Jealousy in religion
Encyclopedia
Jealousy in religion examines how the scriptures and teachings of various religions deal with the topic of jealousy.
Religions may be compared and contrasted on how they deal with two issues: concepts of divine jealousy, and rules about the provocation and expression of human jealousy.
were no strangers to romantic jealousy. No god or goddess illustrates this better than Hera
. Hera was the wife of Zeus
. Zeus, the leader of the gods on Mt. Olympus, frequently took lovers in addition to Hera. Hera in turn exacted jealous revenge against her romantic rivals. The examples below come from the Wikipedia article on Hera
:
Zeus, or the other gods, would frequently intervene to undo some of the damage caused by Hera's vengeance. However, the message in these stories seems clear—provoking divine jealousy can result in terrible suffering.
stems from the concept of monotheism
. One of the most well known assertions of monotheism in Judaism is the Shema. The Shema proclaims:
Reciting the Shema affirms an individual's faith in one God. Since there is only one God, worship of multiple gods wrongly gives to false gods what belongs to the one true God. Worship of multiple gods constitutes a form of spiritual infidelity against the one God. The one God responds to this infidelity with jealousy. For example, the second of the Ten Commandments
states:
This prohibition is later repeated in the verse:
Divine jealousy in Judaism thus refers to how the one God responds to humans worshipping multiple gods. Humans are prohibited from worshipping multiple gods and provoking the jealousy of the one true God.
has adopted the concept of divine jealousy from Judaism. There is only one true God, who becomes jealous when people worship other gods. The prohibition against worshipping other gods in the Ten Commandments is widely accepted in Christianity.
However, the Christian concept of divine jealousy is not identical to the Judaic concept of divine jealousy. The Apostle Paul has extended the concept of divine jealousy to include accepting false doctrine
s. Paul writes:
Just as the Ten Commandments asserts that God is jealous when His people worship other gods, Paul claims to be jealous when the churches he founded turn away from the doctrines he taught about Christ. This is just an analogy, however. Paul does not claim be the equal of God. He instead suggests it is Christ (the groom) who has reason to be jealous when his bride (the church) turns to false doctrines about Him. Paul makes the same argument with respect to doctrinal interpretation of the sacrament
of communion
:
) for what one has, and being patient (sabr) while waiting for what one desires.
The destructive potential of romantic jealousy may underlie the strong prohibitions against actions that can provoke it. Two of the Ten Commandments prohibit feelings and actions that could potentially provoke romantic jealousy. The tenth commandment says "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife," and the seventh commandment says "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20: 14-17, World English Bible). The punishment for committing adultery was death, both for the adulteress and the adulterer.
The destructive potential of male romantic jealousy may also underlie a ritual in the Mosaic laws that test the sexual fidelity of a wife. (Numbers
5:11-30, World English Bible)
The ritual is triggered when a husband becomes jealous over a real or suspected sexual affair. The husband takes the wife to the temple priests. The temple priests mix a drink composed of dust from the temple floor and bitter water. The wife drinks the mixture. If the wife has been sexually unfaithful, the drink will cause the flesh to fall off her thighs and her body to bloat. If the wife has been sexually faithful, no harm will come to her and she will bear a child in the near future. The outcomes of this ritual are designed to appease the husband's jealousy. If the wife becomes ill, the husband can take satisfaction in the wife's punishment for her presumed guilt. If the wife does not become ill, the husband can take satisfaction in the wife's presumed fidelity and look forward to a new family member. This is a ritual
of ancient Judaism. Many modern Jewish people do not practice all the rituals of ancient Judaism, such as the one just described.
. Only a few verses in the New Testament
mention jealousy, and many of these verses appear to refer to envy rather than romantic rivalry:
These verses indicate early Christians viewed envy as inconsistent with their faith. The New Advent Catholic encyclopedia equates jealousy with envy.
It describes envy as contrary to the golden rule
taught by Jesus
and contrary to the spirit of solidarity that should permeate all humanity—especially the Christian community. Jealousy, at least in the form of envy, is incompatible with the principles of Christian faith.
The story of Cain and Abel's offerings to God is the story of Cains jealousy aroused by God preferring the lamb offering of Abel to the offering of fruits of the field by Cain though. ( and the Qur'an
at 5:26-32 http://wikilivres.info/wiki/The_Holy_Qur%27an/Al-Meada).
Religions may be compared and contrasted on how they deal with two issues: concepts of divine jealousy, and rules about the provocation and expression of human jealousy.
