ot - any cultural or ethnic groups that never had religion?

[Dead Man]

not looking to debate anything here, just wondering if any of you overeducated mofos have ever come across any mention of groups of people that simply never had any notion of religion before being contacted by future conquerors?

read the History of Atheism article and several related articles on wikipedia, googled around a bit, but could never find any reference to tribes of people that were original atheists nor mention specifically of there never being any. it seems to me entirely possible that the origin of religion is so ancient to our species, or possibly even predecessor species, that it was carried with every expansion across the globe.. but it'd be cool to reference some kind of scholarly work on the topic

thanks!

[XXtwindad]

1) No idea, really but I do know that Jews and Hindus are the only religions that are actually ethnic groups as well. Little kernel of wisdom gleaned from my philosophy of religion class when I wasn’t busy flirting with Crystal H.

2) Also, this type of thread is why I like the “GD” section although plenty of people disagree.

[weisan]

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/20694/IN

https://joshuaproject.net/frontier/1

[ORMojo]

It also depends on what you consider "religion." Are you talking about the IRS definition, the census definition, or some other definition, which varies around the world.

I'm Buddhist. I've spent multiple stays in Thailand "ordained" as a Buddhist monk at monasteries, and more. Yet I don't consider my beliefs "religious" in the mainstream sense. Theravada Buddhism is not considered a religion by many. I, and those others, would call it a practice (like yoga), a way of life, or at most a philosophy. Theravada Buddhism does not have a central God, and does not consider Siddhartha Gautama a god, rather a teacher. Theravada Buddhists do not worship any diety, person, or anything else - we do revere the teachings of Buddha.

[Clean39T]

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by ORMojo

It also depends on what you consider "religion." Are you talking about the IRS definition, the census definition, or some other definition, which varies around the world.

I'm Buddhist. I've spent multiple stays in Thailand "ordained" as a Buddhist monk at monasteries, and more. Yet I don't consider my beliefs "religious" in the mainstream sense. Theravada Buddhism is not considered a religion by many. I, and those others, would call it a practice (like yoga), a way of life, or at most a philosophy. Theravada Buddhism does not have a central God, and does not consider Siddhartha Gautama a god, rather a teacher. Theravada Buddhists do not worship any diety, person, or anything else - we do revere the teachings of Buddha.

im interested really in anything on the topic... im aware of atheistic religions, depending on how one wants to define religion.... but really, i think i'm thinking about areligious atheism specifically. are there any peoples that simply lived at peace with the cosmos, rather than inventing a separation between physical and supernatural realms or modes of thought... people that just looked at the reality around them and accepted it for what it is, no need for inventing deeper meaning?

[ORMojo]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

im interested really in anything on the topic... im aware of atheistic religions, depending on how one wants to define religion.... but really, i think i'm thinking about areligious atheism specifically. are there any peoples that simply lived at peace with the cosmos, rather than inventing a separation between physical and supernatural realms or modes of thought... people that just looked at the reality around them and accepted it for what it is, no need for inventing deeper meaning?

Well, yes, I consider myself to fully fit that definition, and I know many, many other Buddhists who also think of themselves in that way. I consider myself an areligious atheist Buddhist - a Buddhist who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods, and who does not practice religion.

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by ORMojo

Well, yes, I consider myself to fully fit that definition, and I know many, many other Buddhists who also think of themselves in that way. I consider myself an areligious atheist Buddhist - a Buddhist who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods, and who does not practice religion.

And theres plenty who go that route, after dismissing the ubiquitous religion all around them

But im talkin about peoples who never had any religion to assess and dismiss to begin with - people who, on contact with europeans or any other explorers, had no religion at all.

[KJMUNC]

there may have been, but I'm guessing that because they lived in the moment, they had no reason to record any of it and therefore there's no historical record.

there's probably a much more philosophical discussion around whether or not we as humans have an innate need for some overarching structure to guide our existence, whether it be spiritual or organized religion.

My guess is that any organized group of humans has always has *something* they held up to as a higher power, either to validate their decisions or to explain the world around them.

[ORMojo]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

But im talkin about peoples who never had any religion to assess and dismiss to begin with - people who, on contact with europeans or any other explorers, had no religion at all.

Got it. I was just trying to discern where the cutoff for "no religion" is in your inquiry.

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by KJMUNC

there's probably a much more philosophical discussion around whether or not we as humans have an innate need for some overarching structure to guide our existence, whether it be spiritual or organized religion.

Absolutely.. but that it definitely not the topic of this thread.

[Dead Man]

not looking at anyone, but i guess i should state for extreme clarity: this is an anthropology/history question

[slowpoke]

There are atheist states, mostly communist ones: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_atheism

However, echoing KJMUNC, I think that any gathering of people out there will create shared mythologies to explain the unexplainable.

Imagine being out there under all those stars on a clear night, or staring at the vastness of an ocean during a sunset -- there's something magical about all that and you're struck by how small and insignificant you are in the grand scheme of things. Of course your mind is going to conjure up something larger.

[weisan]

[windsurfer]

Most of the indigenous people of North America.

Religion is something that came along with European settlers (invaders) along with alcohol, and oppression.