In the Beginning: Creation Mythos

In the Beginning: Creation Mythos 
J.M. Rogers

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Throughout the known history of human proliferation on Earth, societies, cultures, and most recently, mass cultures have existed. Like many other mammals, humans thrive in large herds or “populations” and have done so as far back as archaeologists and anthropologists can determine. Inherent to these large herds are systems of social behaviors, or customs, that define the moralistic parameters of each specific group; parameters that are often outlined in mythological stories that have been passed down orally from generation to generation. The concept of religion, or a moral standard by which a specific culture operates, predates written records and, in many ways, served as the unifying aspect of communities the world over. These varied communities, starting from a meager few and expanding to the prolific range of cultures in the modern era, are largely defined by their religions; religions that all originate from the void, or prehistory, of a specific culture. As such, the relevance of creation myths cannot be overstated. Social orthodoxy, moral standards, and societal structure are all bi-products of the creationist mythos held by a society.

A great example of this correlation between societal comportment and creation is represented by the Shinto religion of Japan. “According to the Kojiki, the islands that constitute Japan were formed by two kami, or gods – Izanagi and his consort Izanami” (Sayre 12).  Inherent to the Shinto religion is the concept of a “chosen” or blessed land inhabited by kami and the people of Japan. “Representative of the Shinto notion of the sacred or the holy, kami are mysterious and tremendous powers in nature and in the human world” (Brodd 307).  Another important feature of the Shinto creation myth focuses on themes of fertility and purity, from which it is believed that prosperity arises. “Standing on the Heavenly Floating Bridge, they lower a jeweled spear to stir the ocean below. When [Izanagi and Izanami] lift up the spear,” at the moment of creation, “the brine dripping down from its tip forms an island. In like manner, “the grand eight islands” of the Japanese archipelago are created (Brodd 307). The themes of fertility are overt in this myth and ultimately inform the mindset that the Shinto people arose from a pure, divine conception, and therefore, are direct descendants of the creators. 

In contrast, the Zuni, a Native American religious/ethical group, the members view themselves as servants of the Sun God and see human existence as a transmutation from a prior diminished state of being. “Yes, indeed. In the world there was no one at all. Always the sun came up; always he went in. No one in the morning gave him sacred meal; no one gave him prayer sticks; it was very lonely” (Sayre 12). This myth serves more as a tale of emergence rather than outright creation. The establishment of the Sun God as a preexisting sacred force also greatly informs how the Zuni see themselves within the framework of the cosmos. “Now, after a little while, when your father comes forth standing to his sacred place, you will see him face to face. Do not close your eyes” (Sayre 12). Like the Shinto belief of kami, Zuni belief places a great emphasis on the sun and a wide array of natural features such as mountains, rivers, lakes, forests, waterfalls, and certain animals. This reverence for the natural elements of Earth no doubt arises from the belief that humans were once “covered all over with slime. With slimy tails and slimy horns, with webbed fingers,” and that the Sun God liberated them from their dark, primordial ways and bid them seek out a promised land (Sayre 12).

Rather than believe that they are the purest form of humanity, the Zuni perceive themselves as recipients of a great boon: the gift of humanness and enlightenment by way of the Sun God. This, coupled with the belief that a spiritual link unifies all living things, encapsulates the moral standards and basis of social development for the Zuni as environmentalists and people who seek balance with nature (kami) and other living things. This coincides with the Shinto view of reality in which they alone are connected to the kami due to their purity of lineage. Despite being separated by thousands of miles, Egyptian religion parallels the Shinto and the Zuni. “Chief among the Egyptian gods was Re, god of the sun. According to these stories, the Nile created a great mound of silt at the beginning of time, out of which Re was born” (Sayre 30). As with the Zuni, early Egyptians saw the Sun as a type of father or ruler who, through his choices, brings about the birth of a world, its people, and the moral doctrine that is to be followed by those people. The prominence of the Nile River within the lives of early civilizations that developed in North Africa cannot be overstated. As such, it serves as the ultimate life-giving force in the cosmos. Interestingly, the concept of a pure lineage, much like in the Shinto faith, is also observed in Egyptian religious practices. “It was understood that Re had a close personal relationship with the king, who was considered the son of Re. The king was simultaneously believed to be the personification of the sky god, Horus” (Sayre 30).  Although expressed differently, the theme of divine lineage exists within both religions and has largely defined the scope of those respective societies.

The global religious community is a profuse structure, with each religion existing as its own branch, separate but ultimately connected to the common threads of humanity. As empires have risen and fallen in the past, so have religions, but rather than cease to exist upon the fall, more often than not, the religious and moral beliefs of cultures are extrapolated to meet broader scopes of morality as well as transcendence. Among the Shinto, Zuni, and Egyptian religions, there are many differences, but the general themes within these cultures are tropes that almost all religious bodies share. In this way, the branches of religion are all interrelated somehow, tying back to those classic ideals of transcendence, harmony, and ultimately prosperity.  Whether that prosperity is achieved through purity, enlightenment, reverence for nature, or reverence for a religious leader; social orthodoxy, moral standards and societal structure are all bi-products of the creationist mythos.

Bibliography 

Brodd, Jeffrey. Introduction to World Religions. Third ed., New York, Oxford University Press, 2019, pp. 305-307.

Sayre, Henry M. Discovering the Humanities. 3rd ed., Boston, Pearson, 2016, pp. 12-30.