Speaking about religion, first of all it is necessary to find out: was religion inherent in man initially or did it appear at a certain stage of his development? Here we are faced with the problem of what kind of creature can be considered human. If we consider human beings who have the rudiments of social life, then the history of mankind goes back about 600 thousand years. Some scientists claim that homo sapiens - Homo sapiens - has existed for about 80 thousand years.

Archaeological data indicate that the religious beliefs of people arise somewhat later than the appearance of homo sapiens. Excavations of ancient human burials, dating back to 80-40 thousand years ago, indicate that people had not yet thought about the existence of some other world than the one they saw around them (there are no things for life in the graves). In burials made 30-10 thousand years ago, weapons, jewelry, and fruits already appear, which indicates a person’s thoughts about the possibility of life after death. He began to view death as a long sleep, after which a person will wake up and may need everyday items. This idea also contributed to the consolidation of the tribe in its habitat, since fellow tribesmen should be nearby and support those who woke up from a long sleep.

Since the ancestors, buried in graves or burned, became invisible, they moved into the category of supernatural beings, similar to those who threw lightning and rumbled thunder, and therefore, there is a need to assign special places to both of them where one could communicate with them. This is how special places for religious activities appear, which further tie a person to his place of residence (this happens approximately 10-7 thousand years ago). Unique sanctuaries arise (for example, Stonehenge in Great Britain - stones placed in a circle, located taking into account the movement of the Sun and the rotation of the Earth; or statues of long-eared giants from Easter Island).

The existence of a non-religious period in human history can be concluded based on ethnographic data. In Malaysia, on the island of Ridan, several tribes of the Kubu ethnic group were discovered. They do not have generally accepted religious ideas, are not afraid of thunderstorms, do not think about death, and do not know how the world and its objects came into being. True, they presuppose the existence of a world of spirits, which, however, have no connection with the material world. In order to come into contact with the world of spirits, the priests of the Kubu tribe are forced to temporarily leave this world and move into the world of spirits, performing frenzied dances, intoxicating themselves with drugs and thus bringing themselves to ecstasy. The vagueness of ideas about the spiritual world suggests that they are just beginning to form among the Kuku and there was a period when they did not exist.

So, religious ideas appear at a certain stage of human development. What are the main reasons for the emergence of religion?

· intellectual: needing an explanation of natural and social phenomena and not having a sufficient level of knowledge to scientifically substantiate what is observed, a person creates a fantastic interpretation that seems plausible to him by analogy with the facts he understands;

· psychological: realizing the world around him as something incomprehensible and hostile, ancient man sought the support of powerful forces capable of coping with insoluble problems and protecting him from imaginary and real dangers. Having realized the finitude of earthly life, people wanted to get rid of the fear of death and gain hope for the eternal existence of at least part of their personality in the form of a soul or some other form.

· moral: any social group needs rules of interaction between its members, and the more complex its organization, the more dangerous it is to rely only on force. To be sustainable, a society must protect its weak members. Universal consciousness is unattainable, so a limiter stronger than physical strength is needed. Religion is a force capable of controlling communication between people, since it declares itself as a higher power, capable of constantly and strictly controlling everyone and inevitably punishing for deviation from generally accepted norms.

· socio-political: developing statehood, the emergence of strata alienated from society and standing above it, growing economic and social differentiation led to the fact that the authorities needed ideological support to maintain the stability of political structures and dampen attempts by the lower classes of society to change the socio-political status quo . Religious systems, as a rule, supported the state, however, as long as the state was loyal to the leading religious structure (a striking example is the emergence of Christianity in the Roman Empire and its path from a persecuted religion to a state religion).

The development of religion occurred in parallel with the development of a person’s worldview and reflected the level of his worldview. In the early stages of this development, religious ideas were quite primitive. Primitive man perceived all natural phenomena as expedient or, at least, purposeful; they were thought of as caused by a rational will. Thus, behind every phenomenon of the world, an intelligent being was thought to be moving it, which for the successful outcome of any action should be appeased and made favorable. This being, or deity, was conceived not as spiritual, but material. The deity was not distinguished by immortality, because man did not have the means to sensually and verbally imagine death as non-existence. The deceased was for him a person who had passed from life here to life somewhere else; in the same way, one who was born was one who passed from life somewhere else to life here.

The oldest religious beliefs of people were totemism and animism. Totemism(in the language of the Ojibwe Indians, “totem” is its kind), the term was first used in European literature at the end of the 18th century. This is a belief in a supernatural relationship that supposedly exists between a certain group of people (a primitive race) and some kind of material objects, most often animals, less often plants, etc. In the process of observing their activities, people drew attention to the similarity of certain character traits of their relatives with the habits of animals and the manifestation of natural elements. Members of this clan considered themselves connected by some special relationship with the totem; he was not revered, but was considered a “father”, “elder brother”, etc. This was expressed in the prohibition of killing the totem animal and eating it.

Totemism arises in connection with the need for a person’s self-identification, awareness of his independence, and the need for an integrating idea that is common to the entire community. Totemism also reflects the inextricable connection between man and nature. This belief was a powerful psychological support: it eliminated the fear of death, since primitive people believed that a person does not stop living, but is reincarnated into a totem animal, shedding his weak human shell. Totem animals, in turn, could come to the aid of their kind, turning into people. This was later reflected in fairy tales (for example, the reincarnation of the Gray Wolf in a Russian fairy tale).

Totemism also included the first moral principles (for example, a system of taboos - prohibitions): killing totem animals, and even uttering evil words against them. Sometimes it was forbidden to name the animal: bear is not the name of this animal, but an allegory - an animal that knows where there is honey.

Totemistic beliefs have survived to this day. Cows are sacred animals of the Hindu religion and should not be disturbed when they are resting, even if across the road. In Egypt, cats, dogs, crocodiles, snakes and other animals are revered. The division of animals into “clean” and “unclean” in Judaism and Islam has totemistic roots.

