That is precisely my point, Jim: Humans deify EVERYTHING. Gods and religion are simply madeup superstition from the time when Og couldn't understand why his children died or even why it rained. There had to be something invisible that controlled it all. Hence, gods.

Then some clever villager realized that if he declared himself the only emissary that could talk to those gods, he could be as powerful as the village chief. And presto there were priests and their contrived version of reality/religion.

Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult.