why do modern societies follow ancient religions?

The English Civil War of 1642 and the American Revolution of 1770 set a precedent in modern history by sweeping aside a dissolute aristocratic form of government and giving power to the people, but the French Revolution of 1789 and the Russian Revolution of 1917 went further - sweeping away not only a dissolute aristocracy but also a dissolute religion.

The French and the Russians succeeded in ending the ancient rule of kings, but they did not wholly succeed in ending the worship of ancient religions. The French Revolutionary Calendar of 1793, for instance, was intended to be aggressively new and anti-Christian, but it so confused the people that Napoleon abandoned it in 1806 - and the French, like the Russians a century later, lapsed back into their old religious ways.

Neither the free revolutionary humanist spirit of the French nor the communism of the Russians could supplant the people's belief in their ancient religions - and this is hardly surprising because all of the ancient religions themselves were based on an accepted need for human beings to worship a power outside the realms of mundane human existence.

Before Judaism, Christianity and Islam came into being there was Paganism - the worship of many gods - and having accepted a belief in one god, Jehovah or Allah, there was no way people could revert to Paganism. Neither communism nor humanism satisfied the wretchedly poor masses. They needed the spiritual comfort of the wonderful life after death that Christianity and Islam offered.

Unlike western civilization - which has sought at various times to sweep away not only ancient systems of government but also ancient religions that have little relevance to modern times - the other civilizations have, by and large, not dared to deny their people observance of their religious beliefs.

Democracy was adopted in India, but Hinduism - and its totally undemocratic caste system - carried on regardless. Communism was adopted in China, but Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism also carried on regardless. Some Islamic nations have also adopted democracy, but Islam is stronger now than it ever was.

It is true that only a small percentage of western populations actually believes in and faithfully practices the teachings of their ancient religions. Many more, however, would claim to be Christian, Jewish, Moslem or whatever. The continued existence of ancient religions is largely related to rites such as marriage, christenings, comings of age and funerals - and celebrations that owe more to Pagan festivals than anything else - and without the opportunity to perform these rites most would flounder in a void.

Those who examine the ancient religions - and the wars and abuses they have perpetrated over the years - and turn away from them in disgust or despair, are similarly suffering a void that is either being filled by kindly eastern religions - such as Buddhism - or New Age beliefs, some of which lead them right back to Paganism.

It is, without doubt, very perplexing that ancient beliefs and laws pertaining to what god supposedly told - or did to - mere mortals thousands of years ago should remain believable whereas other ancient beliefs and laws in respect to medicine or astronomy, for instance, are universally shunned as ignorant rubbish.