Changes

In addressing the subject of the origins of religion one is always in danger of offending the devout who believe that true religion originates only through [[divine]]ly given [[revelation]], or the [[skeptic]]s who maintain that religion is a human cultural product and thus heavily contrived if not outright [[fiction]]al.  My hope is that what I present here represents a "third way."  I will state in advance that my while my theory is fully humanistic and phenomenological, it by no means repudiates the possibility or [[reality]] of revelation.  I do claim, however, that religion as an attitude arises in the human heart prior to revelation, and insofar as revelations do exist they are, with few [[Sui Generis|exceptions]], sought and/or recognized by those hearts and minds that are religiously prepared for them, a priori.  

In addressing the subject of the origins of religion one is always in danger of offending the devout who believe that true religion originates only through [[divine]]ly given [[revelation]], or the [[skeptic]]s who maintain that religion is a human cultural product and thus heavily contrived if not outright [[fiction]]al.  My hope is that what I present here represents a "third way."  I will state in advance that my while my theory is fully humanistic and phenomenological, it by no means repudiates the possibility or [[reality]] of revelation.  I do claim, however, that religion as an attitude arises in the human heart prior to revelation, and insofar as revelations do exist they are, with few [[Sui Generis|exceptions]], sought and/or recognized by those hearts and minds that are religiously prepared for them, a priori.  

Most reflective persons will agree that established religions at a particular stage of development have a [[structure]] that is clearly an inextricable mix of [[history]], [[myth]] and [[ritual]]. Religions have wasted a lot of history as well as human lives in the [[process]] of bickering over which is true and correct, and in the struggle for dominance.  In particular, this struggle to establish one's own blend of history, myth and ritual as "[[truth]]" begs the question: Is there anything of substance underneath it all?  And if so, is that thing of substance common to the various religions?  This, of course, is the question posited by the "essence theology" described above, and in the sections that follow we present yet another possible answer.

Most reflective persons will agree that established religions at a particular stage of development have a [[structure]] that is clearly an inextricable mix of [[history]], [[myth]] and [[ritual]]. Religions have wasted a lot of history as well as human lives in the [[process]] of bickering over which is true and correct, and in the struggle for dominance.  In particular, this struggle to establish one's own blend of history, myth and ritual as "[[truth]]" begs the question: Is there anything of substance underneath it all?  And if so, is that thing of substance common to the various religions?  This, of course, is the question posed by the theologians listed above, and in the sections that follow we present yet another possible answer for consideration.

 

==Foundation==

==Foundation==

To begin our [[inquiry]], let's break the world down into its very simplest building blocks.  [[Science|Scientists]] tell us the world consists of only two things--[[matter]] and [[energy]]. The [[laws of thermodynamics]] tell us matter and energy are interchangeable and can neither be created nor destroyed. But arguably there is a Third Thing, and this This Third Thing is [[consciousness]].  So at the very outset we are forced to ask ourselves, '''"Is consciousness, like everything else, constructed out of matter and energy, or it is something [[quality|qualitatively]] different?"'''  This is perhaps the most important of all human questions, and the answer is the key to everything we believe about ourselves.  

To begin our [[inquiry]], let's break the world down into its very simplest building blocks.  [[Science|Scientists]] tell us the world consists of only two things--[[matter]] and [[energy]]. The [[laws of thermodynamics]] tell us matter and energy are interchangeable and can neither be created nor destroyed. But arguably there is a Third Thing, and this This Third Thing is [[consciousness]].  So at the very outset we are forced to ask ourselves, '''"Is consciousness, like everything else, constructed out of matter and energy, or it is something [[quality|qualitatively]] different?"'''  This is perhaps the most important of all human questions, and the answer is the key to everything we believe about ourselves.