High God Research Articles

The Symbol of The Divine Eye in Caodaism

Caodaism is an indigenous religion that originated in the southern region of Vietnam in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Caodaism was formed through creative adaptation, selectively incorporating elements from existing major religions and indigenous beliefs within the community to develop its own distinct doctrine. The devotees of Caodaism worship the Divine eye (Heavenly Eye) as a symbol of the Divine, the Highest God (also known as Cao Đài Tiên Ông Đại Bồ Tát Ma Ha Tát), who is revered as the supreme ruler over all gods, saints, immortals, Buddhas, and the creator of the universe. In this article, the author will delve deep into researching the significance of the Divine eye symbol in Caodaism, shedding light on the religious teachings from an anthropological perspective on symbolism.

A Brief Analysis of the Existence Significance and Self-value of Female Gods in Japanese Mythology from the Background of The Times-- taking Amaterasu and Izanami as examples

Different from other countries, the Japanese royal family has the idea of "divine authority" and "blood of God", and in Japan as a patriarchal society, Amaterasu, the highest god in mythology, is a female god. In Greek mythology, the appearance of women was often ac-companied by jealousy, guilt, or eroticism. On the contrary, in Japanese mythology, the female gods such as Moon reading God, Izanami, and Tiandian goddess all play an important role. This paper will take Amaterasu and Izanami as examples, and analyze from the background of The Times why Japanese scholars give such a status to female gods, and what kind of existence meaning and self-value of women as gods in mythology.

KEPERCAYAAN ANIMISME DAN PAHAM KETUHANAN FUMIRIPITS DALAM MITOLOGI SUKU ASMAT

The Asmat tribe who inhabit the Land of Papua, has a belief in divinity that is deeply rooted in the Fumeripits myth. Fumeripits is seen as the highest god, above the ancestors of the Asmat tribe, who is considered the creator, having higher power and authority. The writing method used is literature study and uses primary data obtained directly through interviews with sources. The aim of this research is to explain Fumeripits divine understanding and reveal how the Asmat people view the role of ancestral spirits in their lives, including how ancestral spirits provide prosperity for the living. Based on the Fumeripits myth, the Asmat people believe that their ancestor was a young man who was skilled in the art of carving. They believe there are three worlds, namely Asamat Ow Capinmi (world of the living), Damir Ow Capinmi (stopover place), and Safan (Heaven). Asamat Ow Capinmi, the Asmat community has an obligation to do good and obey customary law. To help ancestors experience liberation from Damir Ow Capinmi.

The Most High God vs. Nabû: A God of Letters, Wisdom, and Fate Who Can(not) Read, Understand, or Foretell

A natural reading of Daniel 5 clearly depicts the Jewish deity as humbling an arrogant pagan king, Belshazzar, through the Judahite sage, Daniel. This article suggests that a second but not mutually exclusive interpretation is possible in light of the story’s Mesopotamian background. According to this reading, the author of Daniel 5 used the traits of Nabû to subvert the well-known Babylonian belief that Nabû was the tutelary deity for the Babylonian kings. By rendering Nabû completely powerless before the Jewish deity, the author exalts the Jewish deity as the Most High God (עליא אלהא‎) who effectively displaces Nabû. It is in this capacity that the Most High God weighs the arrogant pagan king’s deeds and then determines the length of his life. Such a theological message would serve to comfort the intended audience of the pericope, the Jewish diaspora community under pagan rule, and encourage them to faithfully obey their God.

A third century ad rhymed hymn from Yemen: The origins of Arabic poetry and literature?

