Ancient Egyptian Religion.

A complex question is this: Was Ancient Egyptian Religion, Polytheism,Monotheism

OR Henotheistic? Or, Was it an amalgamation of more than one of these? Ancient Egyptian
Religion appears to have characteristics ofdifferent forms of theisms eg henotheism,
monism, monotheism, pantheism, and polytheism. I say that this is odd is because a religion
cannot be both polytheistic and monotheistic. A religion with multiple gods is polytheistic.
Polytheism is the doctrine of or belief in more than one god or in many gods while
Monotheism is the doctrine or belief that there is only one God. Some may argue that
Ancient Egyptian Religion was not Polytheism since gods were not thought of as separate
gods in and of themselves; rather, they are seen as emanations from the one single
Supreme Being (God). The Egyptian literature depict God as the eternal, conscious, infinite,
omnipresent, spiritual source of the universe. However, while it may be philosophically
argued that lay men were polytheists .

Ancient Egyptian Religion was a Poly-Monotheism. Some work cited:

Dr. H. Brugsch collected a number of the epithets [published in Religion pages 99-101].
1] God is One and alone, and none other existeth with Him; God is the One, the One Who hath made all things.

2] God is a spirit, a hidden spirit, the spirit of spirits, the great spirit of the Egyptians, the divine spirit.
[It should be Divine Spirit instead of divine spirit]

3] God is from the beginning, and He hath been from the beginning; He hath existed from of old and was when nothing
else had being. He existed when nothing else existed, and what existeth He created after He hand come into being. He is
the father of beginnings.

4] God is the eternal One, He is eternal and infinite; and endureth for ever and aye; He hath endured for countless ages,
and He shall endure to all eternity. Etc.

In this system it was believed that:=

Poly-Monotheism is defined as the doctrine that God is the transcendent reality of which the gods [Naterus] are only manifestations
.However it may not be accurate to view that Ancient Egyptians simply the viewed that God is identical with the gods, they did believe that
These are indistinct from God and are united in the God.

It is pointed out that the many gods of Ancient Egyptians were simply various forms, appearances, culminations and
emanations) of a single Supreme Being (God). This is where the idea of monotheism comes in. A belief in a single
Supreme Being is Monotheism. But the belief that the many gods is Polytheism even if they are all included in the
One, Single, and Supreme Being. Therefore, this Dogma of Manifestation is Poly-Monotheistic. These Egyptian gods

eg Horus ,Osiris, even Ra himself, were believed to be "manifestations, , or personified attributes of Only One God", the
invisible God. These were not believed to be separate gods, but incarnations or manifestations of one and same God the
one and only God, inseparable from him.

The difference between a kind of Pantheism and Polymonotheism is that , Pantheism

maybe defined as the doctrine that God is the transcendent reality of which the
material universe and human beings are only manifestations (Pantheism
American Heritage Dictionary, Internet) But PolyMonotheism did not considers the
universe ,humans ,idols as Manifestations of God but Only gods as Manifestations of
God.
Note:=
Pantheism is not necessary the dogma that god is identical with the universe and entirely immanent in the world: god is the universe and
the universe is god. Since Manifestation is not an Identity. Yet this dogma is a kind of Pantheism, but Pantheism on close study have different
variations.

Ancient Egyptian Religion is not Pure Polytheism:=

The primary reason that Ancient Egyptian Religion is viewed as a Polytheistic religion is the great number of Egyptian goddesses and gods.
The Egyptologists [who are neither theologians nor philosophers] describe the mythologies and rituals related to multiple gods and
goddesses. Egyptologist only view that Ancient Egyptians had a myriad of local community gods along with Nonlocal Egyptian gods. So
they are usually misguided by this , and incorrectly ascribe pure Polytheism to Ancient Egyptians.

Ancient Egyptian Religion was not Pure Monotheism:=

Monotheism is the Dogma \Belief that there is but one God," A Monotheist is one who believes that there is only one God (with a capital g)
and definitely does not believe in the existence of any others i.e neither in any god [goddess] nor in any God [Goddess] beside One God
whether as Manifestation or Emanation or else of the Only One God.
If this definition is taken then Ancient Egyptian Religion was a Not Pure Monotheism.
So it is the case that it had the tendencies of both Theisms i.e Pure Monotheism and Pure Polytheism, a duel nature , and there fore it may
be called Poly-Monotheism or Polymonotheism, somewhat close to Pantheism yet not Pure Pantheism.

