The TRUE Heresy of Akhenaten and Atenism- Not Monotheism

[Rainbow Mage]

Akhenaten's heresy was not Monotheism. Many often mistakingly believe that the Atenist movement was Monotheistic. This is not the case, and several evidences can be brought forth to prove it. Examine the heiroglyphs and statues from the time of Akhenaten's rulership and you will see the true heresy. Akhenaten wanted a personality cult in which the people worshipped him as their direct mediator between Egypt and the Aten disk. His wife Queen Nefertiti is depicted wearing the double crown of Kemet, a crown no queen of Egypt would normally wear, because it is the crown of the goddess Tefnut. This shows that Nefertiti was viewed as being Tefnut herself, or wished to believe she was. There was nothing Monotheistic about Atenism, and it wasn't an attempt to establish a new religion, but rather it was a heresy of the already existing religion. Akhenaten's elimination of deities was selective. He may have said Aten was the highest, but he also kept statues of Ma'at and Amun in the royal shrine. He said that his children were Geb and Nut, and that he was Shu. Akhenaten's true name is Amenhotep III. That is why the cult of Amun-Ra dominated both before and after the life of Akhenaten. Tutenkamen, son of Akhenaten, re-established the state cult of Amun after the death of his father. Atenism as many mistakingly believe, was not Monotheism. There was no such need for a concept like Monotheism among the ancient Egyptians, because they didn't view the divine like Judeo-Christian theology depicts the divine.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Also we know how Aten was worshipped prior to Akhenaten's heresy. He was worshipped as a form of Ra-Heruakhety. If you'd like more details on that, let me know.

 

[Smoke]

Akhenaten wanted a personality cult in which the people worshipped him as their direct mediator between Egypt and the Aten disk.

In that case, would a view of the Nisut as mediator between the faithful and the divine be equally heretical?

 

[Rainbow Mage]

In that case, would a view of the Nisut as mediator between the faithful and the divine be equally heretical?

No, because in Akhenaten's case he said one cannot pray, give offerings, or approach the divine at all, that only he could do that. Nisuts do not usually mediate in a way that cuts off all others from the divine.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Not only that, but the way in which he viewed Aten was heretical. Aten is not his own deity, he is an aspect of Amun-Ra, as previously stated.

 

[Smoke]

Some of your threads might make interesting discussions if you'd consider putting them somewhere besides the DIR section. Being prevented from any participation but the asking of respectful questions cramps my style.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Well Smoke you're always free to start a thread in another section, and then we can go from there

 

[Adramelek]

Akhenaten was an absolute fool, a charlatin, and completely naive and incompentent as a ruler. Gratefully his reign lasted for an extremely short period of time. May he for ever be reborn in the jaws of Sebek! In the Middle Kingdom it was Seti I and his descendants the Ramessites who restored the true strength, power, and glory of ancient Egypt, and btw, their patron god was the Majesty of Set!

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[Cypress]

Were not Akhenaten's motives mainly political?
Weekening the might of the priests?

 

[Adramelek]

Were not Akhenaten's motives mainly political?
Weekening the might of the priests?

Perhaps to an extent I'm sure. However, Akhenaten suffered from a severely derranged mind. I cast him in the same league as other ancient, insane tyrants such as Nero and Caligula of Rome.

 

[GabrielWithoutWings]

Perhaps to an extent I'm sure. However, Akhenaten suffered from a severely derranged mind. I cast him in the same league as other ancient, insane tyrants such as Nero and Caligula of Rome.

He must be pretty bad if you're comparing him to Caligula.

That man was the personification of ******* crazy.

 

[Adramelek]

He must be pretty bad if you're comparing him to Caligula.

That man was the personification of ******* crazy.

As history has shown, yes, Akhenaten had a completely derranged mind was completely incompotent, naive, and absolutely inane as a ruler. He was the most impotent "king" who ever ruled over the glory and strength of ancient Egypt! Hail, Set for the rise of the Ramessites, the belove of Set-Hen!

 

[painted wolf]

Nero on the other hand, got plenty of bad press.

Another heresy of Akhenaten's was his shift in depictions of human likenesses. No longer idealized ritual images... they break strongly with the codified style, otherwise unchanged for the majority of Egyptian history. The impact of this shift was profound on Egyptian art for long past his lifetime.

wa:do

 

[Adramelek]

Actaually the "bear belly" look of Akhenaten and the art of his dynasty was short lived. The Seti's and the Ramessites restored the majesty of ancient Egyptain history and artwork. During the Middle Kingdom the Setian King Seti I and all of his descendents looked upon Set as one of the most powerfull of all the gods of Egypt, and his position as the Equal of Horus was restored. Which you will find in the studieing of ancient Egyptian culture, legends, magic, and religion under the Seti's and the Ramessites. Rameses the II, a great worrier and expander of the lands of Egypt and who comissioned the building of many temples (more than any other Pharaoh), actually moved the capital of the Egyptian Empire to the city of Tanis where he built a great temple to the god Ba'al who he viewed to be very closely related to his patron god Set.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[painted wolf]

The "beer belly" look as you call it may have been... but the move toward increased naturalism was not, nature was more realistically depicted from then on. And traces of the "intimate views" of family life held on, if far more subdued for at least Tuts time.

wa:do

 

[Adramelek]

... but the move toward increased naturalism was not, nature was more realistically depicted from then on. And traces of the "intimate views" of family life held on, if far more subdued for at least Tuts time.

wa:do

Quite true painted wolf. And after the early death of Tut, whose reign was more short lived than his fathers' Akhenaten. The Setian Kings came into power and restored Egypt to its greatest glory ever, during the Middle Kingdom. Rameses II also known as "Rameses the Great" (my favorite of all the Pharaohs) son of Seti I, actually lived to be in his 90's and fathered hundreds of children, conquered many lands and greatly expanded the borders of Egypt. It was also during Middle Kingdom times that the ancient Egyptians enjoyed much prosperity and happiness.

However, it was during the Late Kingdom that Khem (Egypt) began to decline and became decadent and was eventually conquered by the early christians and eventually islam. But it is worth noting that the ancient Egyptian empire and religion lasted for around 5000 years BCE. Judaism, christianity, and islam have only been around for a little over 2000 years.

"In Khem I remain no longer, for I am forgotten there, and my House at PaMat-et is dust. I shall roam this world, and shall come to those who seek me." - Set, "The Book of Coming Forth by Night".

Xeper em Ma'at.
/Adramelek\

 

[Rainbow Mage]

It is true the 19th dynasty kings rather favored Set. Ramses II wrote many prayers to him.