Religion and Society

I recently found a rather brilliant translation of the Ninmesara, A.K.A. Enheduanna's 49 meditations on the nature of Inanna, A.K.A. the world's oldest piece of feminist literature, A.K.A. the oldest piece of literature to have the author sign it. Besides merely being a powerful, emotional read (even after 4 millenia), it also succeded in making me think long and hard about the changing nature of religion over time.

You see, Enheduanna's discussion of her relationship with the goddess Inanna resembles medieval european theology to me more than it does ancient theology.

Ancient theology springs from the need to be able to understand the world and cope with existance. The Gods act as scapegoats for the people, wreaking havok on the people or providing them with victory when none was seen as possible. This is the form of theology that often makes modern critics of religion angry, as it sounds markedly like blind dismissal of reality in favor of superstition, but one must understand the absolute imperative nature of religion to fully appriciate it's effect on history.

This form of religion doesn't just explain the universe, it provides people with a means of affecting it. Through prayer to the Gods and sacrifice, Gods become interested in the afairs of humans and will listen to them. Gods can even make specific demands, form contracts with humans, or even be tricked or killed. By providing a universe that is not only understandable but also mutable, sentient beings can avoid the nigh inevitable madness that is brought on by complete and utter helplessness.

On the political side of things, religions provide organization and unquestionable laws of morality, both of which make governance easier. If someone is believed to have earned the favor of a particularly powerful God, the laws of altered perception almost garuntee that said induvidual will have a better chance of influencing other people, factions, and organizations, and may even increase productivity or chances of victory on the battlefield (again, thanks to the laws of altered perception).

In Europe and the Middle East, the transition from this theology to the next is easy to trace. The mystery cults of the Roman Empire and later the spread of Christianity and Zoroastrianism (Judiasm largely stayed put in terms of size) show an increasing reliance on a new and radically different form of Theology. Medieval theology relies on the direct relationship between God and you as its core, rather than hyts relationship with your race or nation.

The effect on society is radical. Science often becomes significantly more popular as the pretence of mythology peels away. The shift of focus from Gods giving favor to Gods caring for people in a personal manner often fosters strong communities, general unity, and increased charity. However, this view also provides a prevailing sense of striving. The personal relationship with God can go awry just as easily as human relationships can, and the effect of this can be quite dramatic. Jihad begin to pop up for the first time. While previously most, if not all, wars were waged in the name of one God or other, the characteristics of unwavering obsession across multiple layers of society, all working toward a common goal. I say Jihad, as while war is the clearest example, these events can really be most any struggle. Colonization, construction, or research can all be society-wide obsessions.

The reason the Ninmesara shocked me was this reliance on Medieval theological tropes rather than Ancient ones. Even if you're reading the wrong traditional translation of it, the powerful, personal nature of the piece shines through. To Enheduanna, Inanna is a mystery and a best friend and a sister all at once. She is not an outside and uncaring force, but a deeply meaningful and compassionate entity. This means that my previous understanding of religion as progressing as science and technology does is completely wrong. I need to think about this.