MODULE 3 Flashcards
The Origin of Religion
Primitive people believe in souls or anima
found in people (seen in dreams) and in all
nature. Since spirits could be helpful or
harmful to human beings, early people had to
pray to these spirits and offer sacrifices.
Animistic
Theories
Who is the proponent of Animistic
Theories?
Edward Burnett
Taylor
In his investigation, he found out that the
Melanesian people believed in mana, a
mysterious force that inhabited all of nature.
All early people began their religion in
cognizance of such force.
Robert Henry Codrington
Human beings first developed their religions
from their observations of the forces of nature.
Early people became aware of the regularity of
the seasons, the tides and the phases of the
moon, and began personalizing them by giving
them names, describing their activities with
tales that transformed into mythology.
Primitive people identified the forces in nature,
personified them, created myths, and
developed religions around them.
Nature Worship Theory
In Australia and Africa, basic cultures held a
common belief in a distant high god, that
originally there had been one great god above
all others, and that he may have been the
creator of the world or the father of the many
lesser deities. This high god went away and had
little contact with the world that resulted in
majority of attention and worship to local
deities. Primitive societies were originally
monotheistic, but because it was difficult to
worship just one god, religion was corrupted to
polytheism.
Theory of Original Monotheism
Who is the proponent of Theory of Original Monotheism?
Wilhelm Schmidt
People had gone three phases of development
concerning the spirit world: (1) primitive
magic (wherein people attempted to control
nature in the hope that nature will cooperate
if rituals are done properly); (2) religion
(wherein people implored nature to cooperate
since they have realized that nature cannot
be coerced); and (3) science (wherein a
rational understanding of nature is
operative).
Magic Theory
Who is the proponent of Magic Theory?
James George Frazer
There were no gods and that belief in gods
was simply wish fulfilment. Troubled people
who could not cope with the difficulties in life
projected their wishes and developed gods
and religions.
Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach
Religions were developed by the few as a
means to control the masses and suppress
revolution as a result of the continuing
struggle between classes. Rulers and allied
priests wished to control all wealth so they
had to create a scheme of gods, heavens, and
hell. Masses were persuaded to accept
poverty and be obedient to inherit bliss in
another life
Karl Heinrich Marx
Religion originated from the guilt that
individuals supposedly feel in hating their
fathers. All males possess a similar tendency
to desire our mothers and hate our fathers.
As a result of this subconscious hatred and
ensuing guilt, a great father image was
projected in the sky called God. A healthy
mature person can face problems without the
need for gods or religions.
Sigmund Freud
Who are the 3 proponents of Wish Fulfilment Theory?
Ludwig Andreas von Feuerbach, Karl Heinrich Marx, Sigmund Freud
