Kinship vs. Inclusiveness

While it might seem at first like Kinship and Inclusiveness simply restate the same idea, these twin pillars of Phoenician society form quite different ideas which complement each other. The Ilhm rise from the Levant, where many other cultures began; one can see mythological similarities, and linguistic overlaps between the Ilhm and other religions born in the ancient land of Canaan, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In some cases, the Ilhm show up in the mythology of other cultures, as when Asherah assisted Isis after the death of Osiris. Kinship recognizes these ur-mythological roots, and more broadly, the similarities shared by all humanity since the first cave drawings and bodies buried with care and flowers. Sometimes that falls into believing that all cultures are the same, rather than acknowledging each society’s distinctiveness. By contrast, Inclusiveness recognizes the humanity in others from the ways in which they differ from the Phoenicians and understands that one does not need to understand another person to respect their culture and identity, at least insomuch as their identity does not derive from causing harm, deprivation or isolation to others.