according to darwin, mans moral conduct and philosophical perspective is partly shaped from his communal environment. his teachers, friends, and chosen literature all influence his personal, ideological paradigm. darwin uses the word creed to describe these moral, ideological, and philosophical principles. while individuals sometimes create their own personal doctrines, it is our communal creeds which influence the course of human history. darwin describes how doctrinal creeds inspire fanatical zealotry among their adherents. devoted martyrs will sacrifice themselves in defense of their creeds, encouraging further acts of religious immolation. however, his ideological persecutors share a similar fanaticism, willing to kill their heretical opponents. motivated by their mutual hatred, these rivalrous ideologues seek the others destruction. with a change of circumstance, the persecuted will become the persecutors, exacting revenge on their apostatical enemies. however, darwin acknowledges how religious creeds instill the moral foundation necessary for civilizational stability. despite impassioned elements of theological contention, darwin suggests the world religions share a common, universal ethic. the codes of conduct vary little between christian, muslim, or even confucian communities.
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