To be fair, you have no idea if the story was plagiarized. Water has a similar symbolic significance in many cultures, and besides, what if Jesus simply did it? Who can say for sure?
The invention of speech and the written word were more important than any other inventions. They happened a good deal more than 2500 years ago, though.
Still, it is true enough that there was more reflection about 2500 years ago, in several places, than had been seen before. I am not sure that your individualistic interpretation is the most germane to the phenomenon, since there were teachings and sages and disciplines to conform to,in many cases, but it was different from the cultic religions, of priesthood and sacrifice.
Some of the Founding Fathers may have had a sense of "self- actualization". Some were pretty conventional Episcopalians or Congregationalists. If the question is one of fulfillment, well, even the Buddhists developed the idea of the Bodhisattva, who in his infinite compassion held back from Nirvana to aid the supplicant in his attempt to purify his life and ascend to a higher level of rebirth. In the end, grace makes more sense to most people than "self- reliance", because human beings are a frail lot....... |
