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Religion In The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Laozi's

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Religion has been prevalent in society since the establishment of human civilization; not only does it provide ideals and beliefs for people, but religion impacts the behavior and mindset of individuals. Evidence of the effect of religion on the lives of today’s ancestors is documented through writings that were translated and passed down to modern day society. These writings contain values and principles to live by, such as treating others with respect and being truthful, that continue to persist today. The belief of there being a higher being, such as a god(s), is also mentioned in the readings to portray how groups of people revolved their lives around the rule of whom they viewed as their superior. Varieties of texts exist to demonstrate the influences of religion on society, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Holy Bible, and Laozi’s Daodejing. …show more content…

In the text, the gods possess authority and powers that are used to their advantage to cause society to behave under their rule. Utnapishtim mentions, “When the gods assemble, they decide you fate, they establish both life and death for you” (Mitchell, 179). This conveys how the belief of gods having control over humans causes people to obey them; if the gods are disobeyed, they are able to unleash their wrath and humans suffer the consequences for their actions. This belief still exists in modern society through the idea of there being a heaven and a hell. Christianity revolves around the impression that one will go to hell after death if he is a sinner. Actions such as stealing, killing, and being deceitful are recognized as sins. Since these behaviors are associated with hell, people will stray away from them in efforts to ensure that they go to heaven after death. The story of Gilagamesh illustrates how faith has always caused society to behave a certain way out of

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