The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion (Third Edition, Vol. 09 of 12)

"The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion" by James George Frazer is a detailed study from the early 1900s that looks at the links between magical thinking and religious actions. It checks out different cultures' customs and beliefs, shining a light on the scapegoat idea, where someone bears a community's bad luck and wrongdoings. This book explores in-depth how societies have historically managed ideas like evil, sickness, and blame, beginning with the "Dying God" and looking at moving personal burdens onto other beings or objects. It points out how different societies worldwide move bad stuff to objects or living beings, displaying the common idea of taking on suffering for others and examining its importance in how human groups think.