Valery Staricov
Registered Member
Three world religions exist:
• Buddhism,
• Christianity,
• Islam.
Mechanism of religious control was built in each of the world religions.
Religious control consist in that priest compels by believers to observe the religious norms of behavior under threat to send to paradise or hell. As it considered in the Middle Ages, keys from sky are in pocket of Rome’s pontiff. I am atheist, I don’t believe to paradise and hell and if I will destined to be in hell, I hope to meet the most clever and merry group of friends in hell. I consider that it is necessary to believe not in God but only in itself and in own forces, therefore i the religion is considered from the point of view of atheism and a science n this article though I recognize benefit of religion and uselessness of attempts it to cancel.
Five elements of mechanism of religious control:
• Myth about requital beyond the grave, which had proved the existence of religious sanctions in the hands of priests. Religious sanctions in Christianity and Islam are a threat of eternal torments in hell and eternal pleasure in paradise. The religious sanctions in Buddhism is a promise of benefits in process of resettlement of souls (myth about reincarnation) as Vladimir Vysotsky sings: “Hindus had invented the good religion if people would behave itself well to this life, that
This people will be the Chief or Minister in the next life, if people would behave itself badly, that this people will be snake or baobab in next life”. The myth about hell and paradise had be invented in Judaism in the old Testament for the first time. There is a myth about the The Last Judgement over of living and died men after doomsday in Christianity and Islam, as result righteous men will find the eternal pleasure in paradise, and sinners together with the devil and his servants will be denounced to eternal torments in hell. Cycle of regenerations (sansara) is associated with suffering in Budhism. The best exit out this cycle of suffering is a path just life, which should lead of man to nonexistence, to immersing in the condition of Nirvana.
Conclusion: the most effective myth about requital beyond the grave had be invented in Christianity and this myth had been borrowed from Christianity to Islam.
• Monotheism. Monotheism is a myth about one God. Polytheism is myth about many Gods. It was difficult by priest under polytheism , for example in Ancient Rome, to compel the believers to observe the rules of behavior. Invention of monotheism had allowed by priest to order to believers to observe the norms of behavior from the person of a single God which has one code of norms and one will. Monotheism was invented for the first time in Judaism, where a single God by name Jahveh had created World and Man for seven days. Acts of this God and misadventures of the people of Israel was described in the Old Testament. New Testament arose in 1‐2 centuries of New Era and it consists from
four books (Gospels), where it is explained about the life of Jesus Christ (son of God), actions of Apostles (pupils) that Holy Spirit had gone to the Apostles a few days after the Ascension of Jesus Christ to the sky, Apostles learned to speak to different languages suddenly and Apostles went to teach Christianity in different countries. Thus, there were three Gods in Christianity historically -the father, son of God (Christ), the Holy Spirit. But it needed one God only. Therefore priests met twice to Ecumenical Councils and priests had decided to believe that God is one in three persons in three hypostases. Alexandria’s Bishop Arius did not understand the social order and Arius continued insist to the traditional point of view that God‐father is the only God and Christ is not true God, but only an excellent creation of God‐father”. Therefore the Arius has been declared as heretic in Nicaea’s Council, Arius has been separated from of Church and he has been banished to exile. Such bitter fate expected and other priests who had deviated from line to building of mechanism of religious. For example, Iconfighters fought against the introduction of icons in Byzantium in 7‐8 centuries of New Era, because Iconfighters did not understand the benefits of icons for strengthening of religious control. Iconfighters referred to the God’s commandment “You Don’t create myself idol!”. Icon plays the role of visual aids for illiterate believers, where these believers see clearly the pictures of The Last Judgement, paradise and hell. The creator of Islam Muhammad has made conclusions of the problems of Christians with monotheism and with dogma about Trinity, therefore Muhammad proclaimed the strict monotheism: “Allah is the only God and Mohammed are just his Prophet”, that is Muhammad is not God, but Muhammad is a usual man to whom God inspired their truths. Conclusion: principle of monotheism is led more strictly in Islam than in Christianity, this is the only advantage of Islam in comparison with Christianity.
• The cult, as a system of ceremonials, symbolic intensifier of influence on believers in the hands of a priest. There are follow means to strengthen of influence on believers: icon, bell, organ’s music at Catholics, majestic architecture, drums and copper plates at Buddhists, gilt appareling of priests, magnificent furniture inside the temple, cross on neck at Christians, numerous bows and etc All pictures of humans and animals inside the temple are forbidden in Islam. Magnificent worship service in dacans (monasteries) is typicalness for Buddhism, where there are sculptures of Buddha and other gods of Lamaist pantheon. Conclusion: poor cult in Islam is disadvantage compared with Christianity and even Buddhism.
