These needs draw him towards holy men, gods, and various spirit deities whose powerful rituals give immediate benefit to material problems

Illustration/Devdutt Pattanaik

In the 19th century, there was a concerted effort to portray all religious leaders as rational intellectual giants. Jesus was the thinker, Buddha was a philosopher and Krishna was a teacher. However, anyone familiar with the history of religion knows that a religion gains popularity not because of ideas but because of magic.

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The common man seeks protection from negative forces and desires to attract positive ones. He wants prosperity, health, and success. These needs draw him towards holy men, gods, and various spirit deities whose powerful rituals give immediate benefit to material problems.

Jesus Christ became famous not for his parables, but because he could turn water into wine and........

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