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Single Idea 7348
[filed under theme 29. Religion / A. Polytheistic Religion / 2. Greek Polytheism
]
Full Idea
The Jews drew an absolute distinction between the human and the divine; the Greeks constantly elevated the human - they were Promethean - and lowered the divine.
Clarification
Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humans
Gist of Idea
The Jews sharply distinguish human and divine, but the Greeks pull them closer together
Source
Paul Johnson (The History of the Jews [1987], Pt II)
Book Ref
Johnson,Paul: 'A History of the Jews' [Phoenix 1993], p.102
A Reaction
An intriguing observation. The Greek idea runs right through European culture, surfacing (for example) in 'Faust', or 'Frankenstein', or the films of James Cameron. I'm with the Greeks; I want to see how far humanity can be elevated.
The
16 ideas
from Paul Johnson
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7337
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In Mosaic legal theory, crimes are sins and sins are crimes
[Johnson,P]
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7339
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Because human life is what is sacred, Mosaic law has no death penalty for property violations
[Johnson,P]
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7340
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Mosaic law was the first to embody the rule of law, and equality before the law
[Johnson,P]
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7338
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Man's life is sacred, because it is made in God's image
[Johnson,P]
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7336
|
A key moment is the idea of a single moral God, who imposes his morality on humanity
[Johnson,P]
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7341
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Sampson illustrates the idea that religious heroes often begin as outlaws and semi-criminals
[Johnson,P]
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7342
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Isaiah moved Israelite religion away from the local, onto a more universal plane
[Johnson,P]
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7348
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The Jews sharply distinguish human and divine, but the Greeks pull them closer together
[Johnson,P]
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7353
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The Pharisees undermined slavery, by giving slaves responsibility and status in law courts
[Johnson,P]
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7344
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Judaism involves circumcision, Sabbath, Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles, New Year, and Atonement
[Johnson,P]
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7345
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In exile the Jews became a nomocracy
[Johnson,P]
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7347
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Zoroastrians believed in one eternal beneficent being, Creator through the holy spirit
[Johnson,P]
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7349
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Immortality based on judgement of merit was developed by the Egyptians (not the Jews)
[Johnson,P]
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7354
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The main doctrine of the Pharisees was belief in resurrection and the afterlife
[Johnson,P]
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7356
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Pious Jews saw heaven as a vast library
[Johnson,P]
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7355
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The Torah pre-existed creation, and was its blueprint
[Johnson,P]
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