"Human beings figured this out--with a lot of effort over centuries and with opposition from churches."
Wow. Despite their phenomenal wealth and power, churches somehow couldn't stop the march of science. In fact, science got started in the Christian world. Funny, isn't it. Maybe the scientists went off into an "alternate universe" to do their work and escape those Christians who were always "opposing" them. Then they popped back in through a wormhole to publish their work.
And about your tagline ("I just believe in one fewer god than you do"): If I were a Hindu and believed in 300 million gods (or whatever they do--it's some such immense number), does that mean you believe in 299,999,999 gods?
You, conviently, forget how much the Church pressed peasants to give of their meagre income to support Popes and Bishops and Priests in lavish lifestyles. You forget that Martin Luther created a major schism by objecting to this.
Ypu, conviently, forget the doctrine of the "Divine Right of Kings". The US Constitution rejected these church notions. There is no "divine right".
I'd say it started with the pre-Christian Greeks.