Among the primitive beliefs there is also animism- the belief that the spiritual essence of a person can exist separately from the material. People have noticed that during sleep, when the body remains motionless, they see dreams in which they experience various events. This means that some part of the personality leaves the material shell and is temporarily absent from it, participating in various adventures in a special world. This is how the idea of ​​the land of souls arises (the fields of Ialu among the ancient Egyptians, Elisia among the ancient Greeks, Paradise among Christians). Since people were spontaneous materialists, they believed that in the land of souls, as in our world, souls need food and household things, hence the objects necessary for earthly life appear in burials. By humanizing spirits, people endowed them with their own psychological characteristics, emotions and passions and, in accordance with this, tried to come to an agreement with them and win their favor.

Primitive man was a man of action, because the survival of the entire race sometimes depended on constant and decisive actions, so he could not passively wait for help from the spirits, but sought to force them to act as quickly as possible. This desire gave rise to a special form of primitive religion - magic. In this sense, magic is closer to science than to religion, since it is science that is decisively aimed at transforming the world, although, of course, magic is based on false ideas about the laws of nature and the essence of man. The desire to use special objects in magical rituals gave rise to fetishism (from Portuguese fetish - “sacred, magical object”). If any object contributed to a successful outcome of the case, then it was recognized as having magical powers and became a fetish.

Soon, magicians and priests monopolized control over the production of fetishes, classified this process and even protected them from the touch of outsiders. The making of fetishes can be recognized as the process of the birth of religious art, although in relation to any early monument of art we cannot raise the question of its religiosity, but only whether it is used in a cult or not, since until late antiquity there were practically no other worldviews other than religious ones existed.

There are a number of points of view regarding the place of fetishism in the process of religion formation. One recognizes it as the final stage in the development of primitive religious beliefs, since the making of a fetish required significant knowledge and skills, which the priests kept, since their possession made it possible to influence the behavior of people and receive a significant share of the spoils. This was the first step towards the stratification of society, which led to the disintegration of primitive relations.

Another point of view: the appearance of a fetish is the result of insufficient development of abstract thinking of a person who needed a visible, tangible symbol. This assumption is also justified, since even in subsequent eras there are similar material incarnations of the deity: the Greeks revered Hera in the form of a board, Apollo in the form of a pyramid. Taylor, E.B. Primitive culture. - M: Political publishing house. lit., 1989. - p. 115.

It is likely that in the process of working, a person singled out the most successful tools and, having no other support, relied on his “lucky” tools. He animated them (the beginning of animism), persuaded them to continue to help well (elements of magic), protected them from strangers, and if they let them down, he broke them. Thus, it turns out that fetishism is the most ancient form of religion.

Manifestations of fetishism still exist today, for example, the cult of holy relics in Christianity and the veneration of the Black Stone in the Kaaba temple by adherents of Islam. Rudiments of primitive beliefs are not so rare in modern life. Animism became the basis of all religious traditions; totemism has survived in some places to the present day. According to sociological surveys, many contemporaries believe in the power of talismans and amulets, fortune telling, and magical rituals, and this belief is rapidly gaining strength in turning points for nations and states. Among magical actions, fortune telling by astrologers, palmists, physiognomists, etc. is common.

Thus, primitive religious beliefs had a significant impact on the development of human society and culture, contributed to the development and strengthening of human associations and themselves changed under the influence of social development. They served as the basis for all subsequent forms of religion and their elements persist to this day, sometimes exerting a significant influence on the life of modern society.

Scientists agree that the beginnings of modern religion could have appeared about one hundred thousand years ago. This fact is confirmed by numerous archaeological finds, as well as those rock paintings that were made by primitive man. Not understanding the essence of many natural phenomena, our ancestors classified them as supernatural. The sun, moon, wind, lightning, fire, thunder, rain, animals, rivers, sea and ocean, in their deep conviction, were of divine origin, which means they needed to be worshiped. For the same reason, people considered the bear and the wolf to be their ancestors, and therefore they were honored and made sacrifices to them. Only in this case could they be favorable to people. If a person fell ill, it was believed that his soul was possessed by evil spirits, and to expel them one must turn to the Gods for help.

Man learned about the world through a process of long evolution. He learned to make fire, tamed animals, mastered the science of agriculture, created tools, etc. But all this did not happen at once. The Universe was reluctant to reveal its secrets to man. And although modern science has been able to explain most natural phenomena, the same mystery of the origin of life remains unsolved to this day. There are only various hypotheses on this score, and nothing more. Well, everything that cannot be explained is attributed by man to higher, divine powers. This is how religion appears, which gives its answers to many questions that interest people.

But let's return to our ancestors, who lived in incredibly difficult conditions. They did not understand why the river that gave them food suddenly overflowed its banks and flooded their home, why a hurricane destroyed grain crops, why hail fell in the summer. They did not understand the cause of the forest fires. They believed that in this way the Gods were punishing them for their sins. It was helplessness and ignorance of the essence of what was happening that made a person believe in supernatural forces, which ultimately led to the emergence of religion. People turn to the Gods with prayer and request, believing that they will be able to protect them from evil spirits and dark forces

It is for this reason that such religious movements as fetishism, magic, witchcraft, and totemism appeared. They are based on the possibility of the existence of a person’s soul separately from his body. Well, if so, then the path to immortality is open to man.

And so, we came to the conclusion that religion owes its emergence to a lack of understanding of the essence of the processes taking place, and to the powerlessness of man before nature. This happened at the moment when people began to think abstractly. In the process of various reasoning and speculation, they came up with explanations for certain natural phenomena, which, of course, were far from reality. This is how man, without realizing it, created for himself a world of supernatural beings endowed with mythical power, capable of ruling the world. He believed that spirits, Gods, and dark forces really exist. Well, if so, then they need to be worshiped. After all, they can both help a person and bring trouble to him. And although there is nothing wrong with modern religion, it affects a person’s consciousness and prevents him from understanding the world. And it’s all due to fear of Nature and the processes occurring in it.