AbstractThis article is a tribute to Muṭahhar al‐Iryānī and Yūsuf ‘Abdullāh—two of the most outstanding Yemeni savants of all times. Sadly, both are no longer with us. Muṭahhar passed away in 2016, and Yūsuf in 2021. In what follows, I present—through my renderings—their last scholarly achievements. They concern a well‐known Sabaean inscription found in 1951 in Mārib. The text is written consecutively and was therefore not recognisable as a poem. In 2005, Muṭahhar al‐Iryānī published the first convincing presentation of this hymn, revealing its poetic structure. His final take on the subject is the strophe and verse arrangement offered in the present article. Yūsuf ‘Abdullāh is the discoverer of another rhymed Sabaean hymn. Both authors are convinced that these are the antecedents of the poetry of the Arabs. Substance‐wise, the two scholars hold different views. In al‐Iryānī's opinion, the hymn describes a battle of the Sabaean army. Victory is achieved through the intervention of the Sabaean high god Almaqah. On the other hand, Yūsuf ‘Abdullāh interprets the hymn as a rain rogation myth. He parallels it with the traditional rain processions of the Yemeni countryside, which he sees as a ritual survival from pre‐Islamic times. If accepted, a central element of the pre‐Islamic religion has been brought to light.

The Highest God and His Oracular Disclosure

The question of the Most High God is very difficult to address from many points of view. First, because of the disproportionality of ancient sources. Most sources are epigraphic in nature, including simple dedications or those resulting from a covenant, and contain rather little information that can be addressed in detail. The literary sources are four in number and raise serious problems of interpretation. The numismatic ones are completely missing from the context in the case of Hypsistos. Moreover, the way the subject has been treated in modern historiography, especially in relation to pagan sympathisers or God-fearers orbiting around the synagogue environment, makes this sensitive issue even more cautious. Finally, the perception itself of the identity of this Most High god, as well as the typology of the cult, its potential unitary character is another thorny issue. Two of the epigraphs discovered in the Lycian town of Oinoanda, that of Chromatis and the oracular response of Apollo of Claros, are, we believe, a very good starting point for clarifying some of the imagological aspects of this abstract and anonymous god.

Moralistic supernatural punishment is probably not associated with social complexity

Evolutionary theories of religion frequently assume that the presence of moralizing gods is positively associated with social complexity. An influential source of evidence for this assumption comes from researchers using the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample’s moralizing high gods variable as a proxy measure of their outcome of interest (the presence of moralizing gods). In this paper, we critically assess the common assumption that moralizing gods are associated with complex societies. We first discuss the high god variable’s coding criteria, which is defined by whether or not a god is the creator or director of the universe, regardless of power or omniscience. We then show that these criteria, which are not relevant to the question about whether gods are moralistic or punitive, has led researchers to underestimate the presence of moralizing gods by systematically producing false negatives – inferring that truly present moralizing gods are absent because moralizing high gods are absent. We then use datasets that include both moralizing gods and moralizing high gods to show that researchers risk inferring false negatives more frequently among lower levels of social complexity. As we also show, this likely leads to a spurious positive association between social complexity and the presence of moralizing gods. We then briefly discuss the ethnographic data and historical biases that might have strengthened this spurious association. We therefore question the widely assumed positive association between morally punitive gods and social complexity, and conclude that ethnographic evidence supports the prevalence of moralizing gods among small-scale societies.

Imago Dei and ecology: Rereading Genesis 1:26–28 from the perspective of Toba Batak in the ecological struggle in Tapanuli, Indonesia

This article departed from the ecological problems that are currently happening in Tapanuli, the area around Lake Toba, North Sumatra province, Indonesia. In addition to the lack of environmental awareness of the local community, and the presence of companies that are not environmentally friendly, another factor that causes ecological problems in Tapanuli is the attribution of imago Dei to humans, and this forms a paradigm that humans are the rulers of nature. Therefore, a new meaning of imago Dei is needed that allows nature to have the right to be sustainable. The comparison between Toba Batak traditional religion and Christian theology creates a good interplay to develop a contextual ethical theology that can be adapted for other environmental discussions. This study used a biblical-cultural approach, namely rereading Genesis 1:26–28 from the perspective of Toba Batak anthropology, to get the novelty of the idea of imago Dei. The result of rereading Genesis 1:26–28 generated new ideas. Not only humans but every creature is a representation of Mulajadi Nabolon (the High God of Toba Batak). All creation is the imago Dei.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: This article contributes to the interdisciplinary conversation between biblical, systematic and cultural theology to give new meaning to the conception of imago Dei. The rereading of Genesis 1:26–28 is carried out using the anthropological perspective of Toba Batak. The results are certainly very useful for forming a contextual ecological paradigm for the Toba Batak people in Tapanuli, Indonesia.

