What is Reality?

Ancient cultures did not worship idols. Their god-statues represented ideal states which, when meditated constantly upon, one might aspire to. Science proves there never was a mermaid, blue-skinned Krishna or a virgin birth in physical reality. Yet thought is real, and the domain of thought is the one place where gods inarguably exist, wielding tremendous power. If Aphrodite were a myth and Love only a concept, then would that negate the crimes and kindnesses and songs done in Love's name? If Christ were only ever fiction, a divine idea, would this invalidate the social change inspired by that idea, make holy wars less terrible, or human betterment less real, less sacred?  

Ideas, unlike solid structures, do not perish. They remain immortal, immaterial and everywhere, like all Divine things.