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Influences of religion on culture and society
Influences of religion on culture and society
Ancient world religions
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The ancient world had many things to study and learn from. Some of the most noted ancient civilizations were Mesopotamia, Egypt and Greece. One thing which these civilizations all had in common was their almighty, immortal gods. Each civilization had their own set of gods. All of which are still very well known to this day. Geography, climate, and the distinctive features of natural environment were all present to shape the world-views, and religious beliefs of all ancient people. One of the first intelligent ancient civilizations was ancient Mesopotamia-which was cultivated nearly 5,000 years ago. “Mesopotamia’s god and goddesses were associated with the forces of nature (Fiero 19).” Mesopotamians believed that their world was controlled …show more content…
They are widely known for their gods and goddesses. The Olympian gods were the main gods of Ancient Greece. After overthrowing their ancestors, the Titans, the Olympian gods became the rulers of the World (Cosmos), representing the civilization of the world. To the common Greeks, they envisioned their gods as a family of immortals who intervened in the lives of human beings. Unlike Mesopotamia and Egypt, Greece made their gods out to be more human like than animal like. These gods were immortal, but took on many characteristics of the humans who worshipped them. The gods lived atop a mountain in Northern Greece called Mount Olympus. Mount Olympus was home to many of the gods, each had there own palace atop the mountain. Zeus sat upon the summit of the mountain while the other gods were surrounding him in their own palaces. Gods would take sides in human combat, seduce mortal woman, and meddle in the lives of those they felt were worthy of their attention. One of the most known gods, Zeus, was the supreme god in Ancient Greece, the father of the Olympian gods and the ruler of all mankind. He and his wife Hera were exalted by the Greek Pantheon as the ruling deities of Greece. In a epic poem called Theogony or The Birth of the Gods, it recounts the history, genealogy of the god, how they came to be and how they established permanent control over the Cosmos. In the poem it says that, “Verily at the first Chaos came to be, but next wide-bosomed Earth, the ever-sure foundations of all the deathless ones who hold the peaks of snowy Olympus, and dim Tartarus in the depth of the wide-pathed Earth, and Eros (Love), fairest among the deathless gods, who unnerves the limbs and overcomes the mind and wise counsels of all gods and all men within
The ancient Greeks worshiped gods-just like the Egyptians-for different reasons altogether. Yet each god had their own importance to the world, they believed Apollo would drive his chariot across the skies to bring light to the world, and Aphrodite would keep people in love of what they are doing and love for other people, just to name two gods and their reasons. Zeus was the most powerful god, ruler of the skies, overseer of oaths, and bringer of the downfall of the Titans. Poseidon was the second most powerful god, ruler of the sea, creator of the horse, earth shaker, and storm bringer. Hades was the third most powerful god, ruler of the underworld, controller of the dead, and keeper of the earth’s riches. Out of all of the 12 major gods, these three gods were the most powerful and influential in the Greek belief, called the big three.
The ancient Greeks knew little of any real people except those who lived in the countries to the immediate east and south of their country. Their imagination filled the rest of the land with mystical and supernatural beings. The ancient Greeks believed the earth to be a flat circular disk., with their country being in the middle of it. The disk was divided into two equal parts by the Sea(the Mediterranean). They believed the River Ocean flowed around the world from south to northen the western side of the world and vice versa on the eastern side. The Sea and all rivers around the world received water from it. The northern portion of the earth was thought to be inhabited by a happy race named the Hyperboreans. They dwelled in endless bliss and an endless spring. They never aged, knew any disease or other unpleasant things of such. Their caverns supposedly sent piercing blasts of the north wind to the people of Greece. Their country could not be reached by land or sea. On the south side of the earth lived the Ethiopians. They were favored highly by the gods.They were as happy and virtuous as the Hyperboreans. On the western part of the earth was another happy place called Elysian Plain. Mortals favored by the gods were transported here without having to know death or anything but bliss.
Bellerophon goes to Africa and then is sent on a mission to find a deadly beast named Chimaera that is
Unlike religious gods today, the Greek gods resembled human being in form, emotions, and suffered from the same dilemmas humans did throughout their lives. The Greeks believe in many gods and think they are very much like people. They have both supernatural powers and human weaknesses. The Olympian Gods live atop Mt. Olympus in Greece behind a gate of clouds. Mt. Olympus was known as the tallest mountain in Greece. The Gods and Goddesses watched the mortals down on earth, which they can visit any time, and they are responsible for the success or failure of human life. The Greeks worship their gods, prayed to them, gave offerings, and build temples to please the gods so they will not give any punishments. Zeus was known as the leader of all
Have you ever wondered about the Greek gods or any god did or what happened to them? Many gods were created to control a different part of natural happenings. They had these gods because they had no other way to explain what happened like sea storms. They also were worshiped by many people because they thought what they were in charge of like sea would get mad. So a great amount of people rarely forgot to worship them. So many gods had really important roles back then, now it is explained to happen and these people are not needed but were interesting.
