Why did the Mesopotamians worship gods?

Answer 1

In ancient times, there was limited understanding of science, and many cultures explained natural phenomena by telling stories that we today would call "myths" (but which were considered true by ancient people). The Sumerian creation story, the Enuma Elish, told of An, the god of heaven, and his wife Ki, the goddess of earth. The Sumerians believed there was a close tie between heaven and earth.

Among other important gods were Enlil (god of the storms, the god who was said to have separated heaven and earth), and Enki (god of the waters, god of wisdom). The idea of many gods (polytheism), each with a unique role, seemed a sensible way to understand the universe: the various deities were responsible for the sky, the sun, the sea, the seasons, and other aspects of nature.

The Sumerian religious stories also stressed the superiority of the gods and the importance of doing their bidding; each city had its own god or goddess, and it was believed that particular deity would protect the city and its inhabitants. It was also a belief of Sumerian religion that humans were created to perform labors on earth to please the various gods and goddesses. Participating in special rituals was also important for human beings, in order to show appreciation and respect for the deities. This was essential in keeping them happy, since if they were not happy, calamity would befall the city or the worshipers.

Answer 2

People worship gods for many reasons, perhaps originally because this gave them some control over their lives. They could call on their gods to ensure a good crop, a victory in war, help in a crisis or any other worthwhile purpose. Different civilisations developed religions that suited their culture and geography. Early religions were often focussed on sky gods - the moon god, sun god, god of thunder, and so on. Many who would enquire of the ancient Mesopotamian beliefs now believe in the Abrahamic God, or perhaps no god at all, but for the Mesopotamians their religion provided people with comfort and a sense of purpose. There is diversity in religion because there is no objective proof that one religion and its God or gods are more true than another.

Answer 3

They practiced this because, they wanted to beleive there was more than one god. now they also believed that god was still real he just wasnt the only one. theres your answer.