Before there was anything, there was the dark abyss, Nun. Out of his own thoughts, sheer force, and will, Atum rose from the abyss. From here, he created a hill, so he could stand. Atum was neither male nor female, and had a single all-seeing eye which could roam the universe. Since he was alone, Atum joined with his shadow to create a son and a daughter. He gave birth to his son, Shu, by spitting him out. Shu was named god of the air. Atum gave birth to his daughter, Tefnut, by vomiting her out. She was named goddess of mist and moisture. Atum’s children were granted the task of separating the abyss into principles of law, order, and stability. The abyss was divided into light and dark. The order was named Ma’at, and it formed the principles of life for all time. Ma’at was a feather, because it was light and pure. From there, Shu and Tefnut created Geb and Nut. Geb was the Earth, and Nut was the Sky. At first, Geb and Nut were tangled together. So, Shu pushed Nut into the heavens, and there she would remain, arched over Geb. Geb and Nut wanted to be together, but Ma’at forbade them to do so, because they had to be apart to fulfil their functions. From Nut, rain was produced, and Geb made things grow. Every night before dawn, Nut gave birth to the sun, and at sunset, it would die, after taking its course over the Earth. Shu and Tefnut created the other gods. They first gave birth to Isis, the queen of the gods. Then Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty. Next was Osiris, the god of wisdom and justice. After was Seth, the god of evil. They then gave birth to Thoth, the god of wisdom, and, Nephthys, the protector of the dead. Even after all this, the abyss and chaos was still great, and hadn’t yet been fully separated into the order of Ma’at. Because of this, Shu and Tefnut got lost in the dark waters of Nun. Desperate to find his children, Atum sent his all-seeing eye to search for them. After some time, Shu and Tefnut returned, carrying the eye with them. Atum was so glad to see his children again, he wept tears of joy, and from these tears, mankind was born. As man populated the Earth, they had to uphold the truth and balance of Ma’at. They were given the task of taking care of the Earth and worshipping the gods. The gods loved their creations and protected them. (I could not find the area of origin for this creation story).
By Scarlet Black
By Scarlet Black
Theban theology is from Thebes. They claimed that Amun was not merely another member of the polytheistic pantheon of gods, but a hidden force behind all things. The other gods were really just creations of his, or aspects of his personality. Amun transcended all other deities in his being "beyond the sky and deeper than the underworld". Theban myth described his initial act of creation like the call of a goose, which broke the stillness of the primeval waters and called the other gods and land into existence. Because Amun is separate from the world, his true nature is even concealed from the other gods. He is the ultimate source of creation, the originator, and the supreme god of the Egyptian pantheon.
For me, this is just more evidence that even the pagans knew there was a single, all-powerful creator, just like the monotheists believed. You see a trend for a supreme creator god in all pagan religions from around the world. No matter how many gods they later worship, they all believe it goes back to one transcendent being that is superior and started creation.
A lot of people say "christianity" and "jews" came after the pagan religions and "monotheism" was a new idea. But if we take the Bible as truth, then it means the world was monotheistic from the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. Humanity strayed and began to worship idols and creations of their own minds and a great deal of information/culture was lost during the Great Flood of Noah's time. (a massive world-wide flood story is also found in many ancient cultures.) Despite the Flood, despite the idol-worship, the pagans still had a vague memory of the supreme creator God and he was included in their stories as they invented new gods or aspects of him in their polytheism. When the monotheistic jews arrived on the scene, it was a return to the original way of worship before the Flood, before sin, before everything went so wrong. But it was such a distant memory, everyone thought polytheism was first and had always existed.
It's kinda funny that paganism is now seen as the "new age religion" in modern times because monotheism has ruled for so long over most of the world. Whereas monotheism used to be seen as "the new religion" when polytheism had ruled for so long that people forgot it was first.
By Saeir Darr
For me, this is just more evidence that even the pagans knew there was a single, all-powerful creator, just like the monotheists believed. You see a trend for a supreme creator god in all pagan religions from around the world. No matter how many gods they later worship, they all believe it goes back to one transcendent being that is superior and started creation.
A lot of people say "christianity" and "jews" came after the pagan religions and "monotheism" was a new idea. But if we take the Bible as truth, then it means the world was monotheistic from the very beginning in the Garden of Eden. Humanity strayed and began to worship idols and creations of their own minds and a great deal of information/culture was lost during the Great Flood of Noah's time. (a massive world-wide flood story is also found in many ancient cultures.) Despite the Flood, despite the idol-worship, the pagans still had a vague memory of the supreme creator God and he was included in their stories as they invented new gods or aspects of him in their polytheism. When the monotheistic jews arrived on the scene, it was a return to the original way of worship before the Flood, before sin, before everything went so wrong. But it was such a distant memory, everyone thought polytheism was first and had always existed.
