Kemetic Q&A- Ask any respectful question

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Because they took the Kemetic belief system and didn't have one ounce of respect for it as it was, instead they tried to use it to justify their own belief system, instead of just letting their beliefs be their beliefs, and leaving Kemet alone. They used our gods to validate theirs, and I see that as awful, not admirable. I do not believe Djehuty is Hermes, nor do I believe Aset is Diana. That is a disservice not only to the Egyptian gods, but the Greek ones as well. The Greek gods are their own unique personages, and it's a disservice to them to act as though associating them with other deities validates their worth.

Hmm.

A) I thought KOs were allowed to have a variety of beliefs. Alexandria was the learning center of the world at its heyday. I don't see how you could be offended by the swapping of culture.

B) What about other cultures? I've heard of Set being compared to Ba'al and Yhvh, for example.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I see it as the epitome of disrespect to Hermes and Zeus to call them Amun and Djehuty, not just the other way around.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

The culture swapping would have been ok if not for that one thing Gabriel.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Okay. What about the previous question of what KOs are allowed to believe?

Are these your personal beliefs or is anti-Hellenism an established part of KO?

 

[Daniel09]

I think it is mostly that Hellenism is incompatible with KO, a separate though slightly similar belief-system. KO's try to believe what was believed by the Ancient Egyptians themselves.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Okay. What about the previous question of what KOs are allowed to believe?

Are these your personal beliefs or is anti-Hellenism an established part of KO?

Anti-Hellenism is not a part of KO. That is to say, we have no disrespect for the Hellenistic beliefs, they just shouldn't be mixed with Kemetic belief. I'm not Anti-Hellenistic, but I am against mixing Hellenism and Kemetic belief. Like I said, I think it a disservice to the gods on both sides of the equation- the Netjer and the Olympians.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Anti-Hellenism is not a part of KO. That is to say, we have no disrespect for the Hellenistic beliefs, they just shouldn't be mixed with Kemetic belief. I'm not Anti-Hellenistic, but I am against mixing Hellenism and Kemetic belief.

Okay. You didn't answer my question. Is your anti-syncretization your personal belief or is that the stance of KO itself? I was under the impression that members could have whatever beliefs and engage in whatever faiths they wished.

 

[acidrica]

I'm technically a member of Neos Alexandria. I don't syncrenize the two religions myself, but I greatly respect their group (and love their hymns!).

Personally, I don't see what the Greeks did as good or bad. It just happened, and it happened such a long time ago that I honestly don't think I can make a judgment on it.

As for whether or not anti-synchronization is a KO stance...I'm honestly not sure. I know that it wouldn't be an issue either way for Remetj, but as a Shemsu we take vows to serve our Parent/s above other deities, so I'm not sure how that would work if you were worshiping them -as- other deities. I might have to make a post on the HoN forums asking about that.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Reposting this as I think it's interesting:

Also, what about the Nubian period? I've read that not only did the Kemetic pantheon mingle with Greece, but it also mingled with Nubian deities on their southern end.

I saw a NatGeo article about the Nubian pharaohs. So, what about that period?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Okay. You didn't answer my question. Is your anti-syncretization your personal belief or is that the stance of KO itself? I was under the impression that members could have whatever beliefs and engage in whatever faiths they wished.

It is pretty well a KO stance from what I've seen. I asked the teaching Priests about it and they said we don't try to make guesses about other gods in KO itself, we only focus on our own.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Reposting this as I think it's interesting:



I saw a NatGeo article about the Nubian pharaohs. So, what about that period?

Well technically the Nubians were the southern kingdom prior to the joining of the two under the cult of Heru-sa-Aset. The Nubians had the same deities as the northern Egyptians to my knowledge, but they may have depicted them differently. The only one I know about is they depicted Djehuty (Thoth) as a baboon, rather then an ibis-headed man.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

What exactly is the 'Kemetic way' to worship as opposed to the 'Roman' or 'Greek' way to worship? Elaborate further on how they violated the culture.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

What exactly is the 'Kemetic way' to worship as opposed to the 'Roman' or 'Greek' way to worship? Elaborate further on how they violated the culture.

I can't think of a way in which they violated the culture except trying to say our gods were actually the Olympians. That just doesn't sit well with me personally. They did treat our temples well, even though they renamed them. Memphis-Mennefer, etc.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Some Kemetics might view it that way, but we in KO do not. We don't go for the Hellenistic innovations of our religion. We worship like the ancients worshipped, in a Kemetic way, not a Greek way. What the Greeks and Romans did was horrible. They practically raped our heritage.

I can't think of a way in which they violated the culture except trying to say our gods were actually the Olympians. That just doesn't sit well with me personally. They did treat our temples well, even though they renamed them. Memphis-Mennefer, etc.

Okay. I thought there was further expoundment but all right.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Well technically the Nubians were the southern kingdom prior to the joining of the two under the cult of Heru-sa-Aset. The Nubians had the same deities as the northern Egyptians to my knowledge, but they may have depicted them differently. The only one I know about is they depicted Djehuty (Thoth) as a baboon, rather then an ibis-headed man.

This is the article I was referring to.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Interesting.

I read in the Contendings of Heru and Set that the goddesses Anath and Astarte are called daughters of Ra. It's well-known that these are Ugaritic goddesses. It appears that the Egyptians co-opted them and made them their own.

What are your views on this?

 

[Daniel09]

My own views are that the religious developments of the latest dynasties are not what should be focused on. The early dynastic views are a lot better.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

My own views are that the religious developments of the latest dynasties are not what should be focused on. The early dynastic views are a lot better.

I agree with Daniel on this

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Why are the earlier dynasties better? Are they 'purer' somehow?

 

[Daniel09]

Why are the earlier dynasties better? Are they 'purer' somehow?

At least to me. Over the thousands of years Kemet had, so many Pharaohs changed the religious structure that the Old Dynasty and even the Pre-Dynastic views do seem more "pure."