Hebrew View of God vs. Sumerian View of Gods
Both the Hebrews and the Sumerians give great regard to the existence of their gods. The Holy Bible and historical books report that both civilizations revere their gods and treat them as the highest being in all creation. For them, their god is the most powerful being, who has the power and strength to bring them good fortune, good harvest, good health, and life. At the same time, they also believe that their god also have the strong and powerful ability to take all good things back, such as bringing them death, sickness and plagues. Knowing the extent of their god’s power, they put him at the center of their lives, offering rituals and sacrifices to please him, and giving him the respect and veneration that he deserves.
However, despite these similarities on the role and significance of god in both civilizations are their significant differences. The Hebrews exhibit monotheism, or the revering only one God. They do not give room for serving or venerating other gods, especially idols. The role and significance of god for them is great, that they regard him as having full sovereignty over all creations, including shaping their values, culture, laws, religion and experiences. On the other hand, the Sumerians exhibit polytheism, or revering many gods. They believe that all their gods are equally powerful and controls their world, such that they see their sufferings and adversities as the consequences of their actions, which offended the gods. In contrast to the belief of the Hebrews, the Sumerians characterizes their gods as humans, such that, they believe that their gods can have conflicts among them, which is similar to the conflicts among humans.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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