DOCSLIB.ORG

The Minds of Gods: a Comparative Study of Supernatural Agency

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Minds of Gods: a Comparative Study of Supernatural Agency Cognition 129 (2013) 163–179 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Cognition journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/COGNIT The minds of gods: A comparative study of supernatural agency Benjamin Grant Purzycki Centre for Human Evolution, Cognition, and Culture, University of British Columbia, 1871 West Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z2, Canada article info abstract Article history: The present work is the first study to systematically compare the minds of gods by exam- Received 11 October 2012 ining some of the intuitive processes that guide how people reason about them. By exam- Revised 21 June 2013 ining the Christian god and the spirit-masters of the Tyva Republic, it first confirms that the Accepted 24 June 2013 consensus view of the Christian god’s mind is one of omniscience with acute concern for interpersonal social behavior (i.e., moral behaviors) and that Tyvan spirit-masters are not as readily attributed with knowledge or concern of moral information. Then, it reports Keywords: evidence of a moralization bias of gods’ minds; American Christians who believe that God Religion is omniscient rate God as more knowledgeable of moral behaviors than nonmoral informa- Minds of gods Supernatural Punishment Hypothesis tion. Additionally, Tyvans who do not readily report pro- or antisocial behavior among the Omniscience things that spirit-masters care about will nevertheless rate spirit-masters’ knowledge and Cultural consensus analysis concern of moral information higher than nonmoral information. However, this knowledge Theological correctness is distributed spatially; the farther away from spirits’ place of governance a moral behavior takes place, the less they know and care about it. Finally, the wider the breadth of knowl- edge Tyvans attribute to spirit-masters, the more they attribute moral concern for behav- iors that transpire beyond their jurisdiction. These results further demonstrate that there is a significant gulf between expressed beliefs and intuitive religious cognition and provides evidence for a moralization bias of gods’ minds. Ó 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction the world are especially knowledgeable and concerned with human behavior (Boyer, 2001; Johnson, 2005; Pet- For a long time, researchers of religion have argued that tazzoni, 1955), but the specific domains of concern people religion functions to maintain and promote cooperation explicitly attribute to gods appear to vary from place to between individuals (Durkheim, 2001[1915]; Malinowski, place. As far as we know, these domains are limited to 1932; Rappaport, 1979, 1999). Contemporary experimen- interpersonal social behavior, ritual, environmental re- tal evidence suggests that religious priming can boost source management, and etiquette (Purzycki, 2012; Pur- cooperative behavior and can minimize defection on social zycki & Sosis, 2011). However, while religion appears to rules (Bering, McLeod, & Shackelford, 2005; Johnson, 2005; positively mediate interpersonal social behavior and curb Johnson & Bering, 2006; Piazza, Bering, & Ingram, 2011; antisocial behavior, we currently have very little in the Randolph-Seng & Nielsen, 2007; Shariff & Norenzayan, way of understanding the cognitive foundations for these 2007). Behavioral and cross-cultural studies also suggest effects. If religion heightens levels of prosociality, do gods that participation in religious rituals reliably conveys com- without explicit concern for interpersonal social behaviors mitment to the group and contributes to overcoming prob- (e.g., theft, generosity, murder, honesty, etc.) still prime lems inherent to human cooperation (Soler, 2012; Sosis & moral systems and domains? Bressler, 2003; Sosis & Ruffle, 2003, 2004; Sosis, Kress, & The cognitive science of religion literature regularly Boster, 2007). Many have also observed that gods around claims that the ability to mentalize is the essence of reli- gious cognition; our commitment to supernatural beings requires the ability to make sense of other minds (Atran, E-mail address: [email protected] 0010-0277/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2013.06.010 164 B.G. Purzycki / Cognition 129 (2013) 163–179 2002, pp. 59–63; Barrett, 2004; Bering, 2011; Guthrie, focuses on the content (i.e., representational domains) of 1980, 1995). However, remarkably little has been done to gods’ minds. empirically investigate the cross-cultural