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Early Role of the Male Divine The Male Divine Early Role of the Male Divine Dispute over male images Marija Gimbutas: “Male figurines constitute only 2 to 3 percent of all Old European figurines, and consequently any detailed reconstruction of their cult role is hardly possible.” Various other scholars claim that over half of figures cannot be identified definitively as either male or female. Early Role of the Male Divine Relationship to “Great Goddess” Many early male gods are consorts to goddesses Apsu to Tiamat, Dummuzi to Inanna “Dying gods” Osiris, Dummuzi Fertility gods Dummuzi, Marduk Sorcerer of Trois Freres Caves near Ariege, France (13,000 BCE) “God” of Trois Freres Dying/Fertility God from which all other Gods stem from “Shaman” of Trois Freres Possessor of magic powers Mediates between the people and spirit world Classifying the Male Divine Not typically associated with reproductive and seasonal cycles Life, Death, Regeneration not as applicable Sociopolitical Offices held, roles in society Examples that come to mind? Classifying the Male Divine Sociopolitical Fathers and Sons Kings and Judges Saviors and Sages Tricksters and Shamans Lords of Destruction and the Underworld Note: Many of these overlap, and many male deities play multiple roles Fathers and Sons Fathers Embody male principle of fertility Energizes life potential of female Becomes detached after the sexual act Often detached and eventually confrontational with offspring Role in Campbell's heroic cycle? Often the principle authority figure To be respected and feared Fathers and Sons Categories of Fathers The Celestial CEO Patriarchs who delegate responsibilities to other gods Active: Zeus, Odin Aloof: Anu, Atum The Unapproachable Father God too frightening, detached, or powerful to be approached Need intermediary gods to communicate Human too frail to bear awesomeness of God “No one comes to the Father, but through me.” - Jesus (John 14:6) Burning Bush Fathers and Sons Sons Humanizes more frightening aspects of father Obedience and submission of son to father Theme of sacrifice common Relationship between father and son reflect cultural norms Apollo and Hermes have positive relationships with Zeus Wise and crafty gods Hephaestus and Ares have negative relationships with Zeus Physically deformed and bloodthirsty Kings and Judges Kings often overlap with father-gods Depicted as heavenly kings Focus shifts from role of patriarch to the role of monarch Safety, peace, prosperity come from godly powers. “You will not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day; of the pestilence that stalks the darkness, or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. A thousand may fall at your side, and then thousand at your right hand; but it shall not approach you” (Psalms: 5-7). When gods struggle for power, mankind suffers Hurrian myth (N. Mesopotamia) Kings and Judges Hurrian Myth Anu defeats Alalu (primordial god) Kumarbi (Alalu’s son) bites off Anu’s genitals Kumarbi becomes pregnant with Anu’s son (Weather God) Weather God and Kumbari battle Two versions of end Version 1: Kumbari creates a stone monster named Ullikummi, spirals out of control and they both need to kill it Version 2: Weather God defeats Kumbari by slaying his son/monster Hedammu Moral “When elephants fight, the grass is trampled.” – African Proverb Kings and Judges Judges – Rewarding those whose actions conform to his will and punishing those whose deeds do not – Trials to get into afterlife • Egyptian – Book of the Dead • Christian – Heaven/Hell • Zoroastrianism – Judgment Day – Differences in afterlife, though • Sumerian underworld same for everyone, how seen on Earth matters Negative Confessions and Weighing of the Heart Ma’at = balance Some of the Negative Confessions Hail, Ta-retiu, who comest forth from the night, I have not attacked any man. Hail, Unem-snef, who comest forth from the execution chamber, I am not a man of deceit. Hail, Unem-besek, who comest forth from Mabit, I have not stolen cultivated land. Hail, Neb-Maat, who comest forth from Maati, I have not been an eavesdropper. Hail, Tenemiu, who comest forth from Bast, I have not slandered [no man]. Hail, Sertiu, who comest forth from Anu, I have not been angry without just cause. Hail, Tutu, who comest forth from Ati (the Busirite Nome), I have not debauched the wife of any man. Hail, Uamenti, who comest forth from the Khebt chamber, I have not debauched the wife of [any] man. Hail, Maa-antuf, who comest forth from Per-Menu, I have not polluted myself. Hail, Her-uru, who comest forth from Nehatu, I have terrorized none. Hail, Khemiu, who comest forth from Kaui, I have not transgressed [the law]. Hail, Shet-kheru, who comest forth from Urit, I have not been wroth. Hail, Nekhenu, who comest forth from Heqat, I have not shut my ears to the words of truth. Hail, Kenemti, who comest forth from Kenmet, I have not blasphemed. Hail, An-hetep-f, who