“Why not one more?” the atheist will say. We no longer believe in the countless gods and supernatural beings that mankind has previously believed in at various times throughout history to explain natural phenomena, yet one True God must remain?
Throughout history, various cultures have personified natural phenomena as gods, goddesses, and demons. Though these entities are no longer in vogue, they illustrate how previous generations personified natural elements and unseen phenomena to explain and relate to the world and universe around them.
Whatever happened to Sol, the Roman sun god? An important belief to explain the cycle of day and night, agriculture, and life.
Another example of this is demonology, which, for the most part, is no longer in vogue as it has been supplanted by the term virus. Yet, they both function the same way in that they both need an organic host to function. Ironically, today’s virus is still something that has yet to be viewed by the human eye. It is simply an updated term to describe the same phenomena.
Whatever happened to the Greek god Zeus? Zeus, the god of sky, thunder, and lightning associated with natural phenomena such as storms.
Some might argue that we can see them with an electron microscope, and that is the common belief. However, the term virus and people’s belief in it go back many hundreds of years before German scientists Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll invented the first electron microscope in 1931.
How could it then be that we knew about something long before the invention of the device necessary to supposedly view them or even verify their existence? Because it was simply an assumption that they MUST exist, otherwise how can we explain supposed viral activity in a world where we no longer believe that demons infect a host cell.
Whatever happened to the Norse god Thor? He was the god of thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, and the protection of mankind.
You see, mankind has always invoked the supernatural to explain the unseen natural, and we still do it today. Today’s virology is no different from yesterday’s demonology, yet no one doubts the existence of viruses.
As long as there are questions we cannot answer and phenomena we can not look upon and say, “Aha! There it is. There is the answer,” we will continue to use terms in an anthropomorphic manner as placeholders for our unfathomable beliefs.
Rewritten in a more poetic form with the help of ChatGPT
Why Not One More?
“Why not one more?” says the atheist, with a twinkle of mischief in his eye. We’ve cast off the multitude of gods and supernatural beings that once populated our ancestors’ world, each explaining the inexplicable in their own whimsical way. Yet, here we stand, clinging to the notion of one True God as if it were a life raft in a sea of disbelief. Why not one more?
Throughout the annals of history, humanity has dressed up the forces of nature in costumes of gods, goddesses, and demons. These divine actors have exited stage left, but they remind us of how our forebears tried to make sense of the world’s grand theater. Take Sol, the Roman sun god, for instance. Once upon a time, Sol was the grand puppeteer of day and night, the overseer of crops and life itself. But where is Sol now? Relegated to the dusty pages of myth. Why not one more?
Consider demonology, that erstwhile science of devils and imps, which has now been replaced by the term virus. Ah, yes, the virus—today’s invisible menace, lurking in the shadows, needing a host just like those old demons did. The irony is rich, for a virus, like a demon, cannot be seen with the naked eye. It’s merely a modern name for an ancient mystery.
And what of Zeus, the mighty Greek god of sky, thunder, and lightning? Zeus who hurled bolts from Olympus and caused storms to rage. Zeus, who explained the tempestuous tantrums of nature. And yet, Zeus too has faded into legend. Why not one more?
Some clever fellow might argue that we can see viruses with an electron microscope, a marvel of science. But hold on—didn’t the term virus exist long before Ernst Ruska and Max Knoll concocted their marvelous contraption in 1931? How, pray tell, did we know of these tiny invaders long before we had the means to spy on them? It was pure assumption based on speculation, a leap of faith in the unseen, much like the belief in demons of old.
And let’s not forget Thor, the Norse god of thunder, lightning, and oak trees, protector of mankind. Thor, with his mighty hammer, once explained the booming thunder and flashing lightning that spooked our ancestors. Why not one more?
You see, dear reader, mankind has always woven tales of the supernatural to cloak the mysteries of the natural world. Even today, with our talk of viruses, we are no different from those ancient storytellers. We dress up our ignorance in the garb of science, yet the essence remains the same. As long as there are questions without answers and phenomena that elude our gaze, we will continue to anthropomorphize, name the nameless, and believe in the unseen.
In the end, we are but players on the same old stage, reciting new lines but telling the same old story and so again, I ask, why not one more?