Role of Nature in Religion - Essay Example

Indigenous people of every race have a belief system. This is built on specific cultural and spiritual beliefs that can be based on nature, spirits, etc.  In modern culture, the majority of the world’s religions are dominated by large monotheistic religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. Each one has its specific historic development, which was influenced by events in world history. In terms of indigenous cultures such as Native Americans, they developed very differently compared to their other religious counterparts. They were extremely influenced by nature and the elements, which preceded the need of a shaman, compared to a priest or another spiritual leader. Shamans were important because they helped keep tradition and rituals alive and passed down spiritual knowledge through the other members of the tribe.

As stated previously, the Native Americans’ in particular placed a great deal of spiritual and religious influence on nature. This is because many of the traditions and rituals reside in the themes of nature. Myths, such as the creation stories, result from themes in nature such as the cycles of the seasons, which undergo in the climate. Many tribes also use features such as reincarnation, which is influenced by nature, showing that when we die, we are born into a cycle of rebirthing where we come back as another creature. Shamans were also used to communicate with nature and the spirits of the world and animals. These would be invoked for good fortune for healing, bountiful harvest and other ceremonies (Matthews, 2008).

Rites of passage are a common theme in all cultures, whether or not it is religious or not. Often, especially in the Indian cultures, they would require the instruction of the elders and the shamans to perform the ceremony such as a male teenager becoming a man. Especially, there are many rites of passage in African tribes. In particular, the Maasai have a ceremony for both men and women, which involves circumcision as a rite of becoming fertile. It is also done so that the women will be more fertile and so that the men will become warriors for the tribe. Unlike the tribal rites, the cultures within the United States have many ceremonies such as turning 16. At 16, it is a big deal because a teenager now can operate a motor vehicle. This usually ends with the teenager getting their first car, a rite of passage into adulthood ("Maasai information", 1998).

In particular, cultures that are the most isolated from groups of other human beings develop much differently if there is contact. If I were stranded without anything in the wilderness, the life cycles and aspects of the natural universe would play a more dominant portion in my life. Unlike living in the cities, as a hunter and gatherer, I would have more appreciation and respect for the laws of nature; this was something the Native Americans preached proudly upon. Being stranded would make me understand the delicate balance of nature and be respectful because all the creatures and I are inhabiting the same area.

There are many Indian tribes, which exist today and they now have power in the economy. They remain true to their roots; this is true of the Onongonda. They have a high respect for nature, which is important in understanding their culture. The aspects and components of nature influence the social hierarchy and how they live their daily lives. For someone coming from an industrialized society, this may be hard to understand due to the limited contact with nature ("Onondaga nation- people," 2007).

Even though the world is developing rapidly due to technological advancement and globalization, there are many tribes, which exist in isolation, which still practice religions associated with nature. It influences every aspect of their culture and plays a fundamental part in their belief system. The lack of technology allows them to be more in tune with nature. If the entire structure of the world’s technology and economy were to collapse, would we become more influenced by nature more so than anything else like these cultures?