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Author Topic:   What is the oldest religious text?
ausar_maat
Member (Idle past 5520 days)
Posts: 136
From: Toronto
Joined: 10-04-2005


Message 46 of 56 (248865)
10-04-2005 2:00 PM
Reply to: Message 3 by arachnophilia
03-19-2005 10:23 PM


quote:
one thing is certain: it is NOT monotheistic.
the tradition date for the authorship of genesis/exodus is about 1250 bc, the hypothetical time of moses. (they were in fact written much later)
moses was preceeded in egpyt by akhenaten (amenhotep 4) by about 100 years. he was the first historical leader of a monotheistic religion. he of course turned about 2000 years of egyptian polytheistic tradition on its head. so, uh, polytheism goes back a lot longer monotheism.
The commonly defined definitions of monotheistic and polytheistic religions and theologies are often very linear. They fail to explain the inherent meanings ascribed to certain theistic concepts by their own standards and impose a rigid paradigm by which they can be filtered into cartasian ensembles. However, by their own exegesis, Egyptian and Hindu (really we should say Dravidians, Hinduism is a later social perversion based on a caste system) texts, interpret their various "gods" as manifestations or attributes of one single deity. The fact that monotheism in this case doesn't take on a judeochristian shell doesn't discount as being such. Simly another form of monotheism. But there are several references in these texts to suggest an earyl monotheistic outlook, more complex, more detailed and more sophisticated perhaps. But monotheism nonetheless.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 3 by arachnophilia, posted 03-19-2005 10:23 PM arachnophilia has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 47 by Nighttrain, posted 10-05-2005 9:13 PM ausar_maat has replied

  
ausar_maat
Member (Idle past 5520 days)
Posts: 136
From: Toronto
Joined: 10-04-2005


Message 48 of 56 (249337)
10-06-2005 12:16 AM
Reply to: Message 47 by Nighttrain
10-05-2005 9:13 PM


Re: Polytheism
thank you for the greeting,
As I mentionned,
There are several references in these texts (Vedas, Book of Coming Forth by Day of Egypt) to suggest an early monotheistic outlook, more complex, more detailed and more sophisticated perhaps. But monotheism nonetheless.
In the case of Hinduism, Capra correctly points out that it's multiple gods are in fact, by these texts' own accounts, a reference to -a- one God's multiple manifestations, told in the forms of stories and mythologies with loose and broad meanings. Also, the idea of monotheism among the Ancient Egyptians or Kamui, is closer to the way we would need to approach the principles governing subatomic particles, in the sense that they view the world and God's relationship to it in a wholelistic oneness. Tales and myths are used to detail these interractions abstractly, sort of like you would try to explain the duality of electromagnetic radiation, which can be both particle and wave at the same time, depending on your point of view. Therefore, symbols are used.
Akhenaton rebelled primarely against the fact that this meaning became lost, and felt, by most historical records, that the priesthood had become corrupted. He hated the fact that gods or the Neteru, were used to stimulate profit. So sought to destroy these images, in order to return focus on God's oneness. In that sense, we find some pararelles between what he attempted to do and what the Israelite Prophets attempted to do among their own people. In fact, some of Akhenaton's Hymns can be found textually "utilised" in passages of the Bible's Book of Palsms.
But overall, it is not, at surface level at least, the same concept of monotheism as found in western religions, so we shouldn't try to cramp them into a category of polytheism just because it is convenient to do so. I recommend research on the subject, as in all things. But most importantly, interpretation from their Clergy's perspective and not western theological standards.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 47 by Nighttrain, posted 10-05-2005 9:13 PM Nighttrain has not replied

  
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