Abstract When the tidal wave of European civilization inundated the shores of the New World, more accompanied it than senseless destruction. Rather, the European deluge ushered in permanent changes in the economies and lifestyles of the Americas. This paper focuses on the disruption that the European conquerors wrought upon the Native American civilizations, which had relatively advanced religious practices.
From the Paper "In order to properly focus this inquiry into the religious change of the immediate post-colonial period, one must take notice of the reality of the pre-Columbian Southeast. Contrary to popular assumption, these Indians were not "savages", possessed of little formal culture. Instead, thanks to agricultural innovations several centuries in the making, the tribal groupings of the region under study were able to reap the gains that only specialized divisions of labor can bring. Since a smaller proportion of the population could now supply the community with its sustenance, resources and people were freed from strict ties to the land."
Abstract This paper briefly summarizes and interprets the story of Genesis. The paper also discusses the "Sons of God", the Nephilims, the Great Fall, and how man has the option to restore his union with God through the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah.
From the Paper "The Hebrews or Israelites were God's chosen people, whom He delivered from bondage to Egypt, to whom He revealed His law and with whom He established a covenant through Moses on Mount Sinai. Up to the 10th line of patriarchs after Moses, the Hebrews remained pure in their form of worship and in their lives. But in the 500th year before the Deluge, their descendants greatly multiplied, and so did much violence, division, lust and arrogance when the spirits of hell possessed these descendants and worked iniquity through their inherent weaknesses (Dolphin 2003). This also happened because the descendants of two separate lineages, one from God through Adam and Eve's third child, Seth and the other, a female descendant through the murderer Cain ? merged in violation of God's command that His Chosen People (through Seth's line) should not be equally yoked, or interbreed, with unbelievers."
Abstract This paper discusses the Gilgamesh epic from Babylonia, which is believed to be the oldest known work of literature, written approximately in the year 2500 BC. The paper describes Gilgamesh, the demigod who ruled Uruk on the River Euphrates in the third millennium BC. The paper further describes the epic's account of the Deluge, similar to the Flood of the Bible, the artifacts it discusses, which are associated with Agga and Enmebaragesi of Kish, and its descriptions of the nature of heroism.
From the Paper "Gilgamesh is two-thirds god and one-third human and the strongest superhuman who ever lived (Kovacs 1989, Hooker 1996, Wikipedia 2006). The gods are disturbed by the extent of his might and his people, by his harshness and abuses, so that the gods send the wild man Enkidu to rival and handicap him. But Enkidu loses his strength by giving in to the seduction of the temple harlot Shamnat, who introduces him to a civilized life in Uruk, instead. There Enkidu engages into a losing fight with Gilgamesh when Enkidu tries to champion the rights of the people against their leader. But in the end, the two become friends. Gilgamesh goes on a victory spree and now wants to cut down cedar trees to construct the gate of his city. In order to do so, they have to combat and eliminate the guardian of the cedar forest, the demon Humbaba, which Gilgamesh is able to do with the help of Enkidu and the god Shamash. Despite Humbaba's appeal, Gilgamesh cuts off Humbaba's head on the prompting of Enkidu. But before dying, Humbaba curses Enkidu (Kovacs, Wikipedia, Hooker)."
Abstract This paper explores the differences and similarities between "The Epic of Gilgamesh", one of the oldest recorded writings from Sumerian or Babylonian mythology, with "Genesis" from the Judeo-Christian Bible. The paper argues that one of the main differences between the epic and "Genesis", is the Babylonian view that the gods are dangerous for mortals, and that their laws are irrational and cannot be predicted by the human mind. For Judaism and Christianity, on the other hand, God is the bearer of righteousness and a symbol of justice and everything that is morally virtuous. Nonetheless, the paper holds that there is a striking resemblance between the two accounts. The paper attempts to provide evidence sustaining the claim that the Mesopotamian account of the great flood is highly relevant to Christianity. It concludes that the myth of the flood is valid and incorporated in Judaism and Christianity and also in the collective conscience of the peoples who did not follow Yahweh.
From the Paper "The Judaic-Christian and the Mesopotamian systems of belief are in clear opposition. Christianity and Judaism praise respect and obedience for the divinity as evidence of God's greatness and moral righteousness. God is the central figure of the faith system because He represents all that is good and right thus humanity must obey Him; here obedience is understood as a definite obligation. On the other hand, for Mesopotamians, respect and piety are the result of humanity's acknowledgement that it is both mortal and weaker than the gods. In this sense, the two virtues are not moral obligations, but a practical attitude which serves as an acknowledgement of the superiority of nature in terms of its power over humans."
