Frigga
03-14-2009, 08:44 PM
I believe that a religion's creation story, or myth if you prefer greatly affects a person's outlook on life, albeit, subconciously.
For example.
The Christians, have the Garden of Eden belief. They believe that a single entity had a plan for how things would come about in this world of ours. It (because God is supposed to be male and female, and be the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) created the world we see, and the animals we eat, and us in six days, and then it rested. God, when it made Adam, formed him from the earth. Adam was made in the image of God, and the breath of Life was breathed into him, and he lived. Now, Adam was made as one person. Eve was made after Adam was already an independent person. She came from Adam, as it clearly says that God caused him to fell into a deep sleep, and took a rib from Adam, and made a woman, Eve. She was supposed to be his partner, his helpmeet.
Now, how would this belief system affect how someone who is a Christian in their daily lives? You are taught this story all the way from preschool age Sunday School, so it creeps into your subconscious, and lives there your whole life. What would an outsider think? Well, they might think that human beings are being told that they need a lot of direction in their lives, and that they might not have much, if any control over their lives. When faced with adversity, the sterotype, (not that sterotypes are correct, but they are there) is that Christians will say "Well, that is God's Will, and He knows Best." and "The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways." Many could say that they don't get mad at the cosmic, and just "turn the other cheek" when Life hands them the shit end of the stick. If you look at the teachings of Jesus, he himself said "I am the potter, and you are the clay." He then is saying, that he knows what is best, and is forming you at every step of the way. Almost like you don't have to make any decisions, as He's guiding you, and molding you into what He wants you to be.
Now, the Norse have a different view.
In the Eddas, it says that our world was formed from the action of the realms of fire and ice meeting over a great void, and eventually making our world. Chaos made the world of the Northern Europeans. In the Heathen perspective, there wasn't a single entity driving the creation of the world. The world, became. There is more to the creation story, where Ymir is formed from this chaos, and wanders the area formed from the chaos of fire and ice, and is nourished by the cosmic cow Audumla. From his sweat while sleeping, male and female frost giants emerge. From the action of Audumla licking the salty ice, she exposes a man, who then becomes the father of Odin. Now, we all know who Odin is, he is the greatest of the Aesir. Odin had two brothers, Vili, and Ve. Many have speculated that they are all part of the same god, but, I'm not going to get into that here. Eventually, Odin and his brothers killed Ymir, and used his body to create the earth. His bones were the mountians, his eyes the stars, and his blood the lakes and seas. What this symbolises is order being brought out of chaos.
The creation of the human race is also outlined in the Eddas. Odin, Vili, and Ve were walking along a stretch of beach, and came upon two driftwood trees, an ash tree, and an elm tree. They created man from the ash tree, and named him Ask, and made a woman out of the elm tree, and named her Embla. All three gave different gifts to make them human.
How does this differ from the Christian view? Simple. We as heathens believe that we came from trees, and not the earth. Trees are nutured, and tended to, but you really can't control the form of a tree. A tree will grow according to what type of tree it is. A redwood will grow straight and tall. An oak will grow thick and mighty. A willow will grow graceful, and pliant. An apple will grow to give nourishment. Trees are magical and mystical. They inspire grace and beauty. Trees grow, and become their own entity, and follow their own path, but within the guidelines of their genetic codes. But they do express their own individuality. They do not rely on a all knowing deity up in the sky to form their every curve of limb, as they grow as the situation calls for.
I believe then that humans who have not discovered their true potential can then be ascribed to being seeds. Instead of being pliable dirt, which can take any form, I believe that the Heathen thought system believes that you take your potential, and nuture, and nourish it, and it will blossom accordingly. But, you are able to stunt, or even kill what you could be, whether it is with religion that is not right for you, or too much alcohol, or mind altering drugs. Or even poor nutrition.
This is what I think.
Discussion?
For example.
The Christians, have the Garden of Eden belief. They believe that a single entity had a plan for how things would come about in this world of ours. It (because God is supposed to be male and female, and be the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) created the world we see, and the animals we eat, and us in six days, and then it rested. God, when it made Adam, formed him from the earth. Adam was made in the image of God, and the breath of Life was breathed into him, and he lived. Now, Adam was made as one person. Eve was made after Adam was already an independent person. She came from Adam, as it clearly says that God caused him to fell into a deep sleep, and took a rib from Adam, and made a woman, Eve. She was supposed to be his partner, his helpmeet.
Now, how would this belief system affect how someone who is a Christian in their daily lives? You are taught this story all the way from preschool age Sunday School, so it creeps into your subconscious, and lives there your whole life. What would an outsider think? Well, they might think that human beings are being told that they need a lot of direction in their lives, and that they might not have much, if any control over their lives. When faced with adversity, the sterotype, (not that sterotypes are correct, but they are there) is that Christians will say "Well, that is God's Will, and He knows Best." and "The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways." Many could say that they don't get mad at the cosmic, and just "turn the other cheek" when Life hands them the shit end of the stick. If you look at the teachings of Jesus, he himself said "I am the potter, and you are the clay." He then is saying, that he knows what is best, and is forming you at every step of the way. Almost like you don't have to make any decisions, as He's guiding you, and molding you into what He wants you to be.
Now, the Norse have a different view.
In the Eddas, it says that our world was formed from the action of the realms of fire and ice meeting over a great void, and eventually making our world. Chaos made the world of the Northern Europeans. In the Heathen perspective, there wasn't a single entity driving the creation of the world. The world, became. There is more to the creation story, where Ymir is formed from this chaos, and wanders the area formed from the chaos of fire and ice, and is nourished by the cosmic cow Audumla. From his sweat while sleeping, male and female frost giants emerge. From the action of Audumla licking the salty ice, she exposes a man, who then becomes the father of Odin. Now, we all know who Odin is, he is the greatest of the Aesir. Odin had two brothers, Vili, and Ve. Many have speculated that they are all part of the same god, but, I'm not going to get into that here. Eventually, Odin and his brothers killed Ymir, and used his body to create the earth. His bones were the mountians, his eyes the stars, and his blood the lakes and seas. What this symbolises is order being brought out of chaos.
The creation of the human race is also outlined in the Eddas. Odin, Vili, and Ve were walking along a stretch of beach, and came upon two driftwood trees, an ash tree, and an elm tree. They created man from the ash tree, and named him Ask, and made a woman out of the elm tree, and named her Embla. All three gave different gifts to make them human.
How does this differ from the Christian view? Simple. We as heathens believe that we came from trees, and not the earth. Trees are nutured, and tended to, but you really can't control the form of a tree. A tree will grow according to what type of tree it is. A redwood will grow straight and tall. An oak will grow thick and mighty. A willow will grow graceful, and pliant. An apple will grow to give nourishment. Trees are magical and mystical. They inspire grace and beauty. Trees grow, and become their own entity, and follow their own path, but within the guidelines of their genetic codes. But they do express their own individuality. They do not rely on a all knowing deity up in the sky to form their every curve of limb, as they grow as the situation calls for.
I believe then that humans who have not discovered their true potential can then be ascribed to being seeds. Instead of being pliable dirt, which can take any form, I believe that the Heathen thought system believes that you take your potential, and nuture, and nourish it, and it will blossom accordingly. But, you are able to stunt, or even kill what you could be, whether it is with religion that is not right for you, or too much alcohol, or mind altering drugs. Or even poor nutrition.
This is what I think.
Discussion?