and other items of the day. After all, a burial could be a sign of respect for the dead but then why bury with items valuable for the living unless to assist the dead in the afterlife?
Beyond this — there was the development of organized religions in antiquity — the Egyptians had their Gods, and so did the Greeks, and the Romans. Broadly, religious thoughts came in 3 varieties — polytheism, monotheism, and universal divine consciousness (humans themselves are divine).