• The clergy, as hierarchical pyramid of priests with severe discipline within this pyramid. This pyramid had arisen not at once. Traveling priests preached the religion in period of
the formation of Christianity. They preached Christianity to own discretion. This led to constant disputes on religious questions. To overcome the strife, single hierarchical organization (the Christian Church) was created at Nicea’s Council in 325, this Church consists of clergy (organization of priests) and laymen (
Hierarchy within the Catholic Church: Pontiff of Rome, Bishop, Presbyter, Deacon. It needs the blind subordination from the lower ranks to Supreme ranks. Excommunication from Church, pilgrimage to holy places, public repentance, scourging, wearing of shameful signs, imprisonment were applied as punishment in Church. Inquisition transfers heretics persisting in heresy to the hands of secular authorities for burning on fire. Any attempts to divide the Church, to change dogmas without decision of Ecumenical Council or Rome’s Pontiff, to break a mechanism of religious control was stopped in the root with help of these cruel punishments. Similar hierarchical pyramids have been created in Islam and a Lamaism.
• Control for observance of religious norms.
Parish priests engaged to upbringing of believers directly, priests leaned to the Bible in their sermons and priests interpreted Bible’s content in different ways depending from the situation.
Two methods are known of control over observance of religious norms:
-The supervising for believers in side of a priest, the believer should recognized to priest in their sins at confession.
-The supervising for the believers in side of the community.
Conclusion: the second form of control is more effective.
The Pope of Rome received huge income from all Catholic countries of Western Europe in the middle ages. Pope of Rome and Cardinals lived in luxury, they spent own time at feasts and hunting, such a way of life became a disgrace for the Catholic Church. Pope of Rome ordered to sell the indulgences throughout all Europe. Sale of indulgences has become the last drop which overflowed the bowl of patience
of believers. Moreover, layer of people has appeared in Western Europe, this people could count own money, it was the layer of entrepreneurs. They have arranged a religious revolution (Reformation), as result of which the countries of Northern Europe have become Protestant and it have ceased to pay money to Pontiff of Rome. The first to Protestant prophets have become Luther in Germany and Calvin in Switzerland.
German sociologist Max Weber has reflected the essence of this Protestant revolution in work “Protestant ethics and spirit of capitalism”, which he had written in 1904‐1905. Weber considered that Protestant ethics and religion has generated to capitalism. Protestant religion has urged to work persistently, assistance and let them into circulation, that to get new money. Calvin invented the myth about predetermination, entity of which consists in follows. Protestants believed that only such men hit to paradise as men was elected by God in advance from birth. People do not know in advance own destiny, own predefinition – to hit to paradise or hell, but people may guess. For that man should engage to the business. If man has grown rich as result of enterprise activity, that means that he has elected by God and God helps in business him already under Earth's life.
Here is a precepts from the Code of Builder of capitalism, which Calvin cited in their speeches:
• Time is money.
• Money bears the new money.
• If men produced the fat from livestock, that entrepreneurs produced the money from men.
• If man pays debts in time, that purse of other men is opened for this man.
• Knock of your hammer inspires the calmness for your creditors.
Calvin has restructured a little, but Calvin has not destroyed the mechanism of religious control. He left in inviolability the myth about requital beyond the grave and monotheism, but Calvin changed strongly the cult. Calvin has canceled the using of icons, crucifixes, crosses, frescos, expensive clothes of priests etc, with aim
to make the Church by “cheap”, Protestants (Huguenots) rushed to Catholic temples and cut by icons with help of axes during a religious war with Catholics in France. Calvin has destroyed the hierarchical pyramid within clergy. Calvin has reduced number of priests cardinally, it has allowed to cut down expenses on their maintenance strongly. Monasteries have been closed, since Calvin considered monks as the parasites, doomed to get in a hell. Priests have been ceased to appoint from above, community has begun to choose of priests from its environment. Bible has been translated with not clear for many men Latin language into national languages (German, English, French and so on). Because the simple believers has received the opportunity to read the Bible every day themselves and engaged to self‐education. Only priest had the right to save the believers from sine earlier, believers were able to save themselves now. Calvin had canceled the confession. Calvin had forbidden even expensive clothing and entertainments in
Geneva even that it didn’t prevent by Protestants to engage in their main affairs – to pray and to work.
Conclusion: the Protestant
religion is the most advanced and useful in an era of capitalism.
The benefit of religion is that religion helps to establish the social peace and to satisfy human need in consolation of feelings of grief, trouble, loneliness and especially fear before death.
Elite saw in Christianity as “the bridle” for plebeians. Russian communists tried to destroy religion and Church as the latest counter‐revolutionary party, but communists were unable to destroy religion, because to cancel the fear before death is not possible in principle. This campaign of communists against religion has ended with a failure since the mechanism of religious control is a great social invention, Such inventions never disappear in the history but only collect.
I ask that readers write аnswers to my article clearly and simply so I am Russian and I speak English bad.
