How can it be that a lot of religions and mythologies share stories or personalities, but just with different names? And do you know some more examples?

Question

An example that I heard about earlier today would be the angel Lailah from the Talmud and Jewish theology. She is the angels of the night, conception and pregnancy. I instantly had to think about Artemis from Greek mythology, who is the Goddess of the hunt, wilderniss, nature, vagitation, childbirth, care of children and chastity.

Another example might be between Aphrodite in Greek mythology and Freyja in Norse mythology

Michael · Accepted Answer

Much of it isn’t coincidental. A lot of indo-european pantheons are believed to trace their origins to a single proto-indo-european mythology, the details changing over time as populations spread and cultures diverged. Freyja and Aphrodite are both thought to be descended from one called Prihyeh, who is also identified with the Hindu goddess Parvati.

Some of it is a matter of syncretism. Peoples with different religions encounter each other and - assuming they don’t all kill each other - their ideas start rubbing off on each other

Luca · Answer

A lot of religions are not religions at all but pagan beliefs which are stemming from demonology. Of course there were no such things as demonology at the time but the manifestation of powers in the human realm. Under various names. But so the same. It is still valid nowadays because secular people easily are drawn by the "spiritual" practices unconsciously. They end up pagan after all but think they do something special or unique which was done thousands of years ago.

Chris · Answer

There are only so many moral stories you can tell before you start telling the same ones

Owen O · Answer

It is quite literally from cultural exchange. Migration and trade routes brought lots of cultures together and just mixed the giant melting pot. Easiest examples are all over the Mediterranean, finding Greek, Roman, and Egyptian religious temples in places away from the homeland. If the God got really popular in certain areas, it would just be added to the local pantheon as a new addition or could be fused into an already existing god with a similar theme/role. Egypt did this all the time with Greek culture. 
You find the cultural similarities in Abrahamic and the Christian religion because it is directly taken or copied from local traditions to gain converts. Hebrew tradition is very isolated. Back in the day they were very boring with very few interesting parties or festivals that would attract new converts (not like they were accepting of new converts anyway because you have to be born from a Hebrew family to be accepted). So when the Christian movement, based in Hebrew tradition, decided to expand out and convert new people, they had a big problem of not being too attractive. The apostles that were successful in gaining converts were the ones who embraced the idea of cultural exchange, taking from local faith and customs to spice up the gospel to be more appealing. If the party cult of Dionysus is popular here, tell stories about Jesus's miracles making fish and wine (emphasize the wine part). The cult of Osiris is popular in this area, tell stories about Jesus's death and then resurrection. Cult of Saturn is popular? We celebrate Saturnalia too! We just call it Christmas, and we put up a large tree with decorations to show the pagans of Northern Europe that we can party too!

Cultural exchange of faith and gods happened throughout human history. If any community or kingdom was in contact with another, they are guaranteed to share and even mix their cultures together

How can it be that a lot of religions and mythologies share stories or personalities, but just with different names? And do you know some more examples?

Showerthoughts Community

There are only so many moral stories you can tell before you start telling the same ones

Related Posts

We see you

I don't owe anything to anyone. I don't have to reply to every texts asap. I wonder why people keep pushing others secretly and hide the pressure behind the "It's ok if you don't want to talk" and the 😊 emoji.

"intellectual men are automatically handsome"

If a man and a woman in the shower together how long is the shower supposed to take ??

Request for : FeetPics

Tornado Alley