The Origin And Evolution Of Religion

Every religion is a Product of human evolution and has been conditioned by social environment. Since man has developed from even lower than savagery and was once intellectually a mere animal, it is reasonable to attribute to him in that state no more religious consciousness than is possessed by an animal, What then the historian must ask are the factors and what the means whereby humanity has encased itself in this shell of religion, which almost every where has been raised as a protective growth about the social body? The simpliest answer to this question has been that man is not a mere animal but differs from the beast in having an immortal soul and a religious instinct. The argument may be looked at from the following point of view: assuming that their are no races which can be shown to be utterly devoid of religion, this element of human thought, is universal. The historian may assure the universality of religion (for there are human groups which make this an assumption of doubtful validity) nor the existence of a soul because even the religious instints does not require this assumption. Therefore the instint itself cannot be assumbed nor is such an instint probable