Sumerian Beliefs

“I instructed my land to keep the god’s rites. And provoked my people to value the goddess’s name.” This is one of the saying of Sumerian agonies towards the God. Despite his strict commitment towards religion and God, he endured an enormous loss of wealth and property. This illustrates that to live during that period, one must be strictly faithful, dedicated and must please their gods. At the same time, due to presence of strict monarchy where dictators’ aka “King” cruelly ruled over the common people, human lives in that period had to undergo extreme pain just to please their rulers. Sumerians believed their kings as their gods. Additionally, if any misfortune befell any person, they were made to think by their kings aka gods that it was

Being the earliest civilization, Mesopotamians had little knowledge about life and future. They always believed gods are the creator of human being, and they will always protect them. In other words, Mesopotamians were entirely dedicated towards their gods. Sumerians were the considered as the first to establish civilization in Mesopotamia. It is said Sumerian were very religious. The Sumerians believed that their deities commanded the force of nature; while the gods were benevolent, they could nevertheless act capriciously were easily roused to anger (pg.13). They believed this nature is the gift of God for them, and God will be there to help them in every circumstance. It turned out to be true when Sumerians began to produce crops at that hot temperature of 110 °F. Despite the unpredictable weather condition and dry soil, they produce an abundant amount of summer grains for themselves and prairie grasses for their herds (pg.4). They thought became possible only because of the god. They had done everything they could and showed their full effort to make God happy. “You care for all the people of the lands. And everything that Ea [god of wisdom], king of the counselors had entrusted you.” Shamash Hymn has portrayed the relationship between God and his devotees, and how God has shown concerned towards his devotees. Shamash, the sun god of justice, has fulfilled his devotee’s wish and blessed them. But, it was

Being the creator of humans, God had full power and privilege to rule over the people. But, during that civilization, gods has treated their devotees in a wrong manner. Instead of protecting them, they used people for their benefit. Sumerians believed in and sacrificed to hosts of deities (pg. 13). They thought their foremost duty is to make gods happy. Otherwise, they have to face severe consequences. They were afraid if an unhappy God could ruin their lives. They did not have a perfect place for them to live but worked hard to make palaces and temples for their gods. They spent their entire life to make attractive and decorative temples. They built Ziggurats, an atop which stood lavishly decorated temples that served as the earthly home of the god or goddess. Sumerians were obliged to build that pyramid in that hot temperature of 110 F. The Sumerians always had a feeling this nature exists only because of the blessing of the God. However, these beliefs of suffering for the God always proved wrong as Sumerian people continued suffering even after their right and honest deeds. Indeed, people started questioning the gods but they would not raise a voice to