Something Familiar
In the days of Sumerian culture, a god named Enlil disliked the humans. He persuaded the council of gods to send a great flood to destroy humankind and not tell the humans about their imminent demise.
The great god Enki warned a human and that man built a boat in which to survive the flood. In order to find out if the flood waters have receded, this man sends out a swallow, a raven, and a dove. Eventually the waters receded and the man offers a sacrifice to the gods.
Sound familiar?
The truth is that ‘the great flood’ myth – a flood sent by one or more deities to destroy mankind – is a myth common to many cultures, histories, and religions. The one above, from Sumerian culture, is one of the oldest flood stories we know of.
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and many people and groups take that to heart, picking and choosing the best of this and that to make something new and different.
And yet somewhat familiar.
Religion is no exception when it comes to this pick and choose philosophy, many of the stories and people from more recent religions sounding strikingly familiar to stories and people of older religions. The flood myth is only one example.
When it comes to the flood myth, you can conclude that a great flood – perhaps a world-circling tsunami or a meteor shower with enough ocean strikes to cause tidal waves in numerous areas – did indeed happen and the story worked its way into myth. Even despite the inconsistencies among some of the fine details of the story.
However, it’s not quite that easy to conclude such things when you come across other similarities.
This week I’m going to touch on similarities between some of the major religions at their basic points – forgiveness, love, happiness…
March 2nd, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Theres something “familiar” about this allright…..In fact, we have heard it all before….too many darned years ago….
The ONLY thing that links all religons, faiths and beliefs is the God concept….
And it just doesn’t exist….
So, the the only thing that links us all is the very fact that we are HUMANS….
Make this your belief….believe in your SELF, and what you can achieve HERE, not in some airy fairy nether world where Dolphins talk, magic exists, and Harry Potter goes to School just around the corner…
Spiritualists are PHONIES…..furthereing their own ends with superficial knowledge of the way we live and work…..
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Isn’t people telling other people what to believe in the reason you’re angry?
There are actually non-god belief systems out there. Yes, they do require certain behaviour and rituals, but they don’t worship a god or gods.
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
Aura, or whatever your name is….the only belief I have is in MYSELF…..that should be enough for anybody….
Every spiritualist I have ever met is so wrapped up in their “way” that criticism is just not tolerated…..
Your reply makes me glad that I have posted, because it reveals that maybe, just maybe, you DO have some kind of capacity for outside criticism….and the fact that you are willing to have it up here for all to see, rather than shut my comments down….that wins big points….
So…..I say to you, don’t believe that which others tell you, believe in YOU, and what you can ACHIEVE for the betterment of us all, not as a personal ego inflation or as part of some mystical “way”…MAGIC exists in our MINDS, just as “God” does….it’s not an “ipso facto” thing….
Thanks for your reply….at least you have the capacity for dissent, and the bravery to showcase a point of view that does not necessarily dovetail with your own…
I salute you for it….
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Belief in yourself *should* be enough for anybody, but it often isn’t. That’s why people explore and learn.
Outside criticism shouldn’t be shut up and shut down. When you exercise an intolerance for opinions other than your own, you grow dictatorships, not smart societies.
Thank you for stopping by and for your opinions. Truly.
Know that I am merely exploring and stopped having ‘blind faith’ a long time ago. Experience and observation has taught me that ‘faith without questioning’ rarely leads to good things and often turns people into people they are not.
Thank you again.