Publisher's Synopsis
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 RESEARCH BACKGROUND
In 1912, Father Wilhelm Schmidt, in his work The Origin of the Idea of
God, proposed a theory that man originally acknowledged only one Supreme
Deity, one High God, also referred as Sky God. Many indigenous African
tribes give evidence of the concept of One Supreme God being natural to
man. Schmidt further suggests that this High God was gradually replaced by
the more attractive gods of the pagan pantheons. Adherence to religion
recognizes and defines God. Worship of God, an instinct of man, is displayed
by reverence and prayer rituals. All the previous civilizations of various
geographical location and population believed in God and followed a religious
way of life.
1.1.1 Religion
Religion is considered to connect man to oneself and supernatural
powers. Dynamic scientific and technological development superimposes
reason over religion instigating a distinct ideology known as 'Atheism'. Before
the commencement of the 21st Century, Atheism as a recognized sanctioned
belief system was alien to the society. Religion was embedded in every
civilization in the form of either monotheism or pantheism and paganism. An
agnostic was branded heretics and the modern society recognizes any belief
system under the umbrella of freedom which has given spur in the populace
of non-religious beliefs. The popularity of Atheism has failed to undermine the
population and fame of religious people.
The research works towards building a solid foundation for the three
great Abraham faiths-Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - that share more
similarities than disputes,
