Old Gods, New Gods and the Blurry Line Separating Myth and Religion

Myth and faith; are they completely different or interchangeable? After all, one man’s faith finally turns into one other man’s fantasy. And as a fantasy, some key parts of that faith might stay on, and presumably change into faith as soon as once more. This is the method it has been for generations, and that is the method it can proceed. For as the nice wheel of time turns, our celestial observers have watched  each civilization, whether or not nice or small, be born, flourish, and finally die or be destroyed. Every single one, with out exception.

Yet regardless that dying is eventual, in these moments in-between, faith occurred. Gods and Goddesses had been created and adopted by the lots. The nice questions of humankind had been put to the check and solutions had been offered in return. Great and epic tales of heroism and magic had been woven into the very cloth of every civilization. So memorable, a few of these tales had been, that they remained with us, outliving the worlds they had been born in. We name the tales and the deities legends and myths; not less than for now.

A Journey Through Time

Walk with me, for those who please, as we journey the corridors of historical historical past. Together we will look again to the time when the world was nonetheless shiny and new. Ground zero for the second of creation, when the first Gods and Goddesses had been acknowledged by the human race. Primitive human solar worshippers  banded collectively for cover and survival, but additionally to wish collectively. And as the bands grew into clans, tribes, and finally to communities, everybody adopted in the footsteps of the founders. Then, as social constructions developed, a number of sturdy charismatic males held sway over the others.

They turned the first lords and kings. They would name upon the wisest of their sort to convey fact to the unexplainable. And in good trend, these early smart males would inform tales to elucidate pure occasions, resembling lightning and wind. They developed and named Gods and Goddesses, which held dominion over vital components of human life, resembling fertility and safety.

And as soon as these early spiritual leaders had the consideration of the folks, they by no means let go. Some religions merged with authorities, and everybody was anticipated to do their half. Other leaders engaged in a continuing chess recreation with the spiritual leaders. Both factions struggled for energy away from the prying eyes of the on a regular basis individual, whereas pretending to be united in public. In some cultures, faith was used to regulate the inhabitants. In others, folks had been anticipated to assist being dominated, each financially and with choices and items. Religious leaders saved including options to the faith to maintain folks . Offerings changed into blood sacrifices, rituals turned grand in scale and measurement, and new rites, resembling funerary. had been developed and carried out. Sacred time intervals for worship had been built-in and folks weren’t given the alternative of attending church, they lived it. And as overwhelming and complicated because it may appear, up till about 300 BCE, nobody complained. In reality, the folks cherished it. They proudly spoke of the nice deeds of their Gods and Goddesses and made any sacrifice essential to appease them.

The Greatest Human Flaw – Our Lust for Power

But as extra time handed and the nations grew from the cities, males lusted for energy. Because energy was the key to the whole lot. Power offered authority, and authority offered the whole lot else. It was a time when may did certainly make proper, a flawed course of, however none the identical, an efficient one. Men slaughtered each other in an limitless wrestle to succeed in the prime, solely to be themselves deposed a short while later. But the prize of management, offered them with the potential to do something, together with increase a military and apportion land. Beyond the nice fiefdoms, management additionally offered them with each gluttonous and perverse need they may devise. The spiritual part was twisted in lots of civilizations, making the chief divine or someway anointed by one in all their Gods.  In others, all key decision-making meant a session with the Gods and Goddesses. With blackness of their hearts, these leaders dominated over the creating nations of the creating world.

As we enter the interval the place civilization turns into recorded, we see dominance. Those with the energy are proven to be competent of their rule. Followers willingly submit and additional increase the worth of the nation and it’s chosen faith. Yet, as it’s with all issues, passive males change into submissive, and inhabitants develop weak over time. When they’re in that weakened state, they’re infiltrated by those that want a revolt in opposition to authority. Because of this, nice leaders of the previous have exercised their energy frequently. Most typically warfare was the device of alternative. Conquest meant extra land, slaves, girls, and new followers to their faith.

If it’s a whole victory, then the Gods and Goddesses of the defeated are ignored, made unlawful, and finally fade into the world of fantasy. For one faith to succeed, the different should fail. As the troops of 1 highly effective nation lay waste to these of one other, in addition they lay waste to their Gods and Goddesses. The victory ‘proves’ which Gods had been stronger and which Goddesses had been in management. But the victors are merciful. They would ‘allow’ the conquered to combine into their nation and take pleasure in the protections of their Gods and Goddesses. Another faith on its option to changing into fantasy.

Through a mixture of conquest, commerce, political contracts, and organized marriages, the civilized world grew. Many nice civilizations shared house and faith unfold throughout the land. No longer would the Gods and Goddesses of historical Egypt and Persia stay landlocked by the nice deserts. Likewise, the religions of the Mediterranean that included Greek and Roman. The historical earth religions of The Norsemen nonetheless held sturdy in the north and the mystic practices of the Celtic Druids in the East. Worshippers of Muhammad, Jesus, and Brahma carried the teachings of their faith to lands far and close to. So many doctrines from so many individuals. It was temporary, however fascinating, just because a lot was being recorded on parchment or carved into stone. Religions grew in measurement and sophistication, and as the extra dominant ones pale, the newer ones absorbed a few of their teachings. Soon the myths of 1 tradition miraculously turned the historical historical past of a extra dominant tradition.

