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Comparison of two different cultures creation stories
Stories of creation different cultures
Comparison of two different cultures creation stories
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Religion, Creation Stories, and Creation Myths One of the fundamental questions that religions seek to answer is that of origin. How was man put on earth? Why and from what was he created? Who created him? What does his creation imply about the status of human beings? Some or all of these questions are answered by a religion’s creation stories. Every religion’s creation myths attempt to give solutions to problems present to that religious society. Because of this, each religion may have one or more creation stories, each of those different from one another in the questions they ask and the answers they give. Genesis In the Western world, the most well-known creation story is in Genesis (Myth A), in the Old Testament of the Bible. Surprisingly, even the Bible does not relate only a single account of Creation. In the book of Genesis itself, one can find two versions of the Creation of the world that are similar in idea, but different in content and detail. The story in Genesis I claims that God created the world and everything comprising it in six days. On the first day, God created Day and Night. Next came Sky, then Earth, and then Stars and Sun on the fourth. The fifth day was used to create water and sky dwelling creatures, and finally, on the sixth day, God created all the animals of Earth, finishing with mankind. In this version of the creation story, God created man and woman together, on the sixth day. The seventh day was Sabbath, saved for rest. However, another version of Creation exists in Genesis II, which relates the more popular story of Adam and Eve. Genesis II starts by telling how God rested on the seventh day and then goes into elaboration of the creation of mankind. This seems to imply ... ... middle of paper ... ...telligent species in the universe. We cannot possibly fathom what plan this higher power has, or even if a plan exists, and any attempts to do so would be futile. Instead, we must live this life doing what we believe to be true and right, ideas we ourselves created and so only we can live by. Works Cited Deussen, Paul. The Philosophy of the Upanishads. New York: Dover Punblications, 1966. Eliade, Mircea. Essential Sacred Writings from Around the World. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1967 Freund, Philip. Myths of Creation. New York: Washington Square Press, 1965. Heidel, Alexander. The Babylonian Genesis. 2nd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1954. The Holy Bible. King James Version. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2000. The Rig Veda: An Anthology. Betty Radice, ed. London: Penquin Books, Ltd, 1981.
Where Genesis I describes a more ordered creation - the manifestation of a more primitive cultural influence than was responsible for the multi-layered creation in Genesis II - the second creation story focuses less on an etiological justification for the physical world and examines the ramifications of humankind's existence and relationship with God. Instead of Genesis I's simple and repetitive refrains of "and God saw that it was good" (Gen 1:12, 18, 21, 25), Genesis II features a more stylistically advanced look at "the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens" (Gen 2:4). While both stories represent different versions of the same Biblical event, Genesis II is significantly more complex than its predecessor and serves both to quantify the relationship between God and his creations and lay the foundation for the evolving story of humankind as well.
In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, the boys who are stranded on the island come in contact with many unique elements that symbolize ideas or concepts. Through the use of symbols such as the beast, the pig's head, and even Piggy's specs, Golding demonstrates that humans, when liberated from society's rules and taboos, allow their natural capacity for evil to dominate their existence.
Every culture has a different story of their origin. Each story varies in setting, main characters, and religious aspects. Although the stories are different, the sole purpose is the same for each – to explain how each civilization came to be. In order for a civilization to fully understand their past, they must critically break down the components of their origin story. Creation stories establish appropriate relationships within society by the revelation of the punishment laid out by the gods on unsatisfactory vassals, the importance of a hero figure, and the exposure of human survival based on nature.
The Niagara River is very unique in the way that it drains water along the ninety-nine meter elevation drop down which it flows. The water drained differs according to the time of the day and the season as some water is diverted to create hydroelectric energy. The volume of water during the day over the Niagara Falls when it is tourist season, April 1st to October 31st, must not be less than 2,832 m3/s. During the winter months, anything not in the tourist season, the water flow over the Fa...
Can religions and cultures be anything more than their history? Why do we have a concept of history in the first place? Obviously history exists, but like the human ability to conceive of the future, history seems to be a rare phenomenon tied with our ability for language and the telling of stories. What’s even more fascinating is the human ability to make up a history or to tell a story, such as a creation myth, that seeks to explain something that has not been witnessed by anyone and does not have any role in finding food or creating shelter. We do not have a physical need to know how the earth came to be or to know how it is that we came to be here. Still, creation stories exist in almost all human cultures and, amazingly, many share many of the same elements. The question is, why? Is it a coincidence that so many of them share the same elements? By looking at a comparison of two creation stories, we should be able to understand the meaning of these similarities better.
