Jeremy E. Sarber

Sorry, I don’t have a category for far-out-there conspiracy theories. After I saw this video though, I was curious about Egypt’s former pharaoh, Akhenaten. As it turns out, Akhenaten is perhaps best renowned for his loyalty to one deity at a time when the rest of the world, by and large, worshipped several gods. He is certainly the only one of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs to promote a monotheistic religion. This was not to occur again until the Roman Empire took control of Egypt and Christianity was instituted as the official religion.

His promotion of one deity has earned him the title of “The Heretic Pharaoh”. While the pharaoh had been raised, like many other famous Egyptian pharaohs, to worship Amun, five years after he took the throne he proceeded to make several important changes. The chosen deity of Akhenaton’s worship was Aten, the Sun god. Born Amenhotep IV, the pharaoh changed his name to the now better known Akhenaten, a tribute to his chosen deity. He moved the capital from the traditional center in Thebes, where ancient Egyptian pharaohs had historically ruled, to an area in mid-Egypt. The new capital was initially named after the ‘heretic’ king, however today is known simply as el-Amarna. His wife, Nefertiti, appears to have been very supportive of the pharaoh’s attempts to institute Aten as the sole god of Egypt. She may have even been the guiding force behind the move.

Akhenaten may have tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion in Egypt, but in the end it was not accepted. After his death, traditional religious practice was gradually restored, and some dozen years, they discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors, referring to Akhenaten himself as “the enemy” in archival records.

What does any of this have to do with President Obama? Absolutely nothing. It just so happens that a ridiculous YouTube video is all it takes for me to research an obscure figure in history. But I will say that it would be nice to think the damage our President does while in office will be reversed when he is gone, much like King Akhenaten.