The “Song of Creation” emphasizes the fact that there is no one absolute answer as to how the universe is created, “…he knows–or maybe even he does not know” (line 29). This is particularly interesting because in a variety of religions and even in science, there is always a definite answer to the creation of the universe.
The fact that the people are able to live with the knowledge of not knowing is also fascinating. As humans we ask questions and hope to hear an answer, and when we don’t we stop at nothing to find the answer regardless if the answer is right or wrong. This is the majority of the reason why people turn to religion and science for the answer.
In the both “Genesis” and “The Great Hymn of Aten” there is only creator. In contrast to the “Genesis” and “The Great Hymn of Aten,” “Song of Creation” raises many questions that can’t really be answered.
Despite the society doesn’t know exactly how or who created the universe, they truly believe that every creation has it’s origin (25). However, the one thing that I can’t seem to grasp the concept of is who or what “The One” (7) is. If “even nothingness, nor existence,” (1) then how did The One come to be? It first seems as if The One is a divine being or a god, but it doesn’t seem to fit the context “the gods themselves are later than creation, so who knows whence it truly arisen?” (23-24).
Through this text, we can see that not knowing is okay even though it goes against our natural instincts. It’s literature like this that help our minds grow and think of possibilities beyond our horizons.
According to the “Song of Creation”, “The One” seems to be one even before the gods. “The One” transcends the gods and is probably the one who created. The gods can’t even tell us which is probably why “The One” is not even known, “the gods themselves are later than creation, so who knows whence it truly arisen?” (23-24)
I love your interpretations of the creation stories. Yes in the end we truly don’t know how humans came to be, if there was one god or many. How did everything even start? There are multiple accounts for a reason, because no one truly knows.
Hi Angela! I, too, found “The Song of Creation” very interesting. The most amazing part was that they found the acceptance of not knowing. It reminded me of how Socrates, the smartest man of his time, and a relevant philosopher of all time said, “I know that I know nothing”, i.e. the Socratic Paradox. Not knowing nothing and it’s acceptance is true wisdom. That is one of the things that was in the back of my head the whole time I was reading this section. Also I thought this was one of the easiest theories to follow through. It was logical and made sense. 🙂
Hi! I also found the monotheistic idea very interesting. It seems like the people of the Egyptian culture just decided they should be praying to just one god. In the Great Hymn of Aten, the entire prayer focused on Aten being “the One” god in charge of all. However, it focuses on him only being in charge of the day and the sun and they thing the night and darkness is not ruled by Aten. The fact that they can come up with gods seems like these gods do not actually have an origin, they just do what they feel is right.