Moreover, as Frankfort states, “The Egyptian views his misdeeds not as sins but as aberrations. They would bring him unhappiness because they disturbed his harmonious integration with the existing world … .” Thus, “He who errs is not a sinner but a fool and his conversion to a better way of life does not require repentance but a better understanding.” Frankfort states that “lack of insight or lack of self-restraint was at the root of man’s misfortunes, but not a basic corruption.” Humans, then, are neither evil by nature nor sinfully corrupted. And thus, one is capable of self-transcendence by self-understanding in community and self-transformation rather than by grace. For it is not by the grace of God but by following his way, Maat, that is posed as the key to moral grounding and human flourishing.

Ma’at, the Moral Ideal in Ancient Egypt by Karenga
(via smarmychristopagan)