Changes

87:1.2 Though the [[savage]] credited ghosts with [[supernatural]] powers, he hardly conceived of them as having [[supernatural]] [[intelligence]]. Many tricks and stratagems were [[practiced]] in an [[effort]] to hoodwink and deceive the [[ghosts]]; civilized man still pins much [[faith]] on the [[hope]] that an outward [[manifestation]] of [[piety]] will in some [[manner]] [[deceive]] even an [[omniscient]] [[Deity]].

87:1.2 Though the [[savage]] credited ghosts with [[supernatural]] powers, he hardly conceived of them as having [[supernatural]] [[intelligence]]. Many tricks and stratagems were [[practiced]] in an [[effort]] to hoodwink and deceive the [[ghosts]]; civilized man still pins much [[faith]] on the [[hope]] that an outward [[manifestation]] of [[piety]] will in some [[manner]] [[deceive]] even an [[omniscient]] [[Deity]].

87:1.3 The [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_52#52:1._PRIMITIVE_MAN primitives] feared [[sickness]] because they [[observed]] it was often a harbinger of [[death]]. If the tribal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_man medicine man] failed to [[cure]] an afflicted [[individual]], the sick man was usually removed from the [[family]] hut, being taken to a smaller one or left in the open air to die alone. A house in which [[death]] had occurred was usually destroyed; if not, it was always avoided, and this [[fear]] prevented early man from building substantial dwellings. It also militated against the [[establishment]] of permanent villages and [[cities]].

87:1.3 The [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_52#52:1._PRIMITIVE_MAN primitives] feared [[sickness]] because they [[observed]] it was often a harbinger of [[death]]. If the tribal [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicine_man medicine man] failed to [[cure]] an afflicted [[individual]], the sick man was usually removed from the [[family]] hut, being taken to a smaller one or left in the open air to die alone. A house in which [[death]] had occurred was usually destroyed; if not, it was always avoided, and this [[fear]] prevented early man from building substantial dwellings. It also militated against the [[establishment]] of permanent villages and [[cities]].

87:1.4 The [[savages]] sat up all night and talked when a member of the [[clan]] died; they feared they too would die if they fell [[asleep]] in the vicinity of a corpse. [[Contagion]] from the corpse substantiated the [[fear]] of the [[dead]], and all peoples, at one [[time]] or another, have employed elaborate [[purification]] [[ceremonies]] designed to cleanse an [[individual]] after contact with the dead. The [[ancients]] believed that [[light]] must be provided for a corpse; a dead body was never permitted to remain in the [[dark]]. In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century twentieth century], candles are still burned in [[death]] chambers, and men still sit up with the dead. So-called civilized man has hardly yet completely eliminated the [[fear]] of dead bodies from his [[philosophy]] of life.

87:1.4 The [[savages]] sat up all night and talked when a member of the [[clan]] died; they feared they too would die if they fell [[asleep]] in the vicinity of a corpse. [[Contagion]] from the corpse substantiated the [[fear]] of the [[dead]], and all peoples, at one [[time]] or another, have employed elaborate [[purification]] [[ceremonies]] designed to cleanse an [[individual]] after contact with the dead. The [[ancients]] believed that [[light]] must be provided for a corpse; a dead body was never permitted to remain in the [[dark]]. In the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_Century twentieth century], candles are still burned in [[death]] chambers, and men still sit up with the dead. So-called civilized man has hardly yet completely eliminated the [[fear]] of dead bodies from his [[philosophy]] of life.

