Title: Development of Religion in State Societies
1Development of Religion in State Societies
- Text extracted from
- Our Kind
- By Marvin Harris
2Role of Priests
- Humans wish for goods and services from the gods
- It was the job of ecclesiastical specialists
(priests) to obtain these
3Obtaining favors from gods
- Aggressive approach Threaten to harm the gods
who do not cooperate. - Does not work with supreme beings.
- Exchange goods and services with the gods
- Offerings
4Obtaining favor from the gods
- Appeal to the gods' mercy and generosity
- promising love and devotion in return
- Sacrifice as an expression of devotion
- destruction of ones property,
- self mutilation,
- slaying a loved one.
5The gods want food
- For exchange with gods, what do gods want?
- Answer gods want what people value most -- food
and drink - Without gods help, humans cannot feed themselves
- Must feed the gods to get that help.
Offering of food to the gods
6Redistribution
- But gods only require spiritual essence of food
set out for them - The material food itself can be redistributed to
the people. - Gifts of food and donations to the gods became
taxes for the church in larger state societies.
Ziggarut (Mesopotamia)
7Meat offerings
- Meat central focus of food sacrifices to the
gods - Meat is the most prestigious and desired food
among humans and therefore also gods - Thus animal slaughter and religious ritual
closely intertwined
Hebrew animal sacrifice
8Solomons Temple
- At the dedication of first temple in Jerusalem,
King Solomon sacrificed 22,000 oxen and 120,000
sheep as a peace offering. - Meat was not left to rot, but was redistributed
to people in feasting.
Solomons Temple
9Human Sacrifice
- Human flesh was not generally viewed as meat the
gods liked to eat. - Human sacrifice in most instances was intended to
win the sympathy of the gods. - Usually children were sacrificed buried beneath
foundations of buildings or burned in Biblical
times.
Abraham to sacrifice Isaac
10Human Sacrifice
- In Carthage, 20,000 children were sacrificed
- 400-200 B.C.
- Buried in urns.
11Human Sacrifice
- Prisoners of war also sacrificed.
- Most widespread human sacrifice occurred at the
death and burial of kings. - Often all wives, concubines, cooks, grooms and
other servants killed when king died. Â
Zhou Dynasty, China
12The gods who would not eat people
- Why did the gods not like to eat people?
- Not an ethical impulse of humans to protect human
life - humans readily slaughtered on battlefield.
- Did people not prefer to eat humans?
- Not likely
- Cannibalism practiced in many band-and-village
societies and chiefdoms - often prisoners of war eaten
13Large State Societies
- It was more cost effective to turn prisoners of
war into slaves. - Each farmer and worker in a state society can
produce a surplus of goods and services. - The larger the population, the more surplus, and
the more powerful the governing class becomes.
14Band and Village Societies
- Cannot produce large surpluses
- Have no large central government to unite
defeated enemies - Have no governing class to benefit from taxation.
- Bringing a captive home to be a slave is just one
more mouth to feed. - Therefore, more benefit derived from eating a
captive
15The gods who ate people
- Aztecs had a large state society
- Their gods craved human flesh, especially human
hearts. - Big question why cannibalism here and not in
other state societies?
http//www.gnosticassociationny.org/AC_Complete.jp
g
16Job of Aztec Priests
- To satisfy craving of gods for human flesh
- If craving not satisfied, gods would destroy the
world. - Prisoners held down on top of pyramid temples,
heart cut out still beating, offered to gods.
17Redistribution
- Body of prisoner rolled down pyramid
- Head cut off and displayed
- Flesh redistributed for meat.
- Cortez found 136,000 heads of sacrificial victims
18Why Aztec prisoners eaten, not slaves?
- Lack of domesticated animals for meat in new
world. - No other way Aztec rulers could play the role of
being great providers by redistributive feasting - Also satisfy human physiological dietary needs
for protein, vitamins and minerals found in meat
Aztec ritual sacrifice
19The Non-killing Religions
- In the 1000 years before birth of Christ
- New charismatic leaders arose in the
Mediterranean, Middle East, Persia, India - New leaders denounced ritual killing of people or
animals as way to win favors from gods.
