Riddick124 wrote:
Please, consider what I am about to say, do not just flame it mercilessly. First of all, so everyone knows, I am an athiest.
Religion originally gained power by explianing the unknown. They would offer the "reasons" that such previously misunderstood events, such as the sun rising and setting, the seasons, weather, death, the origin of life and others would occur. People did not understand these things, and therefor feared them. When an explanation was offered, they gratefully accepted it. This is how the church gained power.
Leaders understood this, and used it to their advantage. For example, in Egypt, the Pharoah declared himself to be a god on earth. People would do anything for him, such as wasting vast amounts of resources, time and energy building giant pyramids to honor him after death. He could do whatever he wanted, noone would dare to defy him, and so he ruled with absolute authority.
In Europe, the pope was once the most powerful person alive. He controlled the church, which in turn controlled the entire population. Since his power only existed as long as people believed in him and his church absolutely, he was quick to execute any scientists who discovered anything that would disprove the church. If the King did something to displease him, he could encourage a revolt by spreading the word that God disapproved of the current king.
The Church offered rewards for obeying their rules and believing their ideas. Anyone who was a devout believer would go to heaven, and anyone who went against the church would go to hell for all eternity. Because of this, people also feared the church, and were very careful not to displease it.
*builds asbestos fortress to protect from flames*
Ah, there you described what was the origin of freemasonry, religion as a tool of control over society. All the religions are just smaller parts of freemasonry.
11 Feb 2008, 5:03 pm
