Kemetic View of the Gods/Universe

[Meritmut]

Honestly, for all of my differences of theology and social stuff with HON, this is the thing that I actually think is a giant issue.  I hope the recent reorg will address the problem of "The pedagogy stinks on ice".

 

Okay so I have been working on my own personal definitions for Ma'at, Isfet and Nun.

Ma’at –  The natural order of the Universe. The concepts of truth, justice, balance and order. We are to live our lives in accordance with Ma’at, it means we strive not to be weighed down with Isfet in any of its forms (lying, stealing, murder, etc.)

Isfet – Not created, to be erased from the universe, to no longer exist. The opposite of Ma’at, it is a destructive force which strives to annihilate Ma’at. Isfet is comprised of many different forms of destructive properties, including lying, murder, theft, etc.

Nun – The primordial waters, it is the state of the Universe before the act of creation. Basically the place where the matter and anti-matter that makes up the Universe resided when it was inert.


Would these definitions be the gist of each concept?

[Etheric1]

Okay so I have been working on my own personal definitions for Ma'at, Isfet and Nun.

Ma’at –  The natural order of the Universe. The concepts of truth, justice, balance and order. We are to live our lives in accordance with Ma’at, it means we strive not to be weighed down with Isfet in any of its forms (lying, stealing, murder, etc.)

Isfet – Not created, to be erased from the universe, to no longer exist. The opposite of Ma’at, it is a destructive force which strives to annihilate Ma’at. Isfet is comprised of many different forms of destructive properties, including lying, murder, theft, etc.

Nun – The primordial waters, it is the state of the Universe before the act of creation. Basically the place where the matter and anti-matter that makes up the Universe resided when it was inert.


Would these definitions be the gist of each concept?

 
I'd say you nailed it.

[Helmsman_of_Inepu]

Okay so I have been working on my own personal definitions for Ma'at, Isfet and Nun.

Ma’at –  The natural order of the Universe. The concepts of truth, justice, balance and order. We are to live our lives in accordance with Ma’at, it means we strive not to be weighed down with Isfet in any of its forms (lying, stealing, murder, etc.)

 
I'd also add that I think Ma'at is a very complex term. "Balance" implies a dynamic situation- you don't describe a brick sitting flat on the ground as being balanced.

[veggiewolf]

I'd also add that I think Ma'at is a very complex term. "Balance" implies a dynamic situation- you don't describe a brick sitting flat on the ground as being balanced.

This.  I cannot tell you how often I've heard people speak of Ma'at as if it were a static thing when, by its nature, it cannot be.

[Devo]

Ma’at –  The natural order of the Universe. The concepts of truth, justice, balance and order. We are to live our lives in accordance with Ma’at, it means we strive not to be weighed down with Isfet in any of its forms (lying, stealing, murder, etc.)

Isfet – Not created, to be erased from the universe, to no longer exist. The opposite of Ma’at, it is a destructive force which strives to annihilate Ma’at. Isfet is comprised of many different forms of destructive properties, including lying, murder, theft, etc.

Nun – The primordial waters, it is the state of the Universe before the act of creation. Basically the place where the matter and anti-matter that makes up the Universe resided when it was inert.


Would these definitions be the gist of each concept?

Ma'at is my sticking point- because it's not all happy butterflies and sunshine.

Gods, by their nature, live off of Ma'at. It's their essence, it's who they are. If that is the case, when you consider Set killing Osiris- well there is the Ma'at in that? How about when Aset tricks Ra into giving her his name? Where is the Ma'at in that act? I think Ma'at is far more complex than to say that stealing, murder, etc. are outside of Ma'at. What if a mother who is on the streets steals food for her child? Is that within Ma'at? I think much like morality, Ma'at shifts and changes with the situation. It's why I don't really put a lot of hard definitions on the term or concept.

As for Nun, I would add that Nun is still considered to be around- on the edges of the universe. Nun is like.. somewhere btwn Ma'at and isfet, as far as I can tell. That Nun sometimes threatens to return us into the state we were before, kinda the way isfet does. Nun is also that spark of creation, it's laden with potential- we just have to figure out how to harness it.

My .02

-Devo

[Darkhawk]

As for Nun, I would add that Nun is still considered to be around- on the edges of the universe. Nun is like.. somewhere btwn Ma'at and isfet, as far as I can tell. That Nun sometimes threatens to return us into the state we were before, kinda the way isfet does. Nun is also that spark of creation, it's laden with potential- we just have to figure out how to harness it.

 
I wouldn't personally say between.  The Nun is completely undifferentiated - formless, unknowable, dark, infinite.  There is no there there, and the energies of boundless undifferentiated potentiality can manifest as anything.

The Nun is the ultimate solvent.  It can break anything down.  It can serve as the building blocks to make anything.  It is not between ma'at and isfet; it is precursor to both.

[Meritmut]

Ma'at is my sticking point- because it's not all happy butterflies and sunshine.

Gods, by their nature, live off of Ma'at. It's their essence, it's who they are. If that is the case, when you consider Set killing Osiris- well there is the Ma'at in that? How about when Aset tricks Ra into giving her his name? Where is the Ma'at in that act? I think Ma'at is far more complex than to say that stealing, murder, etc. are outside of Ma'at. What if a mother who is on the streets steals food for her child? Is that within Ma'at? I think much like morality, Ma'at shifts and changes with the situation. It's why I don't really put a lot of hard definitions on the term or concept.

As for Nun, I would add that Nun is still considered to be around- on the edges of the universe. Nun is like.. somewhere btwn Ma'at and isfet, as far as I can tell. That Nun sometimes threatens to return us into the state we were before, kinda the way isfet does. Nun is also that spark of creation, it's laden with potential- we just have to figure out how to harness it.

My .02

-Devo

Devo you are right, I for got to mention that in my definition of Ma'at because I agree with you that it depends upon the motivation of the crime, such as you said a mother stealing to feed their child.

[Devo]

I wouldn't personally say between.  The Nun is completely undifferentiated - formless, unknowable, dark, infinite.  There is no there there, and the energies of boundless undifferentiated potentiality can manifest as anything.

The Nun is the ultimate solvent.  It can break anything down.  It can serve as the building blocks to make anything.  It is not between ma'at and isfet; it is precursor to both.

 
Yes, this is true. I would agree with that. Always more articulate than I lol

-Devo