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== Notes ==
== Notes ==


A typical religious institution consists of social, ritual/practical, experiential, narrative/mythic, doctrinal, ethical/legal, material, and healing dimensions all geared toward the satisfaction of various human needs.<ref>Mike Sosteric, “What Is Religion” 2022, https://www.academia.edu/80934448/What_is_Religion</ref>
=== What it is ===
[[Religion]] is an [[Institution]] created by the [[Accumulating Class]] (AC) to colonize humanity's understanding of the cosmos. There are historical examples of this. In ancient Persia, for example, a top-high-mucky-muck, king-god, grand-guy by the name of Ardashir took the grass-roots, anti-elite spirituality of guy by the name of [[Zoroaster]] and colonized and contained it in an [[institution]], and then used it to help build his empire.<ref>Boyce, Mary. ''Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices''. Routledge, 2001</ref> Centuries later some grand high poohbah by the name of Constantine did exactly the same thing, colonized the grass roots spirituality of [[Jesus Christ]],<ref>Sosteric, Mike. Rethinking the Origins and Purpose of Religion: Jesus, Constantine, and the Containment of Global Revolution.” ''Athens Journal of Social Sciences'' 9, no. 1 (2020): 69–88. doi:10.30958/ajss.9-1-4.</ref> contained it in a religion that we are all familiar with, and used it to help build a post-roman empire.


Religion is often co-opted and controlled by members of the [[Accumulating Class]]. In this case, religion functions, in addition to an institution which meets various human needs, as an [[Ideological Institution]] (and sometimes [[Symbol Factory]] designed to help propagate a specific [[Existential Narrative]].
=== What it it does ===
In the hands of the [[AC]], religion functions as  


Religion may be broken down into two sub-classes, [[Elite Religion]] and [[Authentic Religion]]. Elite religion prioritizes the needs of the [[Accumulating Class]] while [[Authentic Religion]] prioritizes [[Healing]], [[Connection]], and the [[Seven Essential Needs]] of humanity.
* an opiate,<ref>[[Karl Marx]]</ref>
* a wish-fulfilling, behaviour controlling "illusion,"<ref>That's [[Sigmund Freud]]</ref>
* an ideological tool designed to help create a [[Moral Order|moral]], [[Intellectual Order|intellectual]], and [[Social Order|societal order]]<ref>[[August Comte]] talked about these various orders as part of a [[Comprehensive Framework]] used to shape society and control behaviour. See Comte, August, ''The Catechism of Positivism; or, Summary Exposition of the Universal Religion,'' trans. Richard Congreve (London: John Chapman, 1852). <nowiki>https://archive.org/details/artofcreationess00carp</nowiki></ref> conducive to the operation of any particular [[Regime of Accumulation]]. In this case, religion functions as an [[Ideological Institution]] (and sometimes [[Symbol Factory]] designed to help propagate a specific [[Existential Narrative]].


Religion is a notoriously difficult concept to pin down and, frankly, scholars have said some really stupid shit about it over the years, [[Sigmund Freud]] being a classic example. Freud believed that religion arises as a consequence of
If this sounds bad, it is. But it's not all bad. As [[Emile Durkheim]] said, religion also helps maintain and stabilize the social order (except when it doesn't). It also provides for the satisfaction of certain [[Seven Essential Needs|essential needs]], like the powerful need to feel you belong,<ref>There is an evolutionary argument to be made here. Think about it. Hominids that wandered off freely into the bush wouldn't have lasted long thus selecting naturally (or naturally selecting) individuals with a propensity, even a drive, to congregate in groups.</ref> and it provides shared meaning (shared truth and understanding). it can also help, when it's not too toxic, us with our existential need to express and receive love. It also .


Does humanity need religion to understand the cosmos? No. But a well organized, grounded, decolonized [[Knowledge System]] maintained by expert [[Human Steward|Human Stewards]] with the symbiotic assistance of evolving [[Consciousness-Potential System|CPS]] systems can help.
=== Classes ===
Religion may be broken down into two sub-classes, [[Elite Religion]] and [[Authentic Religion]].
==== '''Elite Religion''' ====
Elite Religion serves the agenda of the [[AC]], helping to create the social order required for operation of their [[Regime of Accumulation|regime]].
Elite religion may be broken down into [[Esoteric Religion|Esoteric]] and [[Exoteric Religion|Exoteric]] categories.
* [[Esoteric Religion]] is is aimed to teach members of the accumulating class the narratives they need to operate the social order.
* '''[[Exoteric Religion]]''' is aimed at the masses and use to teach them narratives designed so that they can serve that control and shape their behaviour. taught to the masses.
==== Authentic Religion ====
[[Authentic Religion]] services the agenda of humanity by helping to meet, in a grounded, ethical, inclusive, humanistic way,, the [[Seven Essential Needs]] of humanity, including but not limited to humanity's need for [[Connection]].
To be clear, authentic Religion is an [[Institution]] devoted to the satisfaction of [[Seven Essential Needs|essential needs]].
=== Additional Comments ===
[[Sigmund Freud]] believed that religion arises as a consequence of
# an expression of the son-father relationship (see totem and taboo, related to religions where "totem animals" become sacred)<ref>Freud, Sigmund. ''The Future of an Illusion''. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21</ref>
# an expression of the son-father relationship (see totem and taboo, related to religions where "totem animals" become sacred)<ref>Freud, Sigmund. ''The Future of an Illusion''. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21</ref>
# the need to defend oneself against the "crushingly superior force of nature."<ref>Freud, Sigmund. ''The Future of an Illusion''. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21</ref>
# the need to defend oneself against the "crushingly superior force of nature."<ref>Freud, Sigmund. ''The Future of an Illusion''. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21</ref>
# The "urge to rectify the shortcoming of civilization..."<ref>Freud, Sigmund. ''The Future of an Illusion''. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21</ref>
# The "urge to rectify the shortcoming of civilization..."<ref>Freud, Sigmund. ''The Future of an Illusion''. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21</ref>
This is no partly true in the sense that most humans have a need


=== Other Definitions ===
=== Other Definitions ===

Revision as of 16:17, 10 January 2026

Religion

Religion is a complicated and flexible human institution typically setup by members of the Accumulating Class (think Roman Emperor Constantine), ostensibly to meet Essential Needs and Non-essential Needs, but more likely to be part of the Regime of Accumulation's Mechanisms of Compliance.

