Good and bad deities

[Medusa]

Re: Good and bad deities

It's extremely hard to add above human attributes to a deity when we are humans. And we are the ones creating our deities. Even if we are not...it's hard to describe above human attributes. Our gods are limited because we are limited.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Good and bad deities

He may as well if he was careless enough to leave it unguarded. He guards the Tree of Life but can't do the same for the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil though. Whether he handed it to her or not doesn't change the fact that we became like the gods as we were "molded in their image"

You do realise that everything that you've said in the last few posts actually supports the theory that the gods DIDN'T give us morality and skills, right?

You're trying to use Genesis as proof that we were given morality and knowledge by YHVH, yet by your own words, we got it by eating fruit. You still haven't explained exactly how that supports your original argument, just gone off on irrelevant tangents about omnipotence.

So is this particular discussion actually going anywhere productive?

[Medusa]

Re: Good and bad deities

I think it's a very bad decision to use the bible to prove something outside of the scope of the bible.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Good and bad deities

I think it's a very bad decision to use the bible to prove something outside of the scope of the bible.

This. Yet, it's done all the time. I once had a guy contact me on a dating site who did that. When I said something about having different beliefs he kept telling me how the Bible said I shouldn't. Some folks cannot grasp the irrelevance - it's out of their paradigm.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Good and bad deities

So is this particular discussion actually going anywhere productive?

I sincerely doubt it.

[Alienist]

Re: Good and bad deities

I sincerely doubt it.

Comments like this are a prime example of why the thread isn't going anywhere... The very least you can do is actually say something about the thread or comment on it rather than reduce it to just a single sentence.

Nevertheless I already said what needed to be said. It seems like no matter what deity you look at, there's always one group that says they are evil or they are good. It's like you can never tell exactly which one is good or evil. Although no matter what argument one makes, you look at the contents. Does the deity endorse murder or human sacrifice or torture? Has the deity done bad things not only to other humans but to other gods and goddesses and was it justified? That's one way of telling.

[Ula]

Re: Good and bad deities

I can't say I agree the gods give morality. One main factor in my thought on this is there are always those who don't like something that may be a social norm. If the gods tell us what's right and wrong we would never question what is going on around us and would participate in that act. The Vanir are said to practice incest. The Asa not so much, I consider myself a follower more of the Vanir than Asa but I ain't gonna put a ok stamp on incest. I don't know why people have to apply science to faith. Evolution is a fact but at some point the gods say they became in involved. People assume that it's physical but I have always thought it was the placement of the soul. Changing our nature and relationship with them and the spiritual world. You can't apply science to the soul.

[LaneyM]

Re: Good and bad deities

I don't know why people have to apply science to faith....You can't apply science to the soul.

You don't understand this because it isn't part of your faith. But that is YOUR faith. Many, many people build their faith around scientific principles. They probably don't know why some people DON'T apply science to faith. Believe as you will, but know others have their beliefs that may be different than yours.

In your belief you may not be able to apply science to the soul, but the soul has been studied scientifically for centuries. Others have religious and spiritual beliefs that don't have anything to do with the unproven religious belief in the soul.

Are the gods good or bad? It is quite easy to see by this thread alone that it depends on the person working with the myth at that particular moment.

[Bjorn]

Re: Good and bad deities

I can't say I agree the gods give morality...

I will go out on a limb here and reiterate my previous post that said, essentially, gods do not give morality, they reflect the morality of the practitioner. The Vanir were allowed to practice sibling incest but the Aesir were considered to be a bit more warlike and power hungy. I don't know which is 'worse,' incest or warmongering.

I don't know why people have to apply science to faith. Evolution is a fact but at some point the gods say they became in involved. People assume that it's physical but I have always thought it was the placement of the soul. Changing our nature and relationship with them and the spiritual world. You can't apply science to the soul.

Because everyone should question their beliefs and science DOES account for a lot of what the gods were originally credited for. "Oh wait, there's not man in the sky throwing bolts, it's just electrical charges building up and releasing in the form of lightning!"

THAT'S why. Because these gods were invented by primitive people who did not have any way of understanding the world they inhabited. WE do. So it's good to look instead of just attributing things to the supernatural.

[Ula]

Re: Good and bad deities

Well I don't think the gods are made up. I think they are real beings. That is MY FAITH and neither of you has to agree. I keep science in faith apart because science is provable. And again NO ONE ELSE HAD TO AGREE WITH THAT CAUSE IT'S PERSONAL. Don't like it fine but don't give shit for it. I gave my opinion without giving anyone else shit. See how that work.

[Vigdisdotter]

Re: Good and bad deities

Why would incest be taboo among gods? They aren't human. I certainly don't think they are subject to genetics the way humans are. Why should they operate according to human taboos?

[Bjorn]

Re: Good and bad deities

Well I don't think the gods are made up. I think they are real beings. That is MY FAITH and neither of you has to agree. I keep science in faith apart because science is provable. And again NO ONE ELSE HAD TO AGREE WITH THAT CAUSE IT'S PERSONAL. Don't like it fine but don't give shit for it. I gave my opinion without giving anyone else shit. See how that work.

Ok hon, calm down. Science and history point to the contrary but all right, you think they're real and I will leave it at that. Any further remarks made will derail this thread and I apologize if my blunt manner offended you.

BUT, even if you think gods are real that does not mean you shouldn't do some research into the facts that we know. I'm not attacking your faith, only blind faith that spits in the face of reason.

This is also a very interesting outburst on a page dedicated to "good or bad" deities. Do you revere stubborn gods? Proud ones? All things to consider and it reminds me once again that the deities we choose are more of a personal reflection than anything else. I know when I still entertained the idea of gods that I was drawn to warmongers, reckless, fiery, cruel gods and I think, deep down, it is because I view myself that way.

[Vigdisdotter]

Re: Good and bad deities

science DOES account for a lot of what the gods were originally credited for. "Oh wait, there's not man in the sky throwing bolts, it's just electrical charges building up and releasing in the form of lightning!"

Why would one preclude the other? That's awfully limited thinking.

Because these gods were invented by primitive people who did not have any way of understanding the world they inhabited.

And you have proof to support your factual statement?

[Bjorn]

Re: Good and bad deities

Why would one preclude the other? That's awfully limited thinking.

No, it's not limited, it's just not fantastical.

And you have proof to support your factual statement?

I thought that was fairly obvious -- because every religious text ever written was written by man.

[Vigdisdotter]

Re: Good and bad deities

No, it's not limited, it's just not fantastical.

It's very limited since it means it can only be ONE thing and ignores every other possibility out there.

I thought that was fairly obvious -- because every religious text ever written was written by man.

So? It shows people wrote about them, that's not proof that humans invented them.