Anthropology Question (Serious answers only)?

Question

It has been suggested that religion benefits both individuals and society regardless of the actual beliefs. The religious beliefs of the Arctic peoples, such as the Inuit "Eskimo" required purification ceremonies prior to hunting expeditions and additional ceremonies after making a kill. In what manner are these ceremonies reflective of the environment in which they lived, how did they encourage conservation, and what benefit did this have on society?

Answer 1

The environment of the Inuits is harsh and filled with death. So whatever life they can get out of hunting they must honor the fact that they killed.

Answer 2

All religion is preparation for death. Having escaped death, religion emphasizes gratitude for being temporarily spared!

Answer 3

First of all this question is the topic of many full length textbooks, and college level courses, so any answer you get here will be absolutely incomplete. However, the shortest ans were to this question is that Religion benefits all Societies because it produces a cohesive system of values and beliefs which unify a given group of people. Religion is partly a product of the environment because depending on ones surroundings the system of values and beliefs have to relate to those surroundings in order to foster a way in which to live harmoniously with them. Religion (some religions) encourage conservation because they give strict rules for when and how much you are able to hunt, gather, have kids etc. Because of these rules societies were able to keep in balance with the environment around them.

PS. Earlier religions did not focus on being a vessel for dealing with death, death was usually a more subdued topic than it is today. They were used as ethical guidelines and as tools for cultural propagation.