comest forth from Sau, I am not a man of violence. Hail, Sera-kheru, who comest forth from Unaset, I have not been a stirrer up of strife. Hail, Neb-heru, who comest forth from Netchfet, I have not acted with undue haste. Hail, Sekhriu, who comest forth from Uten, I have not pried into matters. Hail, Neb-abui, who comest forth from Sauti, I have not multiplied my words in speaking. Hail, Nefer-Tem, who comest forth from Het-ka-Ptah, I have wronged none, I have done no evil. Hail, Tem-Sepu, who comest forth from Tetu, I have not worked witchcraft against the king. Hail, Ari-em-ab-f, who comest forth from Tebu, I have never stopped [the flow of] water. Hail, Ahi, who comest forth from Nu, I have never raised my voice. Hail, Uatch-rekhit, who comest forth from Sau, I have not cursed God. Hail, Neheb-ka, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not acted with arrogance. Hail, Neheb-nefert, who comest forth from thy cavern, I have not stolen the bread of the gods. Hail, An-af, who comest forth from Maati, I have not snatched away the bread of the child, nor treated with contempt the god of my city. Hail, Hetch-abhu, who comest forth from Ta-she (the Fayyum), I have not slain the cattle belonging to the god. Kings and Judges Judges – Many judgments occur in the here and now – Hebrew Bible • Punishing group of people – Sodom and Gomorrah • Immediate punishments • Cain and Able “And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your • According to the hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. Westboro Baptist You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer Chuch, God on the earth” (Genesis 4:11-12). punished Boulder Saviors/Prophets and Sages Saviors/Prophets – Savior bridges the gulf between the father-god and human children • Supernatural events and miracles – Some sacrifice willingly • Jesus • Nanauatzin (Aztec Sun) – Most don't die prematurely • Moses • Muhammad • Zoroaster Saviors/Prophets and Sages Sages – Human exemplars of spiritual behavior and wisdom • Not divine like saviors/prophets – Bodhisattvas • Goal is to help others achieve enlightenment (not a messenger of God like saviors, though) – Saints • Exceptional degree of holiness, sanctity, and virtue Saviors/Prophets and Sages Sages – Bodhisattvas • Avalokiteśvara/Dalai Lama • Gautama Buddha – Saints • St. Thomas Aquinas • Summa Theologica • Subjects such as existence of God, his nature, the trinity, roles of angels, and money lending • Shibli (Sufism) • Goes “crazy” to prove a point Tricksters and Shamans Why group these two together? – Both cross boundaries – Communicate between earthly and supernatural realms Tricksters – Hermes: Messenger God – Thoth: Scribe, inventor of mathematics and astronomy – Eshu: African, take sacrifices to gods Tricksters and Shamans Shamans – First understanding of male divinity – Mediating presence and spritual warrior between humans and the “Otherworld” – Enter trances and transform • Take on animal characteristics • Good fortune for hunts – Hopi story of young man and Snake Village Tricksters and Shamans Shamans – Hopi story of young man and Snake Village – Young Man (YM) questions existence of gods, wants to go to “Lower Place” – Gods tell him to go to Snake Village instead – Stopped by Shaman who warns him about Snake Village – Gives him protective herb – Greeted warmly at village – Returns with a wife from Snake Village Tricksters and Shamans Shamans – Hopi story of young man and Snake Village – Returns with a wife from Snake Village, pregnant with son – Angers her, she leaves but gives him son who can change between human and snake form Lords of Destruction and Underworld Represent greatest fears – Death, disease, misfortune, supernatural malevolence – Come in form of famine, pestilence, war, winter War – Shiva, Kali, Ares/Mars Also represent cycle of life – Osiris, even Hades have roles in fertility and seasons Mictlantecuhtli, Aztec King of the Dead Koshchei (Russian Lord of Death) Male Divine: Bhagavad Gita Bhagavad Gita Background 6th book of the Hindu epic Mahabharata Narrative of the Kurukshetra War (1200 BCE) Conflict between Aryan families of Pandava and Kaurav for supremacy Bhagavad Gita Arjuna Prince and leader of Pandava army Son of Indra Warrior caste Krishna Charioteer and friend of Arjuna Avatar of Vishnu Male Divine figure Bhagavad Gita The Setting Arjuna about to lead his army into battle Faces the enemy and sees friends, family, teachers on the opposing side Existential crisis Consults Krishna Bhagavad Gita “They are teachers, fathers, sons, and grandfathers, uncles, grandsons, fathers and brothers of wives, and other men of our family, I do not want to kill them even if I am killed, Krishna; not for kingship of all three worlds, much less for the earth! “What joy is there for us, Krishna, in killing Dhristarashtra's sons? Evil will haunt us if we kill them, through their bows are drawn to kill.
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