Zoroaster
20The Non-killing Religions
- Gods demand lifetime devoted to
- good deeds,
- love,
- kindness to people
- and all living things
- If
- Defend the poor and weak
- Restrain appetites and ego
- Then
- expect reward in heaven
- immortality or eternal peace.
21Zoroastrianism
- Ancient Iran and Persian Empire, then died out.
- Founded by Zoroaster (Zarathrustra)
- 7th century B.C.
- after a vision of Ahura Mazda,
- Lord of Enlightenment
- Cosmic struggle between
- god of Good (Ahura Mazda) and
- god of Evil (Ahariman)
- Dualism
- good versus bad
22Zoroastrianism
- Humans free to choose one side or other
- If choose Ahura Mazda,
- must give up intoxicants,
- ritual slaughter of animals,
- and shedding of blood
- go to heaven when die
- If choose Ahairman,
- go to hell when die.
Ahura Mazda
23Jainism
- Arose in India, still practiced by 2 million
followers - Founded by Mahavira in 6th century B.C.
- after he achieved spiritual fulfillment
- opposing Vedic traditions of animal slaughter and
redistribution. - Accepted rebirth,
- but denounced caste system and Brahmin rituals
Mahavira
24Jainism
- Path of liberation involves 5 vows
- do not kill, tell lies, steal, fornicate,
- or acquire excessive riches
- Animals, even insects not killed.
- Adepts had higher standards
- complete chastity,
- self mortification including exposure to hunger,
thirst, cold, insect bites and intense heat.
http//www.tiscali.co.uk/reference/encyclopaedia/h
utchinson/images/71034.jpg
25Buddhism
- Arose in India, spread to far east
- Founded by Guatama Siddhartha
- 6th century B.C. after enlightenment
- He realized that
- he must give up self-inflicted fasting and
punishment - and find a middle way.
- Opposed
- caste system and
- animal -killing religion of the Vedas
Enlightenment of Buddha
26Buddhism
- Eight-fold way to achieve nirvana
- (deliverance from cycle of reincarnation and
pain) - mental and physical discipline to avoid
- lying,
- lusting,
- killing of animals or people,
- stealing, or
- bringing harm to others.
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ImageKamakura_Budda_
Daibutsu_front_1885.jpg
27Hinduism
- Evolved in India from Vedas
- Vedic Brahmans gave up killing of animals
- and instead became guardians of animal life
- All Hindu castes work to
- prevent slaughter of cattle, and
- consumption of beef
- Ahimsa, or reverence for all living beings
- became central ethical component.
Krishna
http//www.guruji.it/galleria/krishna/krishna1.jpg
28Judaism
- Judiasm was not an otherworldly, soul-saving
religion - Israelites followed Yahweh's commandments to be
- blessed with progeny,
- free from disease,
- victorious in battle, and
- Have abundant wheat, wine, oil, cattle, and
sheep. - Animal sacrifice occurred on a large scale in
ancient Judaism. - Not really a non-killing religion
- despite commandment "Thou shall not kill"
Moses
http//metamedia.stanford.edu/imagebin/moses.jpg
29Christianity
- Arose from Judaism
- One of the more recent non-killing religions
- Christianity removed animal sacrifice and
redistribution of meat - and replaced it with symbolic meal Eucharist
Ritual (last supper). - Apostle Paul said that the blood of animals
cannot take away sin - God had sacrificed his only son to remove human
sin, and those without sin would have eternal
life.
Jesus Christ
http//www.heart-cry.com/love/Jesus_ws.jpg
30Origin of Non-Killing Religions
- Why did Non-killing religions arise, replacing
redistributive feasting? - States were being ravaged by brutal and costly
wars - Environmental depletions, population growth, and
the rise of cities created food shortages - Thus difficult to maintain a steady supply of
meat for redistributive feasting - The class system produced widespread poverty
among the common people
Jesus and the poor
31Zoroaster
- Zoroaster lived in a time of political
instability and cultural change
http//www.wga.hu/art/r/raphael/4stanze/1segnatu/1
/athens7.jpg
321500-500 BC India
- Vedic meat-redistributive religions (Ganges
Valley) thrived - Populations were small and spread out in villages
- There were dense forests, and fodder for animals.
- No conflict between raising animals and plowing
fields.
