Did climate affect ancient civilizations' views of God?
An interesting article appeared in National Geographic earlier this year, regarding the seasonal monsoon in India. The monsoon is not as reliable as it once was, and many of the farmers and citizens who rely on it for water are finding new ways to cope. The article mentioned that past peoples who lived in this part of the world would hail the annual coming of the monsoon as somewhat of a savior, due to its replenishing powers. Each year, their prayers were answered, at least for one more growing season. And, scary thought this, it got me thinking.
Let's say there were an identical people somewhere else in ancient world who also needed water for their livelihoods, and they looked forward to the saving rains too. But here, the rains were much less predictable, or perhaps less intense. What prayers might these people offer up to the heavens, as opposed to those who populated the West coast of India? Prayers unanswered might lead to a totally different version of their God. Or, perhaps a series of violent hurricane or typhoon seasons might lead to the worship and fear of an angry God, whom it was better to speak of in hushed tones.
I am not looking for an answer or for your agreement, so much as I am looking for any links or literature addressing this topic that you might be aware of. We are all products of our environments, and especially so in the ancient world, when understanding the forces of science was sometimes tantamount to survival. Discovering how our physical surroundings shape our views about the forces that may have created them is fascinating, and it seems somewhat understudied.
Thanks in advance for any ideas, conjectures, or links you might wish to share.