87:4.5 When the [[doctrine]] of good and bad spirits finally matured, it became the most widespread and [[persistent]] of all [[religious]] [[beliefs]]. This [[dualism]] [[represented]] a great religio-[[philosophic]] advance because it enabled man to account for both good luck and bad luck while at the same time believing in [[supermortal]] beings who were to some extent [[consistent]] in their [[behavior]]. The spirits could be counted on to be either good or bad; they were not thought of as being completely [[temperamental]] as the early ghosts of the monospiritism of most [[primitive]] [[religions]] had been conceived to be. Man was at last able to conceive of [[supermortal]] [[forces]] that were [[consistent]] in [[behavior]], and this was one of the most momentous [[discoveries]] of [[truth]] in the entire [[history]] of the [[evolution]] of [[religion]] and in the expansion of [[human]] [[philosophy]].

87:4.5 When the [[doctrine]] of good and bad spirits finally matured, it became the most widespread and [[persistent]] of all [[religious]] [[beliefs]]. This [[dualism]] [[represented]] a great religio-[[philosophic]] advance because it enabled man to account for both good luck and bad luck while at the same time believing in [[supermortal]] beings who were to some extent [[consistent]] in their [[behavior]]. The spirits could be counted on to be either good or bad; they were not thought of as being completely [[temperamental]] as the early ghosts of the monospiritism of most [[primitive]] [[religions]] had been conceived to be. Man was at last able to conceive of [[supermortal]] [[forces]] that were [[consistent]] in [[behavior]], and this was one of the most momentous [[discoveries]] of [[truth]] in the entire [[history]] of the [[evolution]] of [[religion]] and in the expansion of [[human]] [[philosophy]].

87:4.6 [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_92#92:3._THE_NATURE_OF_EVOLUTIONARY_RELIGION Evolutionary religion] has, however, paid a terrible price for the [[concept]] of dual spiritism. Man's early [[philosophy]] was able to [[reconcile]] spirit constancy with the [[vicissitudes]] of [[temporal]] fortune only by postulating two kinds of spirits, one good and the other bad. And while this [[belief]] did enable man to reconcile the [[variables]] of [[chance]] with a concept of unchanging [[supermortal]] [[forces]], this [[doctrine]] has ever since made it difficult for religionists to conceive of [[cosmic]] [[unity]]. The gods of evolutionary [[religion]] have generally been opposed by the [[forces]] of [[darkness]].

87:4.6 [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_92#92:3._THE_NATURE_OF_EVOLUTIONARY_RELIGION Evolutionary religion] has, however, paid a terrible price for the [[concept]] of dual spiritism. Man's early [[philosophy]] was able to [[reconcile]] spirit constancy with the [[vicissitudes]] of [[temporal]] fortune only by postulating two kinds of spirits, one good and the other bad. And while this [[belief]] did enable man to reconcile the [[variables]] of [[chance]] with a concept of unchanging [[supermortal]] [[forces]], this [[doctrine]] has ever since made it difficult for religionists to conceive of [[cosmic]] [[unity]]. The gods of evolutionary [[religion]] have generally been opposed by the [[forces]] of [[darkness]].

87:4.7 The [[tragedy]] of all this lies in the [[fact]] that, when these [[ideas]] were taking [[root]] in the [[primitive]] [[mind]] of man, there really were no bad or disharmonious spirits in all the world. Such an unfortunate situation did not develop until after the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_67#67:1._THE_CALIGASTIA_BETRAYAL Caligastic rebellion] and only [[persisted]] until [[Pentecost]]. The [[concept]] of good and evil as [[cosmic]] co-ordinates is, even in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century twentieth century], very much alive in [[human]] [[philosophy]]; most of the world's [[religions]] still carry this [[cultural]] birthmark of the long-gone days of the [[emerging]] [[ghost]] [[cults]].

87:4.7 The [[tragedy]] of all this lies in the [[fact]] that, when these [[ideas]] were taking [[root]] in the [[primitive]] [[mind]] of man, there really were no bad or disharmonious spirits in all the world. Such an unfortunate situation did not develop until after the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_67#67:1._THE_CALIGASTIA_BETRAYAL Caligastic rebellion] and only [[persisted]] until [[Pentecost]]. The [[concept]] of good and evil as [[cosmic]] co-ordinates is, even in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/20th_century twentieth century], very much alive in [[human]] [[philosophy]]; most of the world's [[religions]] still carry this [[cultural]] birthmark of the long-gone days of the [[emerging]] [[ghost]] [[cults]].

