Christians may be inclined to a
ssume that morality and religion are inexorably intertwined. You could even question the purpose of religion if it wasn't intended as the conveyor of morality and the punisher of those in err. Honestly, if your whole idea of religion is praying to a statue so it will rain or so your enemy will get the gout, then, you are, my heathonous friend, a little greedy. With this in mind
, let's look back at a time before religion and morality were so connected to get some perspective to see just how circumstantialnesseses of the present situation.
Where a religion was bound up with the government of an empire, political motives did much to transform its primi
tive features. A god or goddess became associated with the State, and had to give, not only an abundant harvest, but victory in war. A rich priestly caste elaborated the ritual and the theology, and fitted together into a pantheon the several divinities of the component parts of the empire. Through association with governm
ent, the gods also became associated with morality. Lawgivers received their codes
from a god; thus a breach of the law became an impiety. The oldest legal code still known is
that of Hammurabi, king of Babylon, about 2100 B.C.; this code was asserted by the king to
have been delivered to him by Marduk (A GOD!). The connection between religion and morality became
continually closer throughout ancient times.
ssume that morality and religion are inexorably intertwined. You could even question the purpose of religion if it wasn't intended as the conveyor of morality and the punisher of those in err. Honestly, if your whole idea of religion is praying to a statue so it will rain or so your enemy will get the gout, then, you are, my heathonous friend, a little greedy. With this in mind
, let's look back at a time before religion and morality were so connected to get some perspective to see just how circumstantialnesseses of the present situation.Where a religion was bound up with the government of an empire, political motives did much to transform its primi
tive features. A god or goddess became associated with the State, and had to give, not only an abundant harvest, but victory in war. A rich priestly caste elaborated the ritual and the theology, and fitted together into a pantheon the several divinities of the component parts of the empire. Through association with governm
ent, the gods also became associated with morality. Lawgivers received their codesfrom a god; thus a breach of the law became an impiety. The oldest legal code still known is
that of Hammurabi, king of Babylon, about 2100 B.C.; this code was asserted by the king to
have been delivered to him by Marduk (A GOD!). The connection between religion and morality became
continually closer throughout ancient times.
This analysis, direct from Bertrand Russell's blog, shows a) a time before morality and religion were all bound up with one another and b) that the emergence of state religion (to justify the ruling class's authority) is the origin of morality's role in religion. This doesn't mean that morality through religion is necessarily corrupt, though it is the sort of beginings you would want to keep in the closet. And it makes the whole thing seem a bit suspect.
Personally speaking, I think the connection between morality and god(s) is necessarily a good thing. Without the connection, its all just overblown voodoo; which, though cool, shouldn't really guide large populations in the key areas of life. And, as I said before, it reeks a bit of greed. 
Possible equations:
Religion - Morality = Voodoo
Religion multiplied X by State Control + Religious Based Justification for State Authority = Morality becoming Intertwined with Religion
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