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Unit-17: Theory of Religion

of first experience and Free spirit on the basis of second. Spirits are immortal and out of control from notes
men- with this belief the worship of ancestors started which developed as the religion hereafter.
Durkhim’s statement is: In this principle Taylor considered ancestors as consistent philosopher which
is completely wrong. To develop the principle of spirits so sequent was impossible foe ancestors
as Taylor imagined. Secondly, Religion is not so simple incident that its origin, shadow, dream,
resonance, death etc all are possible on the basis of some limited and personal experiences. In that
same way Durkhim has written by criticising the principle of naturalism related with religion: that
the view of Maxmoolar is completely wrong that after seeing many forms of nature- storms, storms,
power crack, earthquake, Sun, Moon etc it was natural to derived the fear, terror, surprise in the mind
of ancestors and because of these mental emotions he started feeling scared as he was scared of any
lively things and so the feeling of faith, power etc generated in his mind for it and on the basis of
that the genesis of religion was started hereafter. As per Durkhim , this description about the origin
of religion by the worship of nature creates a very collapse analysis, especially in the mean that, this
principle emphasized only on one subsidiary of side-natural side of religion more than its necessity.
Durkhim has written that Maxmoolar forgets this fact that Religion is a social institution, proof and
incident and it is impossible not to have any social factor in the origin of social incident or institution.
So the disregard of the social basis of the religion is the biggest weakness of maxmoolar’s principle.
In reality the complete description of religion on the basis of spirits, spectral, dreams, shadow, nature
is insufficient because for aboriginals it’s impossible to find the difference between natural and
supernatural incidents because neither they have sufficient knowledge of natural things nor they
understand the supernatural incidents.

Notes There is always some basis of every Religion and on that basis, As per Durkhim,
is Society itself.’ “The empire of heaven is a Mahimanvit society.”

As Per Durkhim , To all the things and incidents whether it be simple or complicated, real or
exemplary – Can be divided in two important parts (a). Sacred (b). Profane. All the religions are
related to ‘Sacred’ side. But it does not mean that all the sacred things are Divine or of God, still all
the divine or spiritual incidents or things are definitely sacred. These Sacred things are the symbol
of society and representative of collective consciousness. This is the reason the person always be
subaltern and effected by it.
To whom the members of society considers a sacred, always tries them to keep away from sacred
or ordinary and for fulfilling this purpose, give birth to trusts, behaviours, rituals, and celebrations.
Religion is the result of all these efforts. Since behind all the efforts related with believes, behaviours,
rituals etc. there is a mutual understanding and pressure of society, so this way Men have to be
subservient in front of that collective entity of the society. The foundation of religion starts here.
In confirmation of these principles, Durkhim has presented the deep study of Arunta tribe of Australia.
He said that we might be having clear assumption related with the origin of religious experience by
reading the life of these tribe’s people and the belief is that religious experience is because of a type
of collective excitation. When the people of all the clan are gathered on festivals and occasions then
every person have this experience that the power of group is far more high and great than his personal
power. A new consciousness and excitation is formed by gathering and combining the personal
emotions, thoughts and interests of many people with same emotions, thoughts and interests. It is the
collective power and in front of which every person have to bow inevitably. With this, a type of mental
glee is displayed among the collected crowd on the occasion of these festivals and celebrations. This
celebration is perhaps because of the trend towards the socialism of people. On this type of occasions

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