The Eriau phrase, "the God," implies that the supreme being is a person but that there is no personal relationship with Him. "God" has not become a name. However, we know that the Vachs offer Secret Prayers and that Ydwyr the Seeker has a shrine. But we do not know the content of the prayers, whether they are petitionary etc, or the nature of the shrine. We do not know enough about Roidhunate religion and there are parts that we are not meant to know. Djana's vision of a Merseian Christ is her Catholic upbringing speaking.
The "God the Hunter" of the Ythrian New Faith is just a supernatural predator but Ythrians honour Him by giving Him a good fight so maybe He has a personal aspect.
The Gwydiona feel God, or so they think, but it turns out that they are relapsing into insanity, not experiencing transcendence.
13 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
And Djana's vision of a warlike "Merseian Christ" is very different from the actual Christ revealed to us, God the Son becoming Incarnate as man and choosing death on the Cross to bring the offer of salvation to mankind. And, just possibly, even to non-humans.
Ad astra! Sean
Given the structure of Meresian society, I'd guess at a personalized deity. OTOH, it's similar to historical Japan, where very eccentric forms of Buddhism were prominent -- but also a pagan religion (Shinto) less removed from animism than most.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
But if the culture of the Wilwidh Ocean Merseians believed in a personalized God that would make it more advanced than either animism or those eccentric versions of Buddhism.
Ad astra! Sean
We have different concepts of what is advanced.
Kaor, Paul!
Animism is the most primitive form of postlapsarian religious to be found among early humans. Next came polytheism, primitive, but still an advance on animism. Next, God intervened to reveal Himself to mankind thru the Jewish prophets and sages, culminating with the Incarnation, Passion and Resurrection of Christ.
And there's also what some call the God of the philosophers, referring mainly to Greek philosophers who reasoned their way to belief in a sole God.
And I have the most respect, after Judaism/Christianity, to Zoroastrianism. Altho formally a dualistic faith, it is functionally a monotheistic religion, because Zoroastrians certainly don't believe in worshiping the evil god, Ahriman. Only Ahura-Mazda deserving worship.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
This summary omits Indian religions. One interpretation, which I accept, is that there is an ascent from polytheism through monotheism to monism.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
No, because Hinduism is a polytheistic religion, the real pagan pantheon which has any real life left. And I don't believe in monism.
Ad astra! Sean
Dang, I meant to say "...the last real pagan pantheon..."
Sean
Sean,
No? Yes. Hinduism is not one thing. It includes polytheists, monotheists and monists. I think that monotheism is anthropomorphic so therefore there is one reality and it is not a person.
Of course you don't believe in monism but it remains an alternative view if what is the most advanced religion.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
No, you are overlooking what the vast mass of ordinary, polytheistic Hindus think, with complete indifference to what upper caste Hindus, embarrassed by that polytheism, think.
And monism is not an advance.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
No. I am not overlooking anything. I am not claiming to speak for all Hindus. I am agreeing with that part of Hinduism that is monistic and has been since the Vedas.
Monism is an advance.
Paul.
Kaor, Paul!
And what I had in mind was the Hindu religion, the pantheon of gods brought in by the invading Indo-Europeans, which got morphed in with gods already worshiped in India. Iow, a polytheistic religion.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean,
Yes, I do not deny that that exists. But I am talking about the strong monist tradition, starting in the Vedas: "Truth is one. Sages call it by different names."
Paul.
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