What Good are They(Gods)?
Sep. 30th, 2009 07:38 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mdehnersWell, it depends on the Believer. For most Beleivers, a Diety(or Dieties) provides what they either had or wished they had as a Child: Unconditional Love and Support, Aura-Fluffing, Protection, Absolving of Personal Responsibility. Most standard religions cater to these needs in excahnge for money and subservience to people and rules that generally wouldn't have bothered them to even if they weren't Beleivers. After all, folks that live away from bodies of water don't miss aquatic lifeforms and vice-versa. Telling a Het not to have Homosexual relationships is not a difficult rule to follow and so on.
To a minority of Beleivers, they feel their mission is to be helpmates FOR the God/desses they Follow. While it's possible to be this kind of person in a conventional religion, they aren't set up for it. The Shepard really doesn't want sheep that can assist or take up the crook except possibly very temporarilly.
The problem with the latter is that it goes against general hUman programming. Humans are heirarchal pack animals. They're programmed to follow and be in groups. Many folks think they are the exception but in truth they're not. Esp. in American culture, Individualism is Praised, no matter how much damage such causes the culture. It makes folks whose inclanation to Follow to play at being an Individual or a Leader. Woe to those who follow one of these! A true Leader/Alpha/etc. will fight for what they Beleive, a fauxer will give in after they figure they've put in enough effort to "Save Face".
Of course, the closer you are to Standard Human, the easier it is to BE a Standard Human. If you are a member of your culture's standard or possibly elite, the system that's designed for you will be easy for you to follow. The further you are form that standard the harder. Not that those who naturally feel "That Way" will give you any slack. After all, they wouldn't "do" those sort of things so why should there be different standards than the obviously perfect one they already have?
Truth,
Pat
To a minority of Beleivers, they feel their mission is to be helpmates FOR the God/desses they Follow. While it's possible to be this kind of person in a conventional religion, they aren't set up for it. The Shepard really doesn't want sheep that can assist or take up the crook except possibly very temporarilly.
The problem with the latter is that it goes against general hUman programming. Humans are heirarchal pack animals. They're programmed to follow and be in groups. Many folks think they are the exception but in truth they're not. Esp. in American culture, Individualism is Praised, no matter how much damage such causes the culture. It makes folks whose inclanation to Follow to play at being an Individual or a Leader. Woe to those who follow one of these! A true Leader/Alpha/etc. will fight for what they Beleive, a fauxer will give in after they figure they've put in enough effort to "Save Face".
Of course, the closer you are to Standard Human, the easier it is to BE a Standard Human. If you are a member of your culture's standard or possibly elite, the system that's designed for you will be easy for you to follow. The further you are form that standard the harder. Not that those who naturally feel "That Way" will give you any slack. After all, they wouldn't "do" those sort of things so why should there be different standards than the obviously perfect one they already have?
Truth,
Pat
