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| Atenist Bible? | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 28 2009, 12:39 PM (3,640 Views) | |
| Maaritaten | Apr 5 2014, 01:06 PM Post #21 |
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Back to the subject: those interested in finding out exactly what source material there is should check out the six (or seven?) volumes of The Rock Tombs of Amarna, available for downloading or online viewing at the Internet Archives - a quickg google search should do the trick. Besides the tomb inscriptions there are a few bits of information on the boundary stelae, and the occasional tidbit on the talalat/building blocks now scattered across Thebes, Memphis and every major museum with an egyptian department. Personally I don't see the need for a "bible" of any kind, for most people that's just a lingering abrahamitic legacy: a religion isn't really a religion unless it has some kind of holy book. Which of course is pure non sense... Having said that, if there are any uses or needs for books of any kinds that would mostly be in the form of prayer books, both individual and for "temple" use as it were. That's exactly what I have done personally. I have two small folders printed, one with the rubrics and the texts of each of the rituals I perform, and one with various prayers and hymns for non-ceremonial use. If any of the forum members are interested in recieving a copy of any of those, pm me
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'Let me be satisfied seeing You, Oh Living Aten!' - adapted from the Hymn of Tutu, Chamberlain of the Two Lands | |
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| AmarnaGirl | Apr 5 2014, 02:08 PM Post #22 |
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Thanks for the info - I'll definitely have to google this one. I kinda agree on the needing (or not) of a "bible" per se: there are a lot of religions out there that have a holy book (well, most do,but it's not necessarily "Abrahamic" - the Hindus,Buddhists,etc had their texts long before the Abrahamic faiths came on the scene.) But if you look at other groups: Wiccans, who don't have a set "bible" so much as each person makes their own book,or the Native American Indians or other indigenous tribes (Australian aboriginals,African tribals,etc.),they don't have core "holy books", and their spiritual systems move along just fine. I think most people are comfortable with the idea of a holy book or sacred scripture,because it essentially tells them what to do and how to think,so they don't have to figure things out for themselves,but are content to let someone else do it for them.
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| Maaritaten | Apr 5 2014, 02:18 PM Post #23 |
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That last paragraph of your post is spot on - but that's also why I didn't include the oriental scriptures. They have never been used in the way the abrahamitic holy books have - and even the way modern follows of those religions think of their books is a fairly new idea. The Vedas of the hindus, as well as the parsian Gathas are ritual books. The basic core of the buddhist Tipitaka is advanced theological speculation, well beyond the reach of the average layman. A comprehensive compendium of prayer, rituals, history, mythology and moral codes for personal use is what 'most' people think of when they think of a holy book of any kind, and that is only found within the abrahamitical traditions. Nothing wrong with that idea per se, but as can be seen clearly on this forum (and others) there are plenty of members that can't quite shake off their religious (or cultural) background. That is actually one of the main problems with reconstructionist paganism - a modern, western mindset raised in a christian context is quite foreign to the worldview and perceptions of ancient religions and their practitioners. I think many of us really needs to re-evaluate our definition of what religion actually is from time to time
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'Let me be satisfied seeing You, Oh Living Aten!' - adapted from the Hymn of Tutu, Chamberlain of the Two Lands | |
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| AmarnaGirl | Apr 5 2014, 05:33 PM Post #24 |
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I'd have to agree here - I've read quite a few Buddhist publications/scriptures,plus Hindu (well,Hare Krishna at any rate ) And it's true that many other world faith scriptures read much more poetic/moral/storylike,while the Abrahamic texts are,well,let's just come out and say it: rather gruesome when you read what's between the covers. That's why I left Abrahamic religion - their god isn't a nice god;in fact,he's rather a downright unpleasant fellow.You're right in that there are quite a few people out there (and I've run across lots myself) that can't shake off the effects of the Abrahamic religions they were raised with. I once told some of my non-Christian friends that I had no problem with Jesus at all,he was probably an okay average joe,but I'm just not real thrilled with his fan club I've been a member of a couple different "Recon" groups,while being acquainted with several others,and one of the big problems I find with the reconstructionists is precisely BECAUSE of their Abrahamic,western mindset,they go WAY overboard with the reconstructionism in the other direction (paganism) and basically become,instead of Abrahamic "fundies",they instead become Pagan "fundies" and take it to the opposite extreme. |
