In much the same way that so many people cry out “Don’t defang my gods! Let them be their own fierce selves who don’t necessarily want to coddle people!”, I find myself wanting to say “Don’t envenom my gods! Let them be their own kind bright merciful beneficent selves who don’t necessarily want to ruin people’s lives!”
It may be a sign of how long I’ve been on tumblr that my reaction to typing that is to immediately question myself as to why I don’t have a “deeper” relationship with various gods. But you know? Some gods are kind. Some gods are gentle. Nearly all of the Theoi have benevolent, gracious aspects – that’s kind of the basis of the religion.
My writings about and relationships with many of the Theoi are never going to align with tumblr’s insistence on power/strength-as-violence. I’m slowly coming to make my peace with this.
Just reminds me of the constant duality of the Theoi. If you look at a lot of them they contain such extreme opposites in their personalities and domains.
Aphrodite can bring lovey dovey snuggles, but she can also bring the sort of love and jealousy that burns you up and brings death. Zeus brings the life giving rains but also the deadly storms. Poseidon brings calms seas for sailors or raging waves. Apollon heals and brings plague. Dionysos brings madness and sends it away.
There is always a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’. Though I think those terms don’t exactly express the concept in an ideal way. There is the aspect that is beneficial for mortals and then the untamed force of nature that consumes us.
exactly. the gods have many sides, many that we mortals cannot even fathom.
Published
The Carving Witch 