similarities and Boyer (2001, p. 144) observes that people are far more variation in representations of gods’ minds and how this interested in the minds of their gods rather than other fea- relates to religious prosociality. As such, many questions tures and posits that people are more likely to endow remain unanswered. For example, do people have a predis- supernatural agents with access to domains of ‘‘socially position towards associating interpersonal social behaviors strategic information’’ (Boyer, 2000, 2002). He defines this such as theft and generosity, deceit and honesty, cruelty as ‘‘the subset of all the information...that activates the and kindness with supernatural agents? If present, does mental systems that regulate social interaction’’ (2001, p. this predisposition operate even in contexts where super- 152). Bering (2011) defines ‘‘strategic social information’’ natural agents are not explicitly concerned about human as ‘‘any information that, once exposed, could influence morality? Do people around the world draw upon different one’s reproductive success’’ (p. 174). Having access to this cognitive systems to think about the knowledge and con- reputational information is often held to be the primary cerns of their gods? The present study initiates the formal distinction between gods and other counterintuitive examination of these questions by systematically investi- agents (Atran, 2002; Barrett, 2008; Boyer, 2001, 2002); gating how people from two different cultures—American gods who care about such information are more salient Christian students and Buddhist-animist Tyvans from to our minds than other agents without such abilities southern Siberia—make sense of their gods’ minds. (e.g., cartoons, mythological creatures). These theorists of- The following sections review current thinking and evi- ten explain retention of and commitment to supernatural dence on how and why it is that humans commit to gods. agent concepts by appealing to their cognitive salience, Following this is a discussion of the important distinction but very little work has been done to get a reliable account between ‘‘theologically correct’’ beliefs and how intuitive of the variation in attributed domains of concern to gods. cognitive processes often betray culturally specific postu- However, one thread of research suggests that the links be- lates. I then review some of the theological discussions of tween supernatural agents, their minds, and socially stra- the Abrahamic god’s mind followed by a brief description tegic knowledge function to mediate social behavior and of religion in the Tyva Republic. Drawing from this frame- thus contribute to the evolution of cooperation. work, I present hypotheses and their tests regarding how people ought to reason about their supernatural agents 1.2. Gods’ minds and conclude by illustrating future directions in the study of gods’ minds. 1.2.1. Supernatural punishment and cooperation Some evolutionary theories culminate into what is known as the Supernatural Punishment Hypothesis (Sch- 1.1. Representing supernatural minds loss & Murray, 2011). One strand of this hypothesis (Ber- ing & Johnson, 2005; Johnson, 2005) suggests that a Recently, the question of why humans are religious has psychological commitment to punishing deities is a part become reinvigorated by the cognitive and evolutionary of our evolved repertoire of cognitive systems. Another sciences of religion. While cognitive approaches attempt (Norenzayan & Shariff, 2008; Shariff & Norenzayan, to unravel the proximate mechanisms at work in religious 2007) posits that because of the prosocial effects of pun- cognition, evolutionary approaches seek to determine ishing supernatural agents, such concepts are more preva- whether or not religion promotes survival and lent in large populations. Together, this research shows reproduction. that supernatural agents often function to inhibit self- Many argue that the essence of religious cognition is the interested behavior or free-riding, and this strengthens representation of supernatural minds, an ability stemming cooperation which significantly contributes to individual from our normal, everyday theory of mind systems (see well-being. Baron-Cohen, 1995; Premack & Woodruff, 1978). In his People are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior foundational work, Guthrie (1980, 1995) argues that or suppress antisocial behavior when primed with super- anthropomorphism—granting human-like characteristics natural agent concepts (Bering & Johnson, 2005; Bering to non-human entities—is a central feature of religion. et al., 2005; Johnson, 2005; Johnson & Bering, 2006; Piazza, Anthropomorphism includes human-like forms, and attrib- Bering, & Ingram, 2011; Randolph-Seng & Nielsen, 2007; uting comprehension of symbolic thought and human Rossano, 2007; Shariff & Norenzayan, 2007). We also see motivations to non-humans. Barrett (2004) and Keil (Bar- similar effects with the priming of secular justice concepts rett & Keil, 1996) suggest that humans are equipped with (Shariff & Norenzayan,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Place”: Performance, Oral Tradition, and Improvization in the Hidden Temples of Mountain Altai