• Buddhism,
• Christianity,
• Islam.
Mechanism of religious control was built in each of the world religions.
Religious control consist in that priest compels by believers to observe the religious norms of behavior under threat to send to paradise or hell. As it considered in the Middle Ages, keys from sky are in pocket of Rome’s pontiff. I am atheist, I don’t believe to paradise and hell and if I will destined to be in hell, I hope to meet the most clever and merry group of friends in hell. I consider that it is necessary to believe not in God but only in itself and in own forces, therefore i the religion is considered from the point of view of atheism and a science n this article though I recognize benefit of religion and uselessness of attempts it to cancel.
Five elements of mechanism of religious control:
• Myth about requital beyond the grave, which had proved the existence of religious sanctions in the hands of priests. Religious sanctions in Christianity and Islam are a threat of eternal torments in hell and eternal pleasure in paradise. The religious sanctions in Buddhism is a promise of benefits in process of resettlement of souls (myth about reincarnation) as Vladimir Vysotsky sings: “Hindus had invented the good religion if people would behave itself well to this life, that
This people will be the Chief or Minister in the next life, if people would behave itself badly, that this people will be snake or baobab in next life”. The myth about hell and paradise had be invented in Judaism in the old Testament for the first time. There is a myth about the The Last Judgement over of living and died men after doomsday in Christianity and Islam, as result righteous men will find the eternal pleasure in paradise, and sinners together with the devil and his servants will be denounced to eternal torments in hell. Cycle of regenerations (sansara) is associated with suffering in Budhism. The best exit out this cycle of suffering is a path just life, which should lead of man to nonexistence, to immersing in the condition of Nirvana.
Conclusion: the most effective myth about requital beyond the grave had be invented in Christianity and this myth had been borrowed from Christianity to Islam.
• Monotheism. Monotheism is a myth about one God. Polytheism is myth about many Gods. It was difficult by priest under polytheism , for example in Ancient Rome, to compel the believers to observe the rules of behavior. Invention of monotheism had allowed by priest to order to believers to observe the norms of behavior from the person of a single God which has one code of norms and one will. Monotheism was invented for the first time in Judaism, where a single God by name Jahveh had created World and Man for seven days. Acts of this God and misadventures of the people of Israel was described in the Old Testament. New Testament arose in 1‐2 centuries of New Era and it consists from
four books (Gospels), where it is explained about the life of Jesus Christ (son of God), actions of Apostles (pupils) that Holy Spirit had gone to the Apostles a few days after the Ascension of Jesus Christ to the sky, Apostles learned to speak to different languages suddenly and Apostles went to teach Christianity in different countries. Thus, there were three Gods in Christianity historically -the father, son of God (Christ), the Holy Spirit. But it needed one God only. Therefore priests met twice to Ecumenical Councils and priests had decided to believe that God is one in three persons in three hypostases. Alexandria’s Bishop Arius did not understand the social order and Arius continued insist to the traditional point of view that God‐father is the only God and Christ is not true God, but only an excellent creation of God‐father”. Therefore the Arius has been declared as heretic in Nicaea’s Council, Arius has been separated from of Church and he has been banished to exile. Such bitter fate expected and other priests who had deviated from line to building of mechanism of religious. For example, Iconfighters fought against the introduction of icons in Byzantium in 7‐8 centuries of New Era, because Iconfighters did not understand the benefits of icons for strengthening of religious control. Iconfighters referred to the God’s commandment “You Don’t create myself idol!”. Icon plays the role of visual aids for illiterate believers, where these believers see clearly the pictures of The Last Judgement, paradise and hell. The creator of Islam Muhammad has made conclusions of the problems of Christians with monotheism and with dogma about Trinity, therefore Muhammad proclaimed the strict monotheism: “Allah is the only God and Mohammed are just his Prophet”, that is Muhammad is not God, but Muhammad is a usual man to whom God inspired their truths. Conclusion: principle of monotheism is led more strictly in Islam than in Christianity, this is the only advantage of Islam in comparison with Christianity.
• The cult, as a system of ceremonials, symbolic intensifier of influence on believers in the hands of a priest. There are follow means to strengthen of influence on believers: icon, bell, organ’s music at Catholics, majestic architecture, drums and copper plates at Buddhists, gilt appareling of priests, magnificent furniture inside the temple, cross on neck at Christians, numerous bows and etc All pictures of humans and animals inside the temple are forbidden in Islam. Magnificent worship service in dacans (monasteries) is typicalness for Buddhism, where there are sculptures of Buddha and other gods of Lamaist pantheon. Conclusion: poor cult in Islam is disadvantage compared with Christianity and even Buddhism.
