On Mon, 25 Sep 2000 15:11:41 -0400, Todd Moody
<[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
>
>Actually, the priesthood is a pre-agricultural role.  A priest
>is, by definition, one who is authorized to present sacrifices to
>the gods, to propitiate them.  Even in hunting societies, the
>gods needed to be propitiated in hope of a favorable hunt.
>Animal sacrifice is older than agriculture, and where there are
>sacrifices there are priests, who may also be shamans.  When
>societies turned to agriculture, the nature of the sacrifices
>gradually changed as well.
>

Actually, hunter/gatherers do not have a priesthood other than a
single
shaman (maybe two).  Furthermore, animal sacrifice did not exist until
the
advent of animal husbandry.  Pastoral cultures sacrificed animals to a
god
or gods as a form of bribery/bartering for favors.  Agricultural
societies
had bread and cereal offerings.  Sacrifice was not a significant part
of
any society until animal husbandry and agriculture permitted more
"civilized" societies to arise.

As ardeith says, modern religions are a result of "totalitarian
agriculture".  Their mantra is "everyone must follow our way of life",
"convert the heathen HGs to christianity [or whatever] and make them
grow
food and herd animals".  The religion then reinforces to the
"have-nots"
that they should do what the "haves" want.  "Don't commit adultery"
although polygamy and "free sex" is a typical HG practice, "do not
steal"
although possessions are essentially meaningless in HG society, "do
what We
want because you will burn in hell if you don't" although HGs never
had any
concept of hell, sin, God, or the Devil before.

Brad