    Oral Tradition, 27/2 (2012): 291-318 Sensing “Place”: Performance, Oral Tradition, and Improvization in the Hidden Temples of Mountain Altai Carole Pegg and Elizaveta Yamaeva Dedicated to Arzhan Mikhailovich Közörökov (1978-2012) 1. Introduction: Altai’s Ear The snow-capped Altai Mountain range runs from southern Siberia in the Russian Federation, southwards through West Mongolia, eastern Kazakhstan, and the Xinjiang autonomous region of Northwest China, before finally coming to rest in Southwest Mongolia. This essay is based on fieldwork undertaken in 2010 in that part of the Altai Mountains that in 1990 became the Republic of Altai, a unit of the Russian Federation.1 The Altaians, known previously as Kalmyks and Oirots, engage in a complex of spiritual beliefs and practices known locally as Ak Jang (“White Way”)2 and in academic literature as Burkhanism. Whether this movement was messianic, nationalist, or spiritual and whether it was a continuation of indigenous beliefs and practices or a syncretic mixture of local beliefs (Altai Jang), Buddhism, Manichaeism, Zoroastrianism, and Orthodox Christianity have been argued 1 Dr. Pegg wishes to thank the World Oral Literature Project, University of Cambridge (2010), the Economic and Social Research Council (2003-07), and the British Academy (2002) for funding her field research in Altai, as well as the Gorno-Altaisk State University for facilitating that research. Special thanks go to Irene Aleksandrovna Tozyyakova for her help as research assistant and interpreter. Dr. Pegg is also grateful to the musicians, spiritual specialists, and Sary Bür communities of Altai who shared with her their valuable time. Thanks also go to Danil’ Mamyev, founder of the Üch Engmek (Ethno) Nature Park, and Chagat Almashev, Director of the Foundation for Sustainable Development of Altai (FSDA), who both helped with the practicalities of research.
    [Show full text]
  • Mapuche Pantheon
    MAPUCHE PANTHEON The Mapuches believed in two worlds: the natural world, made up of the earth with its people, and a supernatu- ral one which is magical and religious in the sky. The supernatural world is called Wenumapu, and it is a balanced region between the clouds and the universe. It is where gods, spirits and ancestors live. The Anka- wenu was a disorganized and chaotic space next to Wenumapu where evil spirits or Wekufes live. These cause suffering and harm to mankind. CHAU was the creator god of the Mapuche. He was also known as Nguenechèn, Father, the Sun, and Antü. HUEÑAUCA was an evil and fiery spirit who lived in the depths of the Osorno volcano. He produced fire and ruled over a court of beings that could not speak. There was often a male goat protecting the entrance to his cavern. KAI-KAI FILU was the evil sea serpent who carried two of Chau’s rebellious sons within him. Kai-Kai Filu was always planning to take power away from his father the creator. When he got mad he created tidal waves, floods and earth quakes by violently flapping his giant tale. KÜPUKA FUCHA and KÜPUKA KUSHE were the god and goddess of abundance. KUSHE means “witch”. This goddess was both the wife and mother of Chau (Nguenechèn) the creator god. She was also known as Moon, Blue Queen and Queen Maga. NAHUEL was a god in the shape of a tiger. PILLAN was the god of thunder as well as a fire spirit. He protected the elements and humans and was the creator of thunder and lightning.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of the Pantheon Through Time Caitlin Williams
