Malaysia Pagan Network

"My Lord is my protector,
I know His strength;
He aids with ready arm and caring look,
And, all alone, is powerful."

-Prayer to Amen From Papyrus Anastasi II

Many feminist pagans tend to avoid the Father God and focus only on the Mother Goddess. The image of a stern and vengeful God portrayed by some monotheistic religions scared many pagans away from feeling the love of the Father God. The Father God doesn't have to be like that, He can be a kind, gentle, and loving divine Father. The ancient Egyptian's Amen is one of the most merciful and loving deities ever portrayed by mankind.

The name Amen, also spelled as Amen, Amon, Ammon (as recorded by Herodotus), Amoun and Imen, literally translated as '"what is hidden", "what is not seen", "what cannot be seen", "what is invisible" and the like. It denotes that the true nature of this God is unknowable and incomprehensible by human being, as an ancient hymn to the God said, "thy name is hidden from thy children in thy name 'Amen'". It is said that Amen has numerous names, "and how many are they are unknown". It's interesting that the Jews, Christians and Muslims ended their prayers with the word 'Amen', which means 'so may it be' in Hebraic and Arabic languages. There had been an argument that 'Amen' of the prayers of these Judeo-Christian religions was originated from the name of this ancient Egyptian deity. Whether this statement is true or not is up to the further research of the etymologists.

Many Egyptologists claimed that Amen was a local deity of Thebes. The name Amen that was translated as 'invisible' by some Egyptologists suggested that He have the attribute of an Air God, though more often He was considered as a solar deity. The attribute as a solar deity draws the connection between Amen and Re (Ra), the falcon headed Sun God. The synthetic of Amen and Re becomes Amen-Re, the supreme of the Egyptian pantheon. As ancient Egyptians believed that various Gods and Goddesses were actually manifestation of a single One, Amen was often seen as the 'One God'. Prayers and hymns like "Hail thou Form who art One" and "Only One, who hast no second" clearly proved this idea. Amen, the "creator of all things", "creator of things which exist", "maker of men, creator of animals", is one of the self-created demiurges- the other would be Khnum, Ptah, Nun, Atum and other deities. The different creator Gods are different aspects of the One God. Amen-Re, in this context, stands for two principles of the One who is the Creator of universe and mankind. 'Amen' is the hidden secrets and true nature of the Divinity that is incomprehensible by mortals, just like the 'Ain' of the Kabbalists; while 'Re' is the creative force of Divinity, manifested to us as the Sun.

Amen was one of the Gods that revered most by the Royal monarchs, especially during the New Kingdom. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom believed that it is Amen that helped them expelled the Hyksos invaders from the Two Lands (i.e Egypt). We have a long list of common Egyptian names that named after the God, especially those names of the Royal families: Tutankhamen (the living image of Amen), Amenhotep (Amen is in peace), Meritamen (beloved of Amen), Siamen (Child of Amen) and so on. The pharaohs claimed that they are the children of Amen, thus His representative to rule Egypt, this including, Hatshepsut, the famed female pharaoh, who claimed herself as the daughter of Amen. Even Alexander the Great, a devotee of Amen who delivered Egypt from the Persians, was consider as a son of Amen.

Amen's mercy did not bestow only to the royals, but also the poor people. During Middle and New Kingdom, numerous prayers of Amen showed His lovingness: "You are Amen, the Lord of the silent, who comes at the voice of the poor. When I call to you in my distress, You come to rescue me, to give breath to him who is wretched, to rescue me from bondage" (the Votive Stela from Deir el-Medina), "Amen, who knows what kindness is, and hears the one who cries to him" (Papyrus Anastasi II). It is said that Amen hear the prayers of the oppressed, and help them to confront their oppressor. He is the upholder of justice, vizier of the poor, "a steering oar for the helpless", "judgest between the strong and the week". He is beyond bribery, giving His unlimited love to mankind. Many historians started to draw comparisons between Amen and the Judeo-Christian Father God, and concluded that the later was deeply influenced by Amen. It is said that if a person wanted to ask a favour from Amen, he or she should confess his or her sins to Him. Amen, as a merciful God, will 'forgive the sins of His servants'.

Just like many divine triads in ancient Egypt, the trinity of Theban theology was consisted of Amen, His consort Mut, and their divine son Khonsu. Mut, was originally the consort of Nun, the Primordial Water, and the Celestial Nile. This simply indicated that Nun is one of the aspects of Amen. Mut, literally translated as 'Mother', was one of the most ancient Mother Goddess of ancient Egypt. She was one of the few self-created Goddesses. Khonsu, the son of Amen and Mut, was a moon God, and often link with fertility and exorcism.

Blessed be.

Written by,
Chia
chsk81@tm.net.my