Big gods came after the rise of civilizations

[Belacqua]

the idea of morally concerned gods is by no means universal. Social scientists have long known that small-scale traditional societies – the kind missionaries used to dismiss as “pagan” – envisaged a spirit world that cared little about the morality of human behaviour.

This way of interpreting history makes a lot of sense to me. I'm glad that these researchers are compiling data.

I want to add, though, that some gods who don't judge, reward, or punish people can still be involved in that society's moral thinking. I think it's too simple to say that just because pagan or animist gods don't behave like Jehovah they are unrelated to what a society considers good. 

So for example the Japanese gods tend to be associated with important social events or rituals. The shrine I can see from my kitchen window is called the Early-Sprouting Rice Field Shrine. It reflects the importance of rice farming to the culture. The god that is enshrined there is associated with planting, which is a communal activity. Though this god doesn't pass judgment, it is (or was) considered important to pay him due respect. 

It's easy for us today to imagine that this god is a fiction that was invented to personify a socially significant activity. Gods in Japan tend to be attached to agriculture, fishing, the hearth, marriage, etc. 

These are not thought of in terms of abstractions like "good" and "evil," but the societal need for people to continue these practices and rituals was considered important. 

People often say that Japan has a "shame culture" rather than a "guilt culture" like Europe. (This is too simple; Japanese people can feel guilt. But as a guideline it is helpful.) Early Japanese societies probably thought less about morality per se and more about "is this guy participating in our neighborhood activities?" Not "does God see his evil heart?" but "is he doing what the Early Sprouting Rice Field god expects from us?"

Any punishment required would come from the other people in the neighborhood. But the gods were often symbols or expressions of the local values.