Archive for December 15th, 2006
Contrasting Early Judaism With Contemporary Mythopoeic Religions.
The mythopoeic religions of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece all shared similar characteristics: the concept of Cyclical time, an animate universe, and large pantheons of human-like — as in flawed — gods. In contrast, the ancient Israelites believed that time was linear, the universe was inanimate, and that there was one perfect god who was omnipotent, omnipresent and all-seeing. Judaism was revolutionary because it affected all aspects of life including history, food through dietary laws, marital and and societal laws. It also was the first major religion to promote monotheism — or henotheisism depending on how you read it. While anyone can follow the Greek, Egyptian and Mesopotamian religions, Judaism was as much a culture and descent as it was a religion.
Cyclical time is based on the idea that for everything there is a season, and that every outcome happens repeatedly.