It was religion that instilled in the human soul faith in Gods and spirits. Over time, all this transforms and changes. Just as people began to be divided into rich and poor, spirits also began to be divided into strong and weak. As a result, various religious movements sprout from the main religion, which interpret certain natural phenomena in their own way. And although many religious concepts have received scientific explanation over time, most human misconceptions are still of a religious nature. So it turns out that religion becomes necessary for a person only when it gives him answers to pressing questions concerning the foundations of the universe, and only if a person needs such explanations.

Modern and primitive religions are humanity’s belief that some higher powers control not only people, but also various processes in the Universe. This is especially true for ancient cults, since at that time the development of science was weak. Man could not explain this or that phenomenon in any other way other than divine intervention. Often this approach to understanding the world led to tragic consequences (the Inquisition, the burning of scientists at the stake, and so on).

There was also a period of coercion. If a person did not accept a belief, then he was tortured and tormented until he changed his point of view. Today, the choice of religion is free, people have the right to independently choose their worldview.

The emergence of primitive religions dates back to a long period, approximately 40-30 thousand years ago. But which belief came first? Scientists have different points of view on this matter. Some believe that this happened when people began to perceive each other’s souls, others - with the advent of witchcraft, and others took the worship of animals or objects as a basis. But the very origin of religion itself represents a large complex of beliefs. It is difficult to give priority to any of them, since there is no necessary data. The information that archaeologists, researchers and historians receive is not enough.

It is impossible not to take into account the distribution of the first beliefs throughout the planet, which leads to the conclusion that attempts to search for an ancient religion are illegitimate. Each tribe existing then had its own object of worship.

We can only say with certainty that the first and subsequent basis of every religion is belief in the supernatural. However, it is expressed differently everywhere. Christians, for example, worship their God, who has no flesh but is omnipresent. It's supernatural. African tribes, in turn, plan their Gods from wood. If they don’t like something, they can cut or pierce their patron with a needle. This is also supernatural. Therefore, every modern religion has its own ancient “ancestor”.

When did the first religion appear?

Initially, primitive religions and myths were closely intertwined. In modern times it is impossible to find an interpretation for some events. The fact is that primitive people tried to tell their descendants with the help of mythology, embellishing and/or expressing themselves too figuratively.

However, the question of when beliefs arise is still relevant today. Archaeologists claim that the first religions appeared after homo sapiens. Excavations whose burials date back to 80 thousand years ago definitely indicate that ancient man did not think about other worlds at all. People were simply buried and that was all. There is no evidence that this process was accompanied by rituals.

Weapons, food and some household items are found in later graves (burials made 30-10 thousand years ago). This means that people began to think of death as a long sleep. When a person wakes up, and this must happen, it is necessary that the essentials be near him. People buried or burned took on an invisible, ghostly form. They became peculiar guardians of the clan.

There was also a period without religions, but very little is known about it to modern scientists.

Reasons for the emergence of the first and subsequent religions

Primitive religions and their characteristics are very similar to modern beliefs. Various religious cults have acted for thousands of years in their own and state interests, exerting a psychological impact on their flock.

There are 4 main reasons for the emergence of ancient beliefs, and they are no different from modern ones:

1. Intelligence. A person needs an explanation for any event that happens in his life. And if he cannot obtain it thanks to his knowledge, then he will certainly receive a justification for what he observes through supernatural intervention.
2. Psychology. Life on earth is finite, and there is no way to resist death, at least for the moment. Therefore, a person must be freed from the fear of dying. Thanks to religion, this can be done quite successfully.
3. Morality. There is no society that would exist without rules and prohibitions. It is difficult to punish everyone who violates them. It is much easier to scare and prevent these actions. If a person is afraid of doing something bad, because supernatural forces will punish him, then the number of violators will significantly decrease.
4. Policy. To maintain the stability of any state, ideological support is required. And only one or another belief can provide it.

Thus, the emergence of religions can be taken for granted, since there are more than enough reasons for this.

Totemism

The types of religions of primitive man and their description should begin with totemism. Ancient people lived in groups. Most often these were families or their association. Alone, a person would not be able to provide himself with everything he needs. This is how the cult of animal worship appeared. Societies hunted animals to obtain food without which they could not survive. And the emergence of totemism is quite logical. This is how humanity paid tribute to its livelihood.

So, totemism is the belief that one family has a blood relationship with a particular animal or natural phenomenon. People saw them as patrons who helped, punished if necessary, resolved conflicts, and so on.

There are two features of totemism. Firstly, each member of the tribe had a desire to look like their animal. For example, some Africans knocked out their lower teeth to look like a zebra or antelope. Secondly, the totem animal could not be eaten unless the ritual was followed.

The modern descendant of totemism is Hinduism. Here some animals, most often the cow, are sacred.

Fetishism

It is impossible to consider primitive religions without taking into account fetishism. It represented the belief that some things have supernatural properties. Various objects were worshiped, passed from parents to children, always kept at hand, and so on.

Fetishism is often compared to magic. However, if it is present, it is in a more complex form. Magic helped to have an additional impact on some phenomenon, but did not in any way influence its occurrence.

Another feature of fetishism is that the objects were not worshipped. They were revered and treated with respect.

Magic and religion

Primitive religions could not do without the participation of magic. It is a set of rites and rituals, after which, it was believed, it became possible to control certain events and influence them in every possible way. Many hunters performed various ritual dances, which made the process of finding and killing the animal more successful.

Despite the apparent impossibility of magic, it is magic that forms the basis of most modern religions as a common element. For example, there is a belief that a rite or ritual (the sacrament of baptism, funeral service, and so on) has supernatural power. But it is also considered in a separate form, different from all beliefs. People tell fortunes with cards, call upon spirits, or do anything to see deceased ancestors.

