Today, dear friends, is the subject of this article will be the ancient religion.We are with you plunge into the mysterious world of the Sumerians and Egyptians look at fire-worshipers and learn the meaning of "Buddhism".You will also learn where there was a religion, and when the first man's thoughts about the afterlife.
Read carefully, because today we'll talk about the way in which humanity has passed from the primitive beliefs to modern temples.
What is "religion»
A long time ago people started to think of questions that can not be explained only by earthly experience.For example, how do we come from?What happens after death?Who made the trees, the mountains, the sea?These and many other problems remain unanswered.
solution was found in the animation and worship events, objects, landscapes, animals and plants.This approach distinguishes all ancient religions.For more information on these will be discussed later.
The term "religion" comes from the Latin language.This concept means miroosoznanie, which includes a belief in a higher power, the moral and ethical laws, a system of religious action and specific organization.
Some modern beliefs do not correspond to all the items.They can not be defined as a "religion".Buddhism, for example, are more likely to refer to the philosophical currents.
Later in the article we consider the emergence of religions and ancient beliefs of humanity and a number of trends that exist today, but are rooted in antiquity.
Before the emergence of the philosophy of religion is dealt with questions of good and evil, morality, the meaning of life and many others.Also, since ancient times stood a special social stratum - the priests.This contemporary priests, preachers, missionaries.They not only deal with the problem of "salvation," but are quite influential state institute.
So, where it all began.Now we will talk about the origin of the first thoughts of a higher nature and supernatural things in the environment.
primitive beliefs
We know about the beliefs of the ancient people of petroglyphs and burial.In addition, some families are still living in the Stone Age.Therefore, ethnographers can explore and describe their world view and cosmology.It is from these three sources we know about the ancient religion.
Our ancestors began to separate the real world from the other world more than forty thousand years ago.It was at this time there is this type of person as Cro-Magnon man, or homo sapiens.In fact, it does not differ from modern people.
Before him were the Neanderthals.They existed approximately sixty thousand years before the advent of the Cro-Magnon.It was the first Neanderthal burials are ocher and grave goods.It is a symbol of purification and materials for the life after death in the afterlife.
gradually formed animism.It is the belief that all objects, plants, animals have a spirit.If we manage to appease the spirits of the stream, there is a good catch.The spirits of the forest will give a successful hunt.A coax the spirit of the tree or the fruit of the field will help with abundant harvest.
consequences of these beliefs have survived for centuries.Is it because we are still talking with the devices, machines and other things, hoping that we will be heard, and the problem persists itself.
As the development of animism, totemism appear, fetishism and shamanism.The first involves the belief that each tribe has its own "totem", a defender and a grandparent.This belief is inherent tribes in the next stage of development.
Among them are Indians and some other tribes from different continents.Examples are ethnonyms - the tribe of the Great Buffalo or Wise Muskrat.
This includes worship of sacred animals, taboos, etc.
Fetishism - a belief in the super power, which can award us certain things.These include amulets, talismans and other items.They are designed to protect people from the evil influence or, on the contrary, contribute to the successful course of events.
Fetish could be any unusual thing that stands out from among these.
For example, a stone with a sacred mountain or unusual bird feather.Later, this belief is mixed with the cult of ancestors, are beginning to emerge doll charms.Later they become anthropomorphic gods.
Therefore, the dispute about what the ancient religion, can not be answered unequivocally.Gradually different nations assemble fragments of primitive beliefs and everyday experience.Because of this plexus and occur more complex forms of spiritual concepts.
Magic
Referring to the ancient religion, we were talking about shamanism, but did not discuss it.This is a more advanced form of beliefs.It includes not only snippets from others worship, but also implies the possibility of human influence on the invisible world.
Shamans, to convince the rest of the inhabitants of the tribe, can communicate with the spirits and help people.These include healing rituals, luck calls, requests for victory in battle and spells good harvest.
This practice still remained in Siberia, Africa and other less developed regions.As part of the transition from the simple to the more complex shamanic magic and religion may be referred to the voodoo culture.
It already exist gods who are responsible for different aspects of human life.In Latin America, African images are superimposed on the properties of the Catholic saints.This unusual tradition of the cult of voodoo and highlights from among these magical currents.
mentioning the emergence of ancient religions, it is impossible to ignore the magic.It is the highest form of primitive beliefs.Gradually complicated, shamanistic rituals absorb experience from different areas of knowledge.It creates rituals are designed to make certain people more others.It was believed that, having initiated and received secret (esoteric) knowledge, mages are practically demigods.
