Daniel Menendez, Genesis

The Genesis and Native Americans view on creation are very related. For example, In Genesis when it speaks of God being all powerful the beliefs of the Indians were the same. The Indians view on creation was much more in depth than the genesis story. In the Genesis story when the speak of God creating night and day there is a part in the native americans story very similar. They speak of the west as night and the east as yellow or day. The simalriaties of two very different cultures on the creation story are very close. The native americans speak of the 7 days and everything God created in the Genesis story matches up with the seven direction story of the natives.

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Kylie's Comparisons

Both of the Jewish culture and the Sioux Indian culture were closely related. They were both fairly monotheistic, and they both believed in a God that was all powerful and created everything. For example, the book of Genesis states that God created all of the land, ocean, sky, along with all of the life that inhabits those. The Seven Directions also state that God created all of these things as well, just in different terms. Where the book of Genesis says that God created light and called the light day and the dark night, the Seven Directions uses east with yellow to describe light and west with night to describe dark. Both mean exactly the same, but are stated in different ways.
Where Genesis just says that God gave us life, the Seven Directions go more in depth with the living spirit he gave to us as humans. He bestowed upon us adolescence, understanding, learning, and a spiritual being. Those all tie in with our mental, physical and emotional beings.
This God that both the Plains Indians and the Jewish people believed in took an active role in their lives. They both worshipped him and were believed to be in communication with him. He took an active role in their lives and they believed he controlled their destiny. The fact that these two amazingly different, yet so much alike cultures could exist never knowing one another is fascinating. It is quite obvious that the God they both believed in was the same.

The Native American story of the seven directions and the Genesis story of God creating the world in seven days are very close in meaning. The Genesis version use the seven days which is a world used in the bible very often to mean a very long time. On the other hand the Native American story use the number seven in the number of directions of creations. This by itself make the stories very close. The number seven in both of these stories could be looked at as a coincidence, but if it is why are did they both pick the number seven? It could also be looked at however as they both came from similar journey's to freedom and therefore the number seven in both stories means the same thing, that is, a long time. However there are more similarities then that. Both stories also have the same core message behind them. They both bring up the idea that God, or some being no matter what the name is, created the world a piece at a time and made it in their image. This is all the readers of these stories are looking for when they read this. Most people want to know that they have someone taking care of them and that they are loved. And if you take out all the specific details of the two stories you get that same idea. This shows the amazing likeness's of the stories just by their theme's. The Theme of a story is all that anyone reads a story for anyway. The details keep the readers interest but the theme is what the reader gets out of the story. Because of this the opinion can be drawn that the Native American and the Genesis readers are reading the same thing and there for believe the same things. This shows that there is not much difference in the idea about creation between the Native Americans and the Christians.

Two Creation Stories

There are numerous similarities between the Genesis creation story and the Native American creation story, not only from a religious stand point. The fact that the number 7 is used in the Native American story is very strange. Two civilizations, thousands of miles apart, use the same symbolic figures and numbers. The number 7 is used throughout the bible to represent long periods of time, and now we see that number used in other civilizations throughout the world. In the Genesis story, God created the world in seven days, creating day and night, the sun and moon, plants, animals, oceans, and finally, humans. In the Native American story, we see the seven directions creating these same things. There is a scary connection or resemblance between the two stories, one that shows the universality of religion and faith. It is very odd to see two extremely different societies with so many similar beliefs, from thousands of miles apart. Their major belief is that there is one God or Figure ruling over all the world, caring for it's people.

Native American genesis comparison- Marina

The Jewish people and the Native Americans are probably the two most influential groups that helped shape the way people think and believe today. The centers of their faith, the way and who created the world are practically similar which strengthens the monotheistic faith. Two completely diff rent cultures agree on the most important issue that ever and will exist.
The first chapter of Genesis consists of the Creation story. One God created everything spectacular around us. The sky, darkness, water, and the sun ere evenly distributed in creation over seven days. The Native Americans believed in an almost exact creation story. One God did it all as well. The distribution was the only difference. They believed that God created one of seven directions, a day. Theses directions consist of east, south, north, west, the earth and everything above and below it, and the divine spirit that was a gift from God to all. The number seven brings both groups to believe that there is a God that can do it all and all in seven days.

The most important similarity the Native Americans and the Jewish shared was their monotheistic belief. They only worshiped one God, the one maker of the world. There was and incident in Exodus that the Jewish people tested God by making an idol made of gold after God rescued them from Egypt. It caused Moses to furiously break the ten Commandments because of the Jewish ungratefulness and disrespect to God. They learned and God forgave them, and the mistake was not repeated again. The Native Americans believed that there was only one divine being that could create such life. Their beliefs centered around it and were passed on from generation to generation. From Abraham to Moses, and from many Native American tribes to more and more ones.

