Symbols in myth?

Question

Hey- just writing an essay on mythology and I have a few ideas but could do with some more- Im looking for psychological explanations for the following motifs/archetypes in myth:

-The seperation of the sky and the earth
-perhaps some insights on why christianity is monotheistic- psychologically-wise that is...

Answer 1

Some creation myths seem to explain how the world of duality came into being from another pure undifferentiated and primal state of being. Such myths often begin with the idea of an absolute unchanging, undivided Godhead or a primal chaos in which a kind of shift occurs such that that "divine mystery" becomes two--a masculine principle and a feminine principle (complementary principles) from which phenomenological existence emerges.

The Goddess traditionally has been associated with the primal chaos, sea serpents, water, and the moon (tides, seasons, time), the earth, and nature --and matter as well as "soul." The Creator God has been associated with lightening and the heavens, with spirit, and consciousness that enters and gives consciousness and structure to the primal matter/energy (represented by the Goddess/feminine principle). The archetypal "child" of Earth and Sky is the solar deity (the "light" of the world) who is also the dying and resurrecting god or the cycle of life in the sphere of time and duality. One example of this is Isis, Horus, and Osiris.

Why Christianity is monotheistic is an anthropological question rather than a psychological question, I think. Christianity is an offshoot of Judaism and is also, in part, related to Mithraicism and pagan mystery religions and, in part, related to Gnostic-type philosophies that were alternative popular spiritual ideas of that time. Many people think that Christ's ideas--as recorded in the Bible--were unique, but they were emerging ideas among certain alternative spiritual groups that Christ might have been closely involved in. Many Christian cults emerged within the first few centuries AD and then a group of bishops decided to standardize the religion and, in time, alternative ideologies either fell away by attrition or else their followers were persecuted.

You need to look into why the Jewish peoples of ancient times developed the idea of monotheism, who they may have been influenced by, and what it meant in context at that time to understand why Christianity is monotheistic.

When in doubt--Wikipedia it.

Answer 2

In Greek mythology, the union of the sky (Ouranos) and earth (Gaia) symbolized the creation of things on earth. When God in the Hebrew scriptures separates the two it signifies an end to his creating and it also symbolizes an end to the polytheistic thinking of the people for whom this writing was intended.

Christianity is monotheistic because there is only one God who is composed of three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Trinity is one God in three persons. How are they one? Psychologically speaking, I believe it has to do with love. How can three things be one? Through a love relationship that has these persons so united to one another that they form one entity. In a similar way, marriage brings together two persons to form one unit, again through love.

Answer 3

One of the reasons that people converted was that up until then you didn't have a "personal" relationship with your Gods. That was your ancestors and priests job. Christianity came along and promised eternal life as a the prodigy child.
Of course, that is what is now driving people from it, so *shrug* whatever

Answer 4

Wow ok, I'll have sugar with mine!

um...

Id look into egyptology personally if I want to learn more about symbols that mean something. They were very intellegent people...