Thus a man was born into a fixed relation to certain gods as surely as he was born … - William Robertson Smith

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William Robertson Smith

Thus a man was born into a fixed relation to certain gods as surely as he was born into a relation to his fellow-men; and his religion. . . was simply one side of the general scheme of conduct prescribed for him by his position as a member of society.

Fellow Man, General, Men, Prescribed, Religion, Simply

Same Author Quotes

We are so accustomed to think of religion as a thing between individual men and God that we can hardly enter into the idea of a religion in which a whole nation in its national organisation appears as the religious unit.

Men, Religion, Religious, Thing, Thinking, Unit

Religion did not exist for the saving of souls but for the preservation and welfare of society, and in all that was necessary to this end every man had to take his part, or break with the domestic and political community to which he belonged.

Belonged, Community, Men, Political, Religion, Souls

The myths connected with individual sanctuaries and ceremonies were merely part of the apparatus of the worship; they served to excite the fancy and sustain the interest of the worshipper. . . no one cared what he believed about its origin.

Believed, Cared, Ceremonies, Fancy, Sanctuary, Worship

Belief in a certain series of myths was neither obligatory as a part of the true religion, nor was it supposed that, by believing, a man acquired religious merit and conciliated the favour of the gods.

Believe, Gods, Men, Religious, True

The land of a god corresponds with the land of his worshipers.

Land, Corresponds, God, Worshipers