Creation Stories

1.   I think that every culture has its own creation story/myth because they like to know where they came from.  If you didnt have a story of where you came from you would want to know where you actually came from or make up a story yourself to compensate for you lack of knowledge.  Humans attempt to explain their origins because it also helps create a sense of pride from where you came from, and that it will give you something to believe and know that is your own.  Myths still do have a place in our world today.  Depending on your beliefs you may or may not believe in Darwins Theory of Evolution.  With this pretty much proved, people still believe in their religous myths.  With proof that the religous creation stories are almost myths people still believe in them.

2.The Australian Aborigines most likely treat the animals with respect and love for them in their culture because the animals were a big part of their creation story.  "She called all her creatures to her and instructed them to enjoy the wealth of the earth and to live peacefully with one another".  It shows that the Australian Aborigines believe in setteling their problems with peace.  The New Zealand aborigines problably value family because the two main gods had lots of children.  They also believe that all things that happen on the Earth happen becuase a god made that happen so they are probably very religous.  The gods had "70 male children.  These offspring became the gods of the Maori."

3.Each story starts up with Gods having offspring.  And are focused mainly on conflict within the family.  This could show that though family is a good thing there are still negative things inside them that can split a family up or bring them together.  The Australian is more focused on animals probably because it has more of an active wildlife population then New Zealand.  The New Zealand version focuses on how the weather and other things are created.  This is probably because they have more of a swing of weather there.

4.Both stories show that there is always conflict between family.  That is almost unavoidable, but things can be resolved if there is a conflict.  The story also touches on what one person may think is right, the other person might see things differently and argue with you about what he thinks is right.  This also touches over to the problems these stories face in the world.  That the Maori will believe that their creation is true and that the theory of evolution is wrong.  Or they could believe in both like me, I am Lutheran and believe in God but I still also believe that the theory of evolution is true.

5. I believe that the world was created by the big bang and we evolved from small bacteria.  But I still believe that there is a god.  Sometimes it is hard to maintain faith and believe but I still do because it is what I believe to be true.  Does it matter if someone says its wrong? Not to me because just because an individual or group believes that it is right, I do not because I believe in what I think is true.  Even if Jesus or whomever isnt real he still has had much more of an impact to the world then me or you will ever have.  Being a Lutheran effects my beliefs becuase it effects what I do because Lutheranism focuses on salvation through faith.  So I try to have strong faith in god while still believing in scientific things that go against it.  It becomes a lense to me to view the world because when I see a member of a different religon.  I believe I am right, but who am I to tell that person that what he thinks is right to be wrong. I came to this conclusion because I went to sunday school the first half of my life so I was lead into thinking that Lutheranism is right.

Austalian Aborigine Hunter with Boomerang

Maori Person