Return to the Present

And after greater than a thousand winters have handed, we discover ourselves again in the current. The world has revealed extra of the identical as the years handed. Conquest, creation, and continuous exploration of this nice world has led to borders being destroyed and redrawn. Uncharted lands are actually identified, and many extra questions seem relatively than solutions. Populations are swelling and it’s a time of nice change. Nations can not assist their folks on their very own lands and disaster fills the air. Ancient enemies, nonetheless full of hatred from occasions way back are rattling their sabers, calling for blood. Borders are being challenged and populations threatened. Across the globe, governments and leaders are being examined. For some this rebellion appeared inevitable, because it has at all times been this fashion. Even these nations the place faith and authorities have dominated hand in hand for greater than a thousand years are being challenged.

But, for the first time in historical past, the spiritual make-up of the world isn’t being modified by drive. It’s being modified as a result of persons are strolling away. Their Gods and Goddesses weren’t defeated. Worshippers misplaced curiosity in them. They misplaced belief and perception in them. Religious leaders stopped following their very own guidelines. Some turned political, harking back to historical English and French Monarchies. Others surrendered to the issues they preach in opposition to. Promises weren’t saved. Crimes occurred that shook many to their very core; crimes purveyed by their so-called spiritual leaders. Enough was sufficient, so that they walked away with out making a sound. The group generally referred to as organized faith, which is admittedly all the massive worldwide teams, is getting smaller. People are leaving and not coming again

This is the place it will get fascinating and that blurry line in the title will get even blurrier. You see, these people who find themselves strolling away from their church aren’t utterly strolling away from faith. It’s of their blood. They should be a part of one thing that provides them an anchor in life. It’s normally not present in the New Age religions, that are actually extra religious than spiritual. Many are discovering a brand new and fantastic dwelling in one in all the pagan and neo-pagan religions which have been reclaimed by their descendants. These teams worship the previous Gods and Goddesses, ones a lot older than all the trendy religions.

Druids, Celts, Odinists, Heathens, and Roman Traditionalists are just some of the notable rising trendy pagan actions. It’s world and it’s rising simply as quick as the trendy religions are declining. Because paganism is so accepting and has only a few guidelines, it’s enticing to everybody, even those that may really feel unworthy. People are as soon as once more telling the tales of creation in the methods of their ancestors. Holidays are being celebrated on completely different days and for various causes. A brand new technology of people that communicate for the earth is waking as much as the fantastic prospects following an earth-based perception system can truly be.

Conclusion

Stepping again, the massive image clearly reveals human beings beginning to come full circle. Religion that had gone to fantasy is now rising as soon as once more as faith. Simultaneously, many points of recent faith are starting the lengthy descent into fantasy. Very quickly the tales of one-God-religions will likely be changed with the epic tales of the previous. Pantheon’s of Gods and Goddesses, each masculine and female, will remerge, sharing duty for the planet and the skies above. Religious texts full of rule after rule are being shelved for hands-on ceremonies the place everyone seems to be welcome. Churches will likely be shuttered as celebrations transfer to nice fields with bonfires, revelry, and an actual sense of neighborhood. Full moons will likely be acknowledged as a time for cleaning and meditation. And better of all, there’s no assortment plate. Earth’s power comes free for all who select to take pleasure in it.

Now I ask you once more, are fantasy and faith interchangeable or not? This evaluation results in a sure reply. Every day extra and extra folks return to the beliefs of their ancestors. Most of them don’t know who these folks had been. In many cases they don’t understand how ceremonies had been carried out, as nothing was written down. But it doesn’t matter. They’re going into it almost blind however full of religion. They are their very own authority. No one has taken their sovereignty and they haven’t give up it. These courageous souls are ushering in a brand new age, however one anchored in historical past. Old Gods turned their New Gods and the New Gods turned the Old Gods. The blurry line will get extra blurry.

About the Author

 R.J. Schwartz is an American author, poet, and self-proclaimed pagan historian. He has printed two books of poetry and contributed to a 3rd. He can be the proprietor and webmaster of two web sites. The Gypsy Thread is the place R.J. writes informational articles throughout a variety of non-traditional matters which embody witchcraft, pagan practices, the unexplained, haunted, and plain previous unusual, plus there’s dozens and dozens of pagan ceremonies obtainable for each event. His different web site The Creative Exiles is a world poetry/brief story web site. Selected authors from throughout the world publish whimsical tales of fantasy and the previous west, whereas poets pour silken verses into prepared ears.

Ralph is a training witch, printed writer, pagan historian, webmaster, and collector of data.He additionally owns a world artistic writing web site referred to as The Creative Exiles,

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