Gods and Goddesses
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http://www.godchecker.com is an excellent site for students to learn about world deities. This website has over 2,800 Gods and Goddesses on file. They offer a fully searchable Holy database of all known Gods. From Chinese, to Japanese, to African, to Aztec, they have it!
When students click on a cultural link to researhc deities from a specific society, they are given a brief introduction to the history of the people and its mythology. They are told why each system of god worship is special, and different from other groups. Here is an example of the link to Chinese Gods--
"China - the Middle Kingdom - is an ancient country full of mystery and paradox.
Although hard-working and down-to-earth, the Chinese people have always had a streak of poetry in their souls. Only the Chinese could mix sublime philosophy and mindless paperwork and get away with it.
With a recorded history reaching back practically to the Big Bang, China has had plenty of time to perfect its pantheons. Over the aeons, primitive folk religion absorbed sophisticated ideas - the common sense of Confucious (Kongzi), the ritual and magic of Daoism, the sublime spirituality of Buddhism - to produce a stir-fry mix of Gods for all occasions. You certainly get value for money with China.
One thing we love about Chinese mythology is its sense of humor. For every starched civil servant in Heaven there's a mocking fable or unexpected pun. Most Chinese Gods and Goddesses are deified humans - which means they're as prone to mistakes as we are. But rather than airbrush out the embarrassments, China revels in them. We suspect that even the JADE-EMPEROR, the stern-faced Ruler of Heaven, sometimes has trouble keeping a straight face." (www.godchecker.com)
Funny and informative no? What else to they offer besides informative, brief, and kid-friendly introductions?
You will also find a list of the top 10 Gods for each link plus wonderful depictions of what each deity is believed to have looked like.
Students could use this site to learn about the varying beliefs of cultures, their religions, how they've changed, as well as compare and contrast societies on opposite sides of the globe. The website is easy to navigate and is very interactive.
Log on to http://www.godchecker.com and see for yourself. Use it to plan lessons, share with your students, or to learn yourself!
[Edit by="rflores on Jul 28, 1:23:20 PM"][/Edit]
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