Henotheism and Ancient Egyptian Religion:=

Ancient Egyptians often did chose to worship some or one of the many Egyptian gods, but at the same time they continue to acknowledge
the existence of the other Egyptian gods whom they did not worship. This type of worship of one god (OR some gods) among many gods is
not Monotheism But Henotheism. Henotheism is the belief in and the worship of one god while accepting the existence of other gods.[or
worshipping some gods while accepting other gods which are not worshipped. This may be termed as Poly-Henotheism or Polyhenotheism].

Ancient Egyptian Religion Explained

"Ancient Egyptian Religion worshiped multiple forms[Neters] of the one God. God was believed to be Only One in
many gods and goddeses."A belief in monotheistic polytheism, rather than pure polytheism which may not be
regarded is as a religion of Pure Polytheism just like as it may not be regarded as a religion of Pure Monotheism. Yet
truly speaking It was neither a Pure Monotheistic Religion or a Pure Polytheistic Religion , additionally not a Pure
Henotheism

Explantion:= .

Many Egyptologyts and Western Writers on the subject mistakenly

declairs it as Polytheistic or Henotheistic Religion.This is a mistake.
There may be some Henotheistic sects or cults in ancient Egypt but the
religion as a whole was not Henotheistic ,but Poly-Henotheistic.Thus it
was a PolyMonotheistic and PolyHenotheistic religion.
According to Ancient Egytian Religion there was only One God who
manifested and incarnated in Multiples of gods ;each god in whom God
Manifested or Incarnated was a Manifestation or an Incarnation Of God,
united in One God and Indistinct from God.This God Included All the
Manifestations and Incarnation.
Thus One God in Multitude of Manifestations and Multitude of
Manifestations united in Only One God.
AkhenAten and Monotheism:=
It is possible that some pure form of Monoltheism sects did exist in
Egypt in Minorities..
Akhen did belonged to this sect ,or embraced it latter. He was not the
founder of Dogma of One God in Egypt but rather he negated all the
gods i.e Incarnations and Manifestations of One God. However he
assumed a prophet like status instead of a god indistinct from God.
A similar type of practice was adopted Millennia latter by King Acbar
of Indian Subcontinent who believed in One God and believed himself
as a Projection Of God [ZILL AL ILAHI]. How ever he did not claimed to
be an indistinct Manifestation Of God,Yet he claimed for a position
GREATER then the status of Prophets and Aposltes.

Three Verses Of Quran Can be explained according to this theory:=

1] Pharaoh said: "O Chiefs! no god do I know for you but myself... [Qur'an 28:38]

2] Then he[i.e Pharaoh] collected (his men) and made a proclamation, Saying, "I am your Lord, Most
High". [Qur'an 79:15-24]

Explanation:= Phaaraoh is saying not in the Monotheistic sense but in the Henotheistic sense.

Ancient Egyptian Religion seems did have some characteristics of eachof the henotheism, monism, monotheism,
pantheism, and polytheism. A religion be both Pure Polytheism, Pure Monotheistic ,Pure Panteism.Pure Monism etc..
A religion with multiple mually distinct gods\Gods is Polytheism. Polytheism is the doctrine of or belief in more than
one god or in many Mutually Distinct gods [and goddesses] While monotheism is the doctrine or belief that there is
only one God, and no other god whether distinct or indistinct from the God Thus, a logical absurdity and a rational
impossibility for a religion to be both Pure Polytheism and Pure Monotheism. This is a reason that it is said argue
that Ancient Egyptian Religion was is neither Polytheism nor Pure Monotheism, Since these gods and goddesses
were not thought of as separate gods in and of themselves; rather, they are seen as emanations from the one single
Supreme Being; and Monothiesm negates plurality of indistinct gods as well.
Quran informs that the courtiers of the court of Pharaoh had chosen to worship only one of the many Egyptian gods, but at the same time
they continue to acknowledge the existence of the other Egyptian gods. However, the selection and worship of one god among many gods is
neither Monotheism NOR Polytheism but Henotheism.

