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In some of the most unexpected places, among people who are literate or illiterate, sophisticated or seemingly crude, cultures have preserved the idea that there was originally one God who created them and to whom they were in some sense responsible.

In some of the most unexpected places, among people who are literate or illiterate, sophisticated or seemingly crude, cultures have preserved the idea that there was originally one God who created them and to whom they were in some sense responsible.

Examples of this are numerous, and only a few will be cited here. Several such instances are related in the writings of Don Richardson.<ref>Don Richardson, ''Eternity in Their Hearts'' (rev. ed.: Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1984), p. 134.</ref > The Santal people of India remembered ''Thakur Jiu'' (''The Genuine God'') as the creator of all things, even though they also knew, with apparently some regret, that long ago their forefathers turned from him and sought the help of evil spirits. The Gedeo people of Ethiopia recognized ''Magano'' as the creator of all, but their religious ritual was largely concerned with appeasing an evil spirit called Sheit'an. The Mbaka and other tribes of the Bantu in Africa remembered that their ancestors had turned away from ''Koro'', the creator of all things. The Koreans remembered ''Hananim'' as their creator, and early western missionaries wisely used this as the name of God when translating the Scriptures into Korean, thereby tying in to the most ancient memories of the Korean people and demonstrating that worship of one God was not just an idea imposed by foreigners. The Karen people of Burma had a tradition, long before contact by any white westerner, that the Supreme God, whom they called ''Y'wa'', would one day present to them a lost book that would set them free (the first westerner to learn of this, a British diplomat in 1795, told the Karen that he did not know anything about that God, nor did he put any stock in their stories about Him.) The Kachin, also of Burma, worshiped ''Karai Kasang'' as their Creator, although they usually made sacrifices to evil spirits to appease them, and only cried out to ''Karai Kasang'' in times of great need. The Lahu people of Burma, Laos, and Thailand recognized ''Gui'Sha'' as creator of all, and lived in expectation that one day He would send them instructions so they would know how to worship Him properly. Richardson mentions similar beliefs as found (not planted) among several other people, and takes some pains in refuting the idea advocated by anthropologists and others prejudiced against missionary efforts, that these ideas were introduced by western missionaries at some time prior to their discovery. One example from South America shows the lack of credibility of this common "scholarly" explanation of the primitive monotheistic beliefs. Bruce Olson was the first outsider, from any people group, to learn the language of the fierce Motilone or "Barí" people of the jungles of Colombia and Venezuela, who had threatened and often killed all others who had attempted to enter their territory. After learning their language, he found that their traditions, known by all the Motilone people, recognized that one benevolent God had created them, but that their ancestors had turned from this one God at some time in the distant past.<ref>Bruce Olson, ''Bruchko'' (Charisma House, 1977).</ref>

Examples of this are numerous, and only a few will be cited here. Several such instances are related in the writings of Don Richardson.<ref>Don Richardson, ''Eternity in Their Hearts'' (rev. ed.: Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1984), p. 134.</ref > The Santal people of India remembered ''Thakur Jiu'' (''The Genuine God'') as the creator of all things, even though they also knew, with apparently some regret, that long ago their forefathers turned from him and sought the help of evil spirits. The Gedeo people of Ethiopia recognized ''Magano'' as the creator of all, but their religious ritual was largely concerned with appeasing an evil spirit called Sheit'an. The Mbaka and other tribes of the Bantu in Africa remembered that their ancestors had turned away from ''Koro'', the creator of all things. The Koreans remembered ''Hananim'' as their creator, and early western missionaries wisely used this as the name of God when translating the Scriptures into Korean, thereby tying in to the most ancient memories of the Korean people and demonstrating that worship of one God was not just an idea imposed by foreigners. The Karen people of Burma had a tradition, long before contact by any white westerner, that the Supreme God, whom they called ''Y'wa'', would one day present to them a lost book that would set them free (the first westerner to learn of this, a British diplomat in 1795, told the Karen that he did not know anything about that God, nor did he put any stock in their stories about Him.) The Kachin, also of Burma, worshiped ''Karai Kasang'' as their Creator, although they usually made sacrifices to evil spirits to appease them, and only cried out to ''Karai Kasang'' in times of great need. The Lahu people of Burma, Laos, and Thailand recognized ''Gui'Sha'' as creator of all, and lived in expectation that one day He would send them instructions so they would know how to worship Him properly. Richardson mentions similar beliefs as found (not planted) among several other people, and takes some pains in refuting the idea advocated by anthropologists and others prejudiced against missionary efforts, that these ideas were introduced by western missionaries at some time prior to their discovery. One example from South America shows the lack of [[credibility]] of this common "scholarly" explanation of the primitive monotheistic beliefs. Bruce Olson was the first outsider, from any people group, to learn the language of the fierce Motilone or "Barí" people of the jungles of Colombia and Venezuela, who had threatened and often killed all others who had attempted to enter their territory. After learning their language, he found that their traditions, known by all the Motilone people, recognized that one benevolent God had created them, but that their ancestors had turned from this one God at some time in the distant past.<ref>Bruce Olson, ''Bruchko'' (Charisma House, 1977).</ref>

Evidence for an early, or initial, belief in one God can also be found in the writings of literate non-western cultures. The following hymn of praise was found in the archives of Ebla, and dated by its translator, Giovanni Pettinato, to 2500 BC.

Evidence for an early, or initial, belief in one God can also be found in the writings of literate non-western cultures. The following hymn of praise was found in the archives of Ebla, and dated by its translator, Giovanni Pettinato, to 2500 BC.