What magical rite.This is a symbolic execution of the desired action with the best outcome.For example, soldiers dancing dance battle, attacking imaginary enemies, suddenly appears in the form of a shaman totem tribe and helping their children to destroy the enemy.This is the most primitive form of the rite.
more elaborate rituals are described in a special book of spells, which are known since ancient times.These include the Book of the Dead, a book witch spirits "Klyuchiki Solomon" and other grimoires.
Thus, tens of thousands of years of belief have gone from the trees, and animal worship to the worship of personified phenomena or human characteristics.That we call them gods.
Sumerian-Akkadian civilization
Next, we will examine some of the ancient religions of the East.Why we will start with them?Because the first civilizations arose in the territory.
Thus, according to the archaeologists, the ancient settlement was within the "Fertile Crescent."This is the land belonging to the Middle East and Mesopotamia.This is where the state Sumer and Akkad.Their beliefs and we'll talk further.
religion of ancient Mesopotamia is known to us by archaeological discoveries on the territory of present-day Iraq.And also preserved some literary monuments of that period.For example, the legend of Gilgamesh.
This epic was written on clay tablets.They have been found in ancient temples and palaces, and later transcribed.So, what we have learned from them.
ancient myth tells the story of the old gods who represent the water, the sun, moon and earth.They gave birth to the young heroes who have become "noise."For this firstborn we decided to get rid of them.But the sky god Ea guessed cunning plan and was able to lull his father abuzy, who became the ocean.
second myth tells of the rise of Marduk.It was written, apparently, during the subordination of Babylon the rest of city-states.After all, Marduk was the supreme deity and guardian of the city.
The legend says that Tiamat (the abyss) decided to attack the "heavenly" gods, and destroy them.A few battles she won and original "depressed."In the end, we decided to send battle with Tiamat, Marduk, who successfully coped with the task.He cut the body of the defeated.From different parts of it, he made the sky, the earth, Mount Ararat, the rivers Tigris and Euphrates.
Thus, the Sumerian-Akkadian beliefs are the first step in the formation of the institute of religion, when the latter becomes an important part of the state.
Ancient Egypt
successor religions of ancient civilizations of Sumer was Egypt.His priests were able to continue the work of the Babylonian priests.They developed the sciences of arithmetic, geometry, astronomy.There were also created stunning examples of spells, hymns, sacred architecture.A unique tradition of post-mortem mummification became nobles and pharaohs.
rulers of this period of history are beginning to proclaim themselves the sons of the gods and, in fact, by the inhabitants of heaven.Based on this outlook and is built next stage religions of the ancient world.Table of Babylon palace says the dedication of the governor received from Marduk.The texts of the pyramids illustrate not only God's chosen people of the pharaohs, but also show a direct family connection.
However, this worship of the Pharaohs was not from the beginning.It appeared only after the conquest of neighboring lands and the creation of a strong state with a strong army.Before that, there was a pantheon of gods, which subsequently changed a bit, but kept its main features.
So, as they say in the work of Herodotus "History", the religion of the ancient Egyptians included ceremonies dedicated to the different seasons, the worship of deities and holding special rituals designed to strengthen the country's position in the world.
Egyptian myths tell of the queen of heaven and God of the earth, who gave birth to everything that surrounds us.These people believed that the sky - it's Nut standing over Gebom, god of the earth.It concerns only the tips of his fingers and toes.Every evening she eats the sun every morning and gives rise to it again.
The main deity in the early period of ancient Egypt was Ra, the sun god.Later, he gave primacy to Osiris.
Legend of Isis, Osiris and Horus fell later in the basis of many myths about the murdered and resurrected savior.
Zoroastrianism
As we mentioned at the beginning, the religion of ancient people attributed to the powerful properties of different elements and objects.This belief persisted among the ancient Persians.The neighboring peoples called their "fire-worshipers", as they are especially honored this phenomenon.
This is one of the first religions of the world, which had its scripture.Not in Sumer or in Egypt, this was not.There existed only scattered spell books and hymns, myths and recommendations for mummification.In Egypt, however, it was the Book of the Dead, but it can not be called by Scripture.
In Zoroastrianism there is a prophet - Zarathustra.He was writing (Avesta) of the supreme god Ahura Mazda.