Greek mythology
The gods and goddesses of ancient Greek mythologyGreek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
were no strangers to romantic jealousy. No god or goddess illustrates this better than Hera
Hera
Hera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
. Hera was the wife of Zeus
Zeus
In the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
. Zeus, the leader of the gods on Mt. Olympus, frequently took lovers in addition to Hera. Hera in turn exacted jealous revenge against her romantic rivals. The examples below come from the Wikipedia article on Hera
Hera
Hera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
:
- Leto
LetoIn Greek mythology, Leto is a daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe. The island of Kos is claimed as her birthplace. In the Olympian scheme, Zeus is the father of her twins, Apollo and Artemis, the Letoides, which Leto conceived after her hidden beauty accidentally caught the eyes of Zeus...
- When Hera discovered that LetoLetoIn Greek mythology, Leto is a daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe. The island of Kos is claimed as her birthplace. In the Olympian scheme, Zeus is the father of her twins, Apollo and Artemis, the Letoides, which Leto conceived after her hidden beauty accidentally caught the eyes of Zeus...
was pregnant and that Hera's husband, Zeus, was the father, she banned Leto from giving birth on "terra-firma", or the mainland, or any island at sea. Alternatively, Hera kidnapped IlithyiaIlithyiaEileithyia or Ilithyia , was the Cretan goddess adopted into ancient Greek religion and myth as the goddess of childbirth and midwifery.-Etymology and cult:...
, the goddess of childbirth, to prevent Leto from going into labor. The other gods forced Hera to let her go.
- Callisto
Callisto (mythology)In Greek mythology, Callisto or Kallisto was a nymph of Artemis. Transformed into a bear and set among the stars, she was the bear-mother of the Arcadians, through her son Arcas.-Origin of the myth:...
/ArcasArcasIn Greek mythology, Arcas was the son of Zeus and Callisto. Callisto was a nymph in the retinue of the goddess Artemis. Zeus, being a flirtatious god, wanted Callisto for a lover. As she would not be with anyone but Artemis, Zeus cunningly disguised himself as Artemis and seduced Callisto...
- A follower of ArtemisArtemisArtemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
, Callisto took a vowVowA vow is a promise or oath.-Marriage vows:Marriage vows are binding promises each partner in a couple makes to the other during a wedding ceremony. Marriage customs have developed over history and keep changing as human society develops...
to remain a virgin. But ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
fell in love with her and disguised himself as Artemis in order to lure her into his embrace. Hera then turned Callisto into a bear out of revenge.
- Semele
SemeleSemele , in Greek mythology, daughter of the Boeotian hero Cadmus and Harmonia, was the mortal mother of Dionysus by Zeus in one of his many origin myths. In another version of his mythic origin, he is the son of Persephone...
/DionysusDionysusDionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
- In one of various birth myths of him, DionysusDionysusDionysus was the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness and ecstasy in Greek mythology. His name in Linear B tablets shows he was worshipped from c. 1500—1100 BC by Mycenean Greeks: other traces of Dionysian-type cult have been found in ancient Minoan Crete...
was a son of Zeus by a mortal woman. A jealous Hera again attempted to kill the child, this time by sending Titans to rip Dionysus to pieces after luring the baby with toys. Though Zeus drove the Titans away with his thunderbolts but only after the Titans ate everything but the heart, which was saved, variously, by AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, RheaRhea (mythology)Rhea was the Titaness daughter of Uranus, the sky, and Gaia, the earth, in Greek mythology. She was known as "the mother of gods". In earlier traditions, she was strongly associated with Gaia and Cybele, the Great Goddess, and was later seen by the classical Greeks as the mother of the Olympian...
, or DemeterDemeterIn Greek mythology, Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, and the seasons . Her common surnames are Sito as the giver of food or corn/grain and Thesmophoros as a mark of the civilized existence of agricultural society...
.
- Io
Io (mythology)Io was, in Greek mythology, a priestess of Hera in Argos, a nymph who was seduced by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer to escape detection. His wife Hera set ever-watchful Argus Panoptes to guard her, but Hermes was sent to distract the guardian and slay him...
- Hera almost caught Zeus with a mistress named IoIo (mythology)Io was, in Greek mythology, a priestess of Hera in Argos, a nymph who was seduced by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer to escape detection. His wife Hera set ever-watchful Argus Panoptes to guard her, but Hermes was sent to distract the guardian and slay him...
, a fate avoided by Zeus turning Io into a beautiful white heifer. However, Hera was not completely fooled and demanded Zeus give her the heifer as a present. Once Io was given to Hera, she placed her in the charge of Argus to keep her separated from Zeus.
- Lamia
Lamia (mythology)In ancient Greek mythology, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Libya who became a child-eating daemon. Aristophanes claimed her name derived from the Greek word for gullet , referring to her habit of devouring children....
