David19
January 11th, 2008, 08:18 PM
Recently, during an internet search, I came across this post on another Pagan forum, http://www.mind-n-magick.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1199954100 and I thought it was quite a cool topic, so I wanted to ask it here:
Browsing the internet, I found an interesting idea: Gods from different cultures hating each other. But it made me wonder - do the Gods innately hate each other due to some metaphysical "community" essence I have no idea about, do they hate each other because the community of worshipers hate each other, or hate each other because the individual hates themselves?
I suppose all three could be valid. For example, Yahweh no doubt hated the Egyptian Gods, and would hate later the Babylonian Gods. This could be the second concept of hate I mentioned, but some of those who left Egypt were Egyptian themselves (within the myth-history). So it would leave the first.
But another example could be the African Gods. By logic, you'd think they would hate Christianity due to the Christians who went through, but many Africans who came to America (by force) were able to blend the two systems together. They don't seem to have any real trouble with it, either.
So what does anyone else thing? Do Gods hate each other, or could they, because of cultural differences? Or is it because of worshipers (either through community or individual) there seem to be conflicts?
To answer Matthew's topic (I hope he doesn't mind me taking his idea), I do think that Gods, some of them at least, might not like each other or might be at war with one another, for example, I don't think Marduk and Tiamet would be the best of friends (aside from the fact that Tiamet is technically dead, or at least as "dead" as a deity or primal being can get), I'm not sure about YHWH and the Kemetic Gods, even though there's not much evidence for the Exodus, that doesn't destroy the myth (IMO, myths can have more significance than history sometimes, in that, they can take the reader into another world and/or time), and also, the Native American deities may not take too kindly to YHWH since it was his people who were responsible for massacring their people (maybe they might take issuess with all the descendents of those Europeans who came?).
One of the replies to his post was:
I actually do not think the Gods hate each other because I do not believe in "tribal" deities. I do not believe for example that there is Jupiter, Zeus, Indra, Shang Ti etc.. each being totally separate Gods each being supreme Gods of their individual pantheon glaring at each other across the countries. I view Jupiter as the Roman interpretation of Zeus and Indra as the Indian interpretation of Zeus and Shang Ti as the Chinese interpretation of Almighty Zeus. They are all interpretations of Almighty Zeus.
I will go as far as to say that my personal belief is that the Christian God Yahweh is none other than Zeus as known to the Christians and previously as Zeus known to the Jews. Though I personally believe that the Christians and the Jews did not quite get their interpretation of Zeus correct, mistaking greiviously for one that He is the only God I personally think that they are honoring Zeus. In fact the term for the Christian God is Jove, which is the term for Jupiter. I am nowadays in fact no longer hesitant in praying to Jove in church if my friends make me go as I believe I worship no one other than Zeus the Almighty. My Christian friends are deeply annoyed by this but as I tell them I am not a Christian. Though I think Christ is pious, I think the Christians deeply mistaken in their understanding of Zeus.
I don't mind their belief that all Gods seem to be the same or that all "thunder" Gods are the same (e.g. Zeus, Thor, Indra, etc), but I don't believe it and it doesn't feel true to me. I think to say the Gods don't have conflicts is kind of to rob them of their emotions and personality (partially at least). I don't believe that YHWH is just Zeus under another name (and I take issue with why the poster seems to think that the Hellenic interpretation seems to be more correct than the Jewish/Christian/Islamic one, if their supposed to be the "same" God).
Anyway, it's my personal belief and opinion that the Gods do have conflicts, within their own pantheons and perhaps maybe with other Gods from other pantheons, but what about you, do you think that Gods can hate other Gods or go to war with them (in the spiritual/supernatural planes) or do you think it's just humans projecting themselves onto the Gods?.
BTW, hope this made some sense, I have been trying to write part of my essay, so my brain may not be working as well!.
Browsing the internet, I found an interesting idea: Gods from different cultures hating each other. But it made me wonder - do the Gods innately hate each other due to some metaphysical "community" essence I have no idea about, do they hate each other because the community of worshipers hate each other, or hate each other because the individual hates themselves?
I suppose all three could be valid. For example, Yahweh no doubt hated the Egyptian Gods, and would hate later the Babylonian Gods. This could be the second concept of hate I mentioned, but some of those who left Egypt were Egyptian themselves (within the myth-history). So it would leave the first.
But another example could be the African Gods. By logic, you'd think they would hate Christianity due to the Christians who went through, but many Africans who came to America (by force) were able to blend the two systems together. They don't seem to have any real trouble with it, either.
So what does anyone else thing? Do Gods hate each other, or could they, because of cultural differences? Or is it because of worshipers (either through community or individual) there seem to be conflicts?
To answer Matthew's topic (I hope he doesn't mind me taking his idea), I do think that Gods, some of them at least, might not like each other or might be at war with one another, for example, I don't think Marduk and Tiamet would be the best of friends (aside from the fact that Tiamet is technically dead, or at least as "dead" as a deity or primal being can get), I'm not sure about YHWH and the Kemetic Gods, even though there's not much evidence for the Exodus, that doesn't destroy the myth (IMO, myths can have more significance than history sometimes, in that, they can take the reader into another world and/or time), and also, the Native American deities may not take too kindly to YHWH since it was his people who were responsible for massacring their people (maybe they might take issuess with all the descendents of those Europeans who came?).
One of the replies to his post was:
I actually do not think the Gods hate each other because I do not believe in "tribal" deities. I do not believe for example that there is Jupiter, Zeus, Indra, Shang Ti etc.. each being totally separate Gods each being supreme Gods of their individual pantheon glaring at each other across the countries. I view Jupiter as the Roman interpretation of Zeus and Indra as the Indian interpretation of Zeus and Shang Ti as the Chinese interpretation of Almighty Zeus. They are all interpretations of Almighty Zeus.
I will go as far as to say that my personal belief is that the Christian God Yahweh is none other than Zeus as known to the Christians and previously as Zeus known to the Jews. Though I personally believe that the Christians and the Jews did not quite get their interpretation of Zeus correct, mistaking greiviously for one that He is the only God I personally think that they are honoring Zeus. In fact the term for the Christian God is Jove, which is the term for Jupiter. I am nowadays in fact no longer hesitant in praying to Jove in church if my friends make me go as I believe I worship no one other than Zeus the Almighty. My Christian friends are deeply annoyed by this but as I tell them I am not a Christian. Though I think Christ is pious, I think the Christians deeply mistaken in their understanding of Zeus.
I don't mind their belief that all Gods seem to be the same or that all "thunder" Gods are the same (e.g. Zeus, Thor, Indra, etc), but I don't believe it and it doesn't feel true to me. I think to say the Gods don't have conflicts is kind of to rob them of their emotions and personality (partially at least). I don't believe that YHWH is just Zeus under another name (and I take issue with why the poster seems to think that the Hellenic interpretation seems to be more correct than the Jewish/Christian/Islamic one, if their supposed to be the "same" God).
Anyway, it's my personal belief and opinion that the Gods do have conflicts, within their own pantheons and perhaps maybe with other Gods from other pantheons, but what about you, do you think that Gods can hate other Gods or go to war with them (in the spiritual/supernatural planes) or do you think it's just humans projecting themselves onto the Gods?.
BTW, hope this made some sense, I have been trying to write part of my essay, so my brain may not be working as well!.