The Jewish believed that they were created in God's image. In Genesis 1:27 it says, "So God created man in his own image, the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." That means God gave the human the most power on earth. It also says in Genesis 1:26, "then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, ^[b] and over all the creatures that move along the ground." The Native Americans dominated the earth. The hunted and fished feeling like they were the most powerful creatures of God. They really made the most of the power. They may not read the Old Testament as much as the Jewish but they are aware of God's blessing to man and make the most of it.

Two completely different cultures are brought together under one God and the gift of life. The different cultures is what makes the diversity all over the world and the same beliefs is what makes the strong faith that God deserves from us.

Native American-Genesis Comparison

Native Ameircan-Genesis comparison Aravind Reddy

      The story in the Bible and the story of 7 Directions are noticeably similar. In the Bible, the story is about how God created the Earth in seven days. The first day God created light and dark to contrast each other. The second day, God created water and separated them in different areas. In the third day, dry land appeared and the first plants were beginning to grow. In the fourth day, god created the sun and the moon and all the planetary stars. God then created birds and sea creatures in great abundance on the fifth day. The sixth day is marked with God creating man and various types of other animals. The seventh day, also known as the Sabbath day, is when God rested. In the Native American story, there are seven directions (North, South, East, West, Above, Below and the Divine Spirit) that represent the creation of animals and all those things that are talked about in the Genesis story. This is very unusual because these two stories have the same message, but their cultures were on different continents. This also explains that both of these cultures probably have similar worldwide views that have resulted in similar religious beliefs. It is also important to note that both cultures had similiar nomadic experiences that might be an explanation for the same message of one God.

Both stories follow through the same message that one God or one being created this earth and controls everything that occurs on earth. God has the sole power in both of these cultures which explains why their belief is similar and the way their belief is constructed is also very similar. Since both Catholics and the Native Americans believe in one god, it is then logical to say that they follow the same God, but maybe be under different names. This is why it is so amazing to see that two cultures, thousands of miles apart, believed in the same message and faith. However, this proves the point of universality and explains why the story of Genesis and the story of the seven directions are the same, in different forms.

 

Native American-Genesis Comparison

In reading Genesis chapter one and comparing it to the explanation of directions, one can see a main correlation of beliefs and how they are set up. Some think that this relationship of beliefs has been influenced through teachings and travel. Others, think that it is a mere coincidence that two completely different religious groups can have a very similar way of explaining their creation story.
They both believed in one God. Although it was not the same one, they still managed to set up a similar take on their creation story. In Genesis, God created different parts of the universe within the seven days, resting on the seventh day, which is what is now our Holy day. The Native Americans see it as the universe was created in the 6 directions, East , South, West, North, Above and Beneath. Some think that this is strange because there is no way these two cultures could have formed their beliefs off of one another, but does it have to be influential? Or can it just be a coincidence that these two cultures have formed the same beliefs about how their God created the universe, in seven days.
The only main difference in the two stories, is that in Genesis they explained it in a day to day form. But, in the Explanation of directions they used the different directions to explain their way of creation.
No matter how these two cultures derived their creation story, they still managed to come up with the same solid basis of the universe’s creation.

Native American - Genesis Comparison

There are many different Native American tribes, that means different creation stories. The major tribe I used was the Cherokee. The Jewish creation story written in Genesis and the Cherokee beleifs of creation are very similar in the general view. There was one creator.

The Cherokees believed that the Earth was one big island floating on the sea. It was supposedly suspended by four ropes representing the four sacred directions. Eventually the animals and plants were created. The people were made last.

The Jewish creation story consisted of seven days, but only six of which were used for the making of the world. There was one creator of course, God. Just like the Cherokee beleifs, Genesis says that people were made last.

Although these two creation stories are different, just like cultures around the world, we are always going to find a few simmilarities.

Wades Native American-Genesis Comparison

The Jewish and the native americans had the same ides in the creation of the earth and universe. The jewish believe the universe was created in 7 days. Through out the week the seas, plants, animals, adnd human race were created.the Native Americans belived that it was created in 7 directions as in the east, south, west, north, above, and beneath. The semiliarties they share are that in each day or direction many different things were created. Genesis talks about how every day something new was created and the native americans believed that god created the earth and univesre in the same amount of time.

The overall statement that both Genesis and the Native Americans are saying is that god created the whole universe in 7 days and that he took time to only rest on the last day which gave us our holy day. Thier views were bit the same just different things where created on the days than in the directions the native americans veiwed

Genesis Comparison

The Jewish perception of the how life was created might very from other cultures, but that is what makes the universe so different. Genesis chapter 1 talks about how god created the earth and universe in 7 days, starting with the light and darkness, day 2 creating the waters and the sky, day 3 creating vegetation and seed-bearing plants, day 4 creating the sun, moon, ans stars, day5 creating living creatures, day 6 creating man in his own image, day 7 god rested.

The Native Americans view is that god created man first, and ending with the creation of mother nature and Earth. Instead of god creating the Earth in 7 days, Native Americans believe in the 7 directions East, South, West, North, Above, and Below.