- LamiaLamia (mythology)In ancient Greek mythology, Lamia was a beautiful queen of Libya who became a child-eating daemon. Aristophanes claimed her name derived from the Greek word for gullet , referring to her habit of devouring children....
was a queen of LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, whom Zeus loved. Hera turned her into a monster and murdered their children. Or, alternately, she killed Lamia's children and the grief turned her into a monster. Lamia was cursed with the inability to close her eyes so that she would always obsess over the image of her dead children.
Zeus, or the other gods, would frequently intervene to undo some of the damage caused by Hera's vengeance. However, the message in these stories seems clear—provoking divine jealousy can result in terrible suffering.
Judaism
The concept of divine jealousy in JudaismJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
stems from the concept of monotheism
Monotheism
Monotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
. One of the most well known assertions of monotheism in Judaism is the Shema. The Shema proclaims:
"Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one." (DeuteronomyDeuteronomyThe Book of Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Hebrew Bible, and of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch...
6:4, World English Bible)
Reciting the Shema affirms an individual's faith in one God. Since there is only one God, worship of multiple gods wrongly gives to false gods what belongs to the one true God. Worship of multiple gods constitutes a form of spiritual infidelity against the one God. The one God responds to this infidelity with jealousy. For example, the second of the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
states:
"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:4-6, World English Bible)
This prohibition is later repeated in the verse:
"...for you shall worship no other god: for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous (Kanna), is a jealous God (El Kanna)." (Exodus 34:14, World English Bible)
Divine jealousy in Judaism thus refers to how the one God responds to humans worshipping multiple gods. Humans are prohibited from worshipping multiple gods and provoking the jealousy of the one true God.
Christianity
ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
has adopted the concept of divine jealousy from Judaism. There is only one true God, who becomes jealous when people worship other gods. The prohibition against worshipping other gods in the Ten Commandments is widely accepted in Christianity.
However, the Christian concept of divine jealousy is not identical to the Judaic concept of divine jealousy. The Apostle Paul has extended the concept of divine jealousy to include accepting false doctrine
Doctrine
Doctrine is a codification of beliefs or a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system...
s. Paul writes:
"For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to ChristChristChrist is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
. But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived EveEveEve is the first woman created by God in the Book of Genesis.Eve may also refer to:-People:*Eve , a common given name and surname*Eve , American recording artist and actress-Places:...
in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not preach, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different 'good news', which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough." (2 Corinthians 11:2-4, World English Bible)
Just as the Ten Commandments asserts that God is jealous when His people worship other gods, Paul claims to be jealous when the churches he founded turn away from the doctrines he taught about Christ. This is just an analogy, however. Paul does not claim be the equal of God. He instead suggests it is Christ (the groom) who has reason to be jealous when his bride (the church) turns to false doctrines about Him. Paul makes the same argument with respect to doctrinal interpretation of the sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
of communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
:
"You can’t both drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t both partake of the table of the Lord, and of the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?" (10:21-22, World English Bible)
Islam
According to some Muslim scholars being jealous is akin to being displeased with what God has given and not given to certain people. Thus, these scholars advise dealing with jealousy by being grateful (shukrShukr
Shukr , an Arabic term denoting thankfulness, gratitude, or acknowledgment by humans, is a highly esteemed virtue in Islam. The term may also be used if the subject is God, in which case it takes the meaning of "divine responsiveness"....
) for what one has, and being patient (sabr) while waiting for what one desires.
Judaism
The Judaic scriptures warn people not to provoke jealousy by committing adultery. The jealous spouse may exact revenge.
"He who commits adultery with a woman is void of understanding. He who does it destroys his own soul. He will get wounds and dishonor. His reproach will not be wiped away. For jealousy arouses the fury of the husband. He won’t spare in the day of vengeance. He won’t regard any ransom, neither will he rest content, though you give many gifts." (Book of ProverbsBook of ProverbsThe Book of Proverbs , commonly referred to simply as Proverbs, is a book of the Hebrew Bible.The original Hebrew title of the book of Proverbs is "Míshlê Shlomoh" . When translated into Greek and Latin, the title took on different forms. In the Greek Septuagint the title became "paroimai paroimiae"...
6:32-35, World English Bible)
The destructive potential of romantic jealousy may underlie the strong prohibitions against actions that can provoke it. Two of the Ten Commandments prohibit feelings and actions that could potentially provoke romantic jealousy. The tenth commandment says "You shall not covet your neighbor's wife," and the seventh commandment says "You shall not commit adultery." (Exodus 20: 14-17, World English Bible). The punishment for committing adultery was death, both for the adulteress and the adulterer.
