Have you ever heard of Moses, Jesus, Confucius, Krishna or Buddha? How about Gandhi, Mother Theresa or Martin Luther King? If you live in the West, there's a good chance that you know a bit about these people and their accomplish-ments. In man's eternal search for immortality and meaning, many leaders and heroes, both true and false, have made their appearance on the world stage. The respect and reverence shown to such figures among people of every nationality, in every age, points to a deep human need to believe in someone greater than oneself, in an attempt to transcend the confines of one's own limited existence. We see this theme recur in world myths, legends, hero stories, and in the idealization of people who have been raised by their followers to superhuman or godly status. Full article...