Introduction to the History of Religions: Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume IVToy, Crawford Howell
HistoryHistory
Introduction to the History of Religions: Handbooks on the History of Religions, Volume IV
Toy, Crawford Howell
Mythology; Religion -- History; Religions -- History; Rites and ceremonies
+421+. Totemism and taboo are both of them intimately connected with the
history of early religion, but in different ways. Totemism is not
essentially religious if religion be held to involve worship of
superhuman or extrahuman beings; it has, however, in many cases
coalesced with religious practices and ideas, and it is sometimes
difficult to draw the line distinctly between it and religion proper.
Taboo, on the other hand, is founded on magical conceptions, and these
are nearly allied to the basis of early religion; it is more or less
prominent in all early cults, and has survived in the higher religious
systems, though in these it is generally spiritualized. The two lines of
development, totemism and taboo, appear side by side in early cults, and
influence each the other; but their functions in the social organization
of religion have been different, and they are best treated separately.
As the collections of material for their history are still incomplete,
accounts of them must be regarded as, to a greater or less extent,
provisional.
TOTEMISM
+422+. The natural attraction of human beings for one another and the
necessity of providing effective means of defense against enemies have
led men to associate themselves together in clans and tribes. In such
associations some form of organization arose as a matter of course;
experience early showed that men could not live together except under
the guidance and control of authoritative regulations. Such regulations
dealt with fundamental facts of life, which in the beginnings of society
are mostly physical. The points requiring regulation are: the relation
of man to nonhuman things (animals, plants, and inanimate objects); the
maintenance of rights of life and property; and the sexual relations
between human beings, especially marriage as the basis of the family.
The determination of what things may be eaten belongs more particularly
under "taboo," and is considered below. Customs and rules designed to
protect life and property have always coalesced with religious systems;
they are mentioned in connection with the ethical element in
religion.[769] The other points--relations to nonhuman things and sexual
relations--may be conveniently considered together here; but, as the
second point belongs rather to sociology than to the history of
religion, it will be sufficient, with an introductory word on marriage
restrictions (under _Exogamy_), to give the facts in connection with the
various totemic organizations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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