The Concept of Sin and the Quiddity of the Original Sin in the Mythology and Religions of Iran, Greece, and Mesopotamia

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of History, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

Abstract

Abstract
The concept of sin and the nature of the first sin in ancient myths, religions of Iran, Greece, and Mesopotamia in mythical human thought, the world, and the world around it had rules and frameworks. More importantly, the human belief was that there was an invisible order between the beings and the universe. Of course, he considered himself to have duties to the universe and to the beings and gods, so his best job was to coordinate with this order because God created human for some reasons and he was required to obey divine commandments to attain salvation. On this basis, even in various religions, the wrongdoing of some human beings (especially in the early age of human life) could have consequences for the whole of humanity. Sin in ancient civilizations could have different origins in such a way that in the Iranian sense of sin (in ancient times) not only did the wrongdoer have an unfortunate consequence, but other creators were also at risk and harmed by the wrongdoer.
On the other hand, in the Zoroastrianism view, sin was not only in relation to the gods and in disobeying the divine commandments in performing religious rituals, but also in dealing with self-fellow human beings and other beings.
Thus, harming the right of other creatures, even plants, is also a human error in God’s cause, because they are all Ahurasad’s creations and should be cherished. This attitude to sin is also evident to some extent in other civilizations, especially in Greece and Mesopotamia. In the ancient world, and in virtually all ancient religions, the man was made a god or gods and thus the hometown of man was the place of living;the gods and humans were companions and neighbors of gods. Thus, gods lived in the myth and beliefs of Iranian, Mesopotamian, and Greek civilizations and especially the first human or first human Couple in land and place that enjoyed all blessings and did not think about death and did not face worldly suffering. But, the event caused the goddess, also a supreme divine creature, to be driven out of the gods and living in the shadow of the divine grace and the Garden of Eden (Paradise) and engaged in a low-yielding and diminishing habitat.
Accordingly, ancient religions and myths have each offered reasons for depriving humans of eternal life, as well as being driven out of the gods and habitat of the first human being.  There are some narrations with somesimilarities and in some cases some differences. However, what makes the myths of these civilizations different is the positive or conversely the unfavorable attitude  to the human character and godly devotion to man.  In the Iranian thought, because Ahuramazda (as the overall creator) has chosen man as the best creature, he has no role in committing sin In the Iranian thinking,the seducers are considered the first evil couple and evil forces and even the gods do not make him die him for the sins; rather, the sinful man is endangered by the difficulties because of moving toward evil deeds. But, in Mesopotamian and Greek civilizations, asthe philosophy of human creation has been to save the gods.In a civilization like Greece (and even in Mesopotamia), a god or Titan has had a role in the creation of man and giving him blessings without the participation of the great God. . The gods no longer have a positive attitude toward the man and even try to deprive him of divine attributes and get him into suffering. So, in such myths, these are gods who directly (with their false guidance) and indirectly (because of the inherent human nature) cause human beings to commit original sin and deprive themselves of the eternal life and prosperity. Thus, the gods play the role of human seductors; gods who sometimes appear so vicious and vindictive of Iranian and Mesopotamian thought that they take revenge and retribution from humanity, because the creation of man was contrary to the will of the gods and gods created disasters and suffering to hurt man or his creator (Prometheus). Also, the Greeks sometimes considered the root of the sin to be hereditary and believed that it completely deprived one of the rights to sin.

