DESTINUL BABILONIAN ȘI NOUA LIBERTATE BIBLICĂ O COMPARAȚIE ÎNTRE PERSPECTIVA BABILONIANĂ ȘI CEA EBRAICĂ CU PRIVIRE LA DEMNITATEA ȘI LIBERTATEA OMULUI

Abstract

Babylonian Destiny and the New Biblical Freedom - A Comparison Between the Babylonian and the Hebrew Perspective on Human Dignity and Freedom

Human rights and freedoms as they are understood today have been obtained after a long series of historical provocations and transformations. Factors such as religious belief, cultural custom, social stratification and political interest are  involved here. Human rights are directly influenced by the image and perception that a certain culture has about the human being. Therefore, in order to be able to realize the importance of the rights and the freedom that man has today, we  must look at the understanding and obtaining process of these rights. Comparing the Babylonian and the Hebrew civilization we notice significant differences regarding the perception about man. In the Babylonian thought, human being was  created to be a servant of the gods, condemned by the fact that he was created from the carcass of a rebellious god, being only an insignificant pawn of a destiny established by the gods. In contrast to the Babylonians, the Hebrew thought  proposes a completely different status of the human being, granting him the possibility of self-determination, unique among ancient cultures. The biblical man was created in the image of God to administer the created world. The fall into sin was  not dictated, but it was a decision freely assumed by man. The Bible often points out that man is fully responsible for all his deeds. Understanding the perception of the human being by the ancients, we can better appreciate and defend the rights  we have today.