A Divine Figure Research Paper

A common theme throughout many different societies is the recognition of a divine figure. Interactions between the people and this figure vary depending on how the figure is perceived. Three compelling examples of this are found in the myths of ancient Rome, the Mayans from the Americas and the Hebrew Bible. Each relationship is unique, yet due to the authority a divine figure demands, similar aspects are perceivable.
The gods of Rome were revered because of their immortality and supernatural abilities. Humans were depicted to be almost equal to the gods in knowledge, understanding, capacity to love, virtue and evil. Because of this, humans are not exclusively dependent upon the gods. However, the gods are known to occasionally meddle in human affairs. The Romans would typically invoke the gods in times of distress or for a favor to be granted. The human acknowledgement of the gods was seen as a special attainment to the gods. In the story of Apollo and Daphne, the god, Apollo, boasts of his supremacy, "Delphi, Claros, Tenedos are all mine, I am worshiped in the city of Patara." (Ovid, pg. 657)
The Mayan
Their relationship with their God was one based from love. During the creation of humans, God breathed His spirit into them. An excerpt from the Hebrew Bible claims, "God blessed them (the humans) and gave them dominion over earth." (Hebrew Bible, pg. 95) Therefore, God demanded absolute trust and obedience from the Hebrews. In the story of Noah, this trust and obedience was violated. Genesis says, "The Lord saw that the evil of the human creature was great in earth and that every scheme of his heart's devising was only perpetually evil." (Hebrew Bible pg. 99) This stirred anger in God and He destroyed all the evil on earth with a massive flood. Contrastingly, the faithfulness of the Hebrews resulted in protection and prosperity, as evident in the Hebrew