Oldest religion in the world?

[painted wolf]

So that puts religious thought as far back at least as our common ancestor with Neanderthals.

At least. We can't be sure of anything before that common ancestor. However, care for the elderly and sick is older still. The non-reproductive elders were doing something for society to be cared for as well as they were. That role was purely social.

wa:do

 

[Sunstone]

The non-productive elders...

By the way, PW, I resent how you've been referring to me these days.

 

[J Bryson]

My suspicion:

The oldest spiritual belief started when tribes began to have a sense of wonder about the power of the weather, the mammoths, the bison, and so on.

The oldest religion started when a person in the tribe realized that by saying that he had some sort of influence over these forces, he could probably get away with doing little heavy lifting and no hunting, but still get a good share of the meat.

 

[Runewolf1973]

Maybe just me, but it seems that the oldest beliefs were those which were also the closest to understanding the true nature of things. I believe that nature is the true manifestation of whatever "God" is. Those who lived in harmony with nature, were also those who were truly at one with "God". It was more than just a mere religious belief, it was an intimate connection and a harmonization with an unseen reality. A reality that was shared with the plants, the rocks, the animals and all of existence.

I believe there is a reason why it is said that Jesus and Muhammad, and Buddha....heck even Odin for that matter, sought out the solitude of nature or to be near a tree to gain their spiritual "enlightenment". It is not surprising to me at all. It just seems "natural". They knew where to find "God". And it was not in books.

 

[K.Venugopal]

I take fun tests to determine my faith (always for fun). It seems I am always compatible not just with Christianity and other Abraham faiths, but with all faiths- including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Pagan.
It would seem that all (or almost all) faiths have a lot in common

All faiths would have much in common because the common thread running through them all is man!

 

[Dezzie]

I believe there is a reason why it is said that Jesus and Muhammad, and Buddha....heck even Odin for that matter, sought out the solitude of nature or to be near a tree to gain their spiritual "enlightenment". It is not surprising to me at all. It just seems "natural". They knew where to find "God". And it was not in books.

Wow... this just opened up my eyes here to new things I never thought of. Thank you for your input.
The fact that you say anyone needed to be near a tree for spiritual enlightenment... It makes me think about what that really means.

 

[~Shocher emit~]

So... I found this on the web. Not sure how accurate it is but... found it very interesting anyway. What do you guys think? I figured this may be an interesting debate... :flirt:

I am of the understanding that "religion" is a man made thing where the belief of that which was handed down via the bible is a way of life for those who understand and follow it. This being said, I am of the persuasion that this way of life started with Adam.

 

[Iman]

I tend to agree with the notion that monotheism was/is the original creed of man, but that people tend to degenerate into other forms of worship for many reasons. In old times, the life force evident in nature and animals carried with it a mystery that tempted people to deify natural phenomena. Now that we know that each of these phenomena is only a puzzle piece that fit together in the make up of a vast universe, other forms of worship emerge guided by man's assumption that science and natural law is the ultimate maker and breaker of the world and the life force that goes through it. I think the history of revelations predates written scripts and is older that the Abrahamic religions.

 

[Falvlun]

A concept I don't agree with at all.

Memory should be more than enough.

I fail to see how one could have respect for someone who's dead if they have no more life. In life, respect and love them, but once their dead, their corpse is as any other inanimate object; a source of food for other forms of life. What's more to respect or love of the corpse?

A person is honored more, in my opinion, through the memory of life, not the grandness of death.

I don't necessarily disagree with anything you've said. However, your opinion about how a person is best honored may not be the same as some other person's opinion about how to best honor someone. Nothing you said showed why burying the dead or respecting the dead has to be religious. It just shows why you would not respect the dead, barring a religious meaning.

I don't believe in an afterlife, but at the same time I wouldn't want to watch my Grandma's corpse get eaten by wolves. Call me sentimental. I would also want to respect my grandma's last wishes; if she wanted to be cremated, then I would think it would be respectful/nice/whatever to have her cremated. I don't see religion being necessary.

Your position also doesn't really address the sanitation aspect of it. Burial might have been the way they dealt with that.

 

[Justcurious]

Does an open mind to other peoples beliefs mean that I must agree? To have an open mind, does it mean that I have to except that everything anybody says is true even when what they might say is contradictory?

 

[Storm]

Does an open mind to other peoples beliefs mean that I must agree? To have an open mind, does it mean that I have to except that everything anybody says is true even when what they might say is contradictory?

Of course not. Now, what in the world does that have to do with the topic?

 

[K.Venugopal]

Does an open mind to other peoples beliefs mean that I must agree? To have an open mind, does it mean that I have to except that everything anybody says is true even when what they might say is contradictory?

I see it is your first post. Welcome to the forum. Of course, you don't have to accept everything. But at least you must grant that different things may be valid for different people. In other words, we must not seek to occupy all the sacred space just for ourselves. Live and let live.