Testing and Disrupting Ontologies: Using the Database of Religious History as a Pedagogical Tool

In an age of “Big Data” the study of the history and archaeology of religion faces an exponentially increasing quantity and range of data and scholarly interpretation. For the student and scholar alike, new tools that allow for efficient and accurate inquiry are a necessity. Here, the open-access and digital Database of Religious History (DRH) is presented as one such tool that addresses this need and is well suited for use in the classroom. In this article, we present the basic structure of the database along with a demonstration of its potential use. Following a thematic inquiry into questions concerning “high gods”, individual disciplinary-specific case studies examine applications to particular contexts across time and space. These case studies demonstrate the ways in which the DRH can test and disrupt ontologies through its ability to efficiently cross traditional disciplinary boundaries.

Pengaruh Konsep Vernakular Jaga Satru Terhadap Ruang Kawasan Permukiman di Desa Adat Tenganan Pegeringsingan

Tenganan Pegeringsingan Traditional Village is part or belongs to three Bali Aga Villages located in the province of Bali. The values and traditions of their ancestors are strongly maintained by the residents of the Tenganan Pegeringsingan Traditional Village. The location of this village is in Manggis District, Karangasem Regency. Tenganan Pegeringsingan Traditional Village has the concept of Jaga Satru or a vernacular concept that only exists in Tenganan Village, that concept is a concept passed down from generation to generation by the local community which was obtained from Dewa Indra as the highest God who is highly trusted by the people of Tenganan Village. The concept of Jaga Satru is the concept of the form of a residential area shaped like a defense "barrack", besides that this concept also applies the form of community housing with the Mahulu ka Tengah concept or orientation towards the holy direction inward with 2 doors in front and behind the house in every existing house. . The purpose of this study is to see the spatial relationship of the residential area in the Tenganan Pegeringsingan Traditional Village with the Jaga Satru concept or the vernacular concept used in the village. This study uses inductive qualitative data collection through observation of secondary data and interviews in the field. The results of the identification of the link between the Jaga Satru concept and the change in the spatial form of the residential area in the Tenganan Pegeringsingan Traditional Village are not significant. In other words, the vernacular concept of Jaga Satru that is used and applied greatly affects the least changes that occur in the spatial form of the residential area as a whole in the Tenganan Pegeringsingan Traditional Village.

Cerita on Calonarang Dance Drama

Cerita on <i>Calonarang</i> Dance Drama

The Many Gods of Deuteronomy

In the study of the Hebrew Bible and ancient Israel, a consistent area of debate between mainstream and conservative scholars is whether or not the ancient Israelites were monotheists who worshiped El Elyon as their highest god, and whether or not the Hebrew Bible retains any of this. One particular passage of interest has been Deuteronomy 32: 8–9, which most academics interpret as El Elyon distributing the nation to his children, one of whom is Yahweh. This essay seeks to address the rebuttals of conservative scholars who have sought to deny this, by arguing that ancient Israel’s conception of Yahweh was and that he was not a son of El in Deut. 32. This essay rejects these conclusions, principally arguing against the work of Michael S. Heiser, bringing attention to some neglected data which conservative academics (and mainstream ones) have often overlooked in trying to elucidate this passage and demonstrating that the consensus reading of the passage makes the most sense of the text.

Religion and ecology: A pilot study employing the database of religious history

High gods have been found to be associated with resource stress and climate stability in ethnographic samples. In this research we aimed to replicate these analyses, using data from the Database of Religious History (DRH; religiondatabase.org), a large qualitative and quantitative database that encompasses samples from a much larger temporal range than used in previous studies. Using the DRH enables testing the associations between ecology and a much wider variety of religious variables than is possible using other data sources, while also obtaining significant temporal depth. Given the large temporal range of the DRH, we explore the feasibility of using paleoclimate reconstructions to extract ecological variables across time.Of all paleoclimate reconstructions, temperature reconstructions have the highest resolution across time, while precipitation reconstructions have the lowest. Ecological variables from higher resolution reconstructions are likely to be more accurate than those from lower resolution reconstructions. It appears feasible to use temperature reconstructions to simulate historic temperatures of DRH regions. However, when it came to analyzing DRH and ecological variables extracted from paleoclimate reconstructions, we were unable to replicate previous findings. We explore possible reasons for this discrepancy, including inaccurate climate reconstructions, ecological variables being unrepresentative of the standard climate, aggregation method and—perhaps most significantly—the inadequacy of existing statistical tools for dealing with the kind of complex and highly interrelated cultures that have characterized most of human history.

