King Religions

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

@Jayp

Interesting opinion, impressive if you worked it out independently. I dare say people in the C19th were also impressed when Sir James Frazer came up with pretty much the same notion.


From Wiki:

The Golden Bough attempts to define the shared elements of religious belief, ranging from ancient belief systems to relatively modern religions such as Christianity. Its thesis is that old religions were fertility cults that revolved around the worship of, and periodic sacrifice of, a sacred king.

This king was the incarnation of a dying and reviving god, a solar deity who underwent a mystic marriage to a goddess of the Earth, who died at the harvest, and was reincarnated in the spring. Frazer claims that this legend is central to almost all of the world's mythologies.

Are you right? Probably,in part. I recommend your think of doing some Anthropology,you seem to have the knack.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Bough

[Jayp]

Yes I did work this out independently, I was not aware of James Frazer. Though I don't give myself too much credit though, I think if you look at the "god's" actions, you see some sort of strong man, in those days mostly kings.

But I disagree with Fraser when he says almost all of the world's mythologies or religions are king religions. Hinduism/Buddhism are more like Teacher religions. god is more like a teacher who tries to turn you into the right path, whether you do so or not is upto you. There are no rules or commands and no judgement. No abuse directed at people of other faiths, even atheists are welcomed into Hindu heaven and no hell. A bit of a different concept for god.

[Edwardo Piet]

Jayp I think you might enjoy this video I just posted here (because I think it deserved its own separate thread in the videos forum):

http://atheistforums.org/thread-1179.html

'Why we believe in Gods' it's called.

EvF

[Jayp]

Thank you for posting this video and giving me the link. Very interesting, especially the part about the tree, very eye-opening for me.

But was a bit disappointed that this man seemed to be unware about the eastern religions. He kept saying all religions when clearly he had no idea. You need a concept for god (similar to the concept of aliens visitors to earth - funny, they look like us) and the abrahamic religions came up with a King, strongman, dictator for god. The eastern religions, Hinduism/Budhism, came up with a Teacher. The interesting thing about Teacher religions is that, and you see this especially in Buddhism, there is no need for god.

[SilentDon]

I don't know if I'm right or not but I believe that religion started out of a fear of death and the unknown. Religion was a way of explaining things unknown and creating an afterlife that could give the believers power over thier fear.

[leo-rcc]

I don't know if I'm right or not but I believe that religion started out of a fear of death and the unknown. Religion was a way of explaining things unknown and creating an afterlife that could give the believers power over thier fear.

That is indeed how the first religions started out worldwide. Having a god/spirit/deity for everything. This is particularly about the monotheistic religions founded after what they now refer to as pagan religions.

[SilentDon]

So I have at least a basic concept of religion

[LEDO]

Of course rulers would use religion to their benefit, however I don't see that beinmg the reason for the creation of religion. Religion was used to explain man's surroundings, especially the sun, moon, and stars. It was believed these heavenly items ruled men's lives as they seemed to have controlled the seasons and nature. The same stars would appear at the same time each year "instructing" man as to when to plant and harvest. The stars also were used to guide traders at night, so knowledge about them became very secret. Stories were invented about the stars based on their location during the various seasons. These were also memory aids. These stories would become the major religions of Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Europe, and Persia, and most likely the rest of the world.

[Jayp]

Ledo: You need a template for everything. Some religions used the Sun as God. When "God" went to sleep at night, you make up stories for that, and that's how religious stories get started. The religions that you talk about existed also, but you-know-who succeeded in killing them off. If you went back about 400 years, the western and muslim lands were barren except for one religion each, a variation of King religions. There can be only one king, and you see these religions teaching that concept, if you don't accept this king, you get hell. Imagine killing someone simply because he did not follow your religion, but that is what these religions did. Cults, IMHO.

The Teacher as God is a bit different. The land of teacher religions, Hindu India, is a polyglot of different faiths, almost every religion under the earth in found here. Bohras, who followed a different type of islam, were harassed in muslim lands and fled and found refuge in hindu india. The teacher did not care whether you were religious or not.

Silentdon: you are right. Basically how would you comfort a child who lost his dear grandma? She is now in a nice place, that is vey comforting. Also when facing powerful evil, it helps to have a concept of god. Oh yeah, hitler will be punished by god, doesn't that comfort you?