Gods are nothing more than excuses for our inability to

[MineralMan]

define the fundamental truths of nature. As more and more is learned about those fundamental facts about the universe, the more diffuse the description of what is a deity becomes. Deities lose specificity. Things claimed to be facts in scriptures become mere metaphors. Deities lose their power as actual knowledge gets closer to a unified explanation of existence.

Eventually, some theists recognize that their deities are nothing more than those physical principles. They are just placeholders for information not yet understood. We get closer and closer to understanding the fundamentals of existence. Our reason for needing deities is rapidly fading.

We are seeing the dissipation of deities during our lifetimes.

[in2herbs]

1. I mostly agree with what you posted with the following exception: "Deities lose specificity."

I think that those deities that are losing their specificity in today's environment are deities connected to organized religion and the practice thereof. I see no evidence where deities not connected to an organized religion's practice are suffering.

[OhZone]

2. My brother is a Pantheist -

And so is my car pool friend. I like to kid that I'm a Discordian worshipper of Eris, but I'm trending toward Pantheism too.

I think maybe the Universe **IS** God or the Goddess. So " those fundamental facts about the universe" are just fundamental aspects on how the Universe Goddess works, at the moment.

You don't need an old man or woman sitting on a cloud to believe in something. The Universe is not separate from us but we're a part of it.

[PJMcK]

3. Gods of the gaps

As science continues its relentless advancement of knowledge, those special qualities that define any god diminish in the face of facts.

It's always been this way.

[mitch96]

4. "excuses for our inability to define the fundamental truths of nature."

As Arthur C Clark said,
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Until we can figure it out, it's magic. I think mans need for explanation of events that are unexplainable at the time, to figure out the unknown. The more we can explain the unknown the less we need to rely on religion to make sense of it all.
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen... Love that quote...

m