Comparing Creation Myths

The creation myths that I have studied are similar in many ways. They also have differences that show an inherently different way of thinking about the world. All have creators-gods that make the world into what is now. There are conflicts within their world, and these conflicts change the face world. God to god or human to god maybe be involved in these conflicts. Their bloody struggles prove who is more powerful, causing change in the control of the world. Some gods are beneficial to man and others are self-serving, using man only as a tool.

Two closely related creation myths come from the Chinese and Japanese. Their geographical ties and trading patterns forged a link. Both share the symbolism of the egg as part an old creation myth. In the Japanese version of the myth, the two gods that were first formed, made love to each other many times and each time a new god of something was born, such as islands, wind and fire. Izam, the female finally died and the creation of other gods was put to a halt. The pattern used here was from nothing to everything, and from the birth of gods to the halt of the creation, when Izam dies.

Theogony, is the personification of things and ideas the ancient Greek, whereas Genesis is conflict between the hu8man like god and the mystical formless god. . Theogony, when compared to Genesis is radically different. Theogony starts from chaos and end up in order. In Genesis, creation is done by command alone. God says "water" and water appears. There is no conflict of interests or bloody battle. Genesis has the pattern of nothing to everything. Theogony has the pattern of chaos and powerful rulers to set order and gods with magical powers who use thought instead of raw power. There is a god of the sun, of wheat and of war. In Genesis there is one god of everything.

I enjoy Theogony because it tells a story about how earth came to be in its present form.