NationStates Jolt Archive

The following is an excerpt from the book of the dead. The deceased are broguht before Osiris and fourty-two associate Gods. After the following decleration is made the heart of the dead man is weighed against an ostrich feather, the symbol of truth, to see if he has told the truth.
_______________________

Hail to you, Lord of Truthfulness!

I have come to you, Oh my Lord; I have brought myaelf that I may look upon your glory. I know you, and I know the name of the fourty-two gods who ake thei appearance with you in the Hall of Truth.

Here I am; I am come to you; I bring to you the Right and have put up a stop to wrong.

I am not a doer of wrong to men.

I have not oppressed the members of my family.

I am not one who tell lies instead of truth.

I have known no worthless folk.

I am not a doer of mischeif.

I have not domineered over servants.

I have not inflicted pain.

I have not permitted any man to suffer hunger.

I have no made any man to weep.

I have not commited murder.

I have not [disrespected] the dead.

I have not played the eavesdropper.

I have not [been treasonous].

I have not snatched the milk from the mouths of inoccents.

I am pure, I am pure, I am pure, I am pure.
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These seem to be pretty practical, straight-forward values. Should start worshipping Maat or should radicals like me be stonned for incompetent sacralige?

I have known no worthless folk.
Well that rules out most of the regulars here. ;-)

Well that rules out most of the regulars here. ;-)

LMAO!:p

The following is an excerpt from the book of the dead. The deceased are broguht before Osiris and fourty-two associate Gods. After the following decleration is made the heart of the dead man is weighed against an ostrich feather, the symbol of truth, to see if he has told the truth.

<snip!>

These seem to be pretty practical, straight-forward values. Should start worshipping Maat or should radicals like me be stonned for incompetent sacralige?

There's a little more to it than that, but you've got the general idea. Things like the 42 Negative Confessions (and other "Wisdom Writings" like the Instructions of Ptahhotep) are seen as good ideas and guidelines to help one live a life of ma'at, rather than "set in stone" rules. Ma'at, as a concept, is too fluid to be 'pinned down' in such a fashion, but yes, they are generally pretty 'common sense' ideas and good things to think about when you consider your actions.

Living a life of ma'at is certainly a worthy goal, and I do my best to do so in everyday life, with the help of the Netjeru (Gods).

There's a little more to it than that, but you've got the general idea. Things like the 42 Negative Confessions (and other "Wisdom Writings" like the Instructions of Ptahhotep) are seen as good ideas and guidelines to help one live a life of ma'at, rather than "set in stone" rules. Ma'at, as a concept, is too fluid to be 'pinned down' in such a fashion, but yes, they are generally pretty 'common sense' ideas and good things to think about when you consider your actions.

Living a life of ma'at is certainly a worthy goal, and I do my best to do so in everyday life, with the help of the Netjeru (Gods).

*upstaged on his own thread* ah ya

These seem to be pretty practical, straight-forward values. Should start worshipping Maat or should radicals like me be stonned for incompetent sacralige?no one's stopping you from trying.

I know no ones stopping me from trying. I was just wondering if other people thought it was a good values system

I know no ones stopping me from trying. I was just wondering if other people thought it was a good values system
Does it really matter what other people think about your value system? If you decide that, at your center (as opposed to passing whims/instincts) you want to do something, then you should do it and damn the world and its opinions.

*upstaged on his own thread* ah ya

Well, what can I say? I live this stuff, heh. It's hard not to preach a little. :p

The following is an excerpt from the book of the dead. The deceased are broguht before Osiris and fourty-two associate Gods. After the following decleration is made the heart of the dead man is weighed against an ostrich feather, the symbol of truth, to see if he has told the truth.
_______________________

Hail to you, Lord of Truthfulness!

I have come to you, Oh my Lord; I have brought myaelf that I may look upon your glory. I know you, and I know the name of the fourty-two gods who make their appearance with you in the Hall of Truth.

< snip >

Here I am; I am come to you; I bring to you the Right and have put up a stop to wrong.
Why would you have to tell a "god" what you had done?

Why would you have to tell a "god" what you had done?

Because confession before the Judges in the Hall of Two Truths is a way of lightening your heart before the weighing, whether you are confessing your good deeds or your bad deeds or (more likely) both.

Also, you must remember that the Netjeru (Gods) aren't necessarily omniscient like the modern monotheistic concept of God. They probably won't know all you've done, all you've thought or said. They may not know, but you will and your heart will know. Sincere confession can ease the burden.

Why would you have to tell a "god" what you had done?
Think of them like St. Peter.

In my opinion, Egyptian morality seems to be quite like pretty much everyother morality. Not that that's a surprise or anything.