Of Gods and Men

We are all familiar with the fact that man in former daysreadily believed in the existence of an unseen world, a worldof ghosts, demons, nature-spirits which were worshipped as gods,and a host of other supernatural beings. This world lay all about himand in some respects was more real to him than the physical world.It was his belief in it, and in the power of the forces it contained, thatgave birth first to primitive magic and later to religion.Even today, vast numbers of people all over the world, and notmerely among savage tribes or backward peasantry, but inadvanced and educated communities, particularly in Asia, stillbelieve in this mysterious realm and in various classes of beingsthat inhabit it, to an extent that would surprise most Westernersapart from those who have made a study of the subject. To theAsian mind it is equally surprising that Westerners, with theexception of spiritualists, are sceptical regarding it.