Could not help but wonder about this, if history was re-ordered appropriately, operating systems hacking could have been a major organized religion associated with all the heft, influence, funds and muscle that they are associated with.
Many researchers believe that the religious episodes that prophets talk about, their visions and hearings that led them to their religion, may have been psychotic episodes. I find this hypothesis extremely believable.
I think for something to become an organized religion more deliberate and political measures are required. Also needed: powerful people with axes to grind, but the roots of theistic organized religion of our times could surely have been aural/visual hallucinations and schizophrenia of their prophets who could have been just as smart, interesting, and at the same time human as Terry Davis.
Many researchers believe that the religious episodes that prophets talk about, their visions and hearings that led them to their religion, may have been psychotic episodes. I find this hypothesis extremely believable.
I think for something to become an organized religion more deliberate and political measures are required. Also needed: powerful people with axes to grind, but the roots of theistic organized religion of our times could surely have been aural/visual hallucinations and schizophrenia of their prophets who could have been just as smart, interesting, and at the same time human as Terry Davis.
http://www.salon.com/2013/08/02/i_thought_i_was_a_prophet/