All of the world’s major moralizing religions developed as the result of growing affluence and not the influence of morality, the race of the people, or the political complexity of life. The growth of Islam, Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Judaism can all be tracked to the growth of affluence in the societies that practice these religions. The evaluation is the work of Nicolas Baumard of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris.
The research is not a critique of religion or a criticism of any religion. The researchers do point out that all major modern religions began to expand at the point in time when the people that were potential converts began to use 20,000 kilocalories per day of energy in their daily lives. The energy consumption would be derived in majority from food and the access to a better diet may have developed the intelligence that is needed to accept and support a moralizing religion.
Previous religions played a part in the development of modern religions. The earliest of man’s religions focused on negative consequences that resulted from an aggressively inhospitable environment that had to be appeased. The concepts of doctrines that emphasized that man existed for a purpose greater than his own welfare began to flourish in India and Europe between 500 B. C. E. and 300 B. C. E. The researchers also note that the most long lasting and prosperous ancient empires like the Egyptians, the Romans, the Aztecs, and the Incas had immoral gods according to the standards of today’s moralizing religions.
People became more involved with the concepts of morality and religion because they had freed themselves from fear, pain, and want by becoming affluent. One might note that the same behaviors can be seen today. The huge shopping spree that celebrates Christmas is just one way that affluence has modified people’s concept of God and religion.
