Fearful Societies of the Past

To understand fear generated by man-made and religious law and the power structure of certain societies, we must examine some historical exemplars and the cloud of fear resulting from those movements. Earliest Man, creation of Gods, the Persian Assassins of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, the Spanish Inquisition, the “Reign of Terror” of the French Revolution, the KKK, spoken in the exact words of former slaves, and the 1960s’ decade of violence reveal a basis for viewing the “big picture” of “man-made” causes of contemporary fear in society. The greatest fear throughout history has been religious and politically based: the fear of “burning in Hell,” the fear of the power of the Church, and fear of an avenging God. Political movements and the resulting reigns of terror have caused fear among the populace.