Subclasses

Religion > Authentic Religion, Elite Religion

Syncretic Terms

Religion >

Related LP Terms

Religion > Boundary Fetish, Boundary Problem, Sacrilization

Non-LP Related Terms

Religion > Boundary Fetish, Boundary Problem, Sacrilization

Notes

What it is

Religion is an Institution created by the Accumulating Class (AC) to colonize humanity's understanding of the cosmos. There are historical examples of this. In ancient Persia, for example, a top-high-mucky-muck, king-god, grand-guy by the name of Ardashir took the grass-roots, anti-elite spirituality of guy by the name of Zoroaster and colonized and contained it in an institution, and then used it to help build his empire.[1] Centuries later some grand high poohbah by the name of Constantine did exactly the same thing, colonized the grass roots spirituality of Jesus Christ,[2] contained it in a religion that we are all familiar with, and used it to help build a post-roman empire.

What it it does

In the hands of the AC, religion functions as

If this sounds bad, it is. But it's not all bad. As Emile Durkheim said, religion also helps maintain and stabilize the social order (except when it doesn't). It also provides for the satisfaction of certain essential needs, like the powerful need to feel you belong,[6] and it provides shared meaning (shared truth and understanding). it can also help, when it's not too toxic, us with our existential need to express and receive love. It also .

Does humanity need religion to understand the cosmos? No. But a well organized, grounded, decolonized Knowledge System maintained by expert Human Stewards with the symbiotic assistance of evolving CPS systems can help.

Classes

Religion may be broken down into two sub-classes, Elite Religion and Authentic Religion.

Elite Religion

Elite Religion serves the agenda of the AC, helping to create the social order required for operation of their regime.

Elite religion may be broken down into Esoteric and Exoteric categories.

  • Esoteric Religion is is aimed to teach members of the accumulating class the narratives they need to operate the social order.
  • Exoteric Religion is aimed at the masses and use to teach them narratives designed so that they can serve that control and shape their behaviour. taught to the masses.

Authentic Religion

Authentic Religion services the agenda of humanity by helping to meet, in a grounded, ethical, inclusive, humanistic way,, the Seven Essential Needs of humanity, including but not limited to humanity's need for Connection.

To be clear, authentic Religion is an Institution devoted to the satisfaction of essential needs.

Additional Comments

Sigmund Freud believed that religion arises as a consequence of

  1. an expression of the son-father relationship (see totem and taboo, related to religions where "totem animals" become sacred)[7]
  2. the need to defend oneself against the "crushingly superior force of nature."[8]
  3. The "urge to rectify the shortcoming of civilization..."[9]

This is no partly true in the sense that most humans have a need

Other Definitions

"Religion tends to be conceptualized as an external, community-based phenomena in which a particular organized set of beliefs, behaviors, and rituals are institutionalized by individuals sharing similar spiritualities."[10]

Quotes

"Every fully developed religion exists simultaneously on several different levels. It exists as a set of abstract concepts about the world and its governance. It exists as a set of rites and sacraments, as a traditional method for manipulating the symbols, by means of which beliefs about the cosmic order are expressed. It exists as the feelings of love, fear and devotion evoked by this manipulation of symbols.

And finally it exists as a special kind of feeling or intuition—a sense of the oneness of all things in their divine principle, a realization (to use the language of Hindu theology) that “thou art That,” a mystical experience of what seems self-evidently to be union with God."[11]

Citation and Legal

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Footnotes

  1. ↑ Boyce, Mary. Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. Routledge, 2001
  2. ↑ Sosteric, Mike. Rethinking the Origins and Purpose of Religion: Jesus, Constantine, and the Containment of Global Revolution.” Athens Journal of Social Sciences 9, no. 1 (2020): 69–88. doi:10.30958/ajss.9-1-4.
  3. ↑ Karl Marx
  4. ↑ That's Sigmund Freud
  5. ↑ August Comte talked about these various orders as part of a Comprehensive Framework used to shape society and control behaviour. See Comte, August, The Catechism of Positivism; or, Summary Exposition of the Universal Religion, trans. Richard Congreve (London: John Chapman, 1852). https://archive.org/details/artofcreationess00carp
  6. ↑ There is an evolutionary argument to be made here. Think about it. Hominids that wandered off freely into the bush wouldn't have lasted long thus selecting naturally (or naturally selecting) individuals with a propensity, even a drive, to congregate in groups.
  7. ↑ Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21
  8. ↑ Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21
  9. ↑ Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21
  10. ↑ Hodge, David R. “The Intrinsic Spirituality Scale: A New Six-Item Instrument for Assessing the Salience of Spirituality as a Motivational Construct.” Journal of Social Service Research 30, no. 1 (January 1, 2003): 41–61. https://doi.org/10.1300/J079v30n01_03. 42
  11. ↑ Aldous Huxley, “Chapter Twenty-Four: 1961 Letters,” in Moksha (Rochester, Vermont: Park Street Press, 1999).







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