Neo-Paganism: Deity, Metaphor, and Masks

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Neo-Paganism: Deity, Metaphor, and Masks

For those who are interested in Neo-Paganism. Ember Grant shares why our gods and goddesses are so personal to us. Enjoy!

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Deity, Metaphor, and Masks
by Ember Grant
Llewellyn Unbound

Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Ember Grant, author of Magical Candle Crafting.

As a Neo-Pagan, I’m often asked about gods and goddess. Do I worship a pantheon? If so, which one? This is a tricky question. Basically, I feel that the universe and our natural world represent the divine power, and this is what I honor. But in order to bring deity to a personal level, I really do need to ask myself what I believe about the gods and goddess of my ancestors, or the ones currently worshiped today.

Well, I know what I don’t think about deity. I don’t think there’s one singular ominous being of a particular gender, belonging to one specific religion, floating above us, always watching and judging. And I certainly don’t think “he” has a long robe and flowing white beard and sits on a cloud behind pearly gates.

The religions of the past are fascinating to study; cultures like the Egyptians and Greeks (and many, many others) had sophisticated systems of polytheism. People often say those deities no longer exist, but, if that’s true, it’s only because large groups of people stopped believing in them. Our beliefs make something real.

There are so many religious traditions in the world that it’s futile to label them as right and wrong. It’s more than futile, it’s impossible. Yet our world continues to face wars born out of religious disputes. I often wonder why everyone can’t agree to disagree. Perhaps it’s because some people insist that their way is the only way and everyone else is wrong. They believe it is their duty to convince the rest of the world to join them and they devote their lives to it. Some people are unable to see beyond the metaphor, to the real meaning of the divine, rather than merely a cultural interpretation of it... Full Article

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