Structure Mapping in Religious Models

Presented in the chapter on "Conceptual Blending and Analogy" in The Analogical Mind, is idea that our minds can take actions/ideas of the physical world and project them into that of a mental realm--"the remarkable human capacity for building novel conceptual/physical domains". Though the author dealt with the relationship between a mouse and a computer screen, the idea can also be thought of in a religious context. When analyzing the various structures and models that religion takes on throughout the world, it becomes clear there they are many and varied. For example, religions such as Christianity take on a structure that very closely resembles a kingdom or monarchy, while the structure of Indian mound builders in the midwest spiritual world resembles layers of the world (sky, earth, water) with no single "god" or "ruler". Applying the ideas conveyed by the relationship of a mouse to computer screen (something physical and "real" to something invented) it seems likely that the various structures of religion were modeled after the physical realities seen by their respective people. Both past and present Christians have often existed in societies that resembled a monarchy (Kingdoms, countries with presidents, etc.). It thus makes since that they took a model that made sense to them and used it as the structure for their religion--making God a reflection of a King. Similarly, the ancient Indians in the midwest lived in a tribal society that was so in touch with nature that it basis for almost every aspect of their society, and, without surprise, their spiritual society too. 

Many religious structures, however, don't exactly match the models they were based on. This fact is also explained in the chapter. In the description of the mouse-computer screen relationship, the author explains that the "correspondence between inputs can be highly imperfect" (i.e. the mouse can be touching the desk or not but only when it is will there be corresponding movement with the arrow on the screen). This idea also accounts for the way in which our society is often more complex or varied than that of an idealized religious model.