Becoming Osiris

[joannekim]

The background note on Egyptian literature tells us that the privilege of becoming Osiris after death was gradually extended to more people. During Old Kingdom, only a pharaoh was believed to become a Osiris. During Middle Kingdom, all nobles could become Osiris. Eventually, during New Kingdom, people believed that glorious afterlife as Osiris was for any good person.

My question is: why do you think this change of belief occurred?
After all, religious beliefs do not change much, and this kind of privilege-becoming a god Osiris-seems to be only for aristocrat.

In my opinion, I think extending privilege of becoming Osiris after death was one way to control people. Because Egyptians valued religion much, everyone would try to become a nice person if the religion says anyone can have a good afterlife. Authority decided what's good and bad, so people would follow authority in easier way.

[julielu]

Thanks for telling this point, I didn't notice about it. I think people are developing the thinking in a good direction. For example, now the government systems mostly become democracy. I consider the change you mentioned is also a similar state. People started waking their consciousnesses.

[alexkoo]

I think it was a good idea to control society since it says only good people can become Osiris in after life. I think with his motive, people will start to value their morals and conscience and as a result crime will reduce. If i were one of the citizen, i would definitely follow this way and become Osiris in the after life.

[sarahlee4]

oooooh joanne!! Thats smart! haha I agree with your idea but I also think it might be to unify their people. Also, it couldve been to create peace among their people. I think that by allowing all people to become Osiris in their afterlife will give all people the motivation to work harder and live better lives on earth. It also has something to do with the fact that the Egyptians took religion seriously. They had a strong desire for afterlife and they felt scared of death. This could also have a huge impact on why the rule became less strict.

[cesar]

That's a really good point. Religion has always been power in many civilizations. Last year in world studies we learned that in Egyptian culture pharaohs were not only the equivalent of kings, but in the Egyptian religion, they were gods. If people suddenly stopped believing that they had that kind of power they started to loose power and saying that now every good person can be osiris in the after after could persuade them otherwise.

[cathysjun]

I agree with you too. I also think that it was because people started to question their authorities. i think people began to wonder why the nobles and the pharaohs are privledged when they are not that different from themselves. So to respond to their doubts I think the religion was forced to change.

[yerin0727]

I believe that it may have been because of the lessening in people's belief of the existence of afterlife? Long ago, every Egyptians may have believed in afterlives, but as time passed on, less people may still have had that idea on their mind. Although their belief that Osiris was such a great human being may still remain, because of their change in beliefs, this situation may have occurred.

[minchoi0923]

This is a really good point Joanne! Anyways, I think the Pharaohs were being smart by controlling people with their religion. In Egyptian society, religion was the primary rule that everyone needed to follow and the belief in afterlife is so strong that we can't think of Ancient Egypt without the concept of afterlife. Because everyone was so fascinated with the whole idea of afterlife, they probably would have done anything to have a good afterlife. So, by reforming the religion into more open way, people would obey more to the kings because they wouldn't have wanted to do anything that is against gods.

[sujeonggg]

I agree with you tooo! Ruling the country with a specific religion is an effective way to control people. As we discussed a lot, Egyptians were very religious and believed in afterlife so much that it is one of their major goals in life. According to the New Kingdom belief, they must have lived a good life to gain immortal life in the other land, and so they would surely follow a good way of life.

[kevin]

I think as time passed from Old to New Kingdom, the ordinary citizens gained more power and rights than they did before. It was a privilege to pharaohs during old kingdom and people could not think of them having that privilege. But as the kingdom changed after many dynasties, people had change in their view in religion and i guess it became more equal to everyone so in the end, every good people can becoem orisis

[sang]

Yeah that's a very valid point Joanne. Religion throughout history has been abused and used for stability and for authorities to maintain power. It's inevitable that the belief of becoming Osiris himself in the afterlife promoted social control. Many other religious groups, such as crusaders, did many unusual things because they were driven by their "religion." And this in a way connects with what the Egyptians did, which was to try and preserve the human body.

[juliekim]

I think Egyptian society became a little less stratified as time went by. They started to believe that equality can exist in the afterlife, even though it doesn't quite exist in the real life. I agree with you that it would be a good way to control people and make them follow authority. Many ancient religions come from the need to keep people under control, just as Hinduism was used to keep people satisfied with what they had. If Egyptians were told that they could enjoy the same afterlife that the pharaohs enjoy if they lived a good life, I think that would be a huge motivation for them. If I were an Egyptian back then, I would do anything to make myself qualified to live a glorious afterlife as Osiris.

[sageda]

I like the point you made about keeping society under control and giving people an incentive to live good lives. It makes me wonder how it came to change though. Was it a pharaoh who decided? Was there a revolt? Did the scholars decide it was unfair? It's pretty intriguing. I think just like many other religions, people change it to fit their needs. I think this is the same case.

[sarahlee2]

I agree with you about how the privileged people were becoming Osirises to control people. But I wonder why it was extended to the ordinary people in the new kingdom because I mean who are they control? Do you have any ideas whu? Ithink mayne its because they all believed they deserved to and be osirises because they lived righteous lives. It seems like a really big jump after only aristocrats were allowedto become a part of osiris.

[seongrae]

I agree that belief that the privilege of becoming Osiris after death was extended to control people in Egyptian society. As we read 4 Egyptian literatures and them all valued religion highly in their life, it might be the one of the ways to control people to live generously. Therefore, as time pasts, this belief of having privilege of becoming Osiris after life became one of the method to shape the Egyptian people in the society.