Chapter 6 – A History of Religion

Extracts and page numbers are taken
from the 316-page soft cover book.

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This chapter considers one of man’s very early creations - religion - and attempts to determine its beginning, its original intention and purpose, and whether it had, or was ever intended to have, any beneficial advantage for the well-being of the world’s people at large.
Several years of research have revealed no affirmative answers whatsoever.
Religion remains the mystery it has always been and has probably accounted for more pain, suffering and death of people over millennia than by any other cause. Very sadly, this trait persists.

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Pg 130. "Politics is a creation of man which can, in the words of Thomas Jefferson "be altered or abolished by the right of the people."
Religion is another of man’s creations that man has the right and ability to change."

Pg 135. "A global renaissance should ideally include a revision of the psyche and culture of the entire human race. As mentioned before, the complete removal of illiteracy, poverty and starvation from our planet must be given a much higher level of proactive attention than has been the case thus far. Religious faiths and ancient cultures have sadly failed to achieve this desirable objective."

Pg 136. "Having regard for the divergence of religious and cultural doctrines that have emerged over the millennia, and for those who do not subscribe to any of them, the foundations of a secular global governance policy would prioritise and focus upon issues common to all members of the human race. Issues such as the right to life, access to education, to health care, to employment, to food and to a roof over one’s head. Unfortunately, these and other essentials will not be provided through prayer. They will only be realised through deliberate and dedicated human intervention. Everyone must be guaranteed assurance and protection of their personal dignity and their entitlement to equal opportunities. They must receive freedom from discriminatory marginalism and persecution."

Pg 139. "In modern times however, I find it quite amazing, and equally ridiculous, that small acts of corporal punishment delivered to mischievous children by their parents, like a slap on the arm or leg, can give rise to criminal charges being raised against the parents. Too ludicrous for words in my opinion and I believe it is becoming a cause of so much societal delinquency and indiscipline throughout much of the world today.

When measured against a religious proclamation that an eternity of pain and suffering will befall the spirit of a person after death, simply because he or she chose not to believe in a god, I have to wonder who is more deserving of being criminally charged, the arm-slapping parents or the fear mongering religious leaders?"

Pg 155. (Prof. Trevor Watkins, a member of the archaeological science)
"In fact, we know as little about the origin and evolution of religious representations as we know about the origin and evolution of symbolic representation in terms of material culture."

Pg 156."Ironically, we are almost the first generation to have access to such a wide variety of evidence about the world’s religions, and yet many people today have no experience of religion at all."

"In short, there is no single, convincing account of the nature of religion and religious experience, and there certainly isn’t an account of the evolution of religious representations."

Pg 191. "We must ensure future generations inherit from us a legacy of peaceful coexistence, participative governance, financial stability and a lifetime of endless opportunity. It must be a huge improvement on the legacy of conflict, social unrest, debt, poverty and despair they will inherit by default if we choose to change nothing."

Pg 193."Religion has become one of the four powerful control instruments created by man that have, in one way or another, contributed to the pandemic scourges of crime, corruption, conflict and poverty throughout the world.
Mankind must awake and acknowledge this and take bold, brave and deliberate steps to save itself, from itself, by itself."