LECTURE 1 - Man(s) relationship with nature and the god(s). Man and nature are
harmonious. Nature subjugates man. Man holds dominion over nature.
Depending on the creation stories, myths, or explanations
found in different cultures, nature was variously depicted as chaotic, as a void
or emptiness or darkness, as shapeless or formless without structure and without
principles governing its operation, with no beginning and no end, and without
purpose.
Christine Keller. "The lost choas of creation"
Creation stories contend the gods created order out of
chaos, ordered activities in time, filled the void with heaven and earth as well
as stars, planets, moons, added flora and fauna and man, established rhythms in
nature some oppositional like light and dark, night and day, hot and cold, male
and female, life and death, sickness, and health; some regular and repetitive
like the movement of the sun, moon, and stars, the seasons-spring, summer, fall,
and winter, periods of flood and drought, a time for sowing and reaping.
Frederick L. Greene. "Creations myths in the ancient near east."
Culture stories contained principles that explained how the
gods/goddesses regulated these activities and if man followed these guidelines
and understood how to preserve these rhythms then flora and fauna, deities and
man would survive, prosper, and reproduce. Failure to understand these
guidelines would disturb the balance of nature between man and nature; disaster
would follow.
Some cultures believed nature was perfect in and of itself.
Other cultures believed an ordered nature ultimately served man. Still others
believed if nature could be improved on by applications of knowledge
(technology) all to the good.
All cultures had notions of time, when creation occurred,
principles of order, especially ecological regularities among and between
species in nature, and violation brought imbalance that would adversely affect
all. When creation occurred in time varied by culture. Agency for creation
varied.
1. Under the principle of animism the world is animated by an undifferentiated spiritual
power or “force” which people must recognize, learn about, honor, husband,
and harbor. Individuals must recognize their place in nature and become one with
force. Understandings about people’s relationship with nature are contained in
the principles of geomancy, interpretation and applications of principles
obtained through divinations, and balance between people and nature maintained
by following traditional practices of what works. Man’s failure to recognize
the balance between man and nature will result in nature subjugating man.
Recognition of the principles will ensure a harmony between man and nature.
Shytei Shen.
"Eastern thought, monotheism, and the force."
2. A variant of animism is the belief that differentiated spirits inhabit the universe.
In some cases, spirits inhabit flora and fauna, or places. Individuals must
recognize the spirits and their spiritual power to care for people’s physical,
emotion, and spiritual well-being; or conversely, make people ill or die, render
them sterile, drive them mad, steal their spirits or souls, or cast them adrift.
People must commune with the spirituals through visions, prayer, dance, and
traditional rituals. An important belief is metempsychosis: spirits of dead
animals are reborn in offspring. Therefore, a portion of the carcass is offered
to the spirit of the animal to ensure passage of its spirit from dead animal to
next animal body it will inhabit. Sacrifice is recognition of the world of
spirits and their role in preserving the balance between animals and men both in
life and death.
Man’s failure to recognize the balance between man and
nature, will result in nature subjugating man. Recognition of the principles will
ensure a harmony between man and nature.
3. Pantheism. Nature and its activities and principles that explain these
activities are understood by recognizing the roles of the different gods and
goddesses. In general, the god and goddesses are part of nature and participate
in it. They exercise over sight responsibility for various spheres of the
universe. Zeus rules the heavens, Poseidon the waters, Pluto the underworld and
Demeter personified grain, Athena harbored the olive tree, owl, and serpent;
Aphrodite loved birds of air, creatures of the land and sea. Apollo charmed
lions, lynxes, fawns. Asclepius healed through intermediaries of snakes and
dogs. (Hughes, 47). The presence of the gods and goddesses was recognized in
scared places, springs, caves, grottoes, mountains, forests, places with
panoramic views or exceeding beauty. Such places were places of inspiration,
reflection, or sites for places of worship or temples. To understand the
god/goddesses prayer, sacrifice of animals, divinations and mediation were
practiced.
When men and women acted so as to satisfy the whims of the
gods/goddesses harmony between people and the pantheon was maintained. When
actions of a man or woman drew the attentions of the gods/goddesses, angered
them for man disobeyed their directives or inadvertently interfered in their
august machinations the offended god/goddess moved to exact a fitting punishment
on the offender. The offender’s punishment was crafted to fit the nature of
the godly insult. Once the punishment was levied, it served as a lesson. Such is the fate
that awaits any one who challenges the pantheon. Presumably nature was ordered by the
gods for themselves and for man. Man and gods must use nature wisely, if so man and gods will
benefit. If not, nature will turn on man or the offended god(s) and justice will be exacted.
(See Hughes on Greek concepts of the natural world, pp.
49-72.)
Polytheism.net -- Follow links on Greeks and Romans
4. Monotheism. In creation stories under monotheism the
role of god as the agent of creation varies. Under deism: God transcends the
world, but does not actively participate in it. God created the world, but
allows it to run on its own following the rules used to govern all activities.
Under theism: God exists both outside the world and within the world. God both
created the world and participates in it. God’s appearance is referred to as
theophany.
Some argue monotheism occurred before polytheism; others
argue the converse.
Zenith Harris Merrill.
"Monotheism: The original religion of man."
Tylor argues polytheism preceeds monotheism.
Egyptian Gods.Net
Egyptian monotheism and polytheism