We anthropomorphize God, why is that?

Indeed we are but a tiny dot in a huge universe. We also like to think that species from other planets will somehow have humanoid features, yet another example of the human ego at work.

Well! I must say that, however hard i would have tried, I could never resist to answer this post. I am not an expert or knowledgeable person but a student with lack of writing skill and proficiency, in the language, I am writing this reply. I would request you to bear with me through the long, unorganised and poorly structured reply. My understanding of the matter suggests that there are two basic reasons that people (to include all who do, whether people of the books or otherwise) anthropomorphise the GOD. For the people of the books or scriptures, there are verses in all known scriptures (Torah, Bible, Quran) which semm to describe the GOD with human traits (jealousy, anger, love, wish, thinking, pondering, seeing, hearing and so on and so forth) and features (hands, feets, back etc). There is also a general description of "we are created in GOD's image" in nearly all the scriptures, one way or the other. The above general and specific mentioning of human traits and/or features leads some factions of the people of the books to believe that GOD "HAS" human features and traits. Nearly all the religions with scriptures have factions who take it literally. But wait here, not all people of the books take these descriptions in literal sense and meaning. you will find many, rather majority (to my knozledge) who take it metaphorically and not literally. Then what was the need to decribe GOD in this form and to confuse the populace, when GOD is not actually, as described? is a naturally logical and justified question to be asked. The people of the books who argue that these features and traits are allegorical would argue that religion came with the teaching for all the populace, classes and masses alike, from most wise, learned and intelligent to the most ill-advised, ignorant and dumb person. Where wise and intellectual person can try to reach the grandeur of higher being by his characteristics, totally different from human and without attributing any to GOD, a dumb and un educated would be in dire need to understand/comprehend the grandeur in terms of what he/she understands and has seen. Now for the people, other than the people of the books/scriptures who have only relied on mental powers and skill to understand GOD/gods, there again two sub groups. For one who relied only on mental power but within the historical and cultural frame without scientific approach, GOD is mystical. The reason to anthropomorphise the GOD/gods that i figured out is that humans are concept loving Creatures. Humans love to theorise the outer physical as well as spiritual world and their understanding thereafter. In the process of theorisation, humans take advantage of their senses (culminating in observation), mind as well as history, culture and environment. They base their theory on already acquired knowledge with inherent extrapolation and/or interpolation. They use their existing knowledge and observation to explore and develop new dimensions as well as enhanced understanding of already known things. When it comes to GO/gods, the only available data is human observation, history, culture and environment for them. Humans only recognize humans (as specie) as intelligent, powerful, having ability to articulate, to create, to modify and to inventively fulfil their desires. Now when they think about an existance who is intelligent, powerful, creative etc the only model for these characteristics that the humans have seen is the human itself. So they tend to think that if there is some higher existance that do similar things as humans do then that must be like humans only having difference of size and grandeur. The other from same group who are more of a scientific nature, they don't actually anthropomorphise the GOD/gods. My view of GOD is following, words are not mine but belief is surely mine. you have the perfect right to disagree. GOD is one whose worth cannot be described by speakers, whose bounties cannot be counted by calculators and whose claim (to obedience) cannot be satisfied by those who attempt to do so, whom the height of intellectual courage cannot appreciate, and the divings of understanding cannot reach; He for whose description no limit has been laid down, no eulogy exists, no time is ordained and no duration is fixed. The foremost in religion is the acknowledgement of Him, the perfection of acknowledging Him is to testify Him, the perfection of testifying Him is to believe in His oneness, the perfection of believing in oneness is to regard Him pure and the perfection of His purity is to deny Him attributes, because every attribute is a proof that it is different from that to which it is attributed and everything to which something is attributed is different from the attribute. thus whoever attches attribute to GOD recognises His like and who recognises His like regards Him two, and who regards Him two recognises parts for Him; and who recognises parts for Him mistook Him; and who mistook Him pointed at Him; and who pointed at Him admitted limitations for Him; and who admitted limitations for Him numbered Him. whoever said in what is He, held that He is contained; and whoever said on what is He held He is not on something else. He is a being but not through phenomenon of coming into being. He exists but not from non-existance. He is with everything but not in physical nearness. He is different from everything but not in physical separation. He acts but with conotation of movements and instruments. He sees even when there is none to be looked at from among His creation. he is only One, such that there is none whom He may keep company or whom He may miss in his absence. I am again sorry for such a long reply but if you have come to this line through all of the above, you deserve my appreciation and respect. again, i am not but a student with virtually nothing as knowledge with me. You have every right to disagree which is quite natural and logical. I hope you will excuse my language errors and issues. Thanks for your question too. I loved to reply it, though, i understand that the reader may not love to read it.

Man was created in the image of God of His righteousness and holiness. Yes, we are small and insignificant perhaps to others but God made man rule over all His creations. That's how God gave importance to man. God created everything in the world and therefore everything in the world are subject to man and man, subject to Christ, and Christ, subject to God.

If we are made in Gods image then God would have to be imperfect and flawed as we all are, or maybe God has a warped sense of humor. As for creating gods with human features, I think that is an act of desperation on our part. Humans don't seem to relate well to anything non humanoid, so god has be be mostly human or he has no disciples. Man seems to just create things that are easier to relate to so as to have the power of a following. As far as the universe goes, I would be willing to bet we are not the only living beings, but the others may not exactly conform to our human standards. Humanity as a whole is tremendously biased in favor of itself. I pity any alien species that sets foot here, cause they will be treated like a poisonous bug. If it doesn't look like us it needs to be exterminated. It wouldn't surprise me if this planet has a sign of some sort warning other life not to stop for gas here since we are so insular in our beliefs.

That is a very interesting question. Let me see if I can accurately articulate my opinion on two points. 1) I think that many people believe that human beings are "better" than any other species they know of because of that whole higher brain to body weight ration thing. I think those same people refuse to believe that a being who is higher than themselves could be anything other than a higher form of human. I don't think people are comfortable accepting that God could be more cat-like, for example, because they view that kind of being as beneath themselves. I guess this could come down to a form of arrogance. People tend to arrogantly believe that human beings are the highest form of life. Therefore, it's unacceptable to them that God could be something other than "human" in some form. 2) Not all religions and spiritualities have chosen to view their gods as "human". Ancient Egypt and China, for example, chose to deify certain animals rather than human beings. But, you're right, most religions have given their gods a very "human" feel, right down to human flaws and qualities. That's what makes this topic so interesting to me. Why believe that a higher power/ supreme being is human? Why believe a being of that caliber even resembles anything we've ever seen?

More than lack of humility, I think its the comfort factor that made us dream of a human like god. We are comfortable to believe that god made us with his own hand because we could not imagine a "hand" not involve in making anything. We make not only god, but everything else in our image. We created mouse in our image even, no? Probably there is a lack of humility, but it might be more about comfort factor