How does Inca religion answer the questions of human existence?
Where does life come from? What does it mean?The Inca believed that life came from their creator god, Viracocha, similar to how Christians believe that everything was created by God. Instead of believing in Adam and Eve as the first human beings, the Inca believed in Manco Capac and the other ancestors of the Inca.
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What is the hidden power which lies behind the unfolding of nature, and the events of our own lives?
The Inca believed that the Gods influenced every aspect of events that occurred on Earth. They believed that the gods were responsible for the disasters that occurred, or any victories in battle or good luck that befell a person. Everything was believed to have happened by the direction of the Gods.
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Is there life after death?The Inca believed in reincarnation. They believed that death was merely a passage into another world, which was full of new difficulties. They believed that their spirits would pass into the afterlife if they obeyed their moral code, meaning: do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy.
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What purpose do I have in life?
Life for the Inca people could be seen as a time to prove their worthiness and prepare themselves for the journey into the next life for which death was simply a gateway. If they lived by their moral code, and obeyed the law and properly honored the Gods then they could pass through to the next life. If not, then they would fail to reach the next life.
Relationships Between Religions
Although very different, Inca religion and other religions have a lot in common. The Inca were sun worshippers, alike other ancient civilizations, such as the Egyptians. The Inca also believed in a creator god, just like most other religions including Christianity, having their own creation stories. Similar to the ten commandments, the Inca had their own moral code to live by in order to pass into the afterlife.