Religion is a universal

[Lark]

Would you agree that religion is a universal in all human societies and all ages of mankind? If it a universal is it something which can or should be better understood?

 

[Sniffles]

Yes it very much is an universal phenomenon, one which only seems to appear among humans(animals don't have religions). National Geographic recently ran a story about how recent archelogical discoveries may suggest that religion was a major cause of civilization itself.

As for understanding religion better, certainly - but I guess one has to establish what understanding it better actually means. Trying to apply a positivist methodology for example can actually hinder such a task.

 

[Lark]

Yes it very much is an universal phenomenon, one which only seems to appear among humans(animals don't have religions). National Geographic recently ran a story about how recent archelogical discoveries may suggest that religion was a major cause of civilization itself.

As for understanding religion better, certainly - but I guess one has to establish what understanding it better actually means. Trying to apply a positivist methodology for example can actually hinder such a task.

Yes. And true, true.

A lot of the Nat Geo coverage and archeological re-evaluations tend to fall within the context of a pretty reductive evolutionary psychological paradigm, which even when its opposing Dawkin's delusion theory or meme theory does adopt a "this handy illusion" theory based upon the consciousness that someone leaving a room does not cease to exist if they do so.

Better understood, yes, that is not clear, I meant that since it is universal and persumably was also so utilitarian for so long that it could be understood in an appreciative or respected manner as opposed to the pretty conceited "this has nothing to add", "silly primal theories" trend which is pretty prevalent.

 

[Sniffles]

A lot of the Nat Geo coverage and archeological re-evaluations tend to fall within the context of a pretty reductive evolutionary psychological paradigm, which even when its opposing Dawkin's delusion theory or meme theory does adopt a "this handy illusion" theory based upon the consciousness that someone leaving a room does not cease to exist if they do so.

This is true, and something that needs proper addressing among scholarly debate.

Better understood, yes, that is not clear, I meant that since it is universal and persumably was also so utilitarian for so long that it could be understood in an appreciative or respected manner as opposed to the pretty conceited "this has nothing to add", "silly primal theories" trend which is pretty prevalent.

In that case absolutely yes. I thought you were referring to specific methodology of study. Well it seems Religious studies is on the rise within academic research - so obviously the subject of religion is starting to get more attention. I've mentioned before here the rise of the perspective of "Post-Secularism" among scholars studying the subject matter as well. So we'll see where this leads.

 

[Synapse]

Yes it should be better understood...

 

[KDude]

Religion probably started with burying the dead. And maybe campfire sing a longs. Also, food poisoning might have contributed in some cases.

 

[Blackmail!]

Is Conservative propaganda "a universal" in all human societies and all ages of mankind? If it a universal is it something which can or should be better understood?

 

[Mole]

Integration and Dissociation

Is Conservative propaganda "a universal" in all human societies and all ages of mankind? If it a universal is it something which can or should be better understood?

Oh Blackmail, how we have missed you. But to address the issue -

There has never been a civilization not based on a religion. And it seems to me that religions operate below the level of rational thought and operate beautifully in the world of trance.

The Gospels were written in a trance and induce a trance in the reader. And the repetitive rituals of religions are trance inductions.

And trance reaches down into our deepest fears and hopes. And trance forms our very identity. And trance forms the very basis of our institutions.

We wake every morning to the biting of ants, so to speak, as we make our way rationally through the day and reality. But at night we slip into the arms of morpheus who gives us the trance of sleep to refresh us for the rigours of the day ahead. No wonder we love trance. Trance provides us relief from pain, fear and suffering. Trance is indeed our beloved.

So during our waking hours we long for our beloved, and our beloved longs for us, and our beloved is our God, and we are God's children.

"Thy Kingdom come", we pray. We want to create heaven on Earth. We want trance to suffuse our daily reality.

'Religio', means to rebind. We are split creatures. We are split between waking and sleeping. Our deepest and most profound desire is to integrate the two. And religion, religio, binds the two together. Religion binds up our wounds. Religion heals our sin. Religion is the promise of integrity. Religion is the heart in a heartless world.

The Saints show us the way by living in both trance and reality at the same time. For the rest of us, we wake and sleep, wake and sleep, longing for the integration of the Saints but living in this vale of tears, dissociated.

 

[Lark]

This is true, and something that needs proper addressing among scholarly debate.


In that case absolutely yes. I thought you were referring to specific methodology of study. Well it seems Religious studies is on the rise within academic research - so obviously the subject of religion is starting to get more attention. I've mentioned before here the rise of the perspective of "Post-Secularism" among scholars studying the subject matter as well. So we'll see where this leads.

Post-secularism? I never thought of or heard of that before, that could be interesting.

 

[swordpath]

Better understood?

Undoubtedly. If religion were better understood we wouldn't have assholes strapping bombs to children and blowing up the market place.

 

[Magic Poriferan]

If you count animism and shamanism, then yeah I'd say it has been a universal. They didn't distinguish between the natural and the supernatural, though, and I don't think religion as we tend to conceive of it existed until that distinction emerged. Though it is true that such a distinction has appeared in every civilization. I chock it up to the fact that spiritualism was an explanation for mysteries that must gradually become more discrete and withdrawn as things like science and mathematics provide better explanations.

 

[swordpath]

Magic reports on bull shit.

 

[Lark]

Better understood?

Undoubtedly. If religion were better understood we wouldn't have assholes strapping bombs to children and blowing up the market place.

I didnt know they did that...

 

[KDude]

People are going to kill children and destroy marketplaces anyways. And more. Religion is not the problem there. Humanity is. If anything, most religions strive to redefine humanity..and point to an ideal of it. That might be the first thing worth understanding about them. And people who actually take those ideals seriously tend to be kind of remarkable and generous, in my experience. They do things that don't come easily to me at least. I'm not going to deny it and take that away from them. Like I'm a better person or something. Bullshit. I'm not. I think the only thing I have going for me is self-awareness. lol

It'd be nice if there was one area to blame all of the problems on though.

 

[Synapse]

Yes it should be better understood...

When you want to consciously or unconsciously become limited in your spiritual growth it is the path to choose.