(February 1, 2023 at 6:02 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote:(February 1, 2023 at 4:56 pm)Justin Case Wrote: It is called monotheism, proto-monotheism might be a better term. And yes, it didn't last. As I said earlier, the people weren't happy about the change from polytheism at all.
As far as Judaism goes, the effect was more via the Zoroastrians monotheistic approach. Dating for the changes from poly to monotheism are given as the 9th to 6th centuries BC. The exile had much to do with changes too as they were living with the Zoroastrian people then, and their end times story was based on the Zoroastrian story ... the Saoshyant became the Messiah.
Dating in this, as said, is hard regarding the Zoroastrians as all the early texts are gone. The basic idea is monotheism has a history of development that we are part of today. Since the Hebrew tradition is all that's ever focused on because that's what we were told to believe, everything else is ignored. Monotheism NEVER existed in ANY religion prior to all this ... and even Zarathustra had an "experience" to get his version of the story rolling.
So much for akenaten being that one man. Would you like to offer another candidate or is this done?
You can argue with the scholars ... it was the first version of monotheism - it replaced the polytheism in Egypt - yes. it pissed the people off but there was nothing they could do until he was dead. A bigger connection is tied to the Zoroastrians and Zarathustra's "experience" that started this much deeper picture.
There's no way around it ... the Hebrew GOD was a copy of a copy.
"...and I saw clearly that men are not so far from the truth as they generally believe. Their greatest error is in searching for it where it is not, and in attaching it to forms, whereas they ought, on the contrary, to avoid form in order to dwell upon the essence."
Fabre D'Olivet
Fabre D'Olivet