33India 600 BC
- By 600 B.C. when Jainism and Buddhism arose
- Most people in the Ganges Valley lived in a state
society - Population had risen to the millions
- Towns and cities had sprung up
- The Gangetic plain had become deforested
34India 600 BC
- There was a shortage of pasture and fodder
- Oxen were too scarce to be consumed in feasts
- (and were needed to plow fields)
- Warfare was incessant
- droughts produced dust bowls.
35India 600 BC
- Lakes, wells and springs were dried up...
Sacrifices were in abeyance. Agriculture and
cattle-rearing were given up. Markets and shops
were abandoned... Festivals died out. Everywhere
heaps of bones were seen and cries of creatures
heard. The cities were depopulated, hamlets
burnt down. People fled from fear of one another
or of robbers, weapons, and kings. Places of
worship were deserted. The aged were turned out
of their housesÂ
- -- Hindu epic poem Mahabarata
36India 600 BC
- Kine, goats, sheep and buffalo fought and died
in large numbers. The Brahmans died without
protection. Herds and plants withered. The
earth looked like trees in a crematorium. In
that dreadful age when righteousness was at an
end, men...began to eat one another"
-- Hindu epic poem Mahabarata
37Christianity
- Arose At a time of guerrilla wars aimed at
overthrowing Roman power. - High priests, big landowners, and wealthy
merchants lived in splendor, amidst - widespread unemployment,
- landlessness, and
- mistreatment of peasants and slaves.
Pontius Pilate, Roman procurator of Judea
http//www.forumancientcoins.com/forvm/Articles/Po
ntius20Pilate/images/fontanille1.jpg
38Christianity
- Throughout the Roman Empire one did not have to
be a slave or peasant - to be appalled and to feel threatened by the
- corruption,
- brutality,
- class antagonisms and
- ceaseless wars
Roman Slave Market
39Christianity
- Apostle Paul preached that the promised kingdom
was not on earth but in heaven. - Neither worldly riches nor worldly pain were
important - because those who loved humankind,
- lived in peace, and
- believed in Jesus
- would be rewarded with the gift of eternal life.
Apostle Paul
40Religions of Love and Mercy
- To become world religions, the religions of love
and mercy - Sponsored and encouraged military conquest
- Aided and abetted harsh forms of political
repression - and control.
Catholics versus Protestants
41How Non-killing Religions Spread
- None of the non-killing religions has reduced the
incidence or ferocity of war - Each is implicated in devastating inversions of
the principle of non-killing and reverence for
life.
42Appeal to Founders of Empires
- Concern with the soul's prospects in the next
life - Advantages in preserving and incorporating
defeated populations as as source of labor and
wealth. - Non-killing religions reassured the enemy that
they could survive capture, and made foreign rule
easier - Promise of rewards in afterlife instead of
rewards to the body in life was convenient
43Appeal to Founders of Empires
- Life on earth was painful,
- but poverty and suffering improved ones chances
of eternal bliss - Governing class did not have to provide wealth
and happiness - to validate its right to govern.
- Redistribution could not work anyway
- in times of high population, environmental
destruction, economic crisis - Killing justified by self-defense
- or wars that were Just, Good and Holy
- Soldiers went into battle convinced that their
souls would be rewarded - if they died in combat
44Buddhism
- Spread throughout India and into the far east
via 1000 years of war. - Kublai Khan converted to Buddhism, then conquered
China - 1279 A.D.
Kublai Khan
http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kublai_Khan
45Spread of Buddhism
http//go.hrw.com/venus_images/0306MC06.gif
46Hindus drive out Buddhists
- Hindus battled Buddhists in India for hundreds of
years - Buddhists eventually defeated, driven out of
their homeland (India)
Buddhist Temple, Thailand
47Christianity
- Roman Emperor Constantine converted to
Christianity in 312 A.D. - The Roman Empire became Christian
- Christians were obliged to perform military
service for the Empire - Rival Christian factions (Gnostics) were
suppressed Roman Church dominated
Christian Gnostic Factions
48Christianity
- Pagan worship, Pagan temples, Judiasm, and
Manichaeism all severely dealt with - Emperor Justinian (529 A.D.) ordered all who
refused to become Christians to surrender their
property and go into exile.
Justinian
49Religions of Europe 1100-1200 A.D.
50http//www.neiu.edu/ejhowens/104/religion.gif