There used to be a Unitarian curriculum on the Pharaoh Akhenaten, purportedly the first monotheist, maybe the first unitarian. This is my take on the Akhenaten story….
As usual, the full text of the script is below.
Emma: It was fun seeing some of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses.
Greg: As long as you weren’t Prometheus.
Sarah K.: But what about the ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses?
John: Yes, they’re even older than the Greek gods and goddesses.
Sarah D.: Let’s go back in time to ancient Egypt!
Narrator: For fifteen hundred years, the same gods and goddesses ruled ancient Egypt.
Khnum: I’m Khnum, the god who made all living creatures from clay on my potter’s wheel.
Sekhmet: I’m Sekhmet, the goddess of war, with magic that can help with healing.
Hathor: I’m Hathor, the sky goddess who is also a cow.
Bes: I’m Bes, the cheeky god who protects humans from evil.
Aten: And me, Aten, god of the sun.
Khnum: Wait, Aten is a god now?
Aten: Yes, now I am a god.
Sekhmet: But you used to be the plain old sun.
Aten: I got upgraded. Now, I am a god.
Hathor: Pharaoh Tuthmosis the fourth decided Aten was a god.
Bes: How come a Pharaoh gets to upgrade Aten into a god?
Khnum: Because Pharaohs are gods themselves.
Sekhmet: Now there’s a new Pharaoh.
Aten: And he really likes me. I think he’s going to upgrade me even more.
Hathor: This is very confusing.
Khnum: Being an Egyptian god is confusing. Sometimes we have heads of animals, sometimes we look like humans.
Aten: I think this new pharaoh is going to get rid of all of you. The only god left will be me, the sun-god.
Khnum: But I’m the one who made all living creatures.
Sekhmet: Yes, everyone knows you need more than one god. They definitely need me, the goddess of war.
Hathor: And where would they be without me, the sky goddess?
Bes: And if there is no god Bes, who will protects humans from evil?
Narrator: But the new pharaoh will use his power to get rid of the old gods and goddesses…. Tune in next week to find out what happens.
British police box image: CC BY SA 2.0 Immanuel Burton