I am rather intrigued by the fact that people need a fictional figure in between them to trust each other. Of course gods used to be the explanation to what could not be understood otherwise, including peoples own thoughts. However, effectively there is no need to do that. It doesn’t change anything. Then again it’s the construction of memory between people. Especially in times we didn’t communicate in media, not part of our own person.

A common thing for these fictional figures is to warn for those not adhering to them. I can imagine it to work between small groups of people in their survival. Complete with all kinds of symbolism and behavioural aspects. A common remark in the USA is to call somebody a ‘church going citizen’ being equivalent to trustworthy. Although any kind of synchronised living between people makes them less easy to do something destructive, this is complete nonsense.

Religion saves a person from getting to know another person. Apparently people try vigorously not to get to know each other and themselves for that matter. May be it’s some kind of survival behaviour. There is safety in masses… Unless you know the other… Or yourself… It makes you vulnerable.