==87:5. THE ADVANCING GHOST CULT==

==87:5. THE ADVANCING GHOST CULT==

87:5.1 [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_52#52:1._PRIMITIVE_MAN Primitive man] viewed the spirits and [[ghosts]] as having almost unlimited [[rights]] but no [[duties]]; the spirits were [[thought]] to regard man as having manifold duties but no rights. The spirits were believed to look down upon man as constantly failing in the discharge of his [[spiritual]] [[duties]]. It was the general [[belief]] of [[mankind]] that ghosts levied a [[continuous]] [[tribute]] of [[service]] as the price of noninterference in [[human]] affairs, and the least mischance was laid to ghost [[activities]]. Early [[humans]] were so afraid they might overlook some [[honor]] due the gods that, after they had [[sacrificed]] to all known spirits, they did another turn to the "unknown gods,"[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Acts_of_the_Apostles#Acts.17] just to be thoroughly safe.

87:5.1 [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_52#52:1._PRIMITIVE_MAN Primitive man] viewed the spirits and [[ghosts]] as having almost unlimited [[rights]] but no [[duties]]; the spirits were [[thought]] to regard man as having manifold duties but no rights. The spirits were believed to look down upon man as constantly failing in the discharge of his [[spiritual]] [[duties]]. It was the general [[belief]] of [[mankind]] that ghosts levied a [[continuous]] [[tribute]] of [[service]] as the price of noninterference in [[human]] affairs, and the least mischance was laid to ghost [[activities]]. Early [[humans]] were so afraid they might overlook some [[honor]] due the gods that, after they had [[sacrificed]] to all known spirits, they did another turn to the "unknown gods,"[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Acts_of_the_Apostles#Acts.17] just to be thoroughly safe.

87:5.2 And now the simple [[ghost]] [[cult]] is followed by the [[practices]] of the more advanced and [[relatively]] [[complex]] spirit-ghost cult, the [[service]] and [[worship]] of the higher spirits as they evolved in man's [[primitive]] [[imagination]]. Religious [[ceremonial]] must keep pace with [[spirit]] [[evolution]] and [[progress]]. The expanded [[cult]] was but the art of [[self]]-[[maintenance]] [[practiced]] in relation to [[belief]] in [[supernatural]] [[beings]], [[self]]-[[adjustment]] to spirit environment. [[Industrial]] and [[military]] [[organizations]] were [[adjustments]] to natural and [[social]] [[environments]]. And as [[marriage]] arose to meet the demands of [[bisexuality]], so did [[religious]] [[organization]] evolve in [[response]] to the [[belief]] in higher spirit forces and [[spiritual]] [[beings]]. [[Religion]] [[represents]] man's [[adjustment]] to his [[illusions]] of the [[mystery]] of [[chance]]. Spirit [[fear]] and subsequent [[worship]] were [[adopted]] as insurance against misfortune, as [[prosperity]] [[policies]].

87:5.2 And now the simple [[ghost]] [[cult]] is followed by the [[practices]] of the more advanced and [[relatively]] [[complex]] spirit-ghost cult, the [[service]] and [[worship]] of the higher spirits as they evolved in man's [[primitive]] [[imagination]]. Religious [[ceremonial]] must keep pace with [[spirit]] [[evolution]] and [[progress]]. The expanded [[cult]] was but the art of [[self]]-[[maintenance]] [[practiced]] in relation to [[belief]] in [[supernatural]] [[beings]], [[self]]-[[adjustment]] to spirit environment. [[Industrial]] and [[military]] [[organizations]] were [[adjustments]] to natural and [[social]] [[environments]]. And as [[marriage]] arose to meet the demands of [[bisexuality]], so did [[religious]] [[organization]] evolve in [[response]] to the [[belief]] in higher spirit forces and [[spiritual]] [[beings]]. [[Religion]] [[represents]] man's [[adjustment]] to his [[illusions]] of the [[mystery]] of [[chance]]. Spirit [[fear]] and subsequent [[worship]] were [[adopted]] as insurance against misfortune, as [[prosperity]] [[policies]].

