When the local gods are unhelpful, sending no dreams or omens, Balawahdiwa makes:
"'...a novena to Our Lady of Guadalupe.'" (p. 274)
Pagans have no problem about incorporating such a figure into their pantheon. Our Lady of Guadalupe, of Mount Carmel etc must be particular avatars of Our Lady who is the mother of a powerful deity. In fact, by avoiding the word "goddess," I have almost, I think, kept within the bounds of Catholic terminology. Last week, in our Zen meditation group, someone compared the Bodhisattva Kuan Yin to Our Lady of Walsingham.
Manse Everard of the Time Patrol and his Tyrian guide visit the High Temple of Asherat:
"'...to honor Our Lady of Nuptials.'" (Time Patrol, p. 267)
And also:
"...a small temple [is] dedicated to Tanith, Our Lady of the Waves." (p. 241)
Storm Darroway reminds him of ancient Cretan images of Our Lady of the Labrys.
-copied from here.
Aphrodite is the foam-born Virgin, the Mother of Eros, Our Lady of the Weddings, a slut mocked by Homer;
-copied from here.
Were goddesses called "Our Lady" or has Anderson read Catholic terminology back into pre-Christian religion?
3 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
It is necessary to stress that shrines dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Carmel, Fatima, Lourdes, etc., are not dedicated to avatars of the BVM. Because the Catholic Church does not believe in such things as "avatars." Rather, they are simply shrines dedicated to the SAME Blessed Virgin who is venerated at these places. These shrines were simply SPECIALLY dedicated to the BVM, with no idea of having "avatars" in mind.
I don't know if ancient pagans ever actually referred to female "goddesses" as "our Lady." But it's possible.
Sean
Sean,
My use of "avatar" reflected how, e.g., Hindus might view the shrines rather than Catholic usage.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
Granted, understood! I can only plead that all Catholics need to be alert to the danger of "creeping polytheism" insinuating itself into Christian belief and practice.
Sean
Post a Comment