It's kinda funny that paganism is now seen as the "new age religion" in modern times because monotheism has ruled for so long over most of the world. Whereas monotheism used to be seen as "the new religion" when polytheism had ruled for so long that people forgot it was first.
By Saeir Darr
There was only darkness and a great waste of water called Nun in the beginning. Then a great shining egg arose out of the darkness. This became Re.
Re was very powerful and when he spoke of names, they would come into being. He called himself Khepera at the dawn, Re at noon and Atum at night, thus the sun rose and passed across the sky and set for the first time.
He named Shu and the wind blew. He named Tefnut and the rain fell. He named Geb and the earth was formed. He named Nut and the sky covered the earth. He named Hapi and the great River Nile flowed.
After that he named all things upon the earth and the last was mankind in the forms of men and women in the land of Egypt.
Re became the first Pharaoh and ruled over Egypt for thousands of years. But because he took on the shape of a man, Re grew old. When men started to laugh at him and no longer feared or obeyed him, he sent Sekhmet as destruction upon mankind.
After Sekhmet had finished with her duty, she returned to Re and her name was changed to Hathor as the sweetness of love and the strength of desire.
Re continued to rule although he had become extremely old and was losing his wisdom. It was actually time for him to leave the earth and return to heavens, but no one could take his power from him as the power laid in his hidden name.
Now Geb and Nut had children, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Seth. Isis was the wisest and her knowledge was so great. What she needed to do was to find a way to learn the Secret Name of Re.
One day, when Re dribbled and his spittle fell upon the ground and became mud, Isis kneaded it and formed the first cobra, the Uraeus. Soon afterwards, the cobra bit Re and the venom coursed through his veins. Re experienced a great pain as he shivered and felt burned. He called upon all gods who had healing skills, knowledge of magic and wisdom.
Then along with all the gods came Isis, and she persuaded Re to tell her his hidden name, the Name of Power, as it was the only way to cure him. After Re made Isis swore an oath that she would not tell to no other save only her son, Horus, the knowledge of the Name of Power passed from the heart of Re into hers. Thus, she was able to cure Re.
Re was healed and finally, he took his place in high heavens. Each day he would travel across the sky in the likeness of the sun itself, and by night he would cross the underworld of Amenti.
By Angel Pevensie
Re was very powerful and when he spoke of names, they would come into being. He called himself Khepera at the dawn, Re at noon and Atum at night, thus the sun rose and passed across the sky and set for the first time.
He named Shu and the wind blew. He named Tefnut and the rain fell. He named Geb and the earth was formed. He named Nut and the sky covered the earth. He named Hapi and the great River Nile flowed.
After that he named all things upon the earth and the last was mankind in the forms of men and women in the land of Egypt.
Re became the first Pharaoh and ruled over Egypt for thousands of years. But because he took on the shape of a man, Re grew old. When men started to laugh at him and no longer feared or obeyed him, he sent Sekhmet as destruction upon mankind.
After Sekhmet had finished with her duty, she returned to Re and her name was changed to Hathor as the sweetness of love and the strength of desire.
Re continued to rule although he had become extremely old and was losing his wisdom. It was actually time for him to leave the earth and return to heavens, but no one could take his power from him as the power laid in his hidden name.
Now Geb and Nut had children, Osiris, Isis, Nephthys and Seth. Isis was the wisest and her knowledge was so great. What she needed to do was to find a way to learn the Secret Name of Re.
One day, when Re dribbled and his spittle fell upon the ground and became mud, Isis kneaded it and formed the first cobra, the Uraeus. Soon afterwards, the cobra bit Re and the venom coursed through his veins. Re experienced a great pain as he shivered and felt burned. He called upon all gods who had healing skills, knowledge of magic and wisdom.
Then along with all the gods came Isis, and she persuaded Re to tell her his hidden name, the Name of Power, as it was the only way to cure him. After Re made Isis swore an oath that she would not tell to no other save only her son, Horus, the knowledge of the Name of Power passed from the heart of Re into hers. Thus, she was able to cure Re.
Re was healed and finally, he took his place in high heavens. Each day he would travel across the sky in the likeness of the sun itself, and by night he would cross the underworld of Amenti.
By Angel Pevensie