(February 2, 2016 at 5:10 pm)Aegon Wrote:(February 2, 2016 at 4:58 pm)SnakeOilWarrior Wrote: Shamanism is a religion the way monotheism is. A type of religion, not a specific religion with a set of tenants and dogmas.
Does a religion have to have a set of tenants and dogmas? If we define religion as "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods" then there would certainly be religion that precedes writing.
No. Nor did I imply that. Monotheism is a descriptor for a type of religion. Specifically, one with a single "god." No tenants or dogmas necessary. Christianity is a descriptor of a specific set of beliefs, a formalized religion, complete with tenants and dogmas. This is the type of religion that was being described as older than writing. People have believed in gods in some form or other (as far as we can tell) for as long as there have been people. So, the general description of religion has been around longer than writing but none of the specific religions know today have.
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