Moralizing gods are a minority across documented world cultures

Evidence

Sociologist Rodney Stark found that only 24 percent of the 427 cultures that anthropologists have documented in a large worldwide database acknowledge a god who is active in human affairs and is specifically supportive of human morality. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 416

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 416
• XREF: connects to: The religion-morality link is a recent cultural invention, not an ancient universal; Foraging societies’ gods rarely enforce moral rules that humans themselves uphold — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 815; Water-scarce societies tend to develop moralizing gods (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Hunter-gatherer gods lacked wide moral concern and omniscience #corroborates (0.90) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 415
• Agricultural societies favor doctrinal rituals and moralistic Big Gods #qualifies (0.82) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 427
• Group expansion drives religion toward moral, demanding, interventionist gods #complicates (0.80)
• Some cultures may lack a distinct moral domain #corroborates (0.78) — Nicolas Baumard, A mutualistic approach to morality, 489
• Vengeful Gods make more potent moral monitors than kind Gods #expands (0.70) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 159