The Metaphysics of Religion - Its Origins and Effects on Mankind

In this New Age, the Age of Aquarius, the Earth and its inhabitants are going through much change and evolution. It is a time where mankind is examining its true nature and spiritual consciousness is rampant. Many questions related to religion, its effects and its usefulness are being posed. Such questions are well deserved, for if we are remembering that we are more than deserving, loving, spiritual beings on Earth having a learning experience then why have we been told the opposite for so long by many religious leaders? Why have we been told that we are sinners fallen from grace and are here seeking redemption? What has been the purpose of religion all this time? A metaphysical exploration of religion and its origins can do much for those confused about religion and its place in society.

Prior to religion and social structure as we now know it, there was no separation between man and nature. Just as the animals of the earth are born with an instinctual, biological knowing so was the nature of man. The species of men were very close with the animals and earth, and worked cooperatively for the evolution of all creature-hood. Man did not need to reassure himself of his power because he instinctively knew it. The species existed contently in this knowing.

At some point in the history of men, there was a desire for an evolution in consciousness. Although consciousness had always been present in the species of men (and all things) it existed as one of a biological nature. The new desire however was for a specialization or a consciousness that consciously created. In order to do this, man would need to be more reflective in nature. He must be able to create, interact with his creation, and reflect upon it to consciously alter his desire and thus create again. Also, he must have an ordered environment that would provide enough contrast for him playfully birth his desires. He must be able to do this guilt free and without inhibitions.

Thusly, religion fulfilled all of these requirements. It provided a reminder of the unseen to the species of men. Particularly in the Western religion of Christianity, man is appointed dominion over the rest of creature-hood. This appointment gave them special permission to fulfill the desire to consciously create. It gave them permission to separate from their biological knowing and thus from the earth. This dominion is expressed in such Bible stories of the naming of the animals. When God created Adam he told him that he was special and made in his image, also he had dominion over all the earth and the creatures in it. Since Adam was in charge so to speak, he was then charged with the duty of naming all the animals in the Animal Kingdom.

To further this attempt of separation from nature, Western religion took on a patriarchal nature. The god-head of this system was to be a male. This male god was endowed with all the creative abilities of man. He is able to create on his own with no feminine energy. When he did create mankind (as told by creation story of Genesis) he first created the male. This male was in his image and unto his likeness (this serves an important clue to the nature of man). The female was then given birth to from the male. The woman is not thought of as existing in her own right, unto her own energetic nature. In this model she is of the man. It cuts all ties with the feminine energies of mankind. In doing this, religion has again furthered the attempt of man in its separation from nature, which is a feminine principle.

When Jesus, the savior of this religion, is born, his mother is made a virgin; again disregarding the need for the feminine principle. He too is to be made a virgin and now belongs to the male Trinity of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (which is asexual).

The creation story and fall from grace depicted in Genesis of the Christian Bible is a highly symbolic one; it is meant to represent the birth of a consciousness rather than the physical birth of mankind. After the male God spoken of earlier had created man and woman, He leaves them in a blissful garden to do as they please. He rendezvous with them often and does not hesitate to show them His face (something that is not done now due to the sinful nature of man). They may eat from any and all tree with the exception of one; it is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The woman, however, is tempted by the adversary of God to eat of this tree and so she does. After she does this, she convinces her male counterpart to do the same thing and ever since then mankind had been on a wild ride of suffering and sin. This is the story as told by many Christian denominations.

What is largely misunderstood by this story is that it is not a "fall from grace" at all but an evolution in the consciousness of man. The state of man in the Garden of Eden was unquestioning. Mankind would rendezvous with God whenever they pleased and was always aware of his presence. This represents the biological and innate knowing that man had of himself and his godhood. Mankind had no inhibitions and was close to the earth and the rest of creature-hood. However, mankind became curious; he wanted to be a conscious creator. As discussed earlier, this meant that the species must separate somewhat from this biological knowing and must become more conscious of CHOICE. This awareness of choice is exhibited in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Good and evil however are relative; a more apt vocabulary would be wanted and unwanted since there is no source of evil. The decision to eat from this tree was the decision of the species to evolve their consciousness and knowingly pick from the field of possibilities to create their desires.

Religion has readily served its function to mankind. Not only has it supported the species' desire to evolve in consciousness, but has also accurately depicted the history of itself and the consciousness of mankind in such stories above. It is really up to us whether or not we will listen and remember or whether we will distort these stories to only further separate ourselves from our True Self. The choice has always ours even when we were not and are still not aware of it.