The Challenge of Genetic Engineering to the Spirituality and Morality of Human Destiny in the Traditional Yoruba Concept of Àdáyébá

With the colossal strides recorded in the arena of Genetic Engineering, conviction in Orí, among traditional Yorùbás, as the bearer of an individual’s destiny and life course among the Yorùbá wanes. Through critical analysis and hermeneutical interpretation, the present study scrutinizes the relation between physiognomy and destiny in traditional Yorùbá idea of Orí. The cumulative traditional Yorùbá allegorical account depicts Òrìṣàńlá as the primordial divinity casting Ara (human body) from clay or sand; Olódùmarè, the Higher God, providing Ẹ̀mí (life-force) and Àjàlá, another primordial divinity, the maker of Orí (destiny) which must be acquired pre-natally. Hence, it seems on first showing, that it is impossible for the Yorùbá, as portrayed in the allegory, to believe in Orí, on one hand and genetically modified individuals on the other hand. As a consequence, this paper proposes to reconstruct a type of Orí acquisition that is consistent with Yorùbá thought system and loyal to the overwhelming and undeniable achievements of Genetic Engineering.

Chasing Shadows

“Chasing Shadows” offers an intimate portrait of the current practice of the prophetic movement called Kyangyang in Guinea-Bissau. Kyangyang means “the shadows”, but its followers also call themselves “Children of God”. The members of the movement, belonging to the Balanta ethnic group, communicate with their ancestors, who transmit messages from the high God through prophetic writing, glossolalia, divination rituals, and spirit possession. Guided by the ancestors, they heal and give advice in collective ceremonies. This film delves into the creative and poetic world of Kyangyang by giving voice to its members, young and adults, men and women. It also explores the relations between Kyangyang and Balanta cosmology and between the prophetic movement and the two main "world religions" in the country: Islam and Christianity, in its Catholic and Evangelical modes. &#x0D; Original idea and Research: Ramon Sarró and Marina Temudo&#x0D; Direction, camera and sound: Roger Canals&#x0D; Editing: Jordi Orobitg&#x0D; Production: University of Oxford and Jordi Orobitg Produccions

Thadous Community and Socio cultural life: A study of Chandel District of Manipur State

Thadou the tribe is in an area where the Chandel is located in Manipur. Rice is the main food, and they are vegetarians, and love, to drink a wine made from rice or corn. In general, the family is, in fact, taken together with the family. The marriage is known as the Neila, by means of negotiations. Men tend to wear loincloths. It's a bit like the "dhoti". Women wearing loincloths "hamtan to be" wrapped around your waist, and almost one-half of the thighs. Mithuns and pigs are slaughtered at a party for the community, the lavish ceremony. The youth of the Credit institutions (LOM) is a traditional form of recreation. They believed in a most High God, who is called the Chung Eat. Their government, as their leader. Agriculture is the main economic activity is a lot of Tadu. Eat your own culture, language, literature, clothes, Social life, and self-determination to live, if, in a Marriage, a Divorce, naming the children's Festival, Faw, Sagol Gyeongchai, Waphol sick of the Palsy, Lakoy sick of the Palsy, Hongbai sick of the Palsy, Lamkool, Saipikhup, such as: folk dances, Jumming, Pets, Religion, Hunting, etc, The paper uses the methodology of the research in this area, which is based on direct experience. Participatory research method, was also used as a practice and research are mainly based on the autoethnographic views. This study is mainly focused on the socio-cultural life of the Thadous the district of Chandel Manipur.

