brotherhrolf:
Are you saying that we humans have the capability to bring “gods” into the world simply by belief?
If so, what does that imply for all of humanity?
I want to clear one thing up. I am not saying that all of these things are true. We are discussing paganism and various belief systems in paganism. We are not discussing my personal faith.
We are two scholars discussing ideas. It is not my place or purpose to convince you that what someone else believes is true or real. I am merely offering what I know about their beliefs.
There are many religions that DO believe that without the energy provided by human belief and worship, their deities would disappear.
There are people who believe they can conjour up spirits and create things called elementals, by gathering energy together.
In your study of anthropology, have you studied beliefs on prayer and magic? There is a spectrum of beliefs concerning how human intent, effort interacts with the mystical. On one end is a mystical or divine which does not interact at all, then it moves on to a more cooperative approach, humans and gods working together, then we get toward the end where the gods are in some ways dependant on humans to get things done, and then to the point where humans create gods with their beliefs, and then to humans=gods.
These are the ways people throughout history have explained their experience with the mystical.
What Christians call prayer and what some call magic are very closely related, and in some traditions identical. Many people believe that if we focus our intent we can work with the divine create a desired reality. When people feel a strong need or desire, they ask others to join them, feeling this will strengthen the “work” being done. It is not that far from the idea, that if enough people believe it, it becomes reality.
Many philosophies include the concept that the universe is a projection of our minds, that there is no absolute reality etc. For these philosophies, it is not only possible for people to create their own gods, and have the gods respond according to belief, but it is the only way that gods come to be.
Again, I am not arguing that people can really do any of these things. But the reality is that there are people who believe and practice these things.
They do it, they are convinced of the reality of it, and are experiencing something related to the practice of it.
In my experience Christians usually decide those people are consorting with demons.
In my own studies of religions and beliefs, I have come across many bizarre and unexplainable things. There is no monopoly anywhere on miracles, wonders etc.
The explanation? Perhaps the divine interacts with different people in a way they can understand, speaks to each in their own language so to speak. Perhaps there are numerous deities and each group is dealing with reality. Perhaps all of it is a figment of rich human imagination. I really don’t know. But clearly there is something big, and of great importance going on that bears looking at.
cheddar
