Authority Figures & Morality

The link  between authority figures (e.g. God kings, parents) and morality or values in human minds is likely the result of evolutionary pressure exerted upon the human cognitive/emotional structure by the realities of primate social hierarchy.  Setting ones moral/value system according to the beliefs of the dominant individual was evolutionarily advantageous because enforcing adherence to laws whatever they might be was only possible for lower ranking individuals with the help of the power wielder(s) in the group. So there was evolutionary pressure to be clear on what the powerful individuals believed was right or wrong and to experience emotions which promoted adherence to those rules such as fear & guilt if you break them or anger & judgment if someone else does.

Linguistic evidence supporting this idea: the words for ruler and law are often cognates, e.g. ley / rey, legal/regal