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| Maaritaten | Apr 5 2014, 05:40 PM Post #25 |
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That's one of the most beautiful thing with Atenism (if you're staying fairly true to the historical sources): there just aren't that many details to get hung up on, and the great hymn allows for SO much free thought on exactly what the divine is and how we experience it. As I said, the only scripture recon atenists need is nothing more than ritual books for the revived and modernized ceremonies we can choose to perform. For private use the great hymn and the various other prayers will do just fine, imho
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'Let me be satisfied seeing You, Oh Living Aten!' - adapted from the Hymn of Tutu, Chamberlain of the Two Lands | |
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| JosefProck | Jul 22 2014, 02:40 AM Post #26 |
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It is important to remember, as well, that none of the major religions started out as "book religions" and started out as oral traditions some thousands of years before hand. Only much later (in the case with Judaism) did some of them see fit to write down what their oral traditions taught. In the case of my ancestors (Northern Europeans), their religion and mythology was not even written by them but was later written and compiled by Christians. |
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| JosefProck | Jul 23 2014, 02:53 AM Post #27 |
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However, if an Atenist 'bible' (I cringe to say that word) were to exist, I believe it should be kept as simple and 'Pure', so to speak, as possible. A small edition containing a good biography of Akhenaten and history of his religion, along with a collection of his hymns to and writings about the Aten, with appropriate photos would look great. Perhaps a companion book with personal thoughts and interpretation would be useful but, should be kept separate from the holy text. Any thoughts? |
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| AmarnaGirl | Jul 23 2014, 02:39 PM Post #28 |
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*Nods* Simple is always good - since we don't have much available of what Akhenaten wrote. Like you said,there's of course the Hymn, and I think some other small things he wrote (such as stela inscriptions,etc.),but really,there's not much "original" work that could be compile into a text. I know that a couple of attempts have been bandied about to get an Atenist "scripture" (if you will) book of sorts started,but nothing has come of it that I've heard. The consensus seems to be that there really aren't enough Atenists out there for the effort to be made to get a cohesive text together (I know of probably around less than 10 or so Atenists that I've personally come across.),plus the fact that each Atenist has their own ideas and way of doing things - there doesn't seem to be a collective set of Atenist beliefs,like you'd get with most other spiritual systems. Atenism is pretty much a do-it-yourself solitary kind of thing,from what I can see. |
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| aper_el | Aug 2 2014, 12:27 AM Post #29 |
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*Nods* Simple is always good - since we don't have much available of what Akhenaten wrote. Like you said,there's of course the Hymn, and I think some other small things he wrote (such as stela inscriptions,etc.),but really,there's not much "original" work that could be compile into a text. I know that a couple of attempts have been bandied about to get an Atenist "scripture" (if you will) book of sorts started,but nothing has come of it that I've heard. ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; To me the hymns and psalms 'song' were written by Akhenaten...He spent many hours of the day composing rather than attending to his country and other problems that were causing his leadership into question. The Amunist priests of foreign conquered lands conspired to create trouble for Akhenaten and they were very successfull which caused hardship for Egypt. Aper_el |
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| aper_el | Aug 6 2014, 11:09 AM Post #30 |
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This is a quote "Thou art in my heart, Akhenaten "said in one of his hymns, "and no one knoweth Thee save I, Thy Son." And Akhenaten's words, long forgotten, have come down to us, recorded upon the walls of a noblemans tomb--these amazing words in what is perhaps the earliest poem which can be ascribed with certainty to any particular author: "I, Thy Son. . . ." "Thou art in my heart, Akhenaten "said in one of his hymns, "and no one knoweth Thee save I, Thy Son." And Akhenaten's words, long forgotten, have come down to us, recorded upon the walls of a noblemans tomb--these amazing words in what is perhaps the earliest poem which can be ascribed with certainty to any particular author: "I, Thy Son. . . ." Aper_El |
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8:32 PM Jul 10