Ancient Greece has been a religion- centered culture since the earliest period of habitation in Greece, the Pre-Mycenaean/Mycenaean period. Also through to the Dark Ages to the Classical period. It is a religiously centered civilization, and did have significant changes in the how it was incorporated into people’s daily lives. Religion is important to know about the Ancient Greeks because through it we are able to understand how they lived their lives.
On the first day of school, Zeus, the principle of Greek Gods High School announced that he was outraged from the prior year. Prometheus, a freshmen from the all boys school had stolen fire and wonderful food for the boys attending the other high school in town. Prometheus had taken away all the glory from Greek Gods High School to give it to people who weren’t powerful and Zeus was furious. Zeus wanted all the special treatment for himself and the Gods so he had thought of revenge over the summer and had come up with a marvelous idea which was to create the first women ever.
The civilization of Mesopotamia believed in a polytheistic belief system, which means that they believed in multiple gods instead of only one. The people of Mesopotamia had also believed that city-sates where actually link with gods and goddess. Now in these city-states there were also temples that served as an area to remember
What is Greek Mythology? It is the myths and teachings the ancient Greeks had. One of the Greek God’s is Poseidon. He is the God of the sea, horses, and earthquakes. His parent are Cronus and Rhea. Cronus is the youngest among the Titans and the god of time and Rhea Titaness of the earth goddess (Gaia) and the sky god (Uranus). Poseidon is from the watery domains of the earth and lives in a palace under the sea. One interesting fact of this god is that he one of the five children Cronus (father of them all) has swallowed. Poseidon is the most important God of their time because he was one of the 3 major gods’ after Cronus
There are many know gods and goddesses. Hermes was a well known god in mythology. He was known as the fastest god. Today his picture is still used for advertising sports. Hermes had and ordinary and complicated life of stealing, being fast and being a messenger.
To begin, the Greeks had a rich belief system that consisted of many different gods and goddesses that take on many different forms and represent many different aspects of nature. There are three head gods
The gods and goddesses that the Greeks worshiped helped them to explain a lot of what they did not understand in the world around them. For example, take the story of Persephone. They could not understand the changing of the seasons, or why winter occurred with crops being unable to grow. To explain this, they came up with Persephone’s story, which was that the god of the Underworld (Hades) capturing her to have her as his queen. Demeter’s sadness at the loss of her daughter led to what would have been an eternal winter if not for a compromise that was made. The compromise entailed that Persephone would live with Hades for half of the year, and with her mother the other half. The time that she lives with Hades became known as winter, when the crops do not grow due to Demeter missing her daughter. The six months of the year that Persephone does live with Demeter is when the crops grow as a result of her happiness to be reunited with her daughter.
People of the ancient world often had questions about their existence and how life and people came to be on earth. Most ancient people answered these questions through religion. The Sumerians were the first important group of people to inhabit Mesopotamia and they were known to practice a form of worship called polytheism, which is the worship of several gods. Mesopotamians associated different gods with natural events, emotions, and other occurrences. Their main deities included An (the god of the heavens), Enlil (Lord Storm), Enki (god of wisdom), and Nihursaga (the mother of all living things)(p.22). The Mesopotamians believed that the gods controlled all of the events and occurrences in life. An ancient text called “Creation of Man by the Mother Goddess” (p.34) helps us understand how the M...
Greek Mythology is when ancient people use to believe in a god or goddess . Greek people had different beliefs from other people. They thought gods made things like Oceanus. Oceanus also called “ okeanos” was known as The River god . ( “ Oceanus “). Also known for all freshwater including rivers , rain clouds , and wells. (“Oceanus”). He was the oldest from his Titian sisters & brothers . His parents were Ouranos his father and Gaea his mother . (“ Oceanus”) . Okeanos was married to one of his sister , their offsprings were about three thousands of rivers and nymphs , and The Oceanids. Oceanus was described with a face of a human with a beard , and bull horns. ( “ Oceanus “) .
The gods and goddesses were shown to be part animals and part human(Anubis watched over the dead and his head was a jackal)