Gilgamesh

What an odd story. The Epic of Gilgamesh is one of the oldest stories on Earth. It is set in the Tigris-Euphrates River Valley. Those Christians who have read the book upon which they assert to state their faith will recognize this area from the Genesis creation account. Gilgamesh was an ancient king of who reigned over Uruk, a Sumerian city-state (an area located in southern Iraq).

The story begins with the people of Uruk crying out to the gods -- asking for relief from Gilgamesh's brutal rule. The gods decide to intervene and create an ezer kenegdo for Gilgamesh, the man Enkidu. A man who will bring balance to Gilgamesh's rule, a man who will become his constant friend and battle partner. Enkidu begins the story as a feral creature, but he gains knowledge. In the Genesis account, Adam and Eve eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Enkidu gains knowledge by having sex with a temple prostitute. His innocence is stripped; he is rejected by the animals. He is no longer one of them. Now, he is civilized. He learns to eat, drink, dress and behave like a man. He learns the language of men.

There are many parallels to the Bible account of creation. Instead of a Tree of Life there is a plant of eternal youth. There are illusions to baptisms and annointings that describe making one clean. Tammuz, who is mentioned in the Tanakh, is identified as a lover of the goddess Ishtar. And, there is a flood that is ordered by the gods. Most of humanity is destroyed. One family survives the deluge by building a large wooden ark.

The similarities between the flood stories are undeniable. I suspect some people would read The Epic of Gilgamesh and assume that the story in the Tanakh cannot possibly be true; it is simply a retelling of an older story, a myth. But, my faith is not rocked. In response to a comment to an entry on my personal blog (as opposed to this also personal, but not about my family blog) I wrote:

I am aware that there are ancient stories of virgin births, resurrections, miracles and healings. This proves nothing to me. You have approached these facts with the eyes of a skeptic and believe they prove that the Bible is false. When I approach these same things through the eyes of faith, I see evidence of the truth of the Genesis account of history. All humans have similar stories because they started as one family. A family whose patriarch had an intimate relationship with his Creator. After the dispersal at the Tower of Babel… these people took the stories they had learned, the flood “legends,” their ideas of the promise of a Savior, the virgin birth and wove them into the fabric of their society. Having the same or similar stories is what would be expected of a people group with a common ancestry and a common history. Frankly, if these similarities didn’t exist, their absence would lend weight to disproving the Bible.

Oh, and carpe diem. Or if you prefer, "Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow you may die." But, isn't this more poetic?

Humans are born, they live, then they die,
This is the order that the gods have decreed.
But, until the end comes, enjoy your life,
spend it in happiness, not despair.
Savor your food, make each of your days
a delight, bathe and anoint yourself,
wear bright clothes that are sparkling clean,
let music and dancing fill your house,
love the child that holds you by the hand,
and give your wife pleasure in your embrace.
That is the best way for man to live.

Related: Focus Your Life On Eternity