Im not sure how many of you know about the introduction of momothesism in the world, but did the heaven and hell concept not come from the ancient egyptians and their belief in the invincibles i.e. the stars we the spirits of dead gods and that after death they became a star. Your thoughts please.
2006-06-05 15:42:26 · 7 answers · asked by A_Geologist 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It may have sprung from that idea. The concept of heaven and hell predates monotheism, though (if I take that to be a mistype).
My take on monotheism is that, as amazing beings who are more than animals but less than the spirit to which, I think almost universally, we feel we are somehow allied, we try to express what we perceive variously according to our stage of development.
Who knows what 'Adam and Eve' really saw and experienced? I see (as one interested in folklore and anthropology) a progression from an attempt to describe the spiritual world as a number of gods with different purposes to a realisation that there is one spirit behind the many, not negating them or calling them evil, but rather acknowleging that they are facets of the one thing.
I see the idea of the Trinity as man's final attempt to keep hold of the concept of many in one
Heaven and Hell? What do they describe but extremes of human emotion - perceptions of existence going with the stream or against it?
2006-06-07 08:12:46 · answer #1 · answered by Owlwings 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
There are many similarities between the two. The Egyptians believed the Tuat was their afterlife. It was a place of everlasting peace. And, the Abydos where dead souls wondered aimlessly looking for peace.
Interestingly, the Egyptian view mirrors the Greek view. Consider Elysuim...
In Egyptian mythology Mahaf (the god of death) leads people to their destination. In Greek mythology it's Thanatos...
I'm sure you can find many more...
2006-06-05 22:59:51 · answer #2 · answered by Baby #3 due 10/13/09 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The very first monotheistic religion was introduced to humanity by an Egyptian pharoah called Akhenaton.
The similarities between ancient Egyptian "mythology" (as Christians and the like have labelled it) and today's monotheistic religions are numerous.
I still believe that when you die you become a star.
2006-06-05 22:46:03 · answer #3 · answered by Dare You To Dream 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe this is one answer to your question.
Zoroastrianism is considered to be one of the earliest monotheistic beliefs, though some derivatives of it are not fully so, as the chief god in derivatives such as Zurvanism is not the sole creator. Zoroastrian monotheism has had major influence on the religions of the middle eastern monotheisms in adaptations of such concepts as heavens, hells, judgement day and messianic figures.
2006-06-05 22:49:47 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The heaven/hell concept appeared to originate with the Zoroastrians around 500 bce.
But, no one really knows. We do know that Hebrews did not invent the idea, they adopted it from other cultures.
2006-06-05 22:46:35 · answer #5 · answered by Left the building 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Heaven and hell came from the bible, it was hades and paradise before Jesus came to the earth. A place where people went after they died.
2006-06-05 22:53:39 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hell was the norse god of the underworld
in the oldest copies of the bible we see the word hades
forget that hell sh@t
2006-06-05 23:43:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