Animism

Primitive religions could not do without the participation of the human soul. Ancient people thought about such concepts as death, sleep, experience, and so on. As a result of such thoughts, the belief arose that everyone has a soul. Later it was supplemented by the fact that only bodies die. The soul passes into another shell or exists independently in a separate other world. This is how animism appears, which is a belief in spirits, and it does not matter whether they belong to a person, an animal or a plant.

The peculiarity of this religion was that the soul could live indefinitely. After the body died, it broke out and calmly continued its existence, only in a different form.

Animism is also the ancestor of most modern religions. Ideas about immortal souls, gods and demons - all this is its basis. But animism also exists separately, in spiritualism, belief in ghosts, essences, and so on.

Shamanism

It is impossible to consider primitive religions without highlighting the clergy. This is most acutely visible in shamanism. As an independent religion, it appears much later than those discussed above, and represents the belief that an intermediary (shaman) can communicate with spirits. Sometimes these spirits were evil, but most often they were kind, giving advice. Shamans often became leaders of tribes or communities, because people understood that they were associated with supernatural forces. Therefore, if something happens, they will be able to protect them better than some king or khan, who is only capable of natural movements (weapons, troops, and so on).

Elements of shamanism are present in virtually all modern religions. Believers have a special attitude towards priests, mullahs or other clergy, believing that they are under the direct influence of higher powers.

Unpopular primitive religious beliefs

The types of primitive religions need to be supplemented with some beliefs that are not as popular as totemism or, for example, magic. These include the agricultural cult. Primitive people who practiced agriculture worshiped the gods of various cultures, as well as the earth itself. There were, for example, patrons of corn, beans, and so on.

The agricultural cult is well represented in modern Christianity. Here the Mother of God is represented as the patroness of bread, George - of agriculture, the prophet Elijah - of rain and thunder, and so on.

Thus, it will not be possible to briefly consider the primitive forms of religion. Every ancient belief exists to this day, even if it has actually lost its face. Rituals and sacraments, rituals and amulets - all these are parts of the faith of primitive man. And it is impossible in modern times to find a religion that does not have a strong direct connection with the most ancient cults.

Today, dear friends, the subject of our article will be ancient religions. We will plunge into the mysterious world of the Sumerians and Egyptians, get acquainted with fire worshipers and learn the meaning of the word “Buddhism”. You will also find out where religion came from and when man’s first thoughts about

Read carefully, because today we will talk about the path that humanity has taken from primitive beliefs to modern temples.

What is "religion"

A very long time ago, people began to think about questions that cannot be explained only by earthly experience. For example, where are we from? Who created the trees, mountains, seas? These and many other tasks remained unanswered.

The solution was found in animation and worship of phenomena, landscape objects, animals and plants. It is this approach that distinguishes all ancient religions. We will talk about them in more detail below.

The term “religion” itself comes from Latin. This concept means a worldview that includes higher powers, moral and ethical laws, a system of cult activities and specific organizations.

Some modern beliefs do not meet all points. They cannot be defined as "religion". Buddhism, for example, is more likely to be classified as a philosophical movement.

Before the emergence of philosophy, it was religion that dealt with issues of good and evil, morality and ethics, the meaning of life and many others. Also, since ancient times, a special social stratum has emerged - the priests. These are modern priests, preachers, missionaries. They not only deal with the problem of “saving the soul,” but they represent a fairly influential state institution.

So, where did it all begin? Now we will talk about the emergence of the first thoughts about a higher nature and supernatural things in the environment.

Primitive beliefs

We know about beliefs from rock paintings and burials. In addition, some tribes still live at Stone Age levels. Therefore, ethnographers can study and describe their worldview and cosmology. It is from these three sources that we know about ancient religions.

Our ancestors began to separate the real world from the other world more than forty thousand years ago. It was at this time that such a type of person as the Cro-Magnon man, or homo sapiens, appeared. In fact, he is no different from modern people.

Before him there were Neanderthals. They existed for about sixty thousand years before the Cro-Magnons appeared. It was in the burials of Neanderthals that ocher and grave goods were first found. These are symbols of purification and materials for posthumous life in the other world.

Gradually, the belief is formed that all objects, plants, animals have a spirit within them. If you can appease the spirits of the stream, there will be a good catch. The spirits of the forest will give you a successful hunt. And the appeased spirit of a fruit tree or field will help with a bountiful harvest.

The consequences of these beliefs have persisted through the centuries. Is this why we still talk to instruments, machines and other things, hoping that they will hear us and the problem will go away by itself?

As animism developed, totemism, fetishism and shamanism appeared. The first involves the belief that each tribe has its own "totem", protector and progenitor. A similar belief is inherent in tribes at the next stage of development.

Among them are Indians and some other tribes from different continents. An example is the ethnonyms - the tribe of the Great Buffalo or the Wise Muskrat.

This also includes cults of sacred animals, taboos, etc.

Fetishism is the belief in a superpower that certain things can bestow upon us. This includes amulets, talismans and other items. They are designed to protect a person from evil influence or, conversely, contribute to the successful course of events.
Any unusual thing that stood out from among similar things could become a fetish.

For example, a stone from a sacred mountain or an unusual bird feather. Later, this belief is mixed with the cult of ancestors, and amulets dolls begin to appear. Subsequently, they turn into anthropomorphic gods.

Therefore, the dispute about which religion is older cannot be resolved unambiguously. Gradually, fragments of primitive beliefs and everyday experience were assembled among different peoples. From such a plexus more complex forms of spiritual concepts arise.

Magic

When we mentioned ancient religions, we talked about shamanism, but did not discuss it. This is a more developed form of belief. It includes not only fragments from other worships, but also implies the ability of a person to influence the invisible world.

Shamans, according to the belief of the rest of the tribe, can communicate with spirits and help people. These include healing rituals, invocations of good luck, requests for victory in battle, and spells for a good harvest.

This practice still persists in Siberia, Africa and some other less developed regions. Voodoo culture can be mentioned as a transitional part from simple shamanism to more complex magic and religion.

