Religion

From The SpiritWiki
Revision as of 14:52, 28 July 2023 by Michael (talk | contribs)

Religion is an Institution setup to meet various and specific needs. What needs a particular religious institution will meet will depend on the intent of the people who set it up. For example, if the people who set it up are members of the Accumulating Class, then the religion is an Elite Religion that will typically prioritize their needs.

Subclasses

Religion > Authentic Religion, Elite Religion

Syncretic Terms

Religion > Comprehensive Framework

Related LP Terms

Religion > Boundary Fetish, Boundary Problem, Narrative, Sacrilization

Non-LP Related Terms

Religion > Boundary Fetish, Boundary Problem, Narrative, Sacrilization

Notes

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 the Seven Essential Needs of humanity.

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

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

For a more fulsome discussion of definitions and issues, see What is Religion

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."[4]==Footnotes==

  1. Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21
  2. Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21
  3. Freud, Sigmund. The Future of an Illusion. New York: Anchor Books, 1961. p. 21
  4. 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. p. 42

Footnotes