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the_animistcross-posted to my journal
I've commented rather absently before to friends that i tend not to be interested in religions that take themselves too seriously. Although i wasn't raised in a religious family, i feel that i still grew up in a Jewish tradition of questioning and interpreting what has been handed down as is appropriate to the environment, similar to the Islamic concept of itjihad (i'm sure there's a jewish term for this, maybe someone else knows?). The first two "religions" i actually found appealing were Chaos Magick and Discordianism. The former has proven either very influential or perhaps very in tune with what i naturally believe, particularly as relates to the reality of spirits, deities, and belief; the latter has mainly contributed a love of chaos in the constructive/generative aspect, an air of half-seriousness and self-mockery about my own beliefs, and a love of Eris (although sometimes i suspect that my view of Her is too different from that of other Discordians. I may have to excommunicate the lot of them).
From these origins comes a question: whence do you believe deities/spirits originate? Is there a single origin, various ones, or even multiple seemingly contradictory sources? Do new deities/spirits come into existence as new concepts arise, or do the older ones adopt those into their sphere of influence?
In my experience, i've found that there are generally three ways this occurs:
-One is the adoption of "new" notions by a deity/spirit whose ascribed areas of influence include related concepts. I count Hephaistos as theos of (beside his traditional associations) such things as automated machinery and robotics.
-Another is a "revelation" of a deity or spirit that may or may not have existed previously. Such an entity revealed itself to me as a muse/governing spirit of modern music, something which deities known in older times were seemingly less inclined towards.
-Yet another is the creation of deities/spirits through the efforts of others. As far as i am concerned, Santa Claus is a legitimate spiritual being, but also one primarily created by humans. He is attributed magical powers (flight, omniscience), receives sacrifices (cookies) and prayer (letters), and even grants boons (presents) to those who follow his dogma (be good).
I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on any of this, positive, negative, or even random unrelated things this reminds you of.
I've commented rather absently before to friends that i tend not to be interested in religions that take themselves too seriously. Although i wasn't raised in a religious family, i feel that i still grew up in a Jewish tradition of questioning and interpreting what has been handed down as is appropriate to the environment, similar to the Islamic concept of itjihad (i'm sure there's a jewish term for this, maybe someone else knows?). The first two "religions" i actually found appealing were Chaos Magick and Discordianism. The former has proven either very influential or perhaps very in tune with what i naturally believe, particularly as relates to the reality of spirits, deities, and belief; the latter has mainly contributed a love of chaos in the constructive/generative aspect, an air of half-seriousness and self-mockery about my own beliefs, and a love of Eris (although sometimes i suspect that my view of Her is too different from that of other Discordians. I may have to excommunicate the lot of them).
From these origins comes a question: whence do you believe deities/spirits originate? Is there a single origin, various ones, or even multiple seemingly contradictory sources? Do new deities/spirits come into existence as new concepts arise, or do the older ones adopt those into their sphere of influence?
In my experience, i've found that there are generally three ways this occurs:
-One is the adoption of "new" notions by a deity/spirit whose ascribed areas of influence include related concepts. I count Hephaistos as theos of (beside his traditional associations) such things as automated machinery and robotics.
-Another is a "revelation" of a deity or spirit that may or may not have existed previously. Such an entity revealed itself to me as a muse/governing spirit of modern music, something which deities known in older times were seemingly less inclined towards.
-Yet another is the creation of deities/spirits through the efforts of others. As far as i am concerned, Santa Claus is a legitimate spiritual being, but also one primarily created by humans. He is attributed magical powers (flight, omniscience), receives sacrifices (cookies) and prayer (letters), and even grants boons (presents) to those who follow his dogma (be good).
I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on any of this, positive, negative, or even random unrelated things this reminds you of.
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