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Posted 4/26/2026

Some people believed that Zeus was God, or a god, and maybe still do if you're familiar with Hellenism, which is a modern revival of ancient Greek religious beliefs and practices. The ancient Egyptians believed in several gods whom they supposed presided over different facets of their lives, including the afterlife. While these ancient pantheons may seem like relics to the modern mind, the echoes of these deities remain embedded in our daily lives - often hidden in plain sight. Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Neptune, and Uranus, every planet but Earth, are all named for Roman gods. Greek mythology, as it is known today, inspired a footwear company to be called Nike, which gets its name from a Greek goddess. Osiris skate shoes are named after an Egyptian god. Amazon is named after warrior women in Greek mythology. The Apollo space program and, more recently, the Artemis program bear names tied to ancient religions and their gods.

Even in modern times, people practice various religions, most having a god, or gods, as central figures. Usually a god is the embodiment of peace, love, and harmony, which is a common theme across most faiths. Faiths typically incorporate similar ideologies in that there is a struggle where good seeks to overcome evil. Moreover, many believers instruct followers to choose what is considered good versus evil. Some people gravitate towards figures associated with what many perceive as evil, such as Satanists or devil worshippers. The occult, which refers to a diverse set of "hidden" or esoteric beliefs and practices focusing on supernatural knowledge, including magic, alchemy, and divination, is thought to be evil, but some imagine a mystic power is there to be discovered, often following a dark god or gods. 

Historical fact is powerful to the beliefs of some people. Jesus, who became known as the Christ, was said to have been executed by crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, a Roman man that actually existed and governed Judaea during the rule of Emperor Tiberius. The event was documented by Roman historian Tacitus in 116 AD. The existence of Jesus spawned Christianity, which says that there is one, ultimate god and that Jesus was the son of this god. As Christianity rose to prominence, belief in many ancient polytheistic gods became outdated. Polytheism is the belief in many gods. 

As Christianity spread, so did the Muslim faith beside it. The Crusades are a well-known period in history when war erupted between Muslim and Christian believers - each claiming the superiority of their beliefs, or their god. Christianity and Islam are the biggest religions in the world, with billions of followers. Hinduism follows, with an estimated. 1.2 billion believers. Hinduism is where ideas like karma and reincarnation stem from. 

Many people see a god as being the best explanation for our existence. Scientists have postulated a theory about a "big bang" for decades, but it raises the question: Where did the big bang come from? Science reveals a meticulous organization within lifeforms - categorized through Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species - suggesting a structural order that many interpret as the hallmark of an underlying intelligence. No one truly knows where we, as human beings, or life, for that matter, originated.