Instrumentum Regni [Latin] - Instrument of Government
Much that was called religion has carried an unconscious attitude of hostility toward life. True religion must teach that life is filled with joys pleasing to the eye of God, that knowledge without action is empty. All men must see that the teaching of religion by rules and rote is largely a hoax. The proper teaching is recognized with ease. You can know it without fail because it awakens within you that sensation which tells you this is something you’ve always known. - Frank Herbert, Dune
One should be cautious with organized religion, as mass acceptance often leads to the corruption of original teachings. Here's how this dynamic typically unfolds: A belief, philosophy, or subjective truth reliant on faith is introduced and then propagated among the masses. When widely accepted, these beliefs become potent tools for social and political control. In this process, the original teachings are often transformed—sometimes for the purpose of political manipulation—through a gradual, insidious influence of culture, society, and tradition, which then becomes the prevailing paradigm.
Historical examples include Emperor Constantine the Great's politicization of Christianity and the establishment of the Nicene Creed, which centralized Christian doctrine under imperial influence. Similarly, Emperor Wu of Han's endorsement of Confucianism and his interest in Taoism helped shape these philosophies into tools for governance. In Japan, Shinto was formalized as a distinct religion to differentiate it from the newly introduced Buddhism from India, leading to its integration into the mythological education of Japanese youth through texts like the Nihongi and Kojiki, under the guidance of the royal family.
Much that was called religion has carried an unconscious attitude of hostility toward life. True religion must teach that life is filled with joys pleasing to the eye of God, that knowledge without action is empty. All men must see that the teaching of religion by rules and rote is largely a hoax. The proper teaching is recognized with ease. You can know it without fail because it awakens within you that sensation which tells you this is something you’ve always known. - Frank Herbert, Dune
One should be cautious with organized religion, as mass acceptance often leads to the corruption of original teachings. Here's how this dynamic typically unfolds: A belief, philosophy, or subjective truth reliant on faith is introduced and then propagated among the masses. When widely accepted, these beliefs become potent tools for social and political control. In this process, the original teachings are often transformed—sometimes for the purpose of political manipulation—through a gradual, insidious influence of culture, society, and tradition, which then becomes the prevailing paradigm.
Historical examples include Emperor Constantine the Great's politicization of Christianity and the establishment of the Nicene Creed, which centralized Christian doctrine under imperial influence. Similarly, Emperor Wu of Han's endorsement of Confucianism and his interest in Taoism helped shape these philosophies into tools for governance. In Japan, Shinto was formalized as a distinct religion to differentiate it from the newly introduced Buddhism from India, leading to its integration into the mythological education of Japanese youth through texts like the Nihongi and Kojiki, under the guidance of the royal family.