Keywords

References

Bibliography
- Afifi, R. (2004). Asatir va Farhang-e Iran. Tehran: Toos Publication.
- Afshar. B. (2013). Critique of the Theory of Eternal Sin in Christianity. Marefat-e Adyan, 5, 70-78.
- Amiri Khorasani, A., & Bahre Var, M. (1999). Nazari Ejmali Bar Tavil Bon Maie-E Gonah Aghazin dar Adyan Tohidi, Journal of Isfahan Faculty of Literature and Humanities, 2(52), 15-30
- Amozgar, Zh. (2010). Tarikh-e- asatiri Iran. Tehran: Samt Publication.
- Amozgar, Zh., & Tafazoli, A. (Ed.) (2007). Dinkard V. Tehran; Moein Publication.
- Andarz-e Oshnar-e- Dana (1994). Translated by Nazer, E. M., Tehran; Hirmakd Publication.
- Aogemaddetsha (1965). Translated by Afifi, R, Mashhad: (n.p.).
- Avesta (2006). Translated by Dostkhah. J, Tehran: Morvarid Publication.
- Barr, K., Asmussen, J. P., & Boyce, M. (2005). A History of Zoroastrianism. Translated by: Vanman, F., Tehran: Jami Publication.
- Bastide, R. (1991). Mythologie. Translated by Satari, J., Tehran: Toos Publication.
- Ben-Chaim, R. M. (2009) Jewish Holiday. New York: INC.
- Benveniste, É. (1998). The Persian Religion, According to the Chief Greek Texts. Tehran; Ghatre Publication.
- Black, J., & Green, A. (2004). Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia: An Illustrated Dictionary. Translated by Matin, P., Tehran; Amir Kabir Publication.
- Blanc, Y. (2001). Enquete Sur La Mart De Gilgamesh. Translated by Sattari, J., Tehran: Markaz Publication.
- Boyce, M. (1997). A History of Zoroastrianism. Translated by Sanati Zade, H., Tehran; Toos Publication.
- BundahiŠn Faranbaghdadegi. (2011). Translated by Bahar, M., Tehran; Toos Publication.
- Casartelli, L. Ch. (1889). The Philosophy of Mazdayasniain Religion under the Sassanids. Mumbai: (n.p.).
- Chiera, E. (1996). The Babylonian Tablets. Translated by Hekmat. A. A, Tehran; Elmi Farhangi Publication.
- Christensen, A. (1984). Samples of The First Man and the First Book in the History Of The Legendary Iranian Prince Translated by Ahmad Tafazzoli and Jale Amozgar, Tehran: Nashre no Publication.
- Christensen, A. (2002). Kianian. Translated by: Safa, Z., Tehran: Elmi Farhangi Publication.
- Cresson, A. (n.d.). Seiri dar falsafe jahan az Socrates ta Voltaire. Translated by Ebadi, K., Tehran; Elmi Publication.
- Curtis, J. (2004).  Mesopotamia and Iran in the Parthian and Sasanian periods: Rejection and Revival c. 238 BC-AD 642. Proceedings of a Seminar in Memory of Vladimir G. Lukonin, Tehran: The Organization for Researching and Composing University Textbooks in the Humanities (SAMT).
- Dalley, S. (2000). Myth from Mesopotamia. UK: Oxford University Press.
- Darmesteter, J. (2019). The Zend Avesta. BoD–Books on Demand.
- Dinkard III (2002). Translated by Fazilat, F., Tehran: Farhang-e- Dehkhoda Publication.
- Eliade, M. (1983). Aspects du Mythe. Translated by Satari, J., Tehran: Toos Publication.
- Eliade, M. (2008). Le Sacré et le Profane: La nature de la religion. Translated by Salehi, M. Tehran: Fararavan Publication.
- Field, D. M. (1977).Greek and Roman Mythology. London:  Hamlyn.
- Gignoux. Ph. (1993). Le livre d'Ardaviraz(Ardavirafname). Translated by Amozgar, Zh., Tehran: Moein Publication.
- Grant, M. (1971). Roman Myths. London: LTD.
- Green, R. L. (1987). Tales of the Greek Heroes. Translated by Abbas Agha Jani, Tehran: Sorosh Publication.
- Guirand, F. (2003). Assryo- Bubylonian Mythology. Translated by Esmaeil Poor, A., Tehran: Karvan Publication.
- Hall, J. (2004). Illustrated Dictionary of Symbols in Eastern and Western Art. Translated by Behzadi, R., Tehran: Farhang Moaser Publication.
- Hamilton, E. (1998). Mythology. Boston: Brown and Company.
- Hooke, S. H. (2004).‎Middle Eastern Mythology. Translated by Ali Asghar Bahrami and Farangis Mazdapoor. Tehran: Intellectuals and Women's Studies Publication
- Horn, P. (2015). Grundriss der Neupersischen Etymologie. Translated by Jalal Khaleghi Motlagh. Isfahan; Mehr-e Roz Publication.
- Jackson, A. V. W. (1928). Zoroastrian Studies: the Iranian Religion and Various Monographs. Columbia University Indo-Iranian Series.
- Jafari Dahaghi, M. (1998). Dadestan i Denig, Paris: Studia Iranica.
