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==90:5. PRIESTS AND RITUALS==

==90:5. PRIESTS AND RITUALS==

90:5.1 The essence of the ritual is the perfection of its performance; among savages it must be practiced with exact precision. It is only when the ritual has been correctly carried out that the ceremony possesses compelling power over the spirits. If the ritual is faulty, it only arouses the anger and resentment of the gods. Therefore, since man's slowly evolving mind conceived that the technique of ritual was the decisive factor in its efficacy, it was inevitable that the early shamans should sooner or later evolve into a priesthood trained to direct the meticulous practice of the ritual. And so for tens of thousands of years endless rituals have hampered society and cursed civilization, have been an intolerable burden to every act of life, every racial undertaking.

90:5.1 The [[essence]] of the [[ritual]] is the [[perfection]] of its [[performance]]; among [[savages]] it must be practiced with exact precision. It is only when the [[ritual]] has been correctly carried out that the [[ceremony]] possesses compelling [[power]] over the spirits. If the [[ritual]] is faulty, it only arouses the anger and resentment of the gods. Therefore, since man's slowly evolving [[mind]] conceived that the [[technique]] of ritual was the decisive factor in its efficacy, it was [[inevitable]] that the early [[shamans]] should sooner or later evolve into a [[priesthood]] [[trained]] to direct the meticulous [[practice]] of the [[ritual]]. And so for tens of thousands of years endless [[rituals]] have hampered [[society]] and [[cursed]] [[civilization]], have been an intolerable burden to every [[act]] of life, every racial undertaking.

90:5.2 Ritual is the technique of sanctifying custom; ritual creates and perpetuates myths as well as contributing to the preservation of social and religious customs. Again, ritual itself has been fathered by myths. Rituals are often at first social, later becoming economic and finally acquiring the sanctity and dignity of religious ceremonial. Ritual may be personal or group in practice—or both—as illustrated by prayer, dancing, and drama.

90:5.2 [[Ritual]] is the [[technique]] of sanctifying [[custom]]; [[ritual]] [[creates]] and perpetuates [[myths]] as well as contributing to the preservation of [[social]] and [[religious]] [[customs]]. Again, [[ritual]] itself has been fathered by [[myths]]. Rituals are often at first [[social]], later becoming [[economic]] and finally acquiring the [[sanctity]] and [[dignity]] of religious [[ceremonial]]. Ritual may be [[personal]] or [[group]] in [[practice]]—or both—as [[illustrated]] by [[prayer]], [[dancing]], and [[drama]].

90:5.3 Words become a part of ritual, such as the use of terms like amen and selah. The habit of swearing, profanity, represents a prostitution of former ritualistic repetition of holy names. The making of pilgrimages to sacred shrines is a very ancient ritual. The ritual next grew into elaborate ceremonies of purification, cleansing, and sanctification. The initiation ceremonies of the primitive tribal secret societies were in reality a crude religious rite. The worship technique of the olden mystery cults was just one long performance of accumulated religious ritual. Ritual finally developed into the modern types of social ceremonials and religious worship, services embracing prayer, song, responsive reading, and other individual and group spiritual devotions.

90:5.3 [[Words]] become a part of [[ritual]], such as the use of terms like [[amen]] and [[selah]]. The [[habit]] of swearing, profanity, [[represents]] a [[prostitution]] of former ritualistic [[repetition]] of [[holy]] [[names]]. The making of [[pilgrimages]] to [[sacred]] [[shrines]] is a very [[ancient]] [[ritual]]. The ritual next grew into elaborate ceremonies of [[purification]], cleansing, and sanctification. The [[initiation]] [[ceremonies]] of the [[primitive]] tribal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_societies secret societies] were in reality a crude [[religious]] rite. The [[worship]] [[technique]] of the olden [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_cults mystery cults] was just one long [[performance]] of accumulated religious [[ritual]]. Ritual finally [[developed]] into the [[modern]] types of social ceremonials and religious [[worship]], services embracing [[prayer]], [[song]], responsive [[reading]], and other [[individual]] and [[group]] spiritual [[devotions]].

90:5.4 The priests evolved from shamans up through oracles, diviners, singers, dancers, weathermakers, guardians of religious relics, temple custodians, and foretellers of events, to the status of actual directors of religious worship. Eventually the office became hereditary; a continuous priestly caste arose.

90:5.4 The [[priests]] evolved from [[shamans]] up through [[oracles]], diviners, singers, [[dancers]], weathermakers, guardians of religious [[relics]], [[temple]] custodians, and foretellers of [[events]], to the status of actual directors of religious [[worship]]. [[Eventually]] the office became hereditary; a continuous [[priestly]] [[caste]] arose.

90:5.5 As religion evolved, priests began to specialize according to their innate talents or special predilections. Some became singers, others prayers, and still others sacrificers; later came the orators—preachers. And when religion became institutionalized, these priests claimed to " hold the keys of heaven. "

90:5.5 As [[religion]] evolved, [[priests]] began to specialize according to their innate [[talents]] or special predilections. Some became singers, others prayers, and still others sacrificers; later came the [[orators]]—preachers. And when [[religion]] became institutionalized, these [[priests]] claimed to "hold the keys of heaven."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Gospel_of_matthew#Chapter_16]

90:5.6 The priests have always sought to impress and awe the common people by conducting the religious ritual in an ancient tongue and by sundry magical passes so to mystify the worshipers as to enhance their own piety and authority. The great danger in all this is that the ritual tends to become a substitute for religion.

90:5.6 The [[priests]] have always sought to impress and awe the common people by conducting the religious [[ritual]] in an [[ancient]] [[tongue]] and by sundry magical passes so to [[mystify]] the [[worshipers]] as to enhance their own [[piety]] and [[authority]]. The great [[danger]] in all this is that the [[ritual]] tends to become a substitute for [[religion]].

90:5.7 The priesthoods have done much to delay scientific development and to hinder spiritual progress, but they have contributed to the stabilization of civilization and to the enhancement of certain kinds of culture. But many modern priests have ceased to function as directors of the ritual of the worship of God, having turned their attention to theology—the attempt to define God.

90:5.7 The [[priesthoods]] have done much to delay [[scientific]] [[development]] and to hinder [[spiritual]] [[progress]], but they have contributed to the [[stabilization]] of [[civilization]] and to the enhancement of certain kinds of [[culture]]. But many [[modern]] [[priests]] have ceased to [[function]] as directors of the [[ritual]] of the [[worship]] of [[God]], having turned their [[attention]] to [[theology]]—the attempt to define [[God]].

90:5.8 It is not denied that the priests have been a millstone about the neck of the races, but the true religious leaders have been invaluable in pointing the way to higher and better realities.

90:5.8 It is not denied that the [[priests]] have been a millstone about the neck of the races, but the true religious [[leaders]] have been invaluable in pointing the way to higher and better [[realities]].

90:5.9 Presented by a [[Melchizedek]] of [[Nebadon]].

90:5.9 Presented by a [[Melchizedek]] of [[Nebadon]].

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[[Category: PART III: The History of Urantia]]

[[Category: PART III: The History of Urantia]]