Abstract
This paper discusses that Jesus uses direct words and demonstrates clearly and obviously with his actions throughout the New Testament that Jesus refers to himself as God. The author points out that most of the religious leaders of the time did not believe that Christ was God. The paper relates that, indeed, a debate existed particularly within the Jewish world of his validity as the Messiah or as even a prophet. So while he asserted His deity it was not widely accepted within the religious community.

From the Paper
"Jesus, throughout the New Testament, refers to Himself as God. He does so directly in words, and demonstrates it clearly and obviously with his actions. Most of the religious leaders of the time did not believe that Christ was God. Indeed, a debate existed, particularly within the Jewish world, of his validity as the Messiah or as even a prophet. So, while he asserted His deity, it was not widely accepted within the religious community. Ultimately, however, the very fact of his deity and his ability to die so that the sins of humanity might be wiped clean (thus giving humanity a clean slate to start fresh with God again) proved the fact of His deity to many of those who doubted."

Tags:systematic, theology, christology

From the Paper
"Rene Descartes, in his work, The Meditations on First Philosophy (1953) ed., and David Hume, in his work, An Inquiry Concerning Human Understanding (1955 ed.), both argue for the existence of a supreme deity. Descartes believes that the deity is a perfect being living in the consciousness of men. Indeed, his God represents the supreme consciousness or all.knowing mind. David Hume sees proof for the existence of God in the perfect and complex order of nature. Thus, the primary difference between the two philosophers concerns where they seek their evidence for the existence of the Deity. Descartes seeks God within man or through internal evidence. Whereas Hume seeks evidence for God's existence through external observations of the world around us. Although to some degree Hume also accepts Descartes' hypothesis that God must exist as long on as man carries awareness of him in his"

Tags:PHILOSOPHY: GENERAL

Abstract
The paper traces the background of both Roman and Greek mythology. The paper points out the key difference between the two types of deities. The paper examines how the deities superficially share similar functions although many of the underlying qualities and characteristics of the deities are different. It also explains that the literary tradition of Roman mythology is based largely on the ancient Greek traditions,although the origins of the mythology are quite different.

From the Paper
"The first ancient Greek writings date to around 600 BC. However, the oratory tradition of the myths dates from a much earlier time. Greek mythology centered on the idea that a group of immortals were responsible for the creation of the world as it is today. Many of the traditions center on the creation of the earth, which resulted from the interactions and conflicts between these immortal creatures. Greek mythology centered on the idea that Mt. Olympus was the center of the universe and that this is where the immortals lived. The immortals seldom interacted with mortal."

Tags:Virgil, Aeneid, Apollo

Abstract
In ancient Greece and Rome, traditions, histories, and other elements of society were passed down as oral traditions from one generation to another. While ancient Greek culture predates Roman culture, the two cultures developed a degree of interaction and similarity between the peoples. The mythology of these two cultures reflected many of the ethical issues that were important in that time. This paper shows that it is not surprising, considering their close geographic proximity, that there was a certain degree of mixing of cultures and, consequently, mythology as well. The research explores the similarities and differences between Greek and Roman deities.

From the Paper
"Virgil wrote the Aeneid in the early Roman period, which was based largely on the Greek understanding of the gods and goddesses. However, he wrote characters that would appeal to the Roman social structure and ideology, and "romanized" the Greek deities. His works were based on the Greek writer Homer, who portrayed Zeus and Hera as petty complainers. The Roman ideals would not allow for a noble complainer, therefore Virgil transformed Zeus and Hera into heroic Jupiter and an angry God Juno, who struck fear in the hearts of men."

Tags:Olympus, Aphrodite

Abstract
This paper discusses how the Gods (deities) play an extremely important part throughout "The Iliad" by Homer, the poetry of Sappho and "Pericles Funeral Oration" by Thucydides and through much of ancient literature. It examines how in "The Iliad," Achilles often turns to the Gods to aid him in battle and in his personal life, how Sappho often wrote of the Gods and Goddesses in particular Aphrodite and how Thucydides does not directly mention the Gods but puts Athens on a pedestal in their place.