- Kavyanipooya, H. (2010).Determinism and Free Will Concepts in the Ancient Iran. Name-i- Tarikh Pazhohan, 21, 116-133.
- Kavyanipooya, H. (2017). A Comparative Study of the Creation of Man in Persian and Mesopotamia Mythology and Religions. Comparative Theology Journal, 17, 139-156.
- Kazazi, M. (1990). Translation of Aeneis. Tehran: Nashr-e Markaz.
- Khoshdel, M., & Bigdeli, R. (2014). A Comparative Study of Islamic and Christian Approaches to Original Sin on the Basis of Allameh Tabataba’i’s and Augustine’s View Points. Journal of the Philosophy of Religion, 2(1), 19-46.
- Lacocque. A. (1984). Sin. New York: Macmillan.
- Langdon, S. H. (1920). Sin Babylonian. In Hastings, J (2014) (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics. New York: T&T.
- Leick, G. (2003). A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology. London: Routledge.
- Majid Zade, Y. (2000). Ancient Mesopotamia: History and Civilization. Tehran: Markaz Daneshgahi Publication.
- Mardan Farokh (1943). Šekand Gomānik Vicar. Compiled by Hedaiat, S., Tehran: Farhang Publication.
- Markish, S. (1998). Asatir az Didgah Elmi. Translated by: Baiani, A., Tabriz: Ahia Publication.
- Mccal, H. (1994). Mesopotamian Myths. Translated by Abbas Mokhber, Tehran: Markaz Publication.
- Mir Fakhraei, M. (1984). Creation in Religions. Tehran: Institute for Cultural Research and Studies.
- Mir Fakhraei, M. (Ed.) (1992). Hadokht-Nask. Tehran: Institute for Cultural Studies and Research.
- Molla Yosefi, M., & Memari, D. (2011). Original Sin from the Viewpoint of Islam and Christianity. Religions and Mysticism Journal, 44(2), 101-126.
- Nafisi, S (Ed.) (1991a). Translation of Odyssey. Tehran: Elmi Farhangi Publication.
- Nafisi, S (Ed.) (1991b). Translation of Iliad. Tehran; Elmi Farhangi Publication.
- Nardo, D. (2005). The Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman. Translated by Askar, B., Tehran: Qoqnos Publication.
- Noss, J. B. (2007). Man's Religions. Translated by Hekmat, A. A., Tehran: Elmi Farhangi Publication.
- O'Grady, J. (2005). Early Christian Heresies. Translated by Soleimani Ardestani A., Qom: Taha Publication Institute.
- Orian, S. (1992). The Pahlavi Texts. Tehran: Islamic Republic Library.
- Orian, S. (2003). Guide to Middle Persian Inscriptions. Tehran: Pazhohesh va Goiesh Sazman-e- Miras Farhangi.
- Pakzad, F. (2005). BundahiŠn. Tehran: Center for the Great Islamic Encyclopedia
- Payne Sant, J. (2001). Greek Mythology. Translated by Farokhi, B., Tehran: Asatir Publication.
- Rasolzade, A., & Baghbani. J. (2010). Shenakht-e Masihiat. Qom: Publication of Imam Khomeini Education and Research Institute.
- Sandars, N. (1994). Heaven and Hell in Mesopotamian Mythology. Translated by Esmaeil Poor, A., Tehran: Fekre Roz Publication.
- Sattari. J. (2009). Pazhoheshi dar ostore Gilgamesh va Afsane-e Eskandar. Tehran: Markaz Publication.
- Scully, S. (2015). Hesiod's Theogony: from Near Eastern creation myths to Paradise lost. Oxford University Press. Translated by Farnod Far, F., Tehran: Tehran University Press.
- Shahak, I. (1994). Jewish History, Jewish Religion, Pluto press.
- Shahzadi, R. (2007). Ghanin madani Zaraostrian dar Zaman-e sasanian, Matigan-i Hazar Datista. Tehran; Faravahar Publication.
- Silver, D. (2004). Greek Gods and Goddesses. Translated by: Esmaeil Poor, G., Tehran: Ostoreh Publication.
- Smith, George P. (2004). Epic of Gilgamesh. Translated by; D. Monshi zade. Tehran; Akhtaran.
- Sophocles. (1980). Sophocles Iedipus tyrannus oedipus coloneus and ant. Translated by Saeidi, M., Tehran: Book Translation and Publishing Company.
- The Holy Quran.
- Thiessen, H. C. (1979). Lectures in systematic theology. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.
- West, E. W. (1880). Pahlavi Texts. Clarendon Press.
- Zadisparam. (2006). Vizidagiha-i-Zaddisparam. Translated by Rashed Mohassel MT. Tehran:  [in Persian]
- Zaehner, R. C. (1975). The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
- Zaehner, R. Ch. (1998). The Teachings of the Magi: A Compendium of Zoroastrian Beliefs. Tehran: Toos Publication.
- Zajko, V., & Hoyle, H. (Eds.) (2017). A Handbook to the Reception of Classical Mythology. John Wiley & Sons.

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics