A creation story can center an ethical choice between violence and gentleness

Evidence

The children grew and could not stand the dark. They debated among themselves what to do. Some said, ‘Let us kill our parents, that we may have light.’ But Tane, god of the forests, said, ‘No. Let us not kill them. Let us instead push them apart — thrust Sky up above us and let Earth lie below — so that we may have room and light to grow, and yet our parents will still be.’ — , A Year of World Stories, 12242

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to my reading list about how cultures encode ethical values into origin stories; also echoes Greek cosmogony vs. the Maori’s non-violent separation. — connects to: Parallel creation myths reveal shared human imagination while differences reveal distinct values. — , A Year of World Stories, 15608; A people’s creation material reveals what it holds most sacred — , A Year of World Stories, 15319

Broader Connections

• Parallel creation myths reveal shared human imagination while differences reveal distinct values. #expands (0.70) — , A Year of World Stories, 15608
• A people’s creation material reveals what it holds most sacred #exemplifies (0.60) — , A Year of World Stories, 15319