Olly's Field Dispatches

WATCH ARK HIGHLIGHTS

Historical documents record the existence of the Ark of the Covenant as a chest that housed the 10 commandments, given by God to Moses. Fortunately there were only 10 commandments, otherwise Moses would have needed a bigger box. That aside, did it really exist and did it really house the power of God inside? Of course, I have absolutely no idea. The historic and archeological records are wholly inconclusive, but is that the point?

If you believe in the Ark of the Covenant, then the Ark exists and vice versa. If you believe the Ark is missing, then you probably believe that when it's found, it will bring strength to the weak and the oppressed will be free. And in my book, that conclusion is pretty good thing to believe in. Amen to that. I like happy endings. But isn't that really a bit of a cop-out?

Belief remains at the core of so many great historical mysteries, but it may also supply an all too easy "get-out-jail-free" or "one-size fits all" generic super-conclusion to many of the historical riddles we question in this series. Yes, we can look at the historical, geological and archeological records to inform our opinion, but at some point, we're still left projecting into the unknown - often based on belief, or even faith.

But what role does belief play in influencing our understanding of history? Well obviously a lot, but it's one of those questions that I've never thought to ask until starting to make this series. So what is belief and where did it come from? Well it's clearly way above my pay-grade and brain-station to have anything meaningful to contribute on the subject, but I like the question and hopefully hopefully someone reading this will have some intelligent thoughts to contribute and challenge.

Recent archeological discoveries gives credible evidence that religious practices have occurred for the last 300,000 to 500,000 years. Today, the vast majority of the world believes in something (less than 0.005% are atheists, I think) while religious subscription is declining in Europe, it is rising in America, Africa and Asia. As we continue to push out the frontiers of our knowledge to the point when we're even trying to replicate the conditions of the Big Bang, why do the majority continue to want and need to believe in something mysterious?

Strip back the layers and complexity of modern religious thought, structure and practice and maybe there are clues to be found in the building blocks of belief. Prayer, ritual, meditation, music, art, history (oral and written) and ancestral and cultural traditions all help us understand the origins, evolution, the role and importance of belief systems in identity and society. Belief systems have traditionally helped us explain our existence and form the basis of how we see the world around us, often providing a guide to how we relate to our world. Time and again it is a leap of faith to explain the inexplicable and at times of fear, the belief structure can provides protection, consolation and even understanding. But with the benefits of modern science, is all religion and belief as Richard Dawkins claims, delusional? If so, is there a place for delusion? And how does that understanding, help us deal with religious extremism?

Is human morality defined by our modern religions or did it grow out of primate sociality, and evolved through our tribal ancestry?

These are questions that I do not know the answers to, but they are questions I feel I should ask if I want to learn about our past, and leave my minds open to enjoy the magical possibility that we might just not have all the answers.