varied theologies that form the architecture for each one’s definition and conveyance of policy. It is this elaboration of policy mechanisms that makes religion the premiere manifestation of social orders from human cognition.

The common basis for the group-wide sharing of religious theology and practice derives from the concept of faith, a term we might not normally attach to the definition or implementation of policy. Rather, we tend to steep the concepts of policy in terms of trust. While both terms, faith and trust, are very close, we will ascribe a definition to trust that allows it to subsume that of faith. Thus, we say that trust is an expectation of an outcome with some degree of assurance. More succinctly stated trust is a probability of an anticipated outcome. Hence, we see gradations in the degree of assurance associated with trust: “I trust him with my life.” versus “I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him!” Interestingly enough, both statements indicate high levels of trust under our definition. Given either statement, we can form a probability of outcome for various policy affectations that we might undertake. When presented with a choice, we follow the path that we anticipate will lead to the outcome we desire; the certainty of our anticipation reflects our level of trust in the path. If we don’t have a choice, then our trust level still allows us to anticipate the outcome whether it might be good or bad. At the most physiologically primitive level, trust determines whether our response to stress stimuli is fight or flight. At a more sublime level, trust is the basis for our actions of self-actualization and transcendence; terms of some ambiguity at this point, but which we will consider in some detail in subsequent chapters. Faith then is a guidepost on the road to trust.

When we consider the grouping mechanisms that we assume have been present since the time of emergence of the species, we readily identify families, clans, tribes and ever larger congregations of individuals seeking the benefits of group associations. Groups enhance the collective prospects for their constituent individuals to survive and thrive. Indeed, the action of humans through groups is such a recurrent theme that it exhibits all the properties of an evolutionary trait, forged by competition, with humans banding together as they have always done against the threats posed by an unyielding, physical world. So, one can pose the question, “What is the difference between religion and other social structures?” From our perspective, the difference lies almost exclusively with the sources of trust and with the mechanisms through which policy is derived based on this trust.

Let us postulate first the form of trust. With appropriate stimuli, the brain can create through chemical means at a cellular level an altered state of consciousness within its cognition enabling structures. For some, with appropriate training, virtually the same state can be created purely through cognitive activity. Likewise, this altered state can be created through ritual activities aided by appropriate external stimuli. It can also be evoked through external chemical means, and through combinations of all of the above. From within this altered state of consciousness, the mind establishes a high level of confidence in the cognitive processes encountered or evoked. This confidence forms the basis for our subsequent interactions. We call trust the expectation that we can essentially predict with some level of expected certainty the outcome of interactions.

At its strongest, the altered state of consciousness may be identified with being in touch with God. In milder form, a feeling of euphoria can be experienced and at its most benign, it might elicit simple acceptance. Anecdotal experience suggests that this emotional state varies in intensity among different individuals or even within a single individual. Hence, trust can present as a spectrum to which an arbitrary normalization can be applied. If we call the less intense state faith and the more intense state rapture, then we start to see a connection to religious belief. On the other hand, one can ascribe different normalization terms. For example, if we use allegiance as

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