Why can a man walk on water but another cannot have the strength of a god? Why can God’s son walk the earth but a god himself cannot? Why is Greek myth seen as absurd to believe when biblical stories are worshipped by millions? I will outline some parallels between the two to shine light on the irony in these beliefs.
Watch the below videos for some nice, easy to watch, general information on Greek myth!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Crossing the Gods...
Eve AKA Pandora...?
The stories continue their similarities with the fall of man's relationship with God/Zeus. The offences to both Gods did vary, but both were the result of deceit, trickery and temptation that were both in relation to food; Zeus tricked into taking the fat covered bones and Eve by eating the apple in Eden. The most relevant similarity in these stories is not in the deceit itself however, it is the strikingly similar roles that women play in both. In the biblical account, it is Eve who disobeys God resulting in man being exiled from the pure utopia that was the Garden of Eden. Now man must face all the worries/dangers/evils that come with this. While in the Greek account woman (Pandora) was actually the punishment intended for man for the deceit of Zeus. Pandora, then later, also released all the evils upon the world. In both accounts it was women who were the cause of man’s ‘fall from grace’.
Some clever comparisons, but I'm going to take the role of devil’s advocate on you again here and maybe for the rest of your posts Matt. In Hesiod, Pandora was created to literally punish man. A punishment Epimetheus (fittingly the God of afterthought) fell for. Eve was not a creation of punishment but to accompany mankind. Yes there are certain translations that make Eve, Adams "serpent" who tricks him into sin, but if you go back to Genesis 3:6b there is nothing in the story about Eve tempting Adam whatsoever. It is sometimes in the translation of these myths that ideas get created. In the Greek myth Pandora did herself open the jar of evils upon the world condemning mankind forever. This is similar in sense to some takes on Eve causing the banishment from Eden; however, that again is where the similarity ends. Pandora in all senses is seen to be trouble; her attributes are negative on the whole, all but her beauty. Eve on the other hand is also likened to mother Mary and of being the mother of all on Earth. Even if the original faller for sin, she is certainly not the creator of all evils. Have a look at "The Myth of Eve: The Temptress. By Jean M. Higgins. It is a very insightful read about some of the common misconceptions of Eve.
Some clever comparisons, but I'm going to take the role of devil’s advocate on you again here and maybe for the rest of your posts Matt. In Hesiod, Pandora was created to literally punish man. A punishment Epimetheus (fittingly the God of afterthought) fell for. Eve was not a creation of punishment but to accompany mankind. Yes there are certain translations that make Eve, Adams "serpent" who tricks him into sin, but if you go back to Genesis 3:6b there is nothing in the story about Eve tempting Adam whatsoever. It is sometimes in the translation of these myths that ideas get created.
ReplyDeleteIn the Greek myth Pandora did herself open the jar of evils upon the world condemning mankind forever. This is similar in sense to some takes on Eve causing the banishment from Eden; however, that again is where the similarity ends. Pandora in all senses is seen to be trouble; her attributes are negative on the whole, all but her beauty. Eve on the other hand is also likened to mother Mary and of being the mother of all on Earth. Even if the original faller for sin, she is certainly not the creator of all evils.
Have a look at "The Myth of Eve: The Temptress. By Jean M. Higgins. It is a very insightful read about some of the common misconceptions of Eve.