9781422284148

Here, people attempt to gain entrance to heaven; many are rejected and are pulled down toward hell. Taken from a 12th-century Byzantine icon, this painting demonstrates the medieval Christian belief in divine punishment. The threat of hell was used by the clergy and authorities as the ultimate sanction to deter sinful actions. Some sense of order has underpinned every human society in history, as much in “savage” tribes as in “advanced” civilizations. The recog- nition that the impulses of the individual have to be held in restraint for the good of the wider group is central to every culture ever known. This tendency is so universal, in fact, that one might assume it was deeply rooted in our nature; yet in some ways, it would appear that the opposite is the case. Our instinct is generally to put our Words to Understand Adultery: voluntary sexual relations between a married person and someone who is not his or her spouse Covetousness: having a craving for possession Creed: a set of fundamental beliefs Ethics: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation Karma: concept found in Indian religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism, by which a person’s conduct in one life will have bearing on his or her status in another existence Kosher: sanctioned by Jewish law Piety: devoutness Terefah: a foodstuff forbidden by Jewish dietary laws Totem: an object, in particular an animal, symbolizing a clan or individual, and often having ritual associations The Wages of Sin

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