He highlights how major shifts in religious thought, such as the move to monotheism, were often driven by political needs rather than just spiritual revelation (e.g., the rise of Yahweh among the Israelites).
Aslan argues that the history of religion is essentially the history of humans making God "us." We bestow upon the divine our best qualities (compassion, justice) and our worst (greed, bigotry). Dios Una Historia Humana Reza Aslan epub
The book traces this humanization from prehistoric animism (believing everything has a soul) and the "Lord of the Beasts" to the development of polytheistic pantheons and eventually monotheism. He highlights how major shifts in religious thought,