    Union College Union | Digital Works Honors Theses Student Work 6-2018 A Study of the Pantheon Through Time Caitlin Williams Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the Classical Archaeology and Art History Commons Recommended Citation Williams, Caitlin, "A Study of the Pantheon Through Time" (2018). Honors Theses. 1689. https://digitalworks.union.edu/theses/1689 This Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Student Work at Union | Digital Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses by an authorized administrator of Union | Digital Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Study of the Pantheon Through Time By Caitlin Williams * * * * * * * Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Honors in the Department of Classics UNION COLLEGE June, 2018 ABSTRACT WILLIAMS, CAITLIN A Study of the Pantheon Through Time. Department of Classics, June, 2018. ADVISOR: Hans-Friedrich Mueller. I analyze the Pantheon, one of the most well-preserVed buildings from antiquity, through time. I start with Agrippa's Pantheon, the original Pantheon that is no longer standing, which was built in 27 or 25 BC. What did it look like originally under Augustus? Why was it built? We then shift to the Pantheon that stands today, Hadrian-Trajan's Pantheon, which was completed around AD 125-128, and represents an example of an architectural reVolution. Was it eVen a temple? We also look at the Pantheon's conversion to a church, which helps explain why it is so well preserVed.
    [Show full text]
  • The Swastika As Representation of the Sun of Helios and Mithras
    Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 14, No 3, pp. 29-36 Copyright © 2014 MAA Printed in Greece. All rights reserved. THE SWASTIKA AS REPRESENTATION OF THE SUN OF HELIOS AND MITHRAS Mª Pilar Burillo-Cuadrado, Francisco Burillo-Mozota University of Zaragoza. Campus de Teruel. 44001, Teruel, Spain Corresponding author: ( [email protected]; [email protected] ) ABSTRACT At the 20th International Conference of the European Society for Astronomy in Cul- ture, held in Slovenia in 2012, Reza Assasi (2013) presented the paper ‘Swastika: The For- gotten Constellation Representing the Chariot of Mithras’, in which he identified Mithras and his quadriga with the constellation Draco, centre of the zodiac in the map of the stars. Thus he proposed a new interpretation that contradicted that accepted by researchers of the Mithraic religion who associate Mithras with the sun. This article aims to show that, contrary to this new interpretation, Mithras should still be identified with the solar deity. Mithraic iconography and liturgy is analysed in the present work, paying special attention to the relationship between the two solar deities Helios and Mithras. The context in which the swastika is depicted is analysed, demon- strating that it never represented a constellation but instead represented the sun. We fol- low the theory of David Ulansey (1994), which asserts that Mithras should be identified with the “hypercosmic sun”, the sphere of fire which Greek philosophers located beyond the starry heavens. KEYWORDS: Mithras, sun, swastika, Helios, hypercosmic sun, tauroctony, mithraeum 30 Mª PILAR BURILLO-CUADRADO et al. 1. INTRODUCTION reached Rome in Republican times. A com- The Mithraic religion appeared in the Ro- mon feature of the mystery religions was man Empire in the first century CE.
    [Show full text]
  • Linguistic Evidence for the Indo-European Pantheon
    Krzysztof T. Witczak, Idaliana Kaczor Linguistic evidence for the Indo-European pantheon Collectanea Philologica 2, 265-278 1995 COLLECTANEA PHILOLOGICA II in honorem Annae Mariae Komornicka Łódź 1995 Krzysztof T. WITCZAK, Idaliana KACZOR Łódź, Poland LINGUISTIC EVIDENCE FOR THE INDO-EUROPEAN PANTHEON* I. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE INDO-EUROPEAN RELIGION (A) The Indo-European religion is polytheistic, i. e. it connects plurality of worships and cults peculiar to any group and any place. (B) It is a pagan or rustic religion, which reflects some variety of the common people. (C) It is plural and various. This religion is by nature broad-minded, being far from propagating its own faith. Any group preserves jealously its own deities, beliefs, rites and religious formules. In a sense this religion can be determined as esoteric and initiatory. It has mythes and symbols, but it knows no dogma. (D) It is a religion of work, but not of faith. The traditional rites and duties of their own social standing are engagements essential to confessors, but the affection does not figure prominently in their faith. (E) This religion is political for the sake of its frames, which are frames of different ethnic units. It is also a religion of commanders rather than that of priests. (F) It is highly tolerant and its confessors are devoid of any fanaticism, but both „superstition” and individual magic are despicable, thougt sometimes they are practised. (G) Indo-European deities are comprehended as personal beings, whose nature cannot be precisely determined. According to peoples and epochs their nature lies less or more near the human nature, as it can be recognized from theonyms.