There are already gods in it who are responsible for various spheres of human life. In Latin America, African images are superimposed on the properties of Catholic saints. This unusual tradition sets the voodoo cult apart from similar magical movements.

When mentioning the emergence of ancient religions, it is impossible to ignore magic. This is the highest form of primitive beliefs. Gradually becoming more complex, shamanic rituals incorporate experience from different areas of knowledge. Rituals are created that are designed to make some people stronger than others. It was believed that after undergoing initiation and receiving secret (esoteric) knowledge, magicians become practically demigods.

What is a magical ritual? This is a symbolic execution of the desired action with the best outcome. For example, warriors dance a war dance, attack an imaginary enemy, and suddenly a shaman appears in the form of a tribal totem and helps his children destroy the enemy. This is the most primitive form of the ritual.

More complex rituals are described in special books of spells, which have been known since ancient times. These include books of the dead, witches' books of spirits, Keys of Solomon and other grimoires.

Thus, over several tens of thousands of years, beliefs have gone from the worship of animals and trees to the veneration of personified phenomena or human properties. They are the ones we call gods.

Sumerian-Akkadian civilization

Next we will consider some ancient religions of the East. Why do we start with them? Because the first civilizations arose in this territory.
So, according to archaeologists, the oldest settlements are found within the “fertile crescent”. These are lands belonging to the Middle East and Mesopotamia. It is here that the states of Sumer and Akkad arise. We will talk about their beliefs further.

The religion of ancient Mesopotamia is known to us from archaeological finds on the territory of modern Iraq. Some literary monuments of that period have also been preserved. For example, the tale of Gilgamesh.

A similar epic was recorded on clay tablets. They were found in ancient temples and palaces and later deciphered. So, what do we know from them?
The most ancient myth tells about the old gods who personify water, sun, moon and earth. They gave birth to young heroes who began to make noise. For this, the originals decided to get rid of them. But the sky god Ea figured out the insidious plan and was able to put his father Abuz to sleep, who became the ocean.

The second myth tells of the rise of Marduk. It was written, apparently, during the subjugation of the remaining city-states by Babylon. After all, it was Marduk who was the supreme deity and guardian of this city.

The legend says that Tiamat (primary chaos) decided to attack the “heavenly” gods and destroy them. She won several battles and the originals became “despondent.” In the end, they decided to send Marduk to fight Tiamat, who successfully completed the task. He chopped up the body of the defeated woman. From its different parts he made the sky, the earth, Mount Ararat, the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

Thus, Sumerian-Akkadian beliefs become the first step towards the formation of an institution of religion, when the latter becomes an important part of the state.

Ancient Egypt

Egypt became the successor to the Sumerian religion. His priests were able to continue the work of the Babylonian priests. They developed sciences such as arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy. Stunning examples of spells, hymns, and sacred architecture were also created. The tradition of posthumous mummification of noble people and pharaohs has become unique.

The rulers of this period of history begin to proclaim themselves the sons of the gods and, in fact, the inhabitants of heaven themselves. It is on the basis of this worldview that the next stage of the religion of the ancient world is built. A tablet from the Babylonian palace speaks of the ruler's initiation received from Marduk. The texts of the pyramids illustrate not only the chosenness of the pharaohs by God, but also show a direct family connection.

However, such veneration of the pharaohs was not from the very beginning. It appeared only after the conquest of the surrounding lands and the creation of a strong state with a powerful army. Before this, there was a pantheon of gods, which subsequently changed a little, but retained its main features.

So, as stated in Herodotus’s work “History”, the religion of the ancient Egyptians included rituals dedicated to different seasons, the worship of deities and special rituals designed to strengthen the country’s position in the world.

Egyptian myths tell of the goddess of the sky and the god of the earth, who gave birth to everything that surrounds us. These people believed that the sky was Nut, standing above Geb, the god of the earth. She touches him only with the tips of her fingers and toes. Every evening she eats the sun, and every morning she gives birth to him again.

The main deity in the early period of Ancient Egypt was Ra, the sun god. Later he lost the championship to Osiris.

The legend of Isis, Osiris and Horus later formed the basis of many myths about the murdered and resurrected savior.

Zoroastrianism

As we mentioned at the beginning, the religion of ancient people attributed powerful properties to various elements and objects. This belief was preserved by the ancient Persians. Neighboring peoples called them “fire worshipers”, as they especially revered this phenomenon.

This is one of the first world religions that had its own Holy Scripture. This did not happen either in Sumer or in Egypt. There were only scattered books of spells and hymns, myths and recommendations for mummification. In Egypt, it is true, there was a book of the dead, but it cannot be called Scripture.

In Zoroastrianism there is a prophet - Zarathushtra. He received the scripture (Avesta) from the supreme god Ahura Mazda.

The basis of this religion is freedom of moral choice. Man fluctuates every second between evil (personified by Angro Manyu or Ahriman) and good (Ahura Mazda or Hormuz). The Zoroastrians called their religion “Good Faith” and called themselves “believers.”

The ancient Persians believed that man was given reason and conscience in order to correctly determine his side in the spiritual world. The main tenets were helping others and supporting those in need. The main prohibitions are 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, the “Good Faith” ultimately proclaimed the victory of good over evil. But Zoroastrianism is the first creed in which such concepts as heaven and hell are found.

They were called fire worshipers for the special reverence they showed to fire. But this element was considered the crudest manifestation of Ahura Mazda. The faithful considered sunlight to be the main symbol of the supreme god in our world.

Buddhism

Buddhism has long been a popular religion in East Asia. Translated into Russian from Sanskrit, this word means “the teaching of spiritual awakening.” Its founder is considered to be Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in India in the sixth century BC. The term “Buddhism” appeared only in the nineteenth century, but the Hindus themselves called it “dharma” or “Boddhidharma”.

Today it is one of the three world religions, which is considered the most ancient of them. Buddhism permeates the cultures of the peoples of East Asia, so it is possible to understand the Chinese, Hindus, Tibetans and many others only after becoming familiar with the basics of this religion.

