Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id KAA20921 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Fri, 17 Nov 2000 10:22:16 GMT Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745B19@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: religion/spirituality Date: Fri, 17 Nov 2000 10:20:18 -0000 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
Strong views Lloyd (not that I'd disagree thought).
I thought monotheism was preferable to polytheism from a purely pragamtic
view. It's a hell of a lot easier for people to remember one god's name
than hundreds of names for gods for all sorts of things (animals and plants,
rivers and mountains, emotional states etc.). It's more practical in a more
cynical sense as well. In societies of polytheism (say in ancient Rome)
multiple gods meant that competitors for overall power usually had competing
gods "supporting" them. But ideas about one god mean that only one person
can effectively claim that connection/support. This was Mohammad's great
(for him) leap of logic- get rid of the idol worship, and focus around a
single deity and social conflict will disappear- or at least the conflict
affecting his family would, and he'd end up top dog. Of course he had a lot
of persuading to do, and nearly didn't make it, but it worked out
eventually.
At a slightly more conceptual level, a one-god can also be distanced from
the peculiarities of human (animal or elemental) behaviours. One of the
most interesting things about the Greek/Roman gods is just how 'human' (i.e.
jealous, petty, lustful, fickle etc. etc.) they appear when compared to the
much more boring judeo-christian-muslim god.
I suspect there have also been arguments that monotheism emerged at
particular points in the socio-economic development of societies, but I
don't know of any in detail.
Vincent
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