Climate Variability, Drought, and the Belief that High Gods Are Associated with Weather in Nonindustrial Societies

AbstractAll societies have religious beliefs, but societies vary widely in the number and type of gods in which they believe as well as their ideas about what the gods do. In many societies, a god is thought to be responsible for weather events. In some of those societies, a god is thought to cause harm with weather and/or can choose to help, such as by bringing needed rain. In other societies, gods are not thought to be involved with weather. Using a worldwide, largely nonindustrial sample of 46 societies with high gods, this research explores whether certain climate patterns predict the belief that high gods are involved with weather. Our major expectation, largely supported, was that such beliefs would most likely be found in drier climates. Cold extremes and hot extremes have little or no relationship to the beliefs that gods are associated with weather. Since previous research by Skoggard et al. showed that greater resource stress predicted the association of high gods with weather, we also tested mediation path models to help us evaluate whether resource stress might be the mediator explaining the significant associations between drier climates and high god beliefs. The climate variables, particularly those pertaining to dryness, continue to have robust relationships to god beliefs when controlling on resource stress; at best, resource stress has only a partial mediating effect. We speculate that drought causes humans more anxiety than floods, which may result in the greater need to believe supernatural beings are not only responsible for weather but can help humans in times of need.

Wearing the Cosmos: The High Priestly Attire in Josephus’ Judean Antiquities

Abstract In his recounting of the Exodus narrative of the making of the priestly vestments in Judean Antiquities 3.151-180, 184-187, Josephus provides a vivid description of the high priest’s wardrobe, including its cosmological connotations. This article shows that Josephus uses cosmological motifs in his recounting of the high priestly attire in order to convey a message to his intended audience in Rome. Josephus adds his own accents to the biblical narrative to convince his public that the high priest’s fine clothing functions as a statement that the Judean God is not a national deity with restricted power, but the Highest God, who is the only creator, maintainer, and supreme ruler of the universe. Seen from this perspective, we observe Josephus in dialogue with a well-established Greco-Roman clothing imagery tradition that portrays gods and mortals in symbolic garments to enhance their far-reaching power or authority.

Folklore.

Folklore is the collection of traditional beliefs, customs, and stories of a community passed through the generations by word of mouth. We introduce to economics a unique catalog of oral traditions spanning approximately 1,000 societies. After validating the catalog's content by showing that the groups' motifs reflect known geographic and social attributes, we present two sets of applications. First, we illustrate how to fill in the gaps and expand upon a group's ethnographic record, focusing on political complexity, high gods, and trade. Second, we discuss how machine learning and human classification methods can help shed light on cultural traits, using gender roles, attitudes toward risk, and trust as examples. Societies with tales portraying men as dominant and women as submissive tend to relegate their women to subordinate positions in their communities, both historically and today. More risk-averse and less entrepreneurial people grew up listening to stories wherein competitions and challenges are more likely to be harmful than beneficial. Communities with low tolerance toward antisocial behavior, captured by the prevalence of tricksters being punished, are more trusting and prosperous today. These patterns hold across groups, countries, and second-generation immigrants. Overall, the results highlight the significance of folklore in cultural economics, calling for additional applications.

Buddhist Literature: A Cosmopolitan Philosophy

This article argues that literature of Buddha's philosophy has cosmopolitan nature. Buddhists do not believe in a personal creator God. In this sense, Buddhism is more than a religion; it is not centered only on the relationship between humans and a high God. Buddhism is a philosophical tradition that believes and centers on personal spiritual development. It is a humanistic way of life which can be understood as motivated to lead a moral life; it is also conscious of one's thoughts and actions as well as in developing wisdom and compassion. Both Buddhism and cosmopolitanism assert the dignity of every human being; these ideals aim at improving the condition of life. Philanthropy, empathy, and compassion can be considered as synonyms for Buddhism and cosmopolitanism. Service to fellow human beings is at the center for a cosmopolitan. When humans ascend the material concerns like pleasure and material desire, they are free to fulfill responsibilities to fellow human beings so that they can go up and beyond the close family members to all human beings, which is the philosophy of both Buddhism and cosmopolitanism. In both the Buddhist and cosmopolitan philosophy there is basic consideration of humanity. Buddhist social thought offers something to cosmopolitan ethics that cosmopolitanism’s desire to enhance ‘human interconnectedness’ is truly helpful to minimize the human sufferings. In this article, my goal is to explore and show Buddhism as a cosmopolitan philosophy.