If I remember correctly, I started thinking along these lines after hearing Robert Garland lecture on ancient Egyptian religion. As a side-note to a discussion about how they had little sympathy for the plight of slaves and those in the lower classes of society (since this was all part of the eternal cosmic order and as it should be), he mentioned that they would likely think that we are the cruel ones, since we don’t even bother to feed and cloth the gods, let alone worship them (and the gods, of course, are even more important than mere humans, making our lack of concern all the more horrible).
The closest thing I have seen to this sort of idea is this:
http://www.gwern.net/The%20Narrowing%20Circle
Wow, an excellent essay!
If I remember correctly, I started thinking along these lines after hearing Robert Garland lecture on ancient Egyptian religion. As a side-note to a discussion about how they had little sympathy for the plight of slaves and those in the lower classes of society (since this was all part of the eternal cosmic order and as it should be), he mentioned that they would likely think that we are the cruel ones, since we don’t even bother to feed and cloth the gods, let alone worship them (and the gods, of course, are even more important than mere humans, making our lack of concern all the more horrible).
Any idea where Garland might’ve written that up? All the books listed in your link sound like they’d be on Greece, not Egypt.
It was definitely a lecture, not a book. Maybe I’ll track it down when I get around to Ankifying my Ancient Egypt notes.