Origins Earth religion

origin claims earth religion sources

according marija gimbutas, pre-indo-european societies lived in small-scale, family-based communities practiced matrilineal succession , goddess-centered religion creation comes woman. divine mother can give life , take away. in irish mythology danu, in slavic mythology mat zemlya, , in other cultures pachamama, ninsun, terra mater, nüwa, matres or shakti.

in late 1800s, james weir wrote article describing beginnings , aspects of religious feeling. according boyer, man forced locate food , shelter in order survive, while being directed instincts , senses. because man s existence depended on nature, men began form religion , beliefs on , around nature itself. evident man s first religion have had develop material world, argues, because man relied heavily on senses , see, touch, , feel. in sense, worship of nature formed, allowing man further depend on nature survival.

neopagans have tried make claims religion started in ways correspond earth religion. in 1 of published works, urantia book, reason worship of nature came fear of world around primitive man. mind lacked complex function of processing , sifting through complex ideas. result, man worshiped entity surrounded him every day. entity nature. man experienced different natural phenomena around him, such storms, vast deserts, , immense mountains. among first parts of nature worshiped rocks , hills, plants , trees, animals, elements, heavenly bodies, , man himself. primitive man worked way through nature worship, moved on incorporate spirits worship. although these claims may have merit, nonetheless presented biased position cannot authenticated traditional , reliable sources. therefore, claims can not relied upon.

origins of religion

the origins of religion can looked @ through lens of function , processing of human mind. pascal boyer suggests that, longest period of time, brain thought of simple organ of body. however, claims more information collected brain indicates brain indeed not blank slate. humans not learn information environment , surroundings around them. have acquired sophisticated cognitive equipment prepares them analyze information in culture , determine information relevant , how apply it. boyer states having normal human brain not imply have religion. implies people can acquire it, different. suggests religions started reasons of providing answers humans, giving comfort, providing social order society, , satisfying need of illusion-prone nature of human mind. ultimately, religion came existence because of our need answer questions , hold our societal order.

an additional idea on origins of religion comes not man s cognitive development, ape. barbara j. king argues human beings have emotional connection around them, , that desire connection came evolution apes. closest relative human species african ape. @ birth, ape begins negotiating mother wants , needs in order survive. world ape born saturated close family , friends. because of this, emotions , relationships play huge role in ape s life. reactions , responses 1 rooted , grounded in sense of belongingness, derived dependence on ape s mother , family. belongingness defined mattering matters ... getting positive feelings our relationships. sense , desire belongingness, started in apes, grew hominid (a human ancestor) diverged lineage of ape, occurred 6 7 million years ago.

as severe changes in environment, physical evolutions in human body (especially in development of human brain), , changes in social actions occurred, humans went beyond trying form bonds , relationships of empathy others. culture , society became more complex, began using practices , various symbols make sense of natural , spiritual world around them. instead of trying find belongingness , empathy relationships others, humans created , evolved god , spirits in order fulfil need , exploration. king argued earthly need belonging led human religious imagination , otherworldly realm of relating god, gods, , spirits.