There are several hundred hieroglyphs including variations on some of them, and one wonders how those ancient scribes learned them all.
This is my well-thumbed copy of The Papyrus of Ani, more commonly known as one of the best examples of the Theban version of The Book of the Dead. And another way of describing it might be to say this was 'The Bible' for ancient Egyptians.
What would you find in it? Does it offer us any guidance? Yes, it does......
2.) You shall not cause terror (literally, confusion, abuse and strife) among men and women for this is against the will of God.
2.) This tells us how we should pray, and it reminds me of a passage in the modern Bible in St. Matthew 6:5 advising us "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who like to pray, standing in the synagogues and at the street corners, so they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you that they have already received their reward." And again, in verse 7: "And when you pray, do not repeat your words like the pagans, for they think that because of much talking they will be heard."
If we 'connect the dots' from back along the Nile three or four or five thousand years ago, up until more modern times, there's definite traces of a certain continuity of thought and belief and ideas around the concept of God. I don't think it's right that any of us should feel confidently secure in our conceptualizations of our Creator. I think we're all like little kids in a strange and frightening place, seeking solace as best we can with our limited knowledge, and none of us should feel superior to the other. I can't believe God plays favorites or values one soul above another, having made them all.
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