CopyRight @ 1996
history of conciousness in the context of religion - simplistic intro
History of conciousness is another way of systemtically
organizing data. It can be the history of religious thought,
philosophy, technology, art, medicine or any other part of human
culture. It is another way of classifying beliefs and it is very
useful for describing humans. Unfortunatly, it is still only a
strand in a complex web.
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As with institutions, overall, the best place to start
systematically examining beliefs and mindsets is in the context
of religion. Religion is strictly based on belief and is the
vehicle of the basic beliefs of any society. It is complex enough
that the combination of descriptions of belief and relevant
mindsets, is going to be very limited. The subject of the
components and significance of religious beliefs, would take
books by more than one talented student. This is to touch on some
of the major meanings and consequence of religion so as to create
a framework that is usable by the reader. For example, gross
cases are the consequences of the teaching of Thomas Aquinas or
the concepts of earthly verses heavenly reincarnation. The
teaching of Thomas Aquinas that science would not aid in the
salvation of the soul, helped usher in the dark ages. Considering
the concepts of earthly reincarnation verses heavenly
reincarnation, both of which are supported by basic Christian
tenants, could lead to very different attitudes towards the
natural world. The belief in heavenly afterlife can lead to
disregard for the simply material and expendable, worldly
environment. The belief in earthly reincarnation would foster a
preservationist attitude. Hey, you will be back. Since religions
are basically moral systems, most components have important
meanings. The trick is figuring out the significant parts and
their meanings.
Beliefs related to morality are the most fundamental,
because they are elements of a survival strategy. Ancient tribal
shaman conserved the knowledge that helped preserve the tribe.
Religion is many things, but each one is usually defined by
how they conceive of god. Most are separated by history and some
by basic premises, yet they all have the concepts of
spiritualism. Before there was religion, there was reverence and
many things were understood to be sacred. There was birth and
death, nature, life, fear, hope and marriage long before there
were religions.
Religion is many things, but since the commonest perception
of it focuses on god, that must be the first thing examined.
Descriptions of god are many and are best described as spectrums,
from the Patriarchal one God of Christianity to concepts of the
complete spiritualism of all life and the universe. To others
still, God is the tangible and untangible of Nature and the Earth
that gives them life. Each of these beliefs and their attendant
morality and belief systems, have different consequences for
their followers. In the long run, the importance of religion may
be based on the importance of worshiping somehting greater than
hmans.
The first art of humans depicts scenes of the natural world.
The earliest sculptured figures were of a fertile female that is
thought to represent the fertility of nature even more than the
fertility of any human. This was religion at its most basic when
it had more to do with direct survival within nature. Fears and
dangers differed then, but hopes remain the same: survival of the
community. Gods nature did not change much for the farmers near
the ancient cities. They were concious of weather and tied to the
land. Things were different for the nomadic pastoralists. Their
ecology made different demands. Their life was based more on
possessions than a location. Their economy led them to raiding
and eventually warfare. Theirs was the Patriarchial God of the
Old Testiment and they made him ascendent. As such, the
pastoralists conquored the world and made warfare a major aspect
of human ecology. In responce to the inhumanity of war and as
natural developments, the older instincts of cooperation, natural
growth and fertility grew and were given words and voice. This is
the Christian part of our heritage. Presently, our common
religious heritage forms a large part of the beliefs of western
culture. It is the long slow accumulation of human tradition and
belief encompassing both the ancient stories of the Old Testiment
and the development of Christianity. It is a powerful hybrid of
beliefs that serves a hybrid group of tough survivors. It has
been a primary force to create a common culture and "community"
from many different groups. This was done both agressively and
because the belief system had appeal to both instinct and logic.
It supported the basic human strategy of cooperation. Also, it
conveyed the power of faith and rightousness. This is a religion
that serves people in a rough and competitive society that is
trying to achieve the cooperation of the tribal community.
In any case, religion serves humans. It is unlikely to be of
use to any god, except as to how it serves their people.
1.??? weird stuff END 7
In general we use the belief and value systems that are in
some way descended from the traditions of the Sumerians, the
Hebrews, the Indo-European conquerors, the Celts and a variety of
other sources. Being conquerors, the Indo-Europeans were able to
perpetuate more than their genes and languages. The imprinted
much of their values and beliefs on the later societies as well.
It is rare that they are examined or questioned, they were
established and enforced by war. This is critical. It explains
much about how we view and respond to violence, let alone the
political and economic practices.
The masculine military pattern of the Indo-Europeans
apparently was compatible or complementary to the patriarchal god
of the Hebrews. By definition, religious law and practice applies
to the family and community and is a cooperative moral system.
Present western culture uses ancient Hebrew laws regarding the
family.
Politics is an organizational system for interactions of
individuals, groups or communities that have divergent interests.
For politics, we utilize the beliefs and systems inherited from
the Indo-European, including war. We also use their system of
property rights.
Feudalism
Paranoia
Conformity
Machismo
Otherness
puritan - protestant
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