Modern and primitive religions are the belief of mankind that some higher forces control not only people, but also various processes in the universe. This is especially true of ancient cults, since at that time the development of science was weak. Man could not explain this or that phenomenon in any other way than divine intervention. Often this approach to understanding the world led to tragic consequences (inquisition, burning scientists at the stake, and so on).
There was also a period of coercion. If the belief was not accepted by man, then he was tortured and tortured until he changed his point of view. Today, the choice of religion is free, people have the right to independently choose their worldview.
Which religion is the most ancient?
The emergence of primitive religions dates back to a long period, about 40-30 thousand years ago. But which of the beliefs was the first? Scientists have different points of view on this. Some believe that this happened when people began to perceive each other's souls, while others - when witchcraft appeared, others took worship of animals or objects as a basis. But the very emergence of religion is a large complex of beliefs. It is difficult to give one of them primacy, because there is no necessary data. The information that archaeologists, researchers and historians receive is not enough.
It is impossible not to take into account the distribution of the first beliefs throughout the planet, which leads us to conclude that the attempt to search for
an ancient religion is unlawful
. Each tribe existing then had its own object for worship.
One can only say unequivocally that the first and subsequent basis of each religion is belief in the supernatural. However, it is expressed differently everywhere. Christians, for example, worship their God, who has no flesh, but is omnipresent. This is supernatural. African tribes, in turn, pluck themselves gods of wood. If they don’t like something, then they can cut or pierce the needle of their patron. This is also supernatural. Therefore, each modern religion has its oldest “ancestor”.
When did the first religion appear?
Primitively primitive religions and myths are closely intertwined. In modern times, one cannot find an interpretation of certain events. The fact is that their primitive people tried to tell their descendants with the help of mythology, embellishing and / or expressing themselves too figuratively.
However, the question of when beliefs arise is still relevant today. Archaeologists claim that the first religions appeared after homo sapiens. Excavations, the burials of which date back 80 thousand years ago, definitely indicate that the
ancient man did not think about other worlds at all. They just buried people and that's it. There is no evidence that this process was accompanied by rituals.
In later graves, weapons, food and some household items are found (burials made 30-10 thousand years ago). This means that people began to think about death as a long dream. When a person wakes up, and this must happen, it is necessary that next to him there are essential things. People buried or burned acquired an invisible ghostly form. They became a kind of guardians of the clan.
There was also a period without religions, but very little is known about it to modern scholars.
The causes of the first and subsequent religions
Primitive religions and their features are very similar to modern beliefs. Various religious cults for thousands of years acted in their own and state interests, exerting a psychological effect on the flock.
There are 4 main reasons for the appearance of ancient beliefs, and they are no different from modern ones:
- Intelligence. A person needs an explanation of any event that occurs in his life. And if he cannot get it thanks to his knowledge, then he will certainly get a justification for what is observed through supernatural intervention.
- Psychology. Earthly life is finite, and there is no way to resist death, at least for the moment. Therefore, a person must be rid of the fear of dying. Thanks to religion, this can be done quite successfully.
- Morality. There is no society that would exist without rules and prohibitions. It is difficult to punish anyone who violates them. It is much easier to scare and prevent these actions. If a person is afraid to do something bad, due to the fact that supernatural forces will punish him, the number of violators will decrease significantly.
- Policy. To maintain the stability of any state, ideological support is required. And only this or that belief is able to render it.
Thus, the emergence of religions can be taken for granted, because there are more than enough reasons for this.
Totemism
Types of religions of primitive man and their description should begin with totemism. People of antiquity existed in groups. Most often these were families or their association. Alone, a person could not provide himself with everything necessary. Thus came the cult of animal worship. Societies preyed on animals, receiving food, without which they could not live. And the appearance of totemism is quite logical. So humanity has paid tribute to livelihoods.
So, totemism is a belief that one family has a consanguinity with a particular animal or natural phenomenon. In them, people saw patrons who helped, punished if necessary, resolved conflicts, and so on.
There are two features of totemism. Firstly, each member of the tribe had a desire to resemble their animal in appearance. For example, some people in Africa, to look like a zebra or an antelope, knocked out their lower teeth. Secondly, the totem animal could not be eaten if the ritual was not followed.
The modern descendant of totemism is Hinduism. Here, some animals, most often a cow, are sacred.
Fetishism
Primitive religions cannot be considered unless fetishism is taken into account. It was a belief that some things have supernatural properties. Various objects were worshiped, passed from parents to children, always kept at hand and so on.
Fetishism is often compared to magic. However, if it is present, then in a more complex form. Magic helped to have an additional effect on some phenomenon, but did not affect its occurrence.
Another feature of fetishism is that objects were not worshiped. They were revered, treated with respect.
The descendants of fetishism can be considered any modern religion, since everywhere there are certain objects that help to establish a connection with God. These are icons, crosses, crescents, holy relics, amulets and so on.
Magic and religion
Primitive religions were not without magic. It is a set of rituals and rituals, after which, as was believed, an opportunity appeared to manage some events, to influence them in every possible way. Many hunters performed various ceremonial dances, which made the process of finding and killing the beast more successful.
Despite the seeming impossibility of magic, it was she who formed the basis of most modern religions as a common element. For example, there is a belief that a rite or ritual (the sacrament of baptism, funeral services, etc.) has supernatural power. But it is also considered in a separate form different from all beliefs. People read cards, summon spirits, or do everything to see dead ancestors.
Animism
Primitive religions were not without the participation of the human soul. Ancient people thought of such concepts as death, sleep, experience, and so on. As a result of such thoughts, a belief appeared that everyone has a soul. Later it was supplemented by the fact that only bodies die. The soul passes into another shell or independently exists in a separate other world. This is how animism appears, which is a belief in spirits, and it does not matter whether they relate to a person, animal or plant.
A feature of this religion was that the soul could live indefinitely. After the body died, it burst out and calmly continued its existence, only in a different form.
Animism is also the ancestor of most modern religions. Representations of immortal souls, gods and demons - all this is its basis. But animism exists separately, in spiritualisms, faith in ghosts, essence, and so on.
Shamanism
It is impossible to consider primitive religions and at the same time not to single out worshipers. This is most acute in shamanism. As an independent religion, it appears much later than those considered above, and represents the belief that a mediator (shaman) can communicate with spirits. Sometimes these spirits were evil, but more often - good, giving advice. Shamans often became leaders of tribes or communities, because people understood that they associated with supernatural forces. Therefore, in which case they will be able to protect them better than some kind of king or khan who can only use natural movements (weapons, troops, and so on).
Elements of shamanism are present in virtually all modern religions. Believers especially relate to priests, mullahs, or other worshipers, believing that they are under the direct influence of higher powers.
Unpopular primitive religious beliefs
Types of primitive religions need to be supplemented with some beliefs that are not as popular as totemism or, for example, magic. These include an agricultural cult. The primitive people who conducted agriculture worshiped the gods of various cultures, as well as the land itself. There were, for example, patrons of corn, beans, and so on.
The agricultural cult is well represented in modern Christianity. Here the Mother of God is represented in the form of the patroness of bread, George - agriculture, the prophet Ilya - rain and thunder, and so on.
Thus, the primitive forms of religion can not be briefly considered. Every ancient belief exists until today; let it actually lose its face. Rites and sacraments, rituals and charms - all these are parts of the faith of primitive man. And it is impossible in modern times to find a religion that does not have a strong direct connection with the most ancient cults.