Is religion the most basic codification of natural law?

[Ronin]

Krook, Maybe I have made a poor choice of words, I should have said social law, the tie that binds, the most basic laws that allows us to live together without cracking eachothers skull. Every civilization has them, but it's interesting how these basic rules are basicaly outsourced to something higher. It seems like human being understand they need rules that are 'above' them, and that religion covers the most basic ones until the system evolves into the actual codification of law of day to day reality, that is what I meant with 'natural'.

edit, codification is really way of as well, that would mean putting it down. Should have been 'Is religion the most basic understanding of social law'

in that wording I would agree....like I said back in ancient times with no police force and no military it would be the only way rules could be enforced.

[Ironside]

in that wording I would agree....like I said back in ancient times with no police force and no military it would be the only way rules could be enforced.

Or rather how to enforce your rules without needing to use military (hinduism caste system, I'm looking at you).
I mean if I go around and say that I should be on top because I say so, the lowly peasants might get some wierd ideas that if they ursup the power they can be on top. But if a god say so then those weaklings cannot ursup me without getting punished!

Admittable this has more to do with how religion ends up in a power position and later on as the basics for laws.

[m52nickerson]

I tend to think that unwritten social laws were the foundation of religious laws. As religions came about as away for people to explain there world they injected these unwritten laws into the religions.