The way the notion of God was constituted is
only one of these commonalties. What separates religion from
pre-religious expression (such as animism) is the medium in which
each is articulated. The subject is relatively constant.
Acknowledgment of forces beyond individual understanding and
desire to overcome confusion or fear in facing difficult and
inexplicable aspects of life and death go hand in hand. A
perceived need to pursue avenues of survival which promise to be
successful because of the implied expectation that forces
residing in the unknown would be, if not directly supportive, at
least not actively opposed, is also discernible.
But when rationalizing the coming of age of religion, one
automatically faces the broader issue of the source of religion.
Is it given to humans by some perceived superior force? Does it
result from our involvement with the environment of our
existence and from the limits of our experience? When praxis
began to differentiate, mytho-magical experiences proved
unadaptable to the resulting pragmatic framework.
Farming and animal husbandry replaced scavenging, hunting, and
foraging. Communities started to compete for resources (manpower
included). Efficiency of human work increased, resulting in more
forms of exchange and leading to accumulation of property.
Relations among people within communities became complex to the
extent that arguments, attributed to forces outside direct
practical experiences, were necessary to instill and maintain
order.
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