...I'm going with the idea of these supposed 'gods' as planets, during a time of an ancient solar system alignment. If something of that magnitude hovered in close proximity to the Earth, one would begin to fear/revere these bodies as gods. Plasma arcing on a monumental scale. Top that with planets emitting radio (or other) signals and how that may have affected humanity. Last, with the ancient skies being that close, how would gravity have been affected.
Religion reveres to gross misinterpretations, both in the sense of literalizing the 'gods' in a human form and interpretations of ancient sky events described in the texts/legend/myth/whatever passed down being kept secret from the rest of humanity. I've rambled on enough.