I think our beliefs are due to 'external' and not 'internal' influences.
by Roduca
I'm sure it's happened in every ancient civilization that has ever existed, where someone (let's call him/her 'X') said to someone else 'don't go out into the woods or an animal will get you' and, sure enough sooner or later, that someone was mauled by a bear (or a saber-tooth). 'X' gained a reputation as having some kind of connection with the unknown and from then on his fellow tribesmen would give him beads or food to specify for them when it would be most prudent to enter the forest. 'X' undoubtedly found that instead of having to hunt & gather, he could, from that moment on, just sit around and tell others what to do and what not to do and be 'paid' for it (both in wealth and power). The more power he gained the more strongly he'd defend his power base. 'X' would probably have an apprentice, 'Y' - (perhaps the son of 'X') who moved around the village and kept an eye on who was saying what about whom, which he'd pass on to 'X'. 'Y' would also replace 'X' in times of sickness or upon the death of 'X'. 'X', 'Y' and maybe even a 'Z' would have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo and in keeping the people in fear of the gods (with them being the go-between). Even the tribals chieftain would be wise to support 'X' or he'd risk losing his own power base.
It is my belief that we have religion only because priests, priestesses, ministers, witch doctors, popes, mullahs, rabbis, etc don't want to relinquish the power they exercise over their fellow citizens. It's as simple as that.
I believe it was St. Francis Xavier who said 'give me the boy until the age of 7 and I'll give you back the man'. If indoctrinated at a young enough age, a person can be made to believe (or do) anything. Then you tell them 'it's a matter of faith' and they're not even allowed to question the doctrine. Just think, Jimmy Swaggart is back to preaching on TV, Lucretia Borgia was the illegitimate child of a Pope, the Amazing Randy (magician) has taped and proven that American TV evangelist faith-healing preachers are fakes and yet people still abide by the precepts handed down by these people. It's not people's fear that keeps them enslaved, it's their stupidity.
Just as a 'by-the-way', most of the Islamic suicide bombers (in Israel anyways) have been of above median social status and most have had at least some form of higher education (university or religious schooling). They are not ignorant peasants, they have just been well-indoctrinated.
