Ritual violations lead to persecution of heretics, scapegoats, and other outcasts

From. Interaction Ritual Chains by Randall Collins.  Being a member of a group is an effective force multiplier whether in terms of defense or offense, in terms of security or knowledge acquisition, or in terms of efficiency and prosperity.  Group membership is valuable, particularly in a Classical Liberal world where everyone can be members of multiple groups.  But multiplicity of group membership does impose a burden.  

Feelings of moral solidarity generate specific acts of altruism and love; but there is also a negative side. As Durkheim pointed out, group solidarity makes individuals feel a desire to defend and honor the group. This solidarity feeling is typically focused on symbols, sacred objects (like a tribal totemic emblem, a holy scripture, a flag, a wedding ring). One shows respect for the group by participating in rituals venerating these symbolic objects; conversely, failure to respect them is a quick test of nonmembership in the group. Members of the ritual group are under especially strong pressure to continue to respect its sacred symbols. If they do not, the loyal group members feel shock and outrage: their righteousness turns automatically into righteous anger. In this way, ritual violations lead to persecution of heretics, scapegoats, and other outcasts. Such events bring out clearly yet another transformation of emotion by rituals: from specific initiating emotions to their intensification in collective effervescence; from collective effervescence to emotional energy carried in individuals’ attachment to symbols; and from symbol-respect to righteous anger.