At the heart of this religion is the freedom of moral choice.Every second person is between evil (it represents Angra Manyu or Ahriman) and good (Ahura Mazda or Ormuz).Zoroastrians call their religion "Good faith" and himself "missus".
Ancient Persians believed that human reason and conscience are given to correctly determine its side in the spiritual world.The basic postulates are helping others and supporting those in need.The main prohibitions - is violence, robbery and theft.The goal of any
Zoroastrian was to achieve good thoughts, words and deeds at the same time.
Like many other ancient religions of the East, "Good faith" proclaimed in the end the triumph of good over evil.But Zoroastrianism - is the first creed in which there are concepts such as heaven and hell.
fire worshipers were called for special respect, they provided fire.But this element was considered the most flagrant manifestation of Ahura Mazda.The main symbol of the supreme god in our world-believing thought sunlight.
Buddhism in East Asia has long been a popular religion of Buddhism.In the Russian translation of a Sanskrit word meaning "the doctrine of spiritual awakening."Its founder is considered to Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in India in the sixth century BC.The term "Buddhism" appeared only in the nineteenth century, the Indians themselves called it "dharma" or "boddhidharma."
Today it is one of the three world religions, which is the oldest of them.Buddhism permeates the culture of the peoples of East Asia, to understand why the Chinese, Indians, Tibetans and many others is only possible after getting acquainted with the basics of this religion.
main ideas of Buddhism are as follows:
- life - is suffering;
- from suffering (dissatisfaction) is the cause;
- have the opportunity to get rid of suffering;
- is the path to salvation.
These postulates are called the four noble truths.A path that leads to getting rid of dissatisfaction and frustration, is called "octal".
is believed that the Buddha came to these conclusions after seeing the troubles of the world and spent many years in meditation under a tree on the question of why people suffer.
Today this belief is considered philosophical current, and not religion.The reasons for this are as follows:
- in Buddhism there is no concept of God, the soul, and redemption;
- there is no organization, common dogmas and absolute devotion to the idea;
- its adherents believe that an infinite number of worlds;
- other than that, you can belong to any religion and the principles of Buddhism, it is not prohibited.
Antiquity
adherents of Christianity and other monotheistic faiths worship the first people called nature paganism.Therefore, we can say that it is the world's oldest religion.Now we will have moved from India to the Mediterranean coast.
here in antiquity were developed especially Greek and Roman culture.If you look closely at the pantheon of ancient gods, they are virtually interchangeable and equivalent.Often the only difference is the name of a character.
noteworthy that the religion of the ancient gods who identified the gods.If you read ancient Greek and Roman myths, we see that immortal as petty, jealous and selfish as humanity.They help those who are favored, they can be bribed.Gods anger over a trifle, can destroy an entire people.
Nevertheless, this approach to the understanding of the world helped shape modern values.On the basis of such frivolous relationship with higher forces were able to develop a philosophy and a lot of science.If we compare with the antiquity of the Middle Ages, it becomes clear that freedom of expression is more valuable than the imposition of the "true faith."
Antique gods lived on Mount Olympus, which is located in Greece.Also, if people have inhabited the spirits of the forest, water and mountains.It is this tradition resulted later in European dwarves, elves and other fantasy creatures.
Abrahamic religions
Today, we share a historical time period before Christ and after.Why was this event so important?The Middle East is considered to be the progenitor of a man named Abraham.About it says in the Torah, the Bible and the Koran.He first spoke of monotheism.About what did not recognize religion of the ancient world.
Table religions shows that it is from the Abrahamic faiths today the largest number of adherents.
main currents considered Judaism, Christianity and Islam.They appeared in the order listed.The oldest is considered Judaism, he appeared somewhere in the ninth century BC.Then, around the first century of Christianity there, and in the sixth - Islam.
However only those religions spawned countless wars and conflicts.The intolerance to other religions is the hallmark of the adherents of the Abrahamic faiths.
Though if you carefully read the scriptures, they speak of love and mercy.Confusing laws only knock the early Middle Ages, described in these books.Problems begin when the fanatics want to use outdated dogma to the modern society, which has already greatly changed.
Because of differences between the text books and the behavior of believers for centuries there were different currents.They interpreted the Scriptures in their own way, which led to "wars of faith."
Today the problem is not solved completely, but how little has improved.
