Those of you who know me reasonably well know that I listen to a lot of podcasts. I pretty much always have an earbud in my ear as I work, drive, eat, etc. It comes out only when I am engaged with others socially. Today I was listening as I drove home, and this came on. The podcast is about a paper that looks at the patterns of emergence of religions in history. It suggests that religions of small groups, both in the distant past and in modern times (i.e., aboriginal tribes) tend to "trickster" gods, animal totems, etc. But as groups begin to grow, the religions begin to change - and they begin to develop "punisher gods."
The authors theorize that what is happening can be explained by looking at trust and cohesion within the group. When groups are small, everyone knows everyone else and that familiarity makes it difficult for any one person to deceive the group or take advantage of them. But when the group grows to a point where everyone cannot possibly know everyone else, it becomes more possible for rogue elements to join the group (or arise within the group) and for them to take advantage of some or all of the group. The evolutionary response to this is the development of a religion focused on a "punisher god" that helps to restore cohesion to the group. They cite multiple parallel studies that provide some evidence for this theory.
It caught my ear because it fits well with what I have found in the course of my journey from devout Christian to atheist. It adds another stick on the pile of evidence about how religions emerge, the functions they serve, and why we are seeing some of the changes we are seeing today.
I'd be curious to have others, especially those with religious beliefs, listen (or read) the episode and comment.
The authors theorize that what is happening can be explained by looking at trust and cohesion within the group. When groups are small, everyone knows everyone else and that familiarity makes it difficult for any one person to deceive the group or take advantage of them. But when the group grows to a point where everyone cannot possibly know everyone else, it becomes more possible for rogue elements to join the group (or arise within the group) and for them to take advantage of some or all of the group. The evolutionary response to this is the development of a religion focused on a "punisher god" that helps to restore cohesion to the group. They cite multiple parallel studies that provide some evidence for this theory.
It caught my ear because it fits well with what I have found in the course of my journey from devout Christian to atheist. It adds another stick on the pile of evidence about how religions emerge, the functions they serve, and why we are seeing some of the changes we are seeing today.
I'd be curious to have others, especially those with religious beliefs, listen (or read) the episode and comment.
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