The Worshippers

"The Worshippers" by Damon Knight is a science fiction tale where Earthman Algernon Weaver becomes an accidental deity on the planet Terranova after a twist of fate following his sister's trip to the Moon. Weaver, originally a meek historian, finds himself stranded and initially turned into a god-like figure by the Terranovans; and thus, he begins reshaping their culture according to human ideals and establishing himself as their ruler. As time goes on, he revels in the power he wields, unaware of the Terranovans’ true nature, which is far from submissive and as forces from space arrive, everything that Weaver has been building begins to collapse around him as he begins to consider the costs of power and the potential pitfalls of cultural imperialism.