The creating story is just one of many things on Earth that people have that same idea, but have a different interpretation of the story.

Native American - Genesis Comparison

Two of the most noted creation stories come from the Jews and the Native Americans. They have been passed down from generation to generation and have not changed. Even though there are similarities between the two beliefs, there are also differences.

In both creation stories they deal with the number seven, but in different terms. The Jewish creation story says that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh, while the Native Americans' interpretation is the God of 7 Directions (the East, the South, the West, the North, Above, Beneath, and the Divine Spirit). They both mention the creation of the animals, the sky, the earth, the sea, nature's colors, and man.

The Native Americans' version of the creation story is more descriptive. They mention the beginning of each season(spring, summer, fall, and winter), Mother earth and Father sky, and the stages of life from infancy, to adolescence, and to adulthood. In Genesis Ch. 1, God made man and woman on the sixth day. In the Native American creation story, God created a yellow race, a red race, a black race, and a white race.

Both the Jewish and Native American creation stories have the same concept, but are interpretated differently. It is not important how God created the world, but that He did create the world.

Native American Genesis Compariosn

Christians as a whole believe that God is the creator of the heavens and the earth, and that he did so in 7 days. With all the other religions that are in the world today there are many other beliefs to how everything came to be. Even though another religion is not word for word what the Christian Bible says does not mean that the religion does not believe creation to be the same as what Christians believe.

Genesis chapter one talks about how God created the world in a division of 7 days, day one creating the separation from light and darkness and so on. The Native Americans have a belief that goes along to be exactly the same. They believe God to be the God of 7 directions and the everything he created is linked to those 7 directions. The 7 directions being The East, The South, The West, The North, Above, Below, and the Divine Spirit. The Native Americans have there own interpretation of how creation happened in a system which is very similar to what we believe.

Different interpretations of things is what makes cultures so unique. Anything can be told in a verity of different ways with out it being wrong.

Kayla's Comparison

The Creation story of the Jews is very similar to the Native American story. In Genesis, the Jewish creation story is told. In Genesis 1:1 it says “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” God took seven days to create and perfect what he had done. God was the only one responsible for creating the animals that roamed the earth and the beautiful scenery from the plants. God also created man from his own image. The Jews believed that one God created earth and everything on it.
The Native American Story is very similar. Like the Jews, the Native Americans believed that one God created earth. Instead of their story taking seven days, they just had seven directions. Those seven directions were the East, South, West, North, Above, Below, and the divine spirit. The East represented the season of spring. The South is
the season of summer and west is the fall. The North is represented as the season of winter, above is the father, and below is the mother. The divine spirit is compared to the Jewish creation because God created man in his image. The Native Americans thought the same thing which is the spirit is in every living being.
Everything in life can be made into a story. Two people may look at a problem and come up with different interpretations with the same concept. The creation story is one thing that happened but can be interpreted two different ways. The Jewish and Native Americans shared their different beliefs, but they both had the same concept.

Native American - Genesis Comparison

The Old Testament of the Bible provides a short history of the Jewish people. These experiences-conquests, slavery, famine, genocide-sharply differentiate the Jews from the Sioux. Although life in the Great Plains was not entirely peaceful, the various tribes of Sioux were never organized into nation states, nor did they develop large urban centers or any major agricultural sites. The Sioux and the Jews were separated by oceans and continents. These two cultures were worlds apart.
However, the Plains Indians of North America and God’s chosen people were closer than you might think. Both cultures were semi monotheistic and believed in an all powerful God. This God actively intervened in worldly affairs, influencing everything from the weather and animal herds to war and trade. This God gave man a special role in the world: he was given power over living things and was encouraged to subdue the world around him.
The creation stories of the Jews and the Sioux are very similar. The Jewish version is summarized by the book of Genesis. Within seven days, God created the universe and everything in it. He forms the Earth populates it with plants and animals. Finally, He creates man, fills him with His spirit and gives him dominion over the new creation.
In the Sioux creation story, one God again creates the heavens and the earth. The main difference between the two is that the Sioux creation story is not anchored within a definite timeline but in directions. North, South, East, West and other directions represent specific facets of creation. Coincidentally, there are seven directions (North, South, East, West, Above, Below and the divine spirit) in the Sioux story, compared with seven days in the Jewish version.
These similarities are striking. Two cultures that are separated by much of the planet independently develop religious beliefs that are analogous to one another. How could this have happened in a world where the fastest communication and transportation was on the back of an animal?
One explanation is that the Sioux and the Jews have two different interpretations of the same truth. Moses composed the book of Genesis. His experiences in Egypt and as the leader of the Jewish people would definitely differentiate his worldview from that of a peasant farmer in southern China. Likewise, the experiences of the Sioux people-the migration from Siberia to North America, tribal life, a nomadic hunter existence-shaped a much different worldview than Moses’. Neither the traditional Jewish creation story or Sioux beliefs are intrinsically wrong; they are the way two very different peoples, using the same information, have tried to explain their existence.