Andrea Gardiner offers metaphysical coaching and intuitive guidance. After spending two years in Naturopathic Medical School, she acknowledged that her soul art is expressed through spiritual healing and teaching. Since leaving the arena of medicine she acquired her second bachelor and masters in metaphysics and is currenlty a PhD candidate. She currently finds satisfaction serving her soul and her clients in her practice, The Path to You, LLC. To learn more about her services please feel free to visit byregion.net/cgibin/users/profiles.pl?username=agardiner or call 860.335.8157.

Origin of Religion - Seven Stages in the Evolution of Religion

Have you ever wondered about the origin of religion? Those of you who have given birth or watched the birth of of a child know that babies do not come into the world with religious sensibilities. No baby has ever exclaimed "Oh My God," or "Jesus Christ," at birth. So where then does religion come from? How did humans ever begin to exhibit religious traits?

The answer is that religion, like humans and all other things in existence, has evolved over time as represented by the following story.

In the time before time, there was a loosely organized community in which the men went out to hunt for food and the women remained behind to take care of the families. Sometimes these men would be gone for weeks at a time. On one such occasion, after three weeks of not catching or killing any animals, the men gathered what berries, plants, and fruits they could find and headed home.

One desperate fellow refused to return with such meager goods. He continued the search. Three days later, he encountered a tree in which an animal was entangled. Seeing this event, the man could have interpreted it many ways; however, he chose what became the first religious expression - he exclaimed that the tree had caught an animal for him. He bowed before the tree, gave it thanks, then looked around and noticed that none of the other trees had caught such an animal. This tree was special. It possessed a power which the other trees did not possess. Thus was born the notion of the sacred and the profane - the first stage in the evolution of religion. The sacred is that which possesses power and the profane is ordinary things which are powerless. The man took the animal home where he was hailed as a hero.

His wife took some of the skin of the animal and made the man a headdress which he wore as the people formed a circle around him and celebrated his feat. There was dancing and singing and out of this celebration emerged shamanism which is the oldest form of religion and the second development in the evolution of religion.

The next day, the man took the head of the animal and mounted it on a pole. He led a group of villagers to the tree where he erected the pole a few feet from the tree. These acts represent the third stage in the evolution of religion - totem and taboo. The people are told that this is the tree of life and all are forbidden to touch the tree or even visit it, except the shaman. His wife gathers a few fallen leaves and branches and takes them home with which she makes a crown for the shaman to wear.

Although the men continue to go hunting, the main source of food for this community becomes the tree and they begin to call themselves people of the tree. However, one day, the shaman goes to the tree but there is no animal. He concludes that someone has violated the taboo and he invents a ritual to identify the guilty person which turns out to be the only blond haired woman in the tribe. She is killed and her blood is sprinkled over the base of the tree. This ritual of sacrifice will be practiced whenever the tree does not catch an animal for the shaman.

Later, the shaman dies and his son takes his place. One night while worshiping the tree, the son sees his father, although his father has been dead for some time. The son develops rituals and ceremonies to honor his father who appears from time to time. This next stage in the origin of religion is called animism - the worship of ancestors and later spirits which is the second oldest form of religion. When the mother dies, she too is worshiped and praised.

Unfortunately, one day there is a terrible fire and the forest around this village is destroyed, including the tree. The shaman is also killed while praying to the tree to save the forest. Depression and terror beset the community. The shaman's son is elevated to shaman even though he is but a boy. He is at a loss what to do until one night his grandmother visits him and tells him to lead his people to a place beyond the forest.

When they arrive there after many trials and tribulations, a memorial is erected to the grandmother and she is declared a goddess who is the new protector and provider of this community. In a visit from his grandmother, the son shaman receives instructions how to gather and plant all kinds of fruits and vegetables and grains. Goddess worship is the fourth stage in the evolution of religion.

In subsequent generations, a revolt takes place and the original shaman is elevated from animism to god status and so are all the subsequent shamans and their wives. This establishes a transitional phase of gods and goddesses which is the fifth stage of religious development and its shortest phase as the next phase, the age of the gods replace it and this sixth phase will after only a few generations be replaced by the seventh and final phase - the idea of one ultimate reality.

Here, some people will settle on the idea of one god, while others will settle on a state of being or non-being, and others on energy or a force.

Don E. Peavy, Sr., J.D., Mdiv. Is an adjunct faculty member of religious studies and an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) For more information http://www.authorsden.com/donepeavysr To answer your questions regarding religion, visit my website http://www.authorsden.com/donepeavysr