Chapter 12 The law of religion

Question 1

Detailed Summary

Answer 1

Sure, I’d be happy to provide a detailed and comprehensive summary of the chapter on religion from the book “Sapiens.”

1. What is Religion?
   Religion is defined as a set of values and rituals believed to have been created by a supernatural entity. It offers stability in societal structures, with its tenets remaining mostly unchanged despite the passage of time. Religion started as localized systems, closely tied to the environment and lifestyle of particular groups. For example, the earliest form of religion, animism, considered every entity, including animals and plants, as having spiritual significance.
2. Silence of the Lambs
   The shift from hunting-gathering societies to agricultural societies altered human beings’ relationship with nature, placing humans one rung above plants and animals, their new subjects. The author suggests that local gods were conceived to mediate between humans and nature. As societies expanded, the pantheon of gods grew more extensive, ascribing to humans a more exalted status.
3. The Benefits of Idolatry
   The book further explores polytheism and monotheism, emphasizing their effects on societal development and tolerance. In polytheistic beliefs, gods are not omnipotent but are subject to a more significant, abstract power. Polytheistic societies typically displayed more acceptance of other belief systems, often incorporating local deities into their pantheon. However, this openness hit a roadblock with monotheistic religions, which strictly advocated the worship of a singular deity. Christianity and its schisms, like the dispute between Catholics and Protestants, serve as an example of the conflicts that can arise from differing theological interpretations in monotheism.
4. God is One
   The book explains the evolution of monotheism, a belief system that attributes dominion over the entire universe to a single deity. It traces the beginnings of monotheism to Ancient Egypt and eventually Judaism. However, monotheistic religions, such as Christianity and Islam, only gained significant traction when they embraced a missionary approach. Interestingly, while these religions rejected polytheism, they adopted certain elements of it, such as patron saints and veneration of specific entities, often correlating to previously worshipped local deities.
5. The Battle of Good and Evil
   Monotheism and dualism offer differing explanations of the origin and purpose of evil in the world. Dualism posits a good and an evil entity in constant opposition. The struggle to reconcile the existence of evil with an omnipotent and benevolent god is a significant challenge for monotheism, which often resorts to the idea of human free will to account for evil.
6. The Law of Nature
   The book also discusses belief systems centered around natural laws, like Buddhism, where the focus is not so much on gods but on understanding and alleviating human suffering. Buddhism suggests that desire or craving is the root of all suffering, and through renunciation and meditation, one can attain a state of enlightenment, or nirvana.
7. The Worship of Man, Humanist Religions
   Lastly, the author delves into what he refers to as ‘humanist religions,’ such as capitalism, liberalism, and communism. These ideologies, while secular, share religious characteristics, including shared values, rituals, and an expectation of devotion. They derive some of their fundamental principles from monotheistic religions. For instance, liberalism embraces the concept of the individual soul, and socialism believes in the equal worth of all humans. The chapter also discusses Nazism as an evolutionary humanist religion advocating the superiority of the Aryan race and the principle of natural selection.

In summary, “Sapiens” offers a panoramic view of the world’s religions, exploring their evolution, interconnections, and their profound influence on human history and society.

Question 2

Mind map

Answer 2

Chapter: Religion in ‘Sapiens’

1. What is Religion?
   a. Definition: A set of values and rituals ordained by a supernatural entity.
   b. Stability: Religions provide stability in large societies.
   c. Local vs Universal: Most religions started locally and then spread universally (e.g., Buddhism).
2. Silence of the Lambs
   a. Animism: In the beginning, humans were considered equal to other entities like trees and animals.
   b. Shift in Perspective: With the advent of farming, humans started viewing themselves as masters of plants and herds.
3. The Benefits of Idolatory
   a. Polytheism: Early societies often believed in multiple gods with distinct responsibilities.
   b. Tolerance: Polytheistic societies showed more acceptance towards other belief systems.
   c. Conflict: Monotheism introduced intolerance towards other gods and caused religious disputes (e.g., Christianity vs other religions).
4. God is One
   a. Monotheism: The belief in a single, supreme god, first emerging significantly in Judaism.
   b. Expansion: Christianity and Islam expanded rapidly due to their missionary nature.
   c. Syncretism: Monotheistic religions often adopted elements of polytheistic religions, incorporating multiple saints and figures.
5. The Battle of Good and Evil
   a. Dualism: The belief in two opposing forces, good and evil.
   b. Zoroastrianism: The primary dualist religion that influenced later monotheistic religions.
   c. Problem of Evil: Monotheistic religions struggle to explain the existence of evil, while dualism attributes it to an independent evil entity.
6. The Law of Nature
   a. Natural Laws: Some belief systems centered on natural laws rather than gods (e.g., Buddhism).
   b. Buddhism: Gautama Buddha’s teachings on eliminating suffering through eliminating craving.
7. The Worship of Man, Humanist Religions
   a. Rise of Humanism: Humanist ideologies like liberalism, socialism, and communism became prevalent.
   b. Influence of Monotheism: Both liberalism and socialism derive concepts from monotheistic religions.
   c. Nazism: An extreme form of humanist religion that worshipped natural selection, leading to racist ideologies.