According to the theism stand point 'The creator' was responsible for the origin of human beings and the Religion, but in a technical scenario how does human psyche evolve to have faith in 'The creator' and how did the world's religions come into existence?
Were people in the past exceptionally clever to create a school of thought which we come to know as 'Religion' to unite the rapidly evolving Homo sapiens under one umbrella, or is theirs a "true" existence of a supernatural force that binds the fate of humans or the universe as a whole?
So basically at what point of time when did we become regiously inclined?
Looking at "primitive" societies gives us some insight into pre-religion, which eventually evolves into a religion. In "primitive" societies, the witch doctor or shaman claims to have contact with supernatural entities or forces and claims to be able to influence outcomes through these contacts.
Usually these spiritual leaders would form an alliance with the political or warrior leaders, the "chiefs".
As such societies developed and became larger and more sophisticated, the chiefs became monarchs and the spiritual leaders became priests or religious leaders. Both types of leaders buttressed each other in an alliance to maintain control over the general population.
The priests claimed the monarchs were endowed with their power by supernatural "god(s)" So how can the population resist or question the authority of the monarch?
The monarchs often fought wars to protect or extend the the religious authority.
Basically, I believe it is all about political control and the entitlements that come with such control.
'political control', that's a good point made and we have seen abrahamic religions through out history waging wars to conquer the world.
But what about some hermits or ascetics who isolate themselves from worldly pleasures to attain the inner peace or reach the ONE/God, where do they stand in this pattern.
I would call them spiritual, not religious. Genuine sadhus are apolitical. As long as it is an individual thing, it is something to revere. Once such a person attracts a group of followers, you are approaching a danger point where the true belief and practice can become distorted and become political. That is all right and may be a natural progression, but be alert to the possibility that the belief and practice can become something that is hypocritical - saying and performing the correct rituals, but acting or feeling in ways that are unkind and mean.
I guess politics is a way of acting out power - be it via religion or other mechanisms/tools, - and as such is a human trait, quite helpful for survival. Spirituality in contrast seems to be a human need. It must have developed in parallel to the psyche. But why did the psyche evolve/develop? Would we not be better with just some morality which keeps us from killing the neighbour, than with this complicated interplay between feelings the environment?
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