The destructive potential of male romantic jealousy may also underlie a ritual in the Mosaic laws that test the sexual fidelity of a wife. (Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
5:11-30, World English Bible)
The ritual is triggered when a husband becomes jealous over a real or suspected sexual affair. The husband takes the wife to the temple priests. The temple priests mix a drink composed of dust from the temple floor and bitter water. The wife drinks the mixture. If the wife has been sexually unfaithful, the drink will cause the flesh to fall off her thighs and her body to bloat. If the wife has been sexually faithful, no harm will come to her and she will bear a child in the near future. The outcomes of this ritual are designed to appease the husband's jealousy. If the wife becomes ill, the husband can take satisfaction in the wife's punishment for her presumed guilt. If the wife does not become ill, the husband can take satisfaction in the wife's presumed fidelity and look forward to a new family member. This is a ritual
Ritual
A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value. It may be prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. The term usually excludes actions which are arbitrarily chosen by the performers....
of ancient Judaism. Many modern Jewish people do not practice all the rituals of ancient Judaism, such as the one just described.
Christianity
Many Christian writings do not clearly distinguish jealousy and envyEnvy
Envy is best defined as a resentful emotion that "occurs when a person lacks another's superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it."...
. Only a few verses in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
mention jealousy, and many of these verses appear to refer to envy rather than romantic rivalry:
- "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. (Epistle of James
Epistle of JamesThe Epistle of James, usually referred to simply as James, is a book in the New Testament. The author identifies himself as "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ", with "the earliest extant manuscripts of James usually dated to mid-to-late third century."There are four views...
3:14-16, World English Bible)
- "Now the works of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21, World English Bible)
- "For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you, aren’t you fleshly, and don’t you walk in the ways of men?" (1 Corinthians 3:3, World English Bible)
- "Let us walk properly, as in the day; not in reveling and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and lustful acts, and not in strife and jealousy." (Epistle to the Romans
Epistle to the RomansThe Epistle of Paul to the Romans, often shortened to Romans, is the sixth book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was composed by the Apostle Paul to explain that Salvation is offered through the Gospel of Jesus Christ...
13:13, World English Bible)
These verses indicate early Christians viewed envy as inconsistent with their faith. The New Advent Catholic encyclopedia equates jealousy with envy.
It describes envy as contrary to the golden rule
Golden Rule
Golden Rule may refer to:*The Golden Rule in ethics, morality, history and religion, also known as the ethic of reciprocity*Golden Rule savings rate, in economics, the savings rate which maximizes consumption in the Solow growth model...
taught by Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
and contrary to the spirit of solidarity that should permeate all humanity—especially the Christian community. Jealousy, at least in the form of envy, is incompatible with the principles of Christian faith.
The story of Cain and Abel's offerings to God is the story of Cains jealousy aroused by God preferring the lamb offering of Abel to the offering of fruits of the field by Cain though. ( and the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
at 5:26-32 http://wikilivres.info/wiki/The_Holy_Qur%27an/Al-Meada).
See also
- Attachment in adultsAttachment in adultsAttachment in adults deals with the theory of attachment in adult romantic relationships.Attachment theory was extended to adult romantic relationships in the late 1980s. Four styles of attachment have been identified in adults: secure, anxious–preoccupied, dismissive–avoidant, and fearful–avoidant...
- EmotionEmotionEmotion is a complex psychophysiological experience of an individual's state of mind as interacting with biochemical and environmental influences. In humans, emotion fundamentally involves "physiological arousal, expressive behaviors, and conscious experience." Emotion is associated with mood,...
- JealousyJealousyJealousy is a second emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, particularly in reference to a human connection. Jealousy often consists of a combination of presenting emotions...
- Jealousy definitions
- Jealousy sociologyJealousy sociologyThe sociology of jealousy deals with cultural and social factors that influence what causes jealousy, how jealousy is expressed, and how attitudes toward jealousy change over time....
- Jealousy in artJealousy in artJealousy in art deals with the way writers and graphic artists have approached the topic of jealousy in their works.Jealousy is the powerful complex of emotions experienced at the loss, real or imagined, of something or someone you believe is yours, whereas envy concerns what you don’t have and...
- MonogamyMonogamyMonogamy /Gr. μονός+γάμος - one+marriage/ a form of marriage in which an individual has only one spouse at any one time. In current usage monogamy often refers to having one sexual partner irrespective of marriage or reproduction...
- Open marriageOpen marriageOpen marriage typically refers to a marriage in which the partners agree that each may engage in extramarital sexual relationships, without this being regarded as infidelity. There are many different styles of open marriage, with the partners having varying levels of input on their spouse's...