• The clergy, as hierarchical pyramid of priests with severe discipline within this pyramid. This pyramid had arisen not at once. Traveling priests preached the religion in period of
the formation of Christianity. They preached Christianity to own discretion. This led to constant disputes on religious questions. To overcome the strife, single hierarchical organization (the Christian Church) was created at Nicea’s Council in 325, this Church consists of clergy (organization of priests) and laymen (
Hierarchy within the Catholic Church: Pontiff of Rome, Bishop, Presbyter, Deacon. It needs the blind subordination from the lower ranks to Supreme ranks. Excommunication from Church, pilgrimage to holy places, public repentance, scourging, wearing of shameful signs, imprisonment were applied as punishment in Church. Inquisition transfers heretics persisting in heresy to the hands of secular authorities for burning on fire. Any attempts to divide the Church, to change dogmas without decision of Ecumenical Council or Rome’s Pontiff, to break a mechanism of religious control was stopped in the root with help of these cruel punishments. Similar hierarchical pyramids have been created in Islam and a Lamaism.
• Control for observance of religious norms.
Parish priests engaged to upbringing of believers directly, priests leaned to the Bible in their sermons and priests interpreted Bible’s content in different ways depending from the situation.
Two methods are known of control over observance of religious norms:
-The supervising for believers in side of a priest, the believer should recognized to priest in their sins at confession.
-The supervising for the believers in side of the community.
Conclusion: the second form of control is more effective.
The Pope of Rome received huge income from all Catholic countries of Western Europe in the middle ages. Pope of Rome and Cardinals lived in luxury, they spent own time at feasts and hunting, such a way of life became a disgrace for the Catholic Church. Pope of Rome ordered to sell the indulgences throughout all Europe. Sale of indulgences has become the last drop which overflowed the bowl of patience
of believers. Moreover, layer of people has appeared in Western Europe, this people could count own money, it was the layer of entrepreneurs. They have arranged a religious revolution (Reformation), as result of which the countries of Northern Europe have become Protestant and it have ceased to pay money to Pontiff of Rome. The first to Protestant prophets have become Luther in Germany and Calvin in Switzerland.
German sociologist Max Weber has reflected the essence of this Protestant revolution in work “Protestant ethics and spirit of capitalism”, which he had written in 1904‐1905. Weber considered that Protestant ethics and religion has generated to capitalism. Protestant religion has urged to work persistently, assistance and let them into circulation, that to get new money. Calvin invented the myth about predetermination, entity of which consists in follows. Protestants believed that only such men hit to paradise as men was elected by God in advance from birth. People do not know in advance own destiny, own predefinition – to hit to paradise or hell, but people may guess. For that man should engage to the business. If man has grown rich as result of enterprise activity, that means that he has elected by God and God helps in business him already under Earth's life.
Here is a precepts from the Code of Builder of capitalism, which Calvin cited in their speeches:
• Time is money.
• Money bears the new money.
• If men produced the fat from livestock, that entrepreneurs produced the money from men.
• If man pays debts in time, that purse of other men is opened for this man.
• Knock of your hammer inspires the calmness for your creditors.
Calvin has restructured a little, but Calvin has not destroyed the mechanism of religious control. He left in inviolability the myth about requital beyond the grave and monotheism, but Calvin changed strongly the cult. Calvin has canceled the using of icons, crucifixes, crosses, frescos, expensive clothes of priests etc, with aim
to make the Church by “cheap”, Protestants (Huguenots) rushed to Catholic temples and cut by icons with help of axes during a religious war with Catholics in France. Calvin has destroyed the hierarchical pyramid within clergy. Calvin has reduced number of priests cardinally, it has allowed to cut down expenses on their maintenance strongly. Monasteries have been closed, since Calvin considered monks as the parasites, doomed to get in a hell. Priests have been ceased to appoint from above, community has begun to choose of priests from its environment. Bible has been translated with not clear for many men Latin language into national languages (German, English, French and so on). Because the simple believers has received the opportunity to read the Bible every day themselves and engaged to self‐education. Only priest had the right to save the believers from sine earlier, believers were able to save themselves now. Calvin had canceled the confession. Calvin had forbidden even expensive clothing and entertainments in
Geneva even that it didn’t prevent by Protestants to engage in their main affairs – to pray and to work.
Conclusion: the Protestant
religion is the most advanced and useful in an era of capitalism.
The benefit of religion is that religion helps to establish the social peace and to satisfy human need in consolation of feelings of grief, trouble, loneliness and especially fear before death.
Elite saw in Christianity as “the bridle” for plebeians. Russian communists tried to destroy religion and Church as the latest counter‐revolutionary party, but communists were unable to destroy religion, because to cancel the fear before death is not possible in principle. This campaign of communists against religion has ended with a failure since the mechanism of religious control is a great social invention, Such inventions never disappear in the history but only collect.
I ask that readers write аnswers to my article clearly and simply so I am Russian and I speak English bad.