From the Paper
"Sappho writes often of love and affection, but her affinity for the deities is never far from her poems. She often asks for guidance and aid in love and life, just as Achilles did in "The Iliad." Sappho writes most commonly about Aphrodite, Peitho, Ares, Hecate, Hera, Hermes, Hephaestus, and the Muses. Her poems also show the Gods interacting with humans, and aiding them at important times, such as blessing them at weddings. "All the High Gods from Olympus, to bless the Two, descend." Her lyric poetry (meant to be sung along while playing a lute) was different in that it was often written from the deities' point of view. Homer and Pericles mostly wrote from the human, heroic point of view."

Tags:achilles, aphrodite, humans, god, myths, ancient, greece, athens

Abstract
In this article, the writer looks at the area known today as Iraq, which was called the ancient Near East. The writer points out that this area was also called the cradle of civilisation. The writer notes that there was good reason for providing such a name to this area, due to the fact that people in the area practiced irrigation and developed agriculture, built cities and waged wars, developed hereditary king-ships, developed writing for possibly the first time, wrote poetry and developed complex mythologies. The writer discusses that in so doing they laid the foundations for the development of Roman civilization which was to come later.

From the Paper
"The area in the Near East which lies between the Euphrates and the Tigris River, once known as Mesopotamia, and now known as Iraq, is frequently referred to as the Cradle of Civilisation. The Ancient near East, showing the area of Mesopotamia."

Tags:mesopotamia, religion, deities

Abstract
This paper provides a discussion concerning the transformation of the concept of the Absolute, Deity, God from the early Vedic period to the period of Vedanta philosophy of Madva in the 12th century CE. An examination of how the changing concepts of deity relate to the changing religious life of the people is followed by a summary of the research in the conclusion.

From the Paper
"The Early Vedic was the period of transition from nomadic pastoralism to settled village communities intermixing pastoral and agrarian economies. The Vedas are the earliest sacred literature of India. Composed in archaic, or Vedic, Sanskrit, they generally are dated between 1500 and 800 BCE; these Vedas were originally transmitted orally. According to Isherwood (1970), the Hindus consider the Vedas as being divine truth - truth known by men through experience of union with the divine in man; however, the Hindu attitude towards these sacred works is fundamentally different than that of the devotees of other religions towards their sacred texts: "The Hindus do not demand that the Vedas shall be approached in a spirit of uncritical faith. On the contrary, they insist that each individual must verify the truths taught by the Vedas through his own effort and practice, in his own life" (1970, p. 2930)."

Tags:madva, text, faith, truth

Abstract
Discusses the role of symbolic artifacts, the social functionality of religious art, effect of social stratification, religious art for the elite, prereligious iconography, icons of animals, and the role of Egyptian statues.

From the Paper
"This research examines images of the deity and other symbols that play a role in ancient Egyptian religious belief. The research will set forth what the images were, how they were used, and what they explain about the nature of Egyptian religion and..."

From the Paper
"In eleven short years, Alexander the Great of Macedon conquered Asia Minor, Persia and India, establishing an empire which stretched from the northern fringes of modern Albania to the Indus River and swept westward along the Mediterranean shores to Alexandria and southward in Egypt to the First Cataract of the Nile River.

At the same time, he established cities in the role of colonizer, regulated trade in the guise of economist, and assumed the trappings of Persian nobility in the perspective of politician. At the same time, he established himself as a god, while claiming descent from Achilles, an act later historians did not derogate. Arrian says: "Nor do I think that Alexander's claim to a divine origin was a very serious fault -- in any case, it may well have been a mere device to magnify his consequence in ... "

From the Paper
" INTRODUCTION
The image of Vaisravana held a special place in the ancient kingdom of Khotan, and the god was depicted as having had a particular role in the founding of the Khotan kingdom and its dynasty. The rulers in fact claimed that they were descended from the god Vaisravana, or Kubera. Vaisravana had several important roles--he was the god of wealth and the god of armies. The god is depicted in religious symbolism and art in Khotan, China, and various Buddhist regions. He has been traced indeed to an even earlier Greek tradition as far back as the period of hesiod. The image of Vaisravana changed somewhat over time, eventually being depicted with three legs and as being otherwise deformed. The dominion of Vaisravana is the northern quarter of the world and autumn. He is also king and master of the gods who.."