    [Show full text]
  • The Folk Beliefs in Vampire-Like Supernatural Beings in the Ottoman
    An Early Modern Horror Story: The Folk Beliefs in Vampire-like Supernatural Beings in the Ottoman Empire and the Consequent Responses in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries by Salim Fikret Kırgi Submitted to Central European University History Department In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Supervisor: Associate Prof. Tijana Krstić Second Reader: Prof. György E. Szönyi Budapest, Hungary 2017 CEU eTD Collection Statement of Copyright “Copyright in the text of this thesis rests with the Author. Copies by any process, either in full or part, may be made only in accordance with the instructions given by the Author and lodged in the Central European Library. Details may be obtained from the librarian. This page must form a part of any such copies made. Further copies made in accordance with such instructions may not be made without the written permission of the Author.” CEU eTD Collection i Abstract The thesis explores the emergence and development of vampire awareness in the Ottoman Empire in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by focusing on the interactions between religious communities, regional dynamics, and dominant discourses in the period. It re-evaluates the scattered sources on Ottoman approaches to the ‘folkloric vampire’ by taking the phenomenon as an early modern regional belief widespread in the Balkans, Central Europe and the Black Sea regions. In doing so, it aims to illuminate fundamental points, such as the definition of the folkloric revenant in the eyes of the Ottoman authorities in relation to their probable inspiration—Orthodox Christian beliefs and practices—as well as some reference points in the Islamic tradition.
    [Show full text]
  • Monotheism and Pantheism in Africa by Eg Parrinder
    MONOTHEISM AND PANTHEISM IN AFRICA BY E. G. PARRINDER (King's College, University of London, UK) Nearly a hundred years ago E. B. Tylor wrote that, in the strict sense, "no savage tribe of monotheists has ever been known. Nor are any fair representatives of the lower culture in a strict sense pantheists. The doctrine which they do widely hold, and which opens to them a course tending in one or other of these directions, is poly- theism culminating in the rule of one supreme divinity" ( r ] . These were bold words at a time when little was known accurately of the beliefs of many "tribes", among whom Tylor included Africans whom he had never visited. Later field studies have brought better know- ledge but few overall theories, though in recent years some explana- tions have been offered to solve the diversity of African religious thought in both monotheistic and pantheistic directions. In 1923 R. S. Rattray produced his classic work on Ashanti, in which he illustrated the worship of the Supreme Being, 'name, with photographs of priests and temples, and texts of prayers in the Twi language and in translation. He also described some of the shrines and ceremonies of lesser gods (abosom), especially the river Tano, lake Bosomtwe, the river Bea and the sea, Opo. Ashanti religion appeared to be a mixture, in which an undoubted High God ruled concurrently with lesser divine and ancestral spirits, and the explana- tion of this diversity was said to be that men needed the favour of every kind of spiritual being and it would be a mistake to concentrate upon one and incur the anger of those who were neglected.
