though i am loathe to admit any connection to creationists, i must say, the idea of alien intelligent design has always intruiged me. it does not seem unlikely at all that the "gods" of our ancestors, as well as the many gaps in our palentological and cultural records are connected to a manipulation in our predecessors by an outside force, looking to conduct genetic experiements (or trying to find sophisticated slave labor, perhaps even a future food source, if the culture liked brains, and the relative intelligence of a creature was directly proportionate to the brain).

the entire spiritual concept of prayer would have branched back to the roots of the first test subjects, who would have had to communicate with these entities to "learn" how to do things outside thier possible realm of experience. calling out and recieving an answer, to beings of immense power and experience, that hail from the heavens, and live outside of our understading...

it is not hard to see how all the icons spawned, if you take that template as a potential truth.