# An Interesting Timeline of Religion in the World



## Denton (Jan 24, 2014)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_religion

I thought this timeline was very interesting in order to see the relative age of each religion as well as a possible example of what precursors existed to shape the religions which came afterwards. 

Thoughts?


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## ambush80 (Jan 24, 2014)

It's interesting to me how homonids developed the notion of god(s).  It always seems to be someway to explain the unexplainable.


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## bullethead (Jan 24, 2014)

I think it is very interesting to be able to go back into history using artifacts and anthropology in order to see how as humans advanced physically so did their minds. It is fascinating to see how religious beliefs started, compounded and took their current forms over tens and hundreds of thousands of years. Death and realizing one's own mortality are hard to cope with and anything that someone can think of to soften the blow seems to turn into Eternal Lives in a better place then Religion to try to explain it.


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## Denton (Jan 24, 2014)

I think you are right about the compounding effects over time. It is much easier to believe in magical miracles if it is many hundreds or thousands of years ago.  Modern miracles are more difficult to believe in.


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## 1gr8bldr (Jan 24, 2014)

How do they determine such as this? Going back that far? It would seem that it is speculation? The early, or is it called the later years?


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## bullethead (Jan 24, 2014)

1gr8bldr said:


> How do they determine such as this? Going back that far? It would seem that it is speculation? The early, or is it called the later years?



Anthropology, Archeology and Ethnoarchaeology


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## Denton (Jan 24, 2014)

1gr8bldr said:


> How do they determine such as this? Going back that far? It would seem that it is speculation? The early, or is it called the later years?



They've found prehistoric grave sites with the remains of flowers and tools on the body so a) Grog cared enough to bury the guy and 2) there was some sort of ritual. 

how far back are you thinking? Click on any of the links and learn for hours!


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## Artfuldodger (Jan 25, 2014)

Denton said:


> They've found prehistoric grave sites with the remains of flowers and tools on the body so a) Grog cared enough to bury the guy and 2) there was some sort of ritual.
> 
> how far back are you thinking? Click on any of the links and learn for hours!



You reckon Grog believed a difference between his loved one dying and his cow dying? Has any religion ever buried animals with tools or needed after life items?
Do all religions have an origin in explaining the afterlife?


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## Denton (Jan 25, 2014)

Artfuldodger said:


> You reckon Grog believed a difference between his loved one dying and his cow dying? Has any religion ever buried animals with tools or needed after life items?
> Do all religions have an origin in explaining the afterlife?



The only difference anyone can see with grog is that the cow's bones were buried in a clear trash pile (after eating it) and the body was in a grave.  We can only surmise that that effort shows there was a difference. 

I don't know if any religion has ever buried animals on their own. Do you? I've noticed you like the socratic method btw, so expect some of your questions returned so I can hear your thoughts too. 

All the religions I can think of (maybe not some really modern ones) offer some explanation for after death.  Valhalla, heaven, or reincarnation.  After death is the ultimate question, from where no living man may return. It may be our first and last question we ever ask ourselves as humans.


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## bullethead (Jan 25, 2014)

Artfuldodger said:


> You reckon Grog believed a difference between his loved one dying and his cow dying? Has any religion ever buried animals with tools or needed after life items?
> Do all religions have an origin in explaining the afterlife?



I know people who have buried family pets, especially dogs, that included a favorite squeaky toy,collar, or chew bone when they buried them. They are all Christians but I don't think their religion has anything to do with those actions except for having the concept of an afterlife and I guess hoping there is one for the dog too.


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## 1gr8bldr (Jan 25, 2014)

bullethead said:


> Anthropology, Archeology and Ethnoarchaeology


LOL, Bullet, I have never even heard of that last word. Anyway, I just can't see how they can prove dates of the time line. It has to be speculation because it can't be proven. Maybe someone can give me an elementry overview of how they determine this?


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## bullethead (Jan 25, 2014)

1gr8bldr said:


> LOL, Bullet, I have never even heard of that last word. Anyway, I just can't see how they can prove dates of the time line. It has to be speculation because it can't be proven. Maybe someone can give me an elementry overview of how they determine this?



Ethnoarchaeology is the study of living people now in order to try to understand how people lived in similar cultures long ago. There are some cultures/tribes/indigenous people that have barely changed their ways for thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of years.


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## bullethead (Jan 25, 2014)

1gr8bldr said:


> LOL, Bullet, I have never even heard of that last word. Anyway, I just can't see how they can prove dates of the time line. It has to be speculation because it can't be proven. Maybe someone can give me an elementry overview of how they determine this?



http://mhs.mt.gov/shpo/archaeology/Ancient Teachings/Ancient Teachings 3/Ancient Teachings 3F.pdf

It narrows it down a very small window of speculation based off of many sources of information that corroborate the findings. They might not know the exact day or even exact year but can be very accurate to a time frame.


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## ambush80 (Jan 25, 2014)

Denton said:


> The only difference anyone can see with grog is that the cow's bones were buried in a clear trash pile (after eating it) and the body was in a grave.  We can only surmise that that effort shows there was a difference.
> 
> I don't know if any religion has ever buried animals on their own. Do you? I've noticed you like the socratic method btw, so expect some of your questions returned so I can hear your thoughts too.
> 
> All the religions I can think of (maybe not some really modern ones) offer some explanation for after death.  Valhalla, heaven, or reincarnation.  After death is the ultimate question, from where no living man may return. It may be our first and last question we ever ask ourselves as humans.




The Egyptians mummified and buried cats.  In Bolivia they bury a petrified llama fetus under the cornerstone of a new house.


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## drippin' rock (Jan 25, 2014)

When my yellow lab died i buried a bone he had been chewing along with a can of food.   I don't think he has an afterlife, I was just being sentimental.


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## Terminal Idiot (Jan 25, 2014)

My first thought is that this Wikipedia guy ain't too bright. He claims people have been around 223000 years? Everybody knows the earth has only been here 8000 years. Crazy simpleton.


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## Denton (Jan 25, 2014)

Terminal Idiot said:


> My first thought is that this Wikipedia guy ain't too bright. He claims people have been around 223000 years? Everybody knows the earth has only been here 8000 years. Crazy simpleton.



lol


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## Artfuldodger (Jan 26, 2014)

ambush80 said:


> The Egyptians mummified and buried cats.  In Bolivia they bury a petrified llama fetus under the cornerstone of a new house.



A petrified llama fetus. For some strange reason, that is interesting.


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