The story is a familiar one: a new religion is founded — or, as the sociologist Rodney Stark would say, a new sect is born from an older tradition — and over time it becomes successful. By success, I mean that it grows, becomes popular, and shows few signs of slowing down.
At some point during [...]
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In a recent report at Discovery News, Zahra Hirji discusses some exciting Aztec archaeological finds:
Aztec archaeologists can almost taste the jack pot. None of the empire’s royal burial sites have ever been found, but researchers participating in the Templo Mayor excavation project in downtown Mexico City think an emperor’s tomb is just around the corner.
In [...]
Tags:Aztec·Aztec deities·Aztec gods·caste·earth goddess·elites·emperor·Hindu·honor killings·India·mystification·power·royalty·social stratification·spiritual order·Tlaltecuhtli
There have been many articles over the past week reporting that an unusually large group (150 members) of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda has been engaging in systematic territorial expansion by attacking and killing neighboring groups. The Nature article notes that this is “cooperative behavior” and then quotes from the New York Times story:
These [...]
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The rise of chiefdoms, city-states, and empires following the Neolithic Revolution was greatly assisted by marrying religion to power, or using religion to maintain power. The relationship between religion and power thus has deep historical and structural roots. There have been times, however, when the abuse of power has spawned new religions or dissenting sects. [...]
Tags:Christianity·Constantine·power