87:7.1 The [[cult]] [[type]] of [[social]] [[organization]] [[persisted]] because it provided a [[symbolism]] for the preservation and [[stimulation]] of [[moral]] sentiments and religious [[loyalties]]. The [[cult]] grew out of the [[traditions]] of "old families" and was perpetuated as an [[established]] [[institution]]; all [[families]] have a [[cult]] of some sort. Every [[inspiring]] [[ideal]] grasps for some perpetuating [[symbolism]]—seeks some [[technique]] for [[cultural]] [[manifestation]] which will insure [[survival]] and augment [[realization]]—and the [[cult]] [[achieves]] this end by fostering and gratifying [[emotion]].

87:7.1 The [[cult]] [[type]] of [[social]] [[organization]] [[persisted]] because it provided a [[symbolism]] for the preservation and [[stimulation]] of [[moral]] sentiments and religious [[loyalties]]. The [[cult]] grew out of the [[traditions]] of "old families" and was perpetuated as an [[established]] [[institution]]; all [[families]] have a [[cult]] of some sort. Every [[inspiring]] [[ideal]] grasps for some perpetuating [[symbolism]]—seeks some [[technique]] for [[cultural]] [[manifestation]] which will insure [[survival]] and augment [[realization]]—and the [[cult]] [[achieves]] this end by fostering and gratifying [[emotion]].

87:7.2 From the [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_68 dawn of civilization] every appealing [[movement]] in [[social]] [[culture]] or [[religious]] advancement has developed a [[ritual]], a symbolic [[ceremonial]]. The more this [[ritual]] has been an [[unconscious]] [[growth]], the stronger it has gripped its devotees. The [[cult]] preserved sentiment and satisfied [[emotion]], but it has always been the greatest obstacle to [[social]] reconstruction and [[spiritual]] [[progress]].

87:7.2 From the [https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_68 dawn of civilization] every appealing [[movement]] in [[social]] [[culture]] or [[religious]] advancement has developed a [[ritual]], a symbolic [[ceremonial]]. The more this [[ritual]] has been an [[unconscious]] [[growth]], the stronger it has gripped its devotees. The [[cult]] preserved sentiment and satisfied [[emotion]], but it has always been the greatest obstacle to [[social]] reconstruction and [[spiritual]] [[progress]].

87:7.3 Notwithstanding that the [[cult]] has always retarded [[social]] [[progress]], it is regrettable that so many [[modern]] believers in [[moral]] [[standards]] and [[spiritual]] [[ideals]] have no adequate [[symbolism]]—no [[cult]] of [[mutual]] [[support]]—nothing to belong to. But a religious cult cannot be [[manufactured]]; it must grow. And those of no two [[groups]] will be identical unless their rituals are [[arbitrarily]] [[standardized]] by [[authority]].

87:7.3 Notwithstanding that the [[cult]] has always retarded [[social]] [[progress]], it is regrettable that so many [[modern]] believers in [[moral]] [[standards]] and [[spiritual]] [[ideals]] have no adequate [[symbolism]]—no [[cult]] of [[mutual]] [[support]]—nothing to belong to. But a religious cult cannot be [[manufactured]]; it must grow. And those of no two [[groups]] will be identical unless their rituals are [[arbitrarily]] [[standardized]] by [[authority]].

87:7.11 Presented by a [[Brilliant Evening Star]] of [[Nebadon]].

87:7.11 Presented by a [[Brilliant Evening Star]] of [[Nebadon]].

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

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