Dr Faustus wrote: ↑Sun Oct 27, 2024 5:50 pm
The question seems to be trivial. When we talk about religions, every one knows what it refers to : Christianity, Islam, Judaism, etc.
We have an idea of the extension the term refers to. But we don't have a true comprehension of this word.
To understand the term 'religion' we need to trace our history back to 3.5 billion years of organic [since abiogenesis] and 13.7 billion years of physical [BB] history.
Upon the emergence of humans somewhere along that history, there was a subsequent emergence of human drives, impulses and related an existential pains and angsts [mental and physical] that are the roots of what we at present called "religion".
Paleolithic Religions
Paleoanthropologists Andre Leroi-Gourhan and Annette Michelson believe unmistakably religious behavior emerged by the Upper Paleolithic, before 30,000 years ago at the latest,[1] but behavioral patterns such as burial rites[2] that one might characterize as religious — or as ancestral to religious behavior — reach back into the Middle Paleolithic, as early as
300,000 years ago, coinciding with the first appearance of
Homo neanderthalensis and possibly
Homo naledi.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paleolithic_religion
Analogy:
The human nature of the fundamental Nutrition and Digestive system since 300,000 years ago has not change and not different from the fundamental Nutrition and Digestive system of the modern man; what is different are merely the
forms of food choices, production, preparation and ways of consuming food.
The physical digestive system has not changed.
The essential nutrients has not changed:
Essential nutrients are nutrients that the human body cannot synthesize and must be consumed through food. They are vital for good health, growth, and reproduction. Some examples of essential nutrients include:
Protein: Helps build muscle, skin, hair, and other tissues, and provides energy
Carbohydrates: The primary fuel for the brain, nervous system, and red blood cells
Fat: Helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins, provides energy, and makes up almost all cell membranes
Vitamins: There are 13 essential vitamins, including vitamins A, C, B6, and D
Vitamin D: The body cannot synthesize vitamin D, so a deficiency can lead to serious health problems
Calcium: Helps build strong bones and teeth, and promotes heart health
Iron: An essential constituent of many metalloproteins, and is essential for oxygen transport, electron transfer, and catalytic reactions
Potassium: The body cannot produce potassium, so it must be obtained from foods
It the same with 'religion' the fundamental of the religious impulse [dealing with existential pains and angsts] and drive has not changed and will not changed while what had changed are merely the forms resulting the present modern religions.
The fundamental religious impulse is also inherent in all humans and also the 'spiritual' impulse to deal with an inherent cognitive dissonance driven by an existential crisis.
Thus it possible religions as forms could disappear in the future to be replaced with 'spiritual' practices to deal with the fundamental impulse.
The problem is the majority are unable to grasp the root cause of what is termed 'religion' and also 'spiritual' in the modern times.
The fundamental existential-crisis drive is inherent in all humans and where those who do not 'crutch' on religious or spiritual, they turned to non-religious and spiritual alternatives like drugs, pain killers, and the likes to deal with the existential pain.
To have a true comprehension of the term 'religion' we need to take into account the above nuances.
Shhh!
