OUR knowledge of religion receives contributions from every quarter;even the student of mental diseases finds information that is of service to thestudent of religion. The reverse is equally true: a knowledge of religion shedslight upon even the science of mental disorders.In this short book, a psychiatrist seeks in the study of one aspect of religiouspractice—the worship of the procreating power—to gain a clearer understandingof the forms taken by certain kinds of mental diseases. His theory is that we mayexpect diseased minds to reproduce, or return to expressions of desire customaryand official in societies of lower culture. This is, as a matter of fact, less a theorythan a statement of observed facts; of this, the reader of these pages, if familiarwith certain mental disorders, may readily convince himself.But Doctor Brown’s intention is not merely, perhaps not primarily, to draw theattention of the Psychiatrist to a neglected source of information, he aims atsomething of wider import and addresses a wider public. His purpose is no lessthan the tracing of the history of that great motive of action, the sex passion, as itappears in religion and the interpretation of its significance. Those who come tothis book without the preparation of the specialist will find it not only repletewith novel and surprising facts, but will find these facts placed in such a relationto each other and to life in general, as to illuminate both religion and humannature. This important result is made possible by the point of view from whichthe author writes, the point of view of racial development which has proved itsfertility in so many directions.
The Gnostics are an example of one of these societies. They existed in early Christian times and the society was probably formed long before the advent of Christianity. It is difficult to learn a great deal about the Gnostics, but some of their beliefs are known. Gnostic symbols consisted for a great part of phallic emblems, it having been shown that their gems and secret talismans were of phallic significance. The Gnostics also gave evidences of reverting to a more primitive civilization in other than religious spheres. In their social organization they advocated communal marriage, wives being held in common. This type of social organization is quite general in primitive tribes. With the Gnostics we see a reversion to a more primitive form of religious and social life.
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The Rosicrucians of the middle ages are rather better known, although this order also is very obscure. The Rosicrucians as well as the Gnostics had phallic emblems. They worshipped in a form very similar to that under which Priapus was worshipped. Moreover, as was the case with a number of these secret societies, they introduced perverse sexual practices. They are said not only to have countenanced homosexuality, but to have made it one of the principles of their belief. At the same time, they scorned all association with women. Out of this belief they built up a philosophy in which the fire worship of antiquity played a part, and with which alchemy was associated.
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In the practice of homosexuality and in the development of a philosophy in which women played no part, are seen sentiments quite similar to those which existed in the later days of Greece. At this time in Greece, patriarchy had driven out the last vestiges of matriarchy, female deities had lost their followers to a great extent, and the devotion was paid to male gods and heroes. This change seems to have produced a certain contempt for women. A number of writers have pointed out this reaction, and so probably in the philosophy of the Rosicrucians and in their practices, are seen an expression of these same sentiments. Similar sentiments were expressed by other secret organizations and in some philosophies of a latter period. In this respect, therefore, the Rosicrucians were probably reverting to beliefs and feelings of an earlier date.
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The Knights Templar were another secret society of the middle ages of a somewhat later time. The same can be said of them as of the former societies. They carried on the old phallic and mystic rites in modified form, and set up their beliefs in opposition to Christianity. When the Knights Templar were initiated they were made to deny Christ and the Virgin Mary, to spit on the cross, etc. They also were charged with homosexuality, and with them as with the Rosicrucians and the Gnostics, homosexuality was a part of their teachings. They likewise advocated communal marriage. At their secret meetings and initiations many vices existed; idols were worshipped, phallic features were introduced, and the entire ceremony was similar to the mysteries of antiquity.
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