    [Show full text]
  • The World of Greek Religion and Mythology
    Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament Herausgeber/Editor Jörg Frey (Zürich) Mitherausgeber/Associate Editors Markus Bockmuehl (Oxford) ∙ James A. Kelhoffer (Uppsala) Tobias Nicklas (Regensburg) ∙ Janet Spittler (Charlottesville, VA) J. Ross Wagner (Durham, NC) 433 Jan N. Bremmer The World of Greek Religion and Mythology Collected Essays II Mohr Siebeck Jan N. Bremmer, born 1944; Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Groningen. orcid.org/0000-0001-8400-7143 ISBN 978-3-16-154451-4 / eISBN 978-3-16-158949-2 DOI 10.1628/978-3-16-158949-2 ISSN 0512-1604 / eISSN 2568-7476 (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament) The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbiblio- graphie; detailed bibliographic data are available at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2019 Mohr Siebeck Tübingen, Germany. www.mohrsiebeck.com This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitt- ed by copyright law) without the publisher’s written permission. This applies particular- ly to reproductions, translations and storage and processing in electronic systems. The book was typeset using Stempel Garamond typeface and printed on non-aging pa- per by Gulde Druck in Tübingen. It was bound by Buchbinderei Spinner in Ottersweier. Printed in Germany. in memoriam Walter Burkert (1931–2015) Albert Henrichs (1942–2017) Christiane Sourvinou-Inwood (1945–2007) Preface It is a pleasure for me to offer here the second volume of my Collected Essays, containing a sizable part of my writings on Greek religion and mythology.1 Greek religion is not a subject that has always held my interest and attention.
    [Show full text]
  • Canaanite Religion As a Background for Patriarchal and Early Israelite Religion
    Canaanite Religion as a Background for Patriarchal and Early Israelite Religion The Ras Shamra texts (site of ancient Ugarit) dating from 1500-1200 B.C.E.) provide important information about Canaanite religion. Ugarit is representative of a larger cultural continuum that included 2nd-1st millennium Syria-Palestine and formed the background for the formation of the tribes of Israel. These texts attest to aspects of Canaanite culture and mythology that the ancient Israelites alternately shared, adopted, modified and rejected. The Ugaritic gods and goddesses 1. El. Literally, "god" but also the personal name for the head of the Canaanite pantheon and council of the gods until overthrown by Baal. He is also called: King, Creator of All, Father of years, Kind, Compassionate. He is represented as a patriarchal god who dwells in a tent. EI appears throughout Semitic cultures as Allah (=El) in Arabic religion and EI/Elohim in the Hebrew Bible. 2. Baal. Literally "master" but also "husband." Son of the grain god Dagan, Baal was a storm god. By 1000 B.C.E. he had become the chief diety and head of the Canaanite pantheon. He is featured in a fertility myth in which he is killed by Mot, the god of death, and then restored to life (a Canaanite version of the myth of a dying and rising god that is linked to the cycle of nature and agriculture). Another story tells of a battle between Baal the storm god and the chaotic watery demon Yamm (reminiscent of the battle between Marduk and Tiamat in Mesopotamian myth and reflected in Israel's demythologized version of creation in which God's wind moves over the watery deep, and in God's parting the Reed Sea by a blast from his nostrils.
