The main assumption in Per Bjornar Grande's book Mimesis and Desire. An Analysis of the Religious Nature of Mimesis and Desire in the Work of Rene Girard is that religion is motivated by mimesis. Mimesis is the foundation of religion. It is also primary to violence and scapegoating, and engenders both phenomena. Thus mimesis is the tool by which the religious and anthropological themes may be explained. According to Grande religion does not begin with sacrifice, but with mimesis or imitation. If sacrifice is seen to be the origin of religion, religion will be limited to violence only. For...