Creation stories have profound effects on humans. Those associated with ancient cultures/civilizations aim to ensure the successful survival or well-being of themselves and that particular culture/civilization of their association, but not all are beneficial, prosperous, or fortunate. Mesopotamia’s “The Gilgamesh Epic”, Egypt’s “Hymn to the Nile-Documents”, and Mesoamerica’s Mayan and Aztec creation stories/religion are influential to establishing significant relationships within society, whether that is between humans and nature or humans and their “god(s).”
Every ancient society and civilization has creation myths that were passed down and keep alive throughout the passing of time by word of mouth. These myths are the world’s oldest stories and are vital to these cultures because they explain their beginnings and give purpose to their existence. By analyzing and interpreting different creation myths it becomes easier to understand different cultures and their connections and relationships with heir beliefs and god(s).
Throughout the Lord of the Flies, the author uses many events and objects as symbolism in the story. The boys inhabit an island when their plane crashes and creates a large curator which the boys respectively call the scar. All adults are killed and there are only a few selection of boys, ages six to twelve, found on the island when the British boys arrive. A war is going on which contributes to the plot of the boys survival story because no one in the outside world is concerned about their safety or location. Through the use of symbolism, the Lord of the Flies becomes full of objects which show the reader the struggle to remain civil without civilization. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding, is rife with symbolism; some of the best symbols include the conch shell, Piggy’s glasses, and the signal fire.
Through studies such as comparative mythology, researchers and philosophers have discover hundreds of parallels between the myths that make up every culture, including their creation myths. As most are deeply rooted in religion, comparisons based on geographic area, themes, and similar story lines emerge as religions form and migrate. Campbell recognized these similarities an...
Symbols: we see them on the street, on the walls, and in our homes, plastered on backpacks, jackets, and even fast food receipts. From the generic images that guide us through our daily lives to the shapes we see on television screens, these symbols are everywhere—and their importance as guides that tell us how to live, what to do and whom to believe is undeniable. Of all of these symbols, perhaps some of the most important are the symbols found in literature. In using simplistic symbols to represent profound ideas, authors construct a kind of “key”: one that allows readers to look past the surface of a story and reflect on the deeper messages beneath. Such is the nature of the symbols found in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. As a group of boys stranded on an island struggle to survive without adult supervision to maintain order, Golding uses a variety of objects to convey their descent from civilization into brutality, violence, and savagery. Of these objects, three hold particular significance. In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses the conch, the signal fire, and the Lord of the Flies to symbolize civilization, hope for rescue, and inner evil while conveying an overall theme of innate human evil.
The two creation myths chosen to compare and contrast focuses on the Norse culture of Iceland Vikings and the Genesis creation of the Hebrew origin of Christian culture. Both creation myths begin with an empty void where chaos or conflict develops. The Norse myth narrates a conflict between the fiery realm of Muspell and the dark, cold realm of Niflheim within the emptiness called ginnungagap and where nothing could grow. The Genesis conflict was between God and nothing, loneliness, and the need to create something beautiful.
Museums are one way to go out and learn many things. They can be about a person, presentation of art, history of nation, culture, religion, animals, products, companies and many more other things. Aside from having its existence it is also one way to spend time and bond with your close family and friends.
In order for William Golding to shape a perpetual tone and mood for the Lord of The Flies, outstanding symbolism must be used to inadvertently show the reader a bigger picture. Symbolism is an amazing feat and technique utilized by some authors to get across a larger point, and it proves to be very effective. Many different entities within this novel are used explicitly to explain symbolism and get across a higher point. Piggy 's glasses for control and power as well as necessity, the fire for rescue and destruction, the beast for savagery and illusion, the Lord of the Flies for evil, and the conch for power, civility and society. Remember, even a pair of glasses can mean the world to someone else, so don 't break or steal
For all intents and purposes, there are two views of the beginning of the universe. One of these is the creation told in chapters one and two of Genesis. Genesis confirms that God created the Heavens and the Earth on the first day of the first week of Earth’s history.
Genesis is the first creation story. God creates, establishes, and puts everything into motion. After putting all of this in motion he then rests. He creates everything on earth in just seven days. Before creation Gods breath was hovering over a formless void. God made earth and all of the living creatures on earth out of nothing. There was not any pre-existent matter out of which the world was produced. Reading Genesis 1 discusses where living creatures came from and how the earth was formed. It’s fascinating to know how the world began and who created it all. In Genesis 1 God is the mighty Lord and has such strong power that he can create and banish whatever he would like. His powers are unlike any others. The beginning was created from one man only, God.