    [Show full text]
  • Slavic Pagan World
    Slavic Pagan World 1 Slavic Pagan World Compilation by Garry Green Welcome to Slavic Pagan World: Slavic Pagan Beliefs, Gods, Myths, Recipes, Magic, Spells, Divinations, Remedies, Songs. 2 Table of Content Slavic Pagan Beliefs 5 Slavic neighbors. 5 Dualism & The Origins of Slavic Belief 6 The Elements 6 Totems 7 Creation Myths 8 The World Tree. 10 Origin of Witchcraft - a story 11 Slavic pagan calendar and festivals 11 A small dictionary of slavic pagan gods & goddesses 15 Slavic Ritual Recipes 20 An Ancient Slavic Herbal 23 Slavic Magick & Folk Medicine 29 Divinations 34 Remedies 39 Slavic Pagan Holidays 45 Slavic Gods & Goddesses 58 Slavic Pagan Songs 82 Organised pagan cult in Kievan Rus' 89 Introduction 89 Selected deities and concepts in slavic religion 92 Personification and anthropomorphisation 108 "Core" concepts and gods in slavonic cosmology 110 3 Evolution of the eastern slavic beliefs 111 Foreign influence on slavic religion 112 Conclusion 119 Pagan ages in Poland 120 Polish Supernatural Spirits 120 Polish Folk Magic 125 Polish Pagan Pantheon 131 4 Slavic Pagan Beliefs The Slavic peoples are not a "race". Like the Romance and Germanic peoples, they are related by area and culture, not so much by blood. Today there are thirteen different Slavic groups divided into three blocs, Eastern, Southern and Western. These include the Russians, Poles, Czechs, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Serbians,Croatians, Macedonians, Slovenians, Bulgarians, Kashubians, Albanians and Slovakians. Although the Lithuanians, Estonians and Latvians are of Baltic tribes, we are including some of their customs as they are similar to those of their Slavic neighbors. Slavic Runes were called "Runitsa", "Cherty y Rezy" ("Strokes and Cuts") and later, "Vlesovitsa".
    [Show full text]
  • Greek Gods/Mythology Notes - Information on the Greek Belief System Comes from Many Sources
    Greek Gods/Mythology Notes - Information on the Greek belief system comes from many sources. Unlike followers of religions such as Christianity, Judaism, & Islam, the Greeks did not have a single sacred text, such as the Bible or Koran from which their beliefs and religious practices derived. Instead, they generally used oral traditions, passed on by word of mouth, to relate sacred stories. Priest and priestesses to various gods would also guide people in worship in various temples across Greece. We know something about these beliefs because Greek poets such as Homer, Hesiod and Pindar, and Greek dramatists such as Euripides, Aristophanes & Sophocles mention the myths in their various works. Greek mythology, however, was not static- it was constantly changing and evolving. Thus, there are often many different versions (and some that are contradictory toward one another) of the various Greek myths. Thus, some of the example myths you read in here may differ from ones you have previously heard. It does not necessarily make either version “wrong”- simply different. - The Greeks had many Gods & Goddesses- over three thousand if one were to count the many minor gods and goddesses. These deities made up the Greek pantheon, a word used to mean all the gods and goddesses (from the Greek word “pan” meaning all, and “theos” meaning gods). However, throughout Greece, there were always twelve (called the Twelve Olympians) that were the most important. They are: 1. Zeus 2. Hera 3. Poseidon 4. Athena 5. Apollo 6. Artemis 7. Hephaestus 8. Ares 9. Hermes 10. Aphrodite 11. Demeter 12. Dionysus 13.
    [Show full text]
  • Greek God Pantheon.Pdf
    Zeus Cronos, father of the gods, who gave his name to time, married his sister Rhea, goddess of earth. Now, Cronos had become king of the gods by killing his father Oranos, the First One, and the dying Oranos had prophesied, saying, “You murder me now, and steal my throne — but one of your own Sons twill dethrone you, for crime begets crime.” So Cronos was very careful. One by one, he swallowed his children as they were born; First, three daughters Hestia, Demeter, and Hera; then two sons — Hades and Poseidon. One by one, he swallowed them all. Rhea was furious. She was determined that he should not eat her next child who she felt sure would he a son. When her time came, she crept down the slope of Olympus to a dark place to have her baby. It was a son, and she named him Zeus. She hung a golden cradle from the branches of an olive tree, and put him to sleep there. Then she went back to the top of the mountain. She took a rock and wrapped it in swaddling clothes and held it to her breast, humming a lullaby. Cronos came snorting and bellowing out of his great bed, snatched the bundle from her, and swallowed it, clothes and all. Rhea stole down the mountainside to the swinging golden cradle, and took her son down into the fields. She gave him to a shepherd family to raise, promising that their sheep would never be eaten by wolves. Here Zeus grew to be a beautiful young boy, and Cronos, his father, knew nothing about him.
    [Show full text]