The main ideas of Buddhism are the following:
- life is suffering;
- suffering (dissatisfaction) has a reason;
- there is an opportunity to get rid of suffering;
- there is a way to deliverance.

These postulates are called the four noble truths. And the path that leads to getting rid of dissatisfaction and frustration is called “Eightfold”.
It is believed that the Buddha came to these conclusions after seeing the troubles of the world and sitting for many years under a tree in meditation on the question of why people suffer.

Today this belief is considered a philosophical movement, not a religion. The reasons for this are:
- in Buddhism there is no concept of God, soul and redemption;
- there is no organization, uniform dogmas and unconditional devotion to the idea;
- its adherents believe that there are an infinite number of worlds;
- besides this, you can belong to any religion and be guided by the principles of Buddhism, this is not prohibited here.

Antiquity

By adherents of Christianity and other monotheistic beliefs, people's first worship of nature is called paganism. Therefore, we can say that it is the oldest world religion. Now we will move from India to the Mediterranean coast.

Here, during the period of antiquity, Greek and Roman cultures were especially developed. If you look closely at the pantheons of ancient gods, they are practically interchangeable and equivalent. Often the only difference is the name of one character or another.

It is also noteworthy that this religion of the ancient gods identified the celestial beings with people. If we read ancient Greek and Roman myths, we will see that immortals are just as petty, jealous and self-interested as humanity. They help those they favor and can be bribed. The gods, angry over a trifle, can destroy an entire people.

Nevertheless, it was precisely this approach to understanding the world that helped shape modern values. On the basis of such frivolous relationships with higher powers, philosophy and many sciences were able to develop. If we compare antiquity with the era of the Middle Ages, it becomes clear that freedom of expression is more valuable than the inculcation of the “true faith.”

The ancient gods lived on Mount Olympus, which is located in Greece. Also, people then inhabited forests, ponds and mountains with spirits. It was this tradition that later resulted in European gnomes, elves and other fairy-tale creatures.

Abrahamic religions

Today we divide historical time into the period before and after the birth of Christ. Why did this particular event become so important? In the Middle East, the ancestor is considered to be a man named Abraham. It is spoken about in the Torah, the Bible and the Koran. He spoke about monotheism for the first time. About what the religions of the ancient world did not recognize.

The table of religions shows that the Abrahamic faiths have the largest number of adherents today.

The main movements are Judaism, Christianity and Islam. They appeared in the order listed. Judaism is considered the most ancient, it appeared somewhere in the ninth century BC. Then Christianity appeared around the first century, and Islam appeared in the sixth century.

However, these religions alone have given rise to countless wars and conflicts. Intolerance towards people of other faiths is a distinctive feature of adherents of Abrahamic faiths.

Although if you carefully read the Scriptures, they talk about love and mercy. Only the laws of the early Middle Ages described in these books are confusing. The problem begins when fanatics want to apply outdated dogmas to a modern society that has already changed significantly.

Due to disagreements between the text of books and the behavior of believers, different currents arose over the centuries. They interpreted the Scriptures in their own way, which led to “wars of faith.”

Today the problem has not been completely solved, but the methods have improved a little. Modern “new churches” are more aimed at the inner world of the flock and the priest’s wallet than at conquering heretics.

Ancient religion of the Slavs

Today on the territory of the Russian Federation one can find both the most ancient forms of religion and monotheistic movements. However, who did our ancestors originally worship?

The religion of Ancient Rus' today is called the term “paganism”. This is a Christian concept meaning the faiths of other peoples. Over time, it took on a slightly derogatory connotation.

Today, attempts are being made to restore ancient beliefs in different countries of the world. Europeans, reconstructing the faith of the Celts, call their actions “tradition.” In Russia, the names “relatives”, “Slavic-Aryans”, “Rodnovers” and others are accepted.

What materials and sources help restore bit by bit the worldview of the ancient Slavs? Firstly, these are literary monuments, such as “The Book of Veles” and “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”. Some rituals, names and attributes of various gods are mentioned there.

In addition, there are quite a lot of archaeological finds that clearly illustrate the cosmogony of our ancestors.

The supreme gods were different for different tribes. Over time, Perun, the god of thunder, and Veles stand out. Rod also often appears in the role of progenitor. Places of worship of deities were called “temples” and were located in forests or on river banks. Wooden and stone sculptures were placed on them. People came there to pray and make sacrifices.

Thus, dear readers, today we have become acquainted with such a concept as religion. In addition, we got acquainted with various ancient beliefs.

Good luck, friends. Be tolerant of each other!

Whether you go to the mosque on Fridays, attend synagogue on Saturdays, or pray in church on Sundays, religion has touched your life in one way or another. Even if the only thing you ever worshiped was your favorite couch and your best friend the television, your world was still shaped by the religious beliefs and practices of other people.
People's beliefs influence everything from their political views and works of art to the clothes they wear and the food they eat. Religious beliefs have more than once quarreled nations and inspired people to violence; they also played an important role in some scientific discoveries.
It’s not news to anyone that religion greatly influences society. Every civilization, from the ancient Mayans to the Celts, had some kind of religious practice. In its earliest forms, religion provided society with a system of beliefs and values ​​according to which it could reproduce and educate youth. In addition, it also helped explain the processes and phenomena of such a beautiful and such a complex and sometimes frightening world around us.
Evidence of some rudiments of religion has been found in artifacts of the Neolithic era, and although religion has greatly evolved compared to the primitive rituals of that time, no faith really dies. Some, such as the worldview of the Druids, continue to live to the present day, while others, such as the ancient Greek and Roman religions, live on as components and some separate aspects of later Christianity and Islam.
Below we have made a short overview of 10 religions. Despite their ancient origins, many of them have clear parallels with major modern religions.

