Creation StoriesWhere do we come from? The creation of the world has for centuries been told through many different stories, in different languages, and from a variety of religions across the world. The founders of each religion developed every creation story, and as religions vary greatly in beliefs, so do their stories of how the world and mankind were created.
Although many of these creation stories differ, they have a close mystical and spiritual bind that brings people together. Two particular creation stories from very diverse religions are that of the Native Americans and the Christians. Unlike Christians who worship one god, Native Americans worship two high gods as well as a variety of natural and supernatural forces. Although both stories may differ from one another in determining their belief of creation, they both are similar in which both religions believe that through ceremonies and worship that they will be at harmony with god.
Through their creation stories we can interperate their understanding of the world around them, how they view life, and how they are compatible and incompatible with one another. Native Americans believe that all things of nature have a spiritual value in life, they use animals, insects, plants, and other forms of nature to symbolize spirits in their stories. Native Americans have a variety of creation stories in which different tribes depict how they believe the world and evolution came to be. The Osage tribe has a creation story in which the world is emerged out of chaos; the Seneca tribe has a creation story in which the world came together through a clash of good and evil. The creation story that is found in many tribes is that of “Inktomi”, also known as ” spider woman” whom they believe created earth and life.
They believe that spider woman spun a line to form the east, west, north, and south, from which came the Four Corners of the earth. Those who had forgotten the gift of her thread would drown in the great flood she sent, but for those who remembered they floated to the New World and climbed unto the safety of mother earth. The Native American creation story reveals that they understand the world to be a place of equality. In the following passage the creation of man is depicted from the use of different clays: ” Spider woman used the clay of the earth, red, yellow, white, and black, to create people, and to each she attached a thread of her web which was the gift of creative wisdom. “From the spiritual value they have of nature and all its beings, it can be assumed that the Native Americans are very religious people who cherish and respect all life the same, whether its fellow man or animals in their habitat.
The Christian creation story is found in the book of Genesis, the first book of the bible. There are two creation stories out of the Christians beliefs, both out of the book of Genesis. In Genesis 1:1 to 2:3 the bible says that God created the heavens and earth in six days: On the first day the creation of light and its separation from darkness; On the second day the separation of the sky and oceans; On the third day separation of land from the oceans, spreading of plants, grass, and trees across the land; On the fourth day the creation of the sun, moon, and stars; On the fifth day creation of sea animals and birds; On day six creation of the land animals, creation of humanity. The other creation story comes from Genesis 2:4 to 2:25, it states that: At first, there were no plants or grain present, because God had not yet sent rain; Then God made Adam out of earth; He then created plants and herbs, Adam, the Garden of Eden, trees, birds and animals; Finally, God removed a rib from Adam and made it into the first woman, Eve. Christians belief of one God whom in which created all man from the same earth, may also be a factor of religion in which influences their understanding of the world.
Meaning that they view all man as being created equal, brothers
