The Big Con

[Cartoonist]

Picture a group of bearded men seated around a rock at the back of cave. The item on the agenda is revenue. Suddenly, one of them is hit with an inspiration.

I've got it! Why don't we declare some food as unclean unless we bless it? We can charge for each blessing.

And there you have the most revered man among the clergy.

[mr blur]

1. No, you're wrong. It was the Wisdom of the Ancients

Shame on you for being so cynical. I'll pray for you.

[Curmudgeoness]

2. That is how I have always pictured the Bible being written.

There have always been some really smart humans who love the idea of controlling others. I just can't believe how many people like to be controlled.

[AlbertCat]

5. humans who love the idea of controlling others

Or..... government.


All religion is is ancient government. Just claim your right to rule from the supernatural.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. And then you can promise paradise in the next world

as long as the subjects are good and tolerate all the bullshit thrown on them in this life. You can make peoples' lives very miserable and still have them stay in line....because Paradise.

[onager]

3. H.L. Mencken described the invention of religion...

...as something nearly like that. From memory but I think it's pretty close:

Once, when our ancestors lived in caves, rains came day after day. Many people drowned, and the rest kept moving up to higher ground.

When the survivors reached the very highest ground, the rains still came.

Finally one man screamed for the rains to stop. The rains did...purely by conincidence.

And that man became the first priest.

[DetlefK]

4. I prefer Stephen Baxter's idea:

(I forgot, which book.)
She had lost her child, was stricken with grief and went a little bit crazy. But she was also a little bit smarter than the others. She did something the others could not comprehend and earned a special and feared status in society. Being crazy, she started believing in things that didn't exist, but she also realized that she can use trickery and belief to manipulate others. She realized that she can make stupid people do smart things by using belief to manipulate them.

And that's why belief is a socially and evolutionary dominant trait.

[AlbertCat]

6. Then there's....

The tribe (an extended family) of hunter gatherers, profoundly ignorant of the causes in nature, ate the wrong mushroom and had a faboo, beautiful and terrifying trip! The leader made up a bunch of shit to explain it all and secured his "right" to rule.... because, y'know...supernatural!