On 26 Dec 2006, at 4:44PM, Gary Nunn wrote: > > A question that came up in a deep, late night conversation.... > > Was religion a necessary tool for building moral and ethical > standards in > early civilizations or social groups? Or did someone simply invent > the fear > of "Going To Hell" to impose their will on the masses? > > I suppose that also implies the question of if morality and ethical > behavior > is a learned response or if they could be a genetic response.
It's pretty clear that as pack animals we have innate biologically determined models of fairness and justice which our social and cultural institutions rationalise. Religious superstition filled the gaps in human knowledge in the past. > > This question is NOT about self righteous, over the top, religious > fanatics > that justify bad behavior and wars, all in the name of God.. > > Of course there are those that have used religious fear to > manipulate people > and to justify a means to an end (yes, these are over > simplifications), but > would morality and ethics have developed in ancient civilizations > without > the fear of consequences? Can a large complex civilisation develop without some set of agreed moral and ethical rules (even if they seem barbaric and unfair by our standards?) Cart before horse Maru -- William T Goodall Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ "I would buy a Mac today if I was not working at Microsoft." - Jim Allchin, Windows development chief, Jan 2004 _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
