Last week, we were given the assignment of breaking the class into groups and coming up with our own creation stories together. And though we haven't been working on it for that long, I have to say, it's an interesting assignment.
There's a lot to consider when it comes to a creation story. Will there be one god or a pantheon of gods or goddesses? Will there be evil gods that oppose the other gods? How will humans be created? Or will the story be grounded more in science and ignore the fantastic? In my group, we've decided to go for a fantastic tale about a group of goddesses who create the world together.
But, even though we've decided some of the elements of our story, there's also the matter of what medium to use. I won't say what we're considering, but I will say it's not a spreadsheet. I don't think any of us know enough about Excel to attempt it.
I hope someone else tries, though, and I hope all the groups can make their own unique creation stories.
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Friday, August 28, 2015
A Greek Creation Myth
What creation stories do you guys like best? I was thinking about it today, and one of my favourite creation stories has to be one from Greek mythology.
It all starts out with nothingness as a lot of creation stories do. Suddenly, Gaia (who is the earth in Greek mythology), Erebus (representing darkness), Nyx (representing the night), Tartarus (an abyss where sinners are sent to suffer for eternity), and Eros (who represents love) appear out of the nothingness. Gaia gives birth to Uranus (who is the sky in Greek mythology, and who becomes her husband) and they have twelve kids together- six girls and six guys. Uranus isn't that great a dad, seeing as he throws some of his kids into Tartarus.
Gaia isn't very happy about this, so she convinces her youngest son, Cronus, to castrate his dear old dad. He does and becomes the king of the gods. Later, Cronus and his wife, Rhea, have their own children, but Cronus is also a pretty bad father. Every time Rhea has a child, he swallows it, because he's afraid one of them will rise up against him the same way he did against Uranus.
Eventually, Rhea tricks him into eating a rock and is able to save her child, Zeus, and raise him to adulthood. Zeus gives Cronus a poisoned drink that makes Cronus vomit all of the godly children up and the children go to war against Cronus and his siblings. Zeus and his siblings are victorious and imprison Cronus and his siblings in Tartarus.
Two of Zeus' sons, Prometheus and Epimetheus, go to Earth. Prometheus creates humanity while Epimetheus creates the animal kingdom. Zeus orders the two brothers to give humanity and the animals gifts, but all of the gifts end up getting given to the animals, leaving the humans with nothing. Prometheus, being a kind creator, steals fire from the other gods and gives it to man as his gift.
Of course, Zeus is displeased, and punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a mountain and having a bird peck out his liver every day for eternity (or at least until Hercules comes by and saves him). This kind of puts things in perspective for me. I always complained about my dad growing up, but at least he didn't try to eat me or have my liver pecked out by birds.
This was just a short summary of the Greek creation myth, but if you want to read more, search the internet or go to your local library so you can read this story in better detail.
Sources:
http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/The_Myths/The_Creation/the_creation.html
http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/The_Myths/The_Creation_II/the_creation_ii.html
http://dept.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_16.html
It all starts out with nothingness as a lot of creation stories do. Suddenly, Gaia (who is the earth in Greek mythology), Erebus (representing darkness), Nyx (representing the night), Tartarus (an abyss where sinners are sent to suffer for eternity), and Eros (who represents love) appear out of the nothingness. Gaia gives birth to Uranus (who is the sky in Greek mythology, and who becomes her husband) and they have twelve kids together- six girls and six guys. Uranus isn't that great a dad, seeing as he throws some of his kids into Tartarus.
Gaia isn't very happy about this, so she convinces her youngest son, Cronus, to castrate his dear old dad. He does and becomes the king of the gods. Later, Cronus and his wife, Rhea, have their own children, but Cronus is also a pretty bad father. Every time Rhea has a child, he swallows it, because he's afraid one of them will rise up against him the same way he did against Uranus.
Eventually, Rhea tricks him into eating a rock and is able to save her child, Zeus, and raise him to adulthood. Zeus gives Cronus a poisoned drink that makes Cronus vomit all of the godly children up and the children go to war against Cronus and his siblings. Zeus and his siblings are victorious and imprison Cronus and his siblings in Tartarus.
Two of Zeus' sons, Prometheus and Epimetheus, go to Earth. Prometheus creates humanity while Epimetheus creates the animal kingdom. Zeus orders the two brothers to give humanity and the animals gifts, but all of the gifts end up getting given to the animals, leaving the humans with nothing. Prometheus, being a kind creator, steals fire from the other gods and gives it to man as his gift.
Of course, Zeus is displeased, and punishes Prometheus by chaining him to a mountain and having a bird peck out his liver every day for eternity (or at least until Hercules comes by and saves him). This kind of puts things in perspective for me. I always complained about my dad growing up, but at least he didn't try to eat me or have my liver pecked out by birds.
This was just a short summary of the Greek creation myth, but if you want to read more, search the internet or go to your local library so you can read this story in better detail.
Sources:
http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/The_Myths/The_Creation/the_creation.html
http://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/The_Myths/The_Creation_II/the_creation_ii.html
http://dept.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_16.html
Monday, August 24, 2015
Introduction
Hello.
My name's Sierra Meador and I'm just another student at Middle Georgia College.
I like to read, listen to music, and sleep. But I also like to travel when I can. So far, I've lived in four states and visited many more cities around the eastern side of the country.
If I had to pick a favourite place to have visited, it'd definitely be Denver. I don't really have a concrete reason for picking it- I just like being able to see the mountains from a distance no matter where you are in the city and how Denver has a lot of things to do.
But, now that I'm in Georgia and can't really visit Denver whenever I want, I'd like to travel the state and maybe change my expectations, since I always thought of Georgia as a somewhat boring state.
I've already been to Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta, but someday soon, I'd like to go north of Atlanta, since I've heard there's a really beautiful state park up there.
I think, though, that no matter where I travel, it'll give me more perspective on the world around me. And I'm glad to even be able to go different places, since I know not everyone has that chance.
My name's Sierra Meador and I'm just another student at Middle Georgia College.
I like to read, listen to music, and sleep. But I also like to travel when I can. So far, I've lived in four states and visited many more cities around the eastern side of the country.
If I had to pick a favourite place to have visited, it'd definitely be Denver. I don't really have a concrete reason for picking it- I just like being able to see the mountains from a distance no matter where you are in the city and how Denver has a lot of things to do.
But, now that I'm in Georgia and can't really visit Denver whenever I want, I'd like to travel the state and maybe change my expectations, since I always thought of Georgia as a somewhat boring state.
I've already been to Atlanta, Savannah, and Augusta, but someday soon, I'd like to go north of Atlanta, since I've heard there's a really beautiful state park up there.
I think, though, that no matter where I travel, it'll give me more perspective on the world around me. And I'm glad to even be able to go different places, since I know not everyone has that chance.
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