Could this be why you dont believe
Inventing God…
İmagine you’re way back in the mists of time, you’re part of a small community of hunter gatherers / slash-burn farmers led by an alpha male – the best hunter, a big , ruthless fighter who holds his position through strength. All the females are his, as well as most of the children, and women are awarded to the bravest of the tribe at his whim. Basically – strength governs your status in the group and your chances of pro-creating. Life is cheap, mercy is unkown. You’re a very clever person, but physically weak. An omega to the alpha. How do you achieve power..?
• hit the weights.
• suck up to the alpha, be his absolute slave.
• İnvent something useful and keep the secret to yourself.
• Find a protector.
- you can’t hit the weights because you don’t get enough time or food to do so.
- You could suck up – but you risk becomming a punch-bag if alpha gets angry, and the minute you get any good treatment, his stonger cronies will kill you.
- Research takes time that you haven’t got.
So – find a protector, but who, how…? you have no valubles to pay them, and no-one in the tribe will stand against the alpha anyway. So you invent God.
God’s ideal, he’s big, scary, sees everything, hears everything… protects the weak from the strong… And you are his one and only priest… he listens to you. You don’t have to pay him, he’ll never be killed, or die of disease, he’ll never turn on you – he’s dependable.
All you have to do is convince the tribe of his existance. Stories are the key. No TV available, no books, no comics ( aside from hide-painting, perhaps). The average age is probably late teens early twenties… people are bored, they’re frightened of everything, all knowledge stops beyond the territory of the tribe, there could be anything out there…
You start telling stories about him, say they come from dreams or whatever, god makes the plants grow, if he’s happy, god sends the animals, if he’s happy, God gives you healthy children, if he’s happy. God causes drought, if he’s angry, God sends the lightning, if he’s angry, God makes you barren, if he’s angry…You work your god into the story-culture of the tribe… Then you wait for a natural disaster, a drought say, and wait till the tribe is at the end of it’s tether. Then make a big speech about going to find god and sort all this mess out, disappear into the forest where you’ve hidden some provisions, paint your ass blue, stick a carrot through your nose etc. Dress for the part… And come back when it rains… Voila,
you ‘ve saved the tribe and suddenly have a secure power base. Big, bad alpha can’t attack you, without getting into god’s bad books, turning the whole tribe against him, simularly, he can’t just let you run about without doing anything, so he promotes you, gives you some wives and a new house/shelter, he becomes your biggest buddy (he wants some of your new power for himself – camel pissing out of the tent etc.) Of course you keep a bodyguard of fanatic converts around you to prevent another ex-crony from killing you).
Thing go back to normal, crises over. Your influence diminishes. You trot off into the mountains again – bring back some rules.
1. You shall not worship any other god (make sure your god sticks around)
2. You shall not make a graven image. (ditto)
3. You shall not take the name of god in vain. (re-inforce the fact that your god is quick to anger)
4. You shall not break the (insert holy day here). (ritual reinforces belief and you link an easy, enjoyable day of singing and dancing with your god)
5. You shall not dishonor your parents. ( for ‘parents’ read ‘authority figures’ – don’t let the new generation screw with your priest-dynasty)
6. You shall not murder. ( you don’t want anyone murdering you, and as you don’t have the physical strength to murder – you fear anyone with the strength to do so)
7. You shall not commit adultery (“you shall not take another man’s woman”)(you want to be sure that all your sons are your sons, and do not have the physical strength to protect your females)
8. You shall not steal. (once again, you can’t protect the stuff you have so you don’t want anyone stronger taking it)
9. You shall not lie. (that way, when you lie, people won’t be used to it, and you can make them believe any old tat)
10. You shall not covet. (let’s you live with your neihbors with some sense of security – even feeling jealous of your new found riches within the tribe is a mortal sin.
Now – the strong alpha types won’t like these rules, “do as thou wilt shall be the whole of the law” (read “ do as much as your physical strength will allow you to get away with”) is more their kind of credo… Implies everyone will be as happy as Larry… (forgetting that’s true only if Larry lets them….)
But – not everyone is alpha, in fact the majority of the tribe is beta/ceta/delta… Alpha types tend to compete themselves out of the game… They fight, the winner takes all and sometimes kills off the other’s blood-relatives and children to boot… Meanwhile, the meek have inherited the earth and are pissed at being bossed around by these big beefy types who have no idea about this new idea ‘trade’ They like the rules because they promise to bring stability within the community – not having to curry favour with a new psychotic killer-leader every few years… Not worrying about your wife, daughter, possessions as much… And at what cost – one day every now and again down the temple, and perhaps a monthly tithe, (which you would have had to spend on bribes anyway – plus with a tithe you can plan ahead)…
So, there you go, “a smart-nerd invented god…” Discuss.
Jon Koca.
I don't know the author but he signed it Jon Koca but it's a nice philosophical thought.
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