Thu, 16 February 2006 Who should we be praying to? If we really want someone on "our side" are the deities the right place to start? Or should we be looking at Our Ancestors for help? Comments[2] |
An interesting idea, and one with some validity though I personally had problems with some of the terminology.
Firstly, in reference to the All (or as was stated in the Popcast...the Supreme Being), if you are speaking in terms of something that is everything, indifferent, and which doesn't take sides...even the term "Being" is inaccurate. Beings are self inclusive but differentiated for "others" supreme or otherwise. In my mind you can't really be a being and be all incompasing. To even discribe it as a "God" or "Deity" is a dimishing and differentiating thing and therefore not applicable. That's why I go with merely "the All", because that is what it is.
My second point is, that while I agree that "the Ancestors" would be the most likely group to hold the greatest interest in you and your wellbeing...these so called "lesser" or "tribal" deities (I also would personally use a different word than "lesser" such as "lower". "Lesser" sounds like you are saying insignificant...after all...when someone says something is a "lesser" being...that is what they mean. "Lower" doesn't seem to have as bad of a connotation) are indifferent. I'm assuming "lesser" deities refer to say Ares or Athena, Odin or Set along with miriade others. For me, these aren't even "lower" deities for, as I stated above, the All isn't a deity itself. So these Gods and Goddess are just the Deities (though in certain pantheons they may be lower in power - as Zeus holds a higher ranking in the Greek Pantheon than Aphrodite), and more importantly they are "personal" deities. When I worship a "personal" deities (though it might have the same name as someone else's "personal" deity), I am worshiping the aspects of that deity as they relate to me, and I do feel they have a vested interest in me for I also believe that a deity gains His or Her power from those who worship them. While this interest might not be as great as that of an Ancestor...I think to dismiss it is to dismiss a connection to something that the Ancestors can't even provide.
My last comment is on the use of the terms "tribal" and "tribes". Very few of us have a tribe anymore except those tribes we make. You may consider your natural family a tribe (and they may live hundreds or thousands of miles away). You can consider your friends a tribe, but not everyone has an abundance of friends. You can consider a tribe to be your fellow practitioners, but what if you are a solitary practitioner? In this global society that the world has become, there are very few true tribes anymore (and some would say that the entire population of the planet is being of one tribe)...and to assume that certain souls would continue to reincarnate in a certain "tribe" is confusing a concept at best. I feel that any previous incarnations I've had have been completely outside any relation to any of my current genetic ancestors, and so I don't see why any of the spirits of the people who were once my genetic ancestors would reincarnate as the genetic decendants of who I am today. To say this is to say that groups of souls continue to reincarnate down a specific line and will stay in these close lines until they are done with their cycle. If the point of reincarnation is to learn all of life's lessons...why would you reincarnate down a specific and therefore limited line of genetics? Or are you merely saying that even if I was a Hindu female in my last incarnation...that before me, spirits who were my ancestors in this life were once my ancestors in my Hindu life? As I said...confusing at best...or maybe it is just me.
Firstly, in reference to the All (or as was stated in the Popcast...the Supreme Being), if you are speaking in terms of something that is everything, indifferent, and which doesn't take sides...even the term "Being" is inaccurate. Beings are self inclusive but differentiated for "others" supreme or otherwise. In my mind you can't really be a being and be all incompasing. To even discribe it as a "God" or "Deity" is a dimishing and differentiating thing and therefore not applicable. That's why I go with merely "the All", because that is what it is.
My second point is, that while I agree that "the Ancestors" would be the most likely group to hold the greatest interest in you and your wellbeing...these so called "lesser" or "tribal" deities (I also would personally use a different word than "lesser" such as "lower". "Lesser" sounds like you are saying insignificant...after all...when someone says something is a "lesser" being...that is what they mean. "Lower" doesn't seem to have as bad of a connotation) are indifferent. I'm assuming "lesser" deities refer to say Ares or Athena, Odin or Set along with miriade others. For me, these aren't even "lower" deities for, as I stated above, the All isn't a deity itself. So these Gods and Goddess are just the Deities (though in certain pantheons they may be lower in power - as Zeus holds a higher ranking in the Greek Pantheon than Aphrodite), and more importantly they are "personal" deities. When I worship a "personal" deities (though it might have the same name as someone else's "personal" deity), I am worshiping the aspects of that deity as they relate to me, and I do feel they have a vested interest in me for I also believe that a deity gains His or Her power from those who worship them. While this interest might not be as great as that of an Ancestor...I think to dismiss it is to dismiss a connection to something that the Ancestors can't even provide.
My last comment is on the use of the terms "tribal" and "tribes". Very few of us have a tribe anymore except those tribes we make. You may consider your natural family a tribe (and they may live hundreds or thousands of miles away). You can consider your friends a tribe, but not everyone has an abundance of friends. You can consider a tribe to be your fellow practitioners, but what if you are a solitary practitioner? In this global society that the world has become, there are very few true tribes anymore (and some would say that the entire population of the planet is being of one tribe)...and to assume that certain souls would continue to reincarnate in a certain "tribe" is confusing a concept at best. I feel that any previous incarnations I've had have been completely outside any relation to any of my current genetic ancestors, and so I don't see why any of the spirits of the people who were once my genetic ancestors would reincarnate as the genetic decendants of who I am today. To say this is to say that groups of souls continue to reincarnate down a specific line and will stay in these close lines until they are done with their cycle. If the point of reincarnation is to learn all of life's lessons...why would you reincarnate down a specific and therefore limited line of genetics? Or are you merely saying that even if I was a Hindu female in my last incarnation...that before me, spirits who were my ancestors in this life were once my ancestors in my Hindu life? As I said...confusing at best...or maybe it is just me.
The term "being" must apply to the "All" because it exists. If the opposite were true and the "All" were a "non-being" then it wouldn't exist. So as to whether "being" and "non-being" exists, only being does because "non-being," by definition, doe not exist.
As to "lesser" or "lower" both have their negative connotations and are equal in my mind. In talking I had to use one or the other and it really didn't matter to me which I used.
As to "tribes" I use the word simply to mean one group as opposed to another. It could even mean a "tribe" of souls that I do believe reincarnate in each others proximity even though maybe not in the same culture.
Thanks for your feedback. It is very appreciated.
Boniface.'.
As to "lesser" or "lower" both have their negative connotations and are equal in my mind. In talking I had to use one or the other and it really didn't matter to me which I used.
As to "tribes" I use the word simply to mean one group as opposed to another. It could even mean a "tribe" of souls that I do believe reincarnate in each others proximity even though maybe not in the same culture.
Thanks for your feedback. It is very appreciated.
Boniface.'.
posted by: Boniface.'. on Mon, 2/27 01:31 PM EST
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