10: Sumerian Religion

Although there is anecdotal evidence indicating that people may have been practicing religion as early as 70,000 years ago, the earliest reliable evidence of an established religion dates back to approximately 3500 BC. That is, by the time the Sumerians built the world's first cities, states and empires in Mesopotamia.
From the thousands of clay tablets that are found in the areas where the Sumerian civilization was located, we know that they had a whole pantheon of gods, each of whom “managed” their own sector of phenomena and processes, that is, people explained for themselves the mercy or wrath of a particular god something that could not be explained otherwise.
All the Sumerian gods were “linked” to specific astronomical bodies, and they also controlled natural forces: for example, the rising and setting of the sun were attributed to the sparkling chariot of the sun god Utu. The stars were considered to be the cows of Nannar, the moon deity who traveled across the sky, and the crescent moon was his boat. Other gods represented such things and concepts as the ocean, war, fertility.
Religion was a central part of life in Sumerian society: kings claimed to act at the will of the gods and thus fulfilled both religious and political duties, and sacred temples and giant terraced platforms known as ziggurats were considered the dwellings of the gods.
The influence of the Sumerian religion can be seen in most existing religions. The Epic of Gilgamesh, the earliest surviving work of ancient Sumerian literature, contains the first mention of the great flood, which is also found in the Bible. And the seven-tiered Babylonian ziggurat is probably the same Tower of Babel that quarreled the descendants of Noah.

9: Ancient Egyptian Religion

To see the influence of religion on the life of Ancient Egypt, just look at the thousands of pyramids located in the region. Each building symbolizes the Egyptian belief that human life continues even after death.
The reign of the Egyptian pharaohs lasted from approximately 3100 to 323 BC. and consisted of 31 separate dynasties. The pharaohs, who had divine status, used religion to maintain their power and subjugate absolutely all citizens. For example, if a pharaoh wanted to gain the favor of more tribes, all he had to do was adopt their local god as his own.
While the sun god Ra was the main god and creator, the Egyptians recognized hundreds of other gods, approximately 450. And at least 30 of them received the status of the main deities of the pantheon. With so many gods, the Egyptians were uncomfortable with true coherent theology, but they were bound by a common belief in an afterlife, especially after the invention of mummification.
The manuals, called "coffinerary texts", gave those who could afford this guidance in funeral arrangements a guarantee of immortality. The tombs of wealthy people often contained jewelry, furniture, weapons, and even servants for a fulfilling afterlife.
Flirting with Monotheism
One of the first attempts to establish monotheism occurred in Ancient Egypt, when Pharaoh Akhenaten came to power in 1379 BC. and declared the sun god Aten to be the only god. The pharaoh tried to erase all mention of other gods and destroy their images. During Akhenaten's reign, the people tolerated this so-called "Atonism", however, after his death he was declared a criminal, his temples were destroyed, and his very existence was erased from records.

8: Greek and Roman Religion

Gods of Ancient Greece

Like the Egyptian, the Greek religion was polytheistic. Although the 12 Olympian deities are most widely recognized, the Greeks also had several thousand other local gods. During the Roman period of Greece, these gods were simply adapted to Roman needs: Zeus became Jupiter, Venus Aphrodite, and so on. In fact, much of Roman religion was borrowed from the Greeks. So much so that the two religions are often referred to under the general name of the Greco-Roman religion.
The Greek and Roman gods had rather bad characters. They were no strangers to jealousy and anger. This explains why people had to make so many sacrifices in the hope of appeasing the gods, making them refrain from causing harm, and instead help people, do good deeds.
Along with sacrificial rites, which were the primary form of Greek and Roman religion, festivals and rituals occupied an important place in both religions. In Athens, at least 120 days a year were holidays, and in Rome, not much business was undertaken without first performing religious rituals that guaranteed the approval of the gods. Special people followed the signs sent by the gods, observing the chirping of birds, weather events or the entrails of animals. Ordinary citizens could also question the gods at sacred places called oracles.

Religion of Rite
Perhaps the most impressive feature of Roman religion was the important role of ritual in virtually every aspect of daily life. Not only were rituals performed before every senate meeting, festival, or other public event, but they also had to be performed flawlessly. If, for example, it was discovered that a prayer had been misread before a government meeting, then any decision made during that meeting could be invalidated.

A religion based solely on nature, Druidry emerged from shamanic practices and witchcraft in prehistoric times. Initially, it was distributed throughout Europe, but then became concentrated in the Celtic tribes as they moved towards the British coast. It continues to be practiced today among small groups.

The main idea of ​​Druidry is that a person should perform all actions without causing harm to anyone, even himself. There is no other sin than harming the Earth or others, the Druids believe. Likewise, there is no blasphemy or heresy, since man is unable to harm the gods, and they are able to defend themselves. According to Druid beliefs, people are only a small part of the Earth, which in turn is a single living being inhabited by gods and spirits of all kinds.

Although Christians tried to suppress Druidry for its polytheistic pagan beliefs and accused its followers of performing cruel sacrifices, the Druids were actually peaceful people who practiced meditation, reflection and awareness rather than sacrificial acts. Only animals were sacrificed and then eaten.
Since the entire religion of Druidry was built around nature, its ceremonies were associated with the solstices, equinoxes and 13 lunar cycles.

Somewhat similar to the pagan faith of Wicca, Asatru is a belief in the pre-Christian gods of Northern Europe. Dating back to the beginning of the Scandinavian Bronze Age around 1000 BC. Asatru took much from the ancient Norse Viking beliefs, and many of Asatru's followers continue to replicate Viking customs and traditions, such as sword fighting.
The main values ​​of the religion are wisdom, strength, courage, joy, honor, freedom, energy and the importance of ancestral ties with ancestors. Like Druidry, Asatru is based in nature, and the entire faith is tied to the changing of the seasons.
Asatru states that the universe is divided into nine worlds. Among them are Asgard - the kingdom of the gods and Midgard (Earth) - the home of all humanity. The connection of these nine worlds is the World Tree, Yggdrasil. The main god and creator of the universe is Odin, but Thor, the god of war, the defender of Midgard, was also highly respected: it was his hammer that the Vikings depicted on their doors to ward off evil. The hammer, or Mjollnir, is worn by many Asatru followers in the same way that Christians carry a cross.
Tax exemption
Although some aspects of Asatru may seem implausible to the uninitiated, it is becoming increasingly widespread throughout the world. In addition to being a registered religion in Iceland and Norway, it is exempt from taxes in the United States.