Henotheism is the belief in and the worship of one god while accepting the existence of other
gods.
In is SAID ABOVE that Ancient Egyptian Religion was not Henotheism in General but Poly
Honotheism ,but some cults like courtian sects were most probably Henotheists ,worshipping
Pharaoh and not worshipping other gods , and considering the Pharaoh as the greatest god for
them, A Henotheistic Greatness , neither a Polytheistic Greatness [Greatest god among distinct
gods] nor a Monotheistic Great Greatness [Greatest Being of all Beings]. A god worshipped by
a group of people considered as the greatest god form the worsippers, a relative greatness in
regard to worshippers, not an ultimate or absolute greatness.In this case one Manifestation of
ONLY One God ,worshipped while other Manifestations of the Same God were accepted yet not
worshipped. A Manifes-Henotheism.

RELATIVE GREATNESS:=
I] Multitudes of gods of Ancient Egyptians were various forms ,culminations,manifestations, emanations of a One and Only Supreme Being
(God). This is where the ideas of Polytheism andMonotheism comes in. A, belief in a single supreme being is Monotheism and belief in
multitudes of gods and goddesses is Polytheism. But things are deeper then this. Any religion which is not Monotheistic may not be
Polytheistic, and vice versa.
ii]As all the incarnations and manifestations were believed to be united in One God they are equal in this regard. How ever in regard to
different things in the world some gods [Manifestations and Incarnations] a god may be greater then the others.The incarnation[ Pharaoh]
may be greater than other incarnations and manifestations in regard to land of Egypt. But not an over all greatness of one manifestation over
all other manifestations of God. This type of relative greatness may still be seen in some Hindu sects even today. Thus it is not an imaginary
answer but a real answer ; and in perfect consistence with Ancient Egyptian Religion and Pharaohic religion.

In several senses the greatness or lessness was only relative but also variable. It is hard to accept Absolute Greatness or smallness /
lessness between two Manifestations of one and same God.
An Incarnation or a Manifestation may be declaired greater than or less then any other incarnation or manifestation in regard to the thing
Which manifests or incarnated. An Incarnation or A Manifestation of the Divine Self [Godhead] of a God may be regarded as greater than
Manifestations and incarnations of different Qualities of God since Divine Self is Greater than its Qualities, and in regard to mensioned
above Divine Self its Manifestation is greater than the Manifestations of Qualiies.

So things must be seen in the context of relativity. There can be no Absolute Supreme Manifestation of One and Only God since these
Manifestations are themselves not absolute.Hence the superiority of one over another is just relative.

When Pharaoh claimed to be Only God he said it in regard to the God Who either Manifested or
Incarnated in him the Divine Self of Pharaoh , the Only God Of Ancient Egypt , not in regard to
his human self but a self indistinct from God and a manifestation or an incarnation of God or
both;as according to the Ancient Egyptian Religion.
3] And the chiefs[courtiers of the court

of Pharaoh] of Pharaoh's people said: "Do you leave Musa and his

people to make mischief in the land and to forsake you and your gods?" [Qur'an 7:127]
Explanation:=
The Courtiers and chiefs are referring other manifestations of God to the Divine Self Of Pharoah, the Only
God. The only thing added by the Pharaoh Ramesses the second was to exalt himself to the position of God
Incarnate and Incarnated God instead of just a manifestation or an incarnation of God, so he tried to shew
that God is his Divine Self. This does shew that Manifestations and Incarnations [gods -neterus] could be refer
to God as His gods [ and goddesses].
Comments:=
For all rational thinkers it may be said that these verses of Quran might be ununderstandable when the late
scholar ship considered Egyptian Religion as Polytheism and did not get their believes accurately. They opine
that there is some historical Error in these verses of Qura:n. But the Modern Approach has clearified the
matter. A number of scholars have provided some other answers as well, but what is directly implicated is the
simplest explanation. A Miracle and if not then Miraculous indeed.
Note:= A Manifestation in a body is an Incarnation. So Incarnation and Manifestaion are related as follow.
Manifestation is more general for example God is a spirit yet God may Manifest in a spirit which is not Eternal. [Eternal Spirit Manifests in
Non Eternal Spirit ] . But a particular case is Incarnation. This problem may not bother a Christian since they only believe in one type of
Manifestation and that is Incarnation. [Cults may differ].