Development of Hinduism

SR No.: 007303
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: M M Ninan
Publisher: M M Ninan
Total Pages: 582
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 149

Egypt
6. MONOTHEISM & REINCARNATION
900
HAZION
Pharaoh Akhenaten and montheistic religion of Atenism
The first mention of monotheism in history is found in Atenism a religion founded by Akhenaten (Amenhotep IV), with Sun as Aten the source of all life. This monotheistic religion did not survive Akhenaten, and the old Polytheistic religion was restored by his son Tutankhamun. Even the memory of Akhenaten was wilfully erased from the Pharohnic history because it was regarded as heresy. It is suggested that early human history was based on monotheism and it fell into polytheism in time untill the first Sinaitic revelation when God himself appeared unto Israel. This was given the final seal with the incarnation of Jesus into history and his resurrection establishing his deitihood. Moses learned the basics of monotheism from Atenism even though Israel was polytheistic during the slavery period following the Egyptian gods. So Joshua says "Choose this day whom you will serve" Polytheism eventually swallowed Israel and Judah under the pressence of Indo-European cultures of Canaan.
Monotheism and Polytheism
"The earliest people that we know of were all polytheistic: they all worshipped many gods. From 3000 BC to 539 BC, the Sumerians, the Akkadians, the Assyrians and the Babylonians all worshipped pretty much the same set of gods, despite their cultural differences. The most important of these gods was Ea. Ishtar was the most important goddess. Like the Greek Aphrodite and Demeter, or the Roman Venus and Ceres, or the German Freya, Ishtar was a fertility goddess.
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