Religion

[Greenlife]

Is it okay to think of the God and Goddess as metaphorical and represent nature rather than literal beings?

[MaskedOne]

Re: Religion

A rather large number of people do think of them that way so unless a divinity beats you over the head and says, "quit that and pay attention", go with what you think best.

If a divinity does beat you over the head and demand that you listen, shrug, listen. It's less painful.

[dgirl1986]

Re: Religion

I do not see why that would be a problem, unless you get a spiritual slap like MaskedOne said.

[thalassa]

[PsykhikosAnarchosNautikos]

Re: Religion

I've learned that even if they knock you on the head, it's still your life. I'm guilty of given in and surrendering at times, but if you want to see them as purely archetypes, or give them up all together, and they don't like it (if you believe they exist) and they beat you down or throw obstacles in your way, that's their problem and are acting rather childish. There's no reason to give your life over to deity or pantheon no matter what, unless YOU want it that way. Be thankful for what you surmise they have given you, but if you want to be free of spiritual subjugation and faith, or just simply don't want to work under, with or for them and want to live your life the way you choose, so be it. It's your life, your choice.

I'm not saying it's easy, but this way you know you hold the power in your hands.

[Dez]

Re: Religion

My spouse considers himself agnostic, if not outright atheist. He also pours out some beer or mead to Odin every Wednesday, and has had multiple interactions with him now.

Some deities don't care if you believe in them or not.

[Louisvillian]

Re: Religion

Is it okay to think of the God and Goddess as metaphorical and represent nature rather than literal beings?

Yes. A surprisingly large number of the people that kick-started Neopaganism in the 1960s were essentially atheists that viewed the gods as thoughtforms or Jungian archetypes. It was kinda the academic climate of the time.

[Bluethorne]

Re: Religion

I find that there is little difference between viewing a deity as physical, spiritual or metaphorical.. or as one side or another (as other religions choose to view their deities); in the end its rooted in your ideas, its a start or a finish; an idea of one sort or another. If more people understood that the basis of their view was the same as everyone else’s (a rooted idea they build upon), there would be far more unity in this world. Think what you want; the Gods and the Goddess’s, the Earth, the real or the fake, your heart, your mind, your spirit... they’re all one.

If you question yourself on what you believe then you may want to get to the root of why you’re questioning such things.. I find most pose questions when they want to be reinforced towards the idea that what they’re doing is right, or wrong. If a voice speaks to you, its your own voice; if it doesn’t speak then maybe silence works for you.. just try to be happy and content with the ‘right now’ in your life, and the answers to all you seek will come for you.

[Heka]

Re: Religion

My spouse considers himself agnostic, if not outright atheist. He also pours out some beer or mead to Odin every Wednesday, and has had multiple interactions with him now.

Some deities don't care if you believe in them or not.

haha I like this. Made me chuckle!


I pretty much agree with everyone else. I guess it all boils down to what ever feels right for you.

[Corvus]

Re: Religion

There's different kinds of reality (or nonreality but that's a different matter entirely) . A metaphor can be as real as a literal thing and have as much meaning (or lack there-of) as a literal being.
Also think of them however you want. I'm a nihilist but I still worship and believe in gods

[Raphaeline]

Re: Religion

It's a fuzzy area for me. I generally tend to think of myself as a soft polytheist, because I don't really consider myself a believer in a real, corporeal, physical deity. I tend to think of them as energy or as a psychological influence or something else I don't really understand - pretty much anything but an actual, tangible being.

But I talk to Dionysos and I understand his communication to me. I feel strongly that I have a relationship with him. So whatever the gods are, I get fulfillment from my faith regardless of how it works.

[Gleb]

Re: Religion

The Gods if your religion created the world you believe in. They also created the nature that surrounds us. And this nature surves them.
I think they can be hosted by humans and animals. They nay have the spiritual world like the Duat- for me.
Best of luck!

[Medusa]

Re: Religion

Is it okay to think of the God and Goddess as metaphorical and represent nature rather than literal beings?

Sure. Most people think that anyways if really pressed to answer logically.

[Jera]

Re: Religion

It's perfectly acceptable to view them as symbols or archetypes. I'm of the opinion that I will never know for sure, and that's just part of the mystery

[Louisvillian]

Re: Religion

It's a fuzzy area for me. I generally tend to think of myself as a soft polytheist, because I don't really consider myself a believer in a real, corporeal, physical deity. I tend to think of them as energy or as a psychological influence or something else I don't really understand - pretty much anything but an actual, tangible being.

But I talk to Dionysos and I understand his communication to me. I feel strongly that I have a relationship with him. So whatever the gods are, I get fulfillment from my faith regardless of how it works.

This viewpoint reminds me strongly of my friend Lauren. She's expressed, in conversations, an ambivalence about the existence of the gods. Unsure as to whether she views them as thoughtforms and archetypes, or as real beings. But her experiences with Dionysos have pulled her increasingly towards some harder kind of theism, though I'm not sure if he's a hard polytheist per se.