Immortals
I don't consider myself to be a Christian though I know a fair amount of theology due to my studies in philosophy--which often deals with religion now and almost always did back centuries ago. Nor do I consider myself an atheist since they also are characterized by having faith--though they often deny it. I would describe myself more as a skeptical agnostic.
That said, I find a lot of the recriminations and rationalizations concerning religion and the recent natural and manmade disasters here in the USA and abroad odd at best. Frequently comments to the tune of "how could God let this happen" are heard. Has a person asking that question been asleep all their life? Disasters have always been with us, if your faith is affected by them--then you've not done much deep thinking about faith and religion before. What Kierkegaard referred to as "the leap of faith" shouldn't be done lightly but it seems that most people do it without any thought at all.
For anyone in those circumstances--having their faith shook--I offer you an alternative. And this alternative side steps many of the difficulties of Christian belief with regard to tragedy. Perhaps you should believe in a system of gods like the Greeks had. Their pantheon of gods were fickle but powerful beings that would reward and punish humans on whim--often in a madcap and wry fashion. Doesn't that seem to explain life here on Earth a lot more accurately than an omniscient and omnipotent God who is all good?
Your house burns down after lightning hits it, you rebuild and a tornado strikes it down. Your neighbor the crack dealer doesn't have a problem either time. Sounds more like you pissed off Hera and she's toying with you than the actions of a benevolent God.
Every time you see something that just strikes you as unfair or incredibly peculiar--think about the possibility of a host of minor gods up there just playing with us. If nothing else, it'll make you wonder about issues of faith, luck, reward, and sacrifice.
That said, I find a lot of the recriminations and rationalizations concerning religion and the recent natural and manmade disasters here in the USA and abroad odd at best. Frequently comments to the tune of "how could God let this happen" are heard. Has a person asking that question been asleep all their life? Disasters have always been with us, if your faith is affected by them--then you've not done much deep thinking about faith and religion before. What Kierkegaard referred to as "the leap of faith" shouldn't be done lightly but it seems that most people do it without any thought at all.
For anyone in those circumstances--having their faith shook--I offer you an alternative. And this alternative side steps many of the difficulties of Christian belief with regard to tragedy. Perhaps you should believe in a system of gods like the Greeks had. Their pantheon of gods were fickle but powerful beings that would reward and punish humans on whim--often in a madcap and wry fashion. Doesn't that seem to explain life here on Earth a lot more accurately than an omniscient and omnipotent God who is all good?
Your house burns down after lightning hits it, you rebuild and a tornado strikes it down. Your neighbor the crack dealer doesn't have a problem either time. Sounds more like you pissed off Hera and she's toying with you than the actions of a benevolent God.
Every time you see something that just strikes you as unfair or incredibly peculiar--think about the possibility of a host of minor gods up there just playing with us. If nothing else, it'll make you wonder about issues of faith, luck, reward, and sacrifice.
Comments
Michele sent me here.
Michelle kind of sent me, but this is mainly a reciprocal visit from my blog...thanks for popping by.
I do like your blog, and look forward to trawling your archive.
May i suggest you take a look at a couple of blogs on my blogroll with your interest in Philosophy...Cyberkitten and Simply Put (Q)
Blogrolled you btw.
Hi from Michele!
Sent here by Michele!
I don't know why people stop thinking and wring their hands repeating others and bring god into things as the fallguy. Human nature is odd, reliable fodder for satire at least.
While I don't think that God is responsible for all things good or bad, a part of me believes that there is a plan, that predestination exists. And if a person believes that, then asking why God does things is pointless; you just have to except that it's done.
Lois Lane
I struggle with my own faith daily. I do consider myself a Christian, but NOT of the evangelical flavor. Evangelicals piss me off and are one of the main reasons I struggle with my own faith.
It is the evangelicals that live rigidly by "the word" (as they interpret it), and tend to blame things like natural disasters on sinners and non-believers. They give Christians, in general, a bad name, in my opinion.
That withstanding though, I need my faith so much, especially since becoming a Mom. I think the typical evangelical would say I am not a "true" Christian in their definition of one though.
Holly, I suspect if I had kids I'd really need somethng or someone to pray to. The old saw that there's no atheists in a foxhole should come in second place to rearing kids! That's where you really need divine help.
You're right though they worked towards pleasing all gods. If something went wrong they weren't working hard enough for that particular God, it was much more about living a full and well-rounded life.
Claire, I didn't remember that you'd been over in Greece. I have to work on that memory thing. I love the mythology, like Diane said above--it was quite the soap opera!
A few years ago there was a book entitled (I think) "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People". If memory serves me the author says God is powerless to stop natural tragedies.