Author Topic: Asatru, kemetism... i am confused (Read 5288 times)

Jainarayan · « **Reply #30 on:** March 29, 2017, 10:59:13 am »

Quote from: Darkhawk;204327

Actually, I suspect you're uninfored about the stupid things that pagans have said about Kali. There have been rather a number of people who have suggested that Kali's ferocity is something that was imposed upon her by outsiders, and that she's really a peaceful figure who would never hurt a fly.

Hehe, they need to read the ancient texts. The source of the most famous story, the battlefield where Kali goes on a rampage is in the Devi Mahatmyam. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kali#Slayer_of_Raktabija in the Markandeya Purana.

Hariti · « **Reply #31 on:** March 29, 2017, 03:37:01 pm »

Quote from: Jainarayan;204384

They will think the gods are capable of wanton and unreasonable violence and destruction

I would expect most people to find it perfectly reasonable. It's no different from the violence enacted by the Hebrew God on the Egyptians, or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. The Greek Gods are also far from pacifist; think of what they did to Prometheus! The Aztec and other Mesoamerican Gods take violence to an entirely different level, practically putting modern horror movies to shame. I could go on all day listing examples of divine violence in Mythology, from Africa to Japan.

The Hindu Gods are not any more violent than most Gods, and considerably less violent than some. Typically, the victims did something to provoke their punishment. I really don't see why people would find it shocking.

Jack · « **Reply #32 on:** March 29, 2017, 04:50:29 pm »

Quote from: Castus;204376

Dear G-d, if UPG were something one would be guilty of 3/4ths of the forum would be put to death.

Hahaha yeah I'd have my head in a basket for sure.

I see that phrasing about UPG used often but I think it's telling that some kinds of personal beliefs are treated that way and some aren't the same way some kinds of books are treated like guilty pleasures and others are not.

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Jainarayan · « **Reply #33 on:** March 29, 2017, 05:05:45 pm »

Quote from: EnderDragonFire;204390

I would expect most people to find it perfectly reasonable. It's no different from the violence enacted by the Hebrew God on the Egyptians, or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah.

That's what disturbs me, that people find it perfectly reasonable that any god/dess would wreak havoc on mortals or the universe on a whim or for their own purposes. I hate to point fingers, but I think that is a legacy of the God of the Bible. People do expect deities to be vengeful or on hair-triggers.

Take Shiva for example... people call him the god of destruction. What they fail to understand is that it's not wanton mindless destruction on a rampage. When I think of a supernova, I think of Shiva. The star is old, tired, worn out. Shiva clears it away, yet at the same time he is creating life and a new beginning by the star blasting out new elements to form new planets and stars. As I see it, this is his ongoing function separate from the end-of-time Tāṇḍavam as Natarāja.

Quote

The Hindu Gods are not any more violent than most Gods, and considerably less violent than some. Typically, the victims did something to provoke their punishment. I really don't see why people would find it shocking.

Except for the mortal warriors in the Mahābhārata whose deaths Krishna orchestrated, or outright performed (the beheading of Shishupala with the Sudarshana Chakra, after tolerating Shishupala's insults 100 times), in every instance of a god/dess killing someone, the executed one was a non-mortal being... usually a rakshasa or rakshasi, or asura: Kamsa, Ravana, Putana, Hiranyakashipu, Hiranyakasha, Mahabali, etc. And in those cases their deaths were in order to protect the Earth, the universe, or a particular devotee (e.g. Prahlada).

Moreover, in the case of Hiranyakashipu, though his hatred of Vishnu had no bounds, he was ultimately redeemed by Vishnu because Hiranyakashipu always had Vishnu in mind. As Swami Vivekananda said, quoting William Shakespeare “Love me or hate me, both are in my favor...If you love me, I'll always be in your heart...If you hate me, I'll always be in your mind”. God only cares that he is in our minds or hearts, in some way. So I think this is where the Hindu gods depart from deities of other pantheons.

Cinder · « **Reply #34 on:** April 19, 2017, 02:24:57 pm »

Quote from: Logan;204264

Hello! I am European, 2 years ago I thought that I am atheist. One friend told me about asatru and i was very excited. I was reading norse mytology, everything was ok. When i was kid i was very interwted in egyption gods and mythology and i sarted to read again and then i was confused. I like both religions. I dont know what to do but i want to choose one of them.

It's perfectly fine to wish to choose one religion, but I'd like to put the idea out there that it's perfectly possible to worship gods from both pantheons and to take ideas from both religions and apply them to your own personal practice. Plenty of people worship both Norse and Egyptian gods and seem content.

Personally I find it easier to adhere to the moral (and other aspects) of one religion while at the same time being open to worshiping gods outside of the Kemetic pantheon rather than trying to mush Kemeticism/x religion together (or something along those lines). For example, I try to follow ma'at but I still worship Manannán mac Lir- just separately from my Kemetic gods.

Additionally, I've found that religion can sometimes take a while to figure out. People may disagree with me, but I believe that it's fine to attempt one religion for a while, figure out that it's not for you, and move on to something more appropriate.