To be fair, it needs to be clarified that, technically, Hinduism is not one religion. This concept actually encompasses many beliefs and practices originating in India.
Hinduism is one of the oldest existing religions, with roots traced back to approximately 3000 BC. Although some of its supporters claim that the doctrine has always existed. The religion's scriptures are collected in the Vedas, the oldest known religious works in the Indo-European languages. They were collected approximately between 1000 and 500 BC. and is revered by Hindus as eternal truth.

The overarching idea of ​​Hinduism is the quest for moksha, belief in destiny and reincarnation. According to Hindu beliefs, people have an eternal soul, which is continuously reborn in different incarnations, according to its lifestyle and actions in previous lives. Karma describes the consequences that follow from these actions, and Hinduism teaches that people can improve their destiny (karma) through prayer, sacrifice and various other forms of spiritual, psychological and physical disciplines. Ultimately, by following righteous paths, a Hindu can be liberated from rebirth and attain moksha.
Unlike other major religions, Hinduism does not claim any founder. Its connection with any specific historical event cannot be traced. Today, almost 900 million people around the world consider themselves Hindus, with the majority of them living in India.

4: Buddhism

Buddhism, which originated in India around the 6th century BC, is similar to Hinduism in many ways. It is based on the teachings of a man known as Buddha, who was born as Siddhartha Gautama and raised as a Hindu. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe in reincarnation, karma and the idea of ​​achieving complete liberation - Nirvana.
According to Buddhist legend, Siddhartha had a rather sheltered youth and was amazed when he discovered that people around him seemed to experience such things as grief, poverty and illness. After meeting a group of people seeking enlightenment, Siddhartha began searching for a way to end human suffering. He fasted and meditated for a long time, and finally achieved the ability to break out of the eternal cycle of reincarnation. It was this achievement of "bodhi", or "enlightenment", that led to him now being known as the Buddha, or "Enlightened One".
Four Noble Truths: (chatvari aryasatyani), the four truths of the Holy One are one of the basic teachings of Buddhism, which all its schools adhere to.
1. All existence is suffering.
2. All suffering is caused by human desires.
3. Renunciation of desires will end suffering.
4. There is a path to the end of suffering - the Eightfold Path.
Buddhism does not place too much emphasis on deity; self-discipline, meditation and compassion are much more important. As a result, Buddhism is sometimes regarded more as a philosophy than a religion.
Path
Like Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism are more philosophies than religions. Both originated in China in the 5th and 6th centuries BC. both are actively practiced in China today. Taoism, which is based on the concept of "Tao", or "Way", greatly values ​​life and preaches simplicity and a relaxed approach to life. Confucianism is based on love, kindness and humanity.

Another religion originating from India. Jainism proclaims the achievement of spiritual freedom as its main goal. Originates from the lives and teachings of the Jains, spiritual teachers who achieved the highest level of knowledge and understanding. According to Jain teachings, followers of the religion can achieve freedom from material existence or karma. As in Hinduism, this liberation from reincarnation is called moksha.
Jains also teach that time is eternal and consists of a series of ascending or descending movements that last for millions of years. During each of these periods, there are 24 Jainas. Only two of these teachers are known in the current movement: Parsva and Mahavira, who lived in the 9th and 6th centuries BC, respectively. In the absence of any higher gods or a creator god, followers of Jainism revere the Jains.
Unlike Buddhism, which condemns suffering, the idea of ​​Jainism is asceticism, self-denial. The Jain way of life is governed by the "Great Vows", which proclaim non-violence, honesty, sexual abstinence, renunciation. Although these vows are strictly observed by hermits, Jains also follow them in proportion to their abilities and circumstances, with the goal of self-development along the 14-stage path of spiritual growth.

Although other religions have had brief periods of monotheism, Judaism is considered the world's oldest monotheistic faith. Religion is based on what the Bible describes as agreements between God and some of the founding fathers. Judaism is one of three religions that trace their origins to the patriarch Abraham, who lived in the 21st century BC. (The other two are Islam and Christianity.)
The Five Books of Moses are included at the beginning of the Hebrew Bible, forming the Torah (Pentateuch), the Jewish people are the descendants of Abraham and will one day return to their country Israel. Therefore, Jews are sometimes called the “chosen people.”
The religion is based on the Ten Commandments, which represent a sacred agreement between God and people. Along with 613 other guidelines contained in the Torah, these ten commandments determine the way a believer lives and thinks. By following the laws, Jews show their commitment to God's will and strengthen their position in the religious community.
In rare unanimity, all three major world religions recognize the Ten Commandments as fundamental.

Zoroastrianism is based on the teachings of the Persian prophet Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, who lived between 1700 and 1500 BC. His teachings are revealed to the world in the form of 17 psalms called Gathas, which constitute the Holy Scripture of Zoroastrianism, known as the Zend Avesta.
A key aspect of the Zoroastrian faith is ethical dualism, the constant struggle between good (Ahura Mazda) and evil (Angra Mainyu). Personal responsibility is of great importance to Zoroastrians, since their destiny depends on the choice they make between these two forces. Followers believe that after death, the soul comes to the Bridge of Judgment, from where it goes either to heaven or to a place of torment, depending on what actions predominated during life: good or bad.
Because positive choices are not so difficult to make, Zoroastrianism is generally seen as an optimistic faith: Zarathustra is supposedly the only child who laughed at birth instead of crying. Currently, Zoroastrianism is one of the smallest among the world's major religions, but its influence is felt widely. Christianity, Judaism and Islam were all formed on its tenets.