I downloaded some Druidcasts to my mp3 player today. I haven't listened in quite a while but as they help keep me motivated, I decided I should do that. I was also thinking about the nature of the gods lately although I really don't have any clear idea of who they are exactly. I can only go back to my experience with the Fertile Crescent god who demanded perfection from us while claiming he possessed it, yet seemed have a lot of do-overs himself.
But who are the gods? Are they the loving parent who nurtures us and always bestows lovingkindnesses upon us, sad when we don't always behave but never gives us time-outs? I don't have anything concrete to base my beliefs on except that feeling we are all entitled to.
I don't see the gods as all-good, perfect, or universally fair. I believe they grow up in much the same way we grow up. I don't see them as static deities who have always been perfect with no room to grow into anything better. I think they do make mistakes. I think they have favorites and that's one reason we don't all worship the same deities. I think they exist for themselves and not for us or our pleasure but our very existence fills them with either love, indifference or anger. I don't think all the gods like us.
I think there are gods of light and darkness or both. I don't think darkness means evil, though. I think it just means that there are elements that exist in that realm that aren't as happy, clappy as the other realm, but still contain as much satisfaction for those who thrive in the dark. Not all creatures live in the sunshine, after all.
I think we will never know the gods in this reality and can only go by intuition or even just plain guesswork. But I think the more we tune ourselves into the deities who have called us to them, the more likely we are to find a framework to build into knowledge.
I don't think of the gods as happy and fluffy toward us all the time. I think some do care very much and are willing to give a shoulder or even stand up for us against the crap we have to endure as humans. But I think they all have a side to them that you wouldn't want to encounter very often. I love that Hera knows and understand what I'm going through, but I also "know" that whining pisses her off. And I really wouldn't want to piss off Hera.
I'm still learning and probably always will and I'm sure I'll be fine-tuning these opinions or maybe even changing them altogether as I grow closer and closer to the deities who have called me to do their will. Or perhaps even find the gods coming and going in my life as my own spirituality changes and grows. Maybe in a year from now, I'll read this post and think it ridiculously naive. Who knows?
I may not know them very well, but I know myself enough to say with some certainty that should any deity ever tell me to worship him and him alone and if I didn't then he was going to punish me with pain for eternity, then I will kick that deity out of my life forever. Oh, wait...I already did that.
But who are the gods? Are they the loving parent who nurtures us and always bestows lovingkindnesses upon us, sad when we don't always behave but never gives us time-outs? I don't have anything concrete to base my beliefs on except that feeling we are all entitled to.
I don't see the gods as all-good, perfect, or universally fair. I believe they grow up in much the same way we grow up. I don't see them as static deities who have always been perfect with no room to grow into anything better. I think they do make mistakes. I think they have favorites and that's one reason we don't all worship the same deities. I think they exist for themselves and not for us or our pleasure but our very existence fills them with either love, indifference or anger. I don't think all the gods like us.
I think there are gods of light and darkness or both. I don't think darkness means evil, though. I think it just means that there are elements that exist in that realm that aren't as happy, clappy as the other realm, but still contain as much satisfaction for those who thrive in the dark. Not all creatures live in the sunshine, after all.
I think we will never know the gods in this reality and can only go by intuition or even just plain guesswork. But I think the more we tune ourselves into the deities who have called us to them, the more likely we are to find a framework to build into knowledge.
I don't think of the gods as happy and fluffy toward us all the time. I think some do care very much and are willing to give a shoulder or even stand up for us against the crap we have to endure as humans. But I think they all have a side to them that you wouldn't want to encounter very often. I love that Hera knows and understand what I'm going through, but I also "know" that whining pisses her off. And I really wouldn't want to piss off Hera.
I'm still learning and probably always will and I'm sure I'll be fine-tuning these opinions or maybe even changing them altogether as I grow closer and closer to the deities who have called me to do their will. Or perhaps even find the gods coming and going in my life as my own spirituality changes and grows. Maybe in a year from now, I'll read this post and think it ridiculously naive. Who knows?
I may not know them very well, but I know myself enough to say with some certainty that should any deity ever tell me to worship him and him alone and if I didn't then he was going to punish me with pain for eternity, then I will kick that deity out of my life forever. Oh, wait...I already did that.
I don't think the deity to which you refer in your last paragraph was an actual deity.....I think it was a bunch of bassackwards fucktarded brainwashers convincing you (and millions of others) of that. When we are told and taught as a child to fear someone/something, that sure does stick around doesn't it? Good thing you unstuck yourself.
ReplyDeleteLOL! I think you're right. Or at least if he is a deity, he's a bully and needs to be taken down a peg or two. But I'm pretty sure you're right and "he" is an invention by men who wanted power.
DeleteYou put a link to my new blog! Thankyou!
ReplyDelete... I wouldn't want to annoy Hera either. I'd be interested to know your thoughts on Hestia? And if you feel Hestia has any connection to Hera? I don't have interactions with the Greek gods but as you'll probably know I adored their stories growing up. Later reading on I.E religion got me to wondering about the connections there might be between Hestia and Hera.
Why yes, of course I've linked to your new blog. It's amazing!!
DeleteHestia is still a mystery to me although I do feel a connection to her. It would be interesting to dig further into that about Hestia and Hera though. Even though I was raised on the mythologies, I still feel like I barely know the gods. Little by little I've been picking up information about the origins of various Greek gods and it's interesting the connection with Indo and Celtic gods. But as I said, I'm still very new at learning this.