Cultures and their Gods

[maenad nuri]

TeaDidikai

Noirkaze

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Shrine turning away someone based on ethnicity. Perhaps they do.

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I’ve also seen many deities being worshiped by other civilizations under the same name. Look at Egypt and Greece.

Congrats. You're a softpolytheist.

I personally find it insulting to assume that a couple traits make someone the same as another person.

I am not Nuri for example, simply because I am female and spend time in this guild.

In mythology there are a few stories about gods of a particular culture visiting other regions. I may not have phrased that well. Apollon flies off to Hyperion, the land of apples. This has been said to be Wales. I don't know. Dyonosos is said to have lived in Egypt.

I am not saying that Horus is Apollo because they are "Sun" deity.

I see. It would appear I misread.

Interesting- though I am curious as to the support for Apollo going to Wales. confused

I swear to have read this somewhere. It certainly wouldn't suprise me. The Romans took their gods everywhere, and Apollo was pretty much a direct lift.  

[TeaDidikai]

Nuri

I swear to have read this somewhere. It certainly wouldn't suprise me. The Romans took their gods everywhere, and Apollo was pretty much a direct lift.

I'm not sure this is a fair assessment.

While I know that the Roman Empire had no qualms absconding with YHVH, at the same time, to suggest that all the polytheistic gods were lifted from other cultures seems to do a disservice to the actual mythology and the differences present.  

[Noirkaze]

TeaDidikai

Nuri

I swear to have read this somewhere. It certainly wouldn't suprise me. The Romans took their gods everywhere, and Apollo was pretty much a direct lift.

I'm not sure this is a fair assessment.

While I know that the Roman Empire had no qualms absconding with YHVH, at the same time, to suggest that all the polytheistic gods were lifted from other cultures seems to do a disservice to the actual mythology and the differences present.

I agree to a point. To say all would be incorrect. When you share common borders ideas and thoughts tend to be shared or absorbed easily. Or easier.  

[maenad nuri]

TeaDidikai

Nuri

I swear to have read this somewhere. It certainly wouldn't suprise me. The Romans took their gods everywhere, and Apollo was pretty much a direct lift.

I'm not sure this is a fair assessment.

While I know that the Roman Empire had no qualms absconding with YHVH, at the same time, to suggest that all the polytheistic gods were lifted from other cultures seems to do a disservice to the actual mythology and the differences present.

The Romans were incredibly, and for good or ill, syncretic. They liked to equate gods with each other. When they encountered the Greeks, they took some, like Apollo, as direct lifts, others they equated (Ares and Mars, for instance). I don't dismiss their views wholesale, but remember that the Romans had different ideas of the gods to begin with.

They also took their gods with then to the places they took over. I swear, this is covered in Pagan Roman Britain by Anne Ross, but my copy seems to have been eaten by my bookshelves.  

[TeaDidikai]

Nuri

The Romans were incredibly, and for good or ill, syncretic. They liked to equate gods with each other. When they encountered the Greeks, they took some, like Apollo, as direct lifts, others they equated (Ares and Mars, for instance). I don't dismiss their views wholesale, but remember that the Romans had different ideas of the gods to begin with.

They also took their gods with then to the places they took over. I swear, this is covered in Pagan Roman Britain by Anne Ross, but my copy seems to have been eaten by my bookshelves.

I'll have to get a copy. I wonder if it has more information on Ancasta.

That said, the ones they lifted directly are adopted deities. The ones they equated- not so much.

Also, there are a great deal of deities that while they share a similar spelling, there are slight differences in name itself and dramatic differences in the deity and it's mythology.  

[Fiddlers Green]

The Kami of Japan are tied to Japan...
However, a Shinto-pomorphic religion that places the local Genus as Kami (different Kami, not, of course, the specific Kami of Japan), would that be considered culturally inappropriate?
What if the practitioner was, in point of fact, Shinto in Japan before they relocated?

Also, I meant to ask... how far can an adopting culture go with creative license before their lifted deity becomes something else?  

[TeaDidikai]

Fiddlers Green

The Kami of Japan are tied to Japan...
However, a Shinto-pomorphic religion that places the local Genus as Kami (different Kami, not, of course, the specific Kami of Japan), would that be considered culturally inappropriate?
What if the practitioner was, in point of fact, Shinto in Japan before they relocated?

It is my understanding that the Kami themselves are a form of spirit within the Shinto faith and that they do not exist outside of the Islands of the Pacific.

A local Genus would be something other than a Kami just as I am something other than a Brit.

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Also, I meant to ask... how far can an adopting culture go with creative license before their lifted deity becomes something else?

Might very well depend on the deity, no?

If the deity enjoys the new mythos- not sure the deity wouldn't indulge, divide itself, or otherwise join said culture. That or it could merely generate a very powerful thoughtform.  

[maenad nuri]

TeaDidikai

Nuri

The Romans were incredibly, and for good or ill, syncretic. They liked to equate gods with each other. When they encountered the Greeks, they took some, like Apollo, as direct lifts, others they equated (Ares and Mars, for instance). I don't dismiss their views wholesale, but remember that the Romans had different ideas of the gods to begin with.

They also took their gods with then to the places they took over. I swear, this is covered in Pagan Roman Britain by Anne Ross, but my copy seems to have been eaten by my bookshelves.

I'll have to get a copy. I wonder if it has more information on Ancasta.

That said, the ones they lifted directly are adopted deities. The ones they equated- not so much.

Also, there are a great deal of deities that while they share a similar spelling, there are slight differences in name itself and dramatic differences in the deity and it's mythology.

Well, yes, remember which side I argue on. I will fight to the end that Ares and Mars are different beings -- the fact that they were equated can tell me something about both their natures, but they are different.

I can't discount the Romans wholesale from my Hellenic religion.  

[TeaDidikai]

Nuri

Well, yes, remember which side I argue on.

Hadn't forgotten for a moment. twisted  

[Noirkaze]

Nuri

TeaDidikai

Nuri

The Romans were incredibly, and for good or ill, syncretic. They liked to equate gods with each other. When they encountered the Greeks, they took some, like Apollo, as direct lifts, others they equated (Ares and Mars, for instance). I don't dismiss their views wholesale, but remember that the Romans had different ideas of the gods to begin with.

They also took their gods with then to the places they took over. I swear, this is covered in Pagan Roman Britain by Anne Ross, but my copy seems to have been eaten by my bookshelves.

I'll have to get a copy. I wonder if it has more information on Ancasta.

That said, the ones they lifted directly are adopted deities. The ones they equated- not so much.

Also, there are a great deal of deities that while they share a similar spelling, there are slight differences in name itself and dramatic differences in the deity and it's mythology.

Well, yes, remember which side I argue on. I will fight to the end that Ares and Mars are different beings -- the fact that they were equated can tell me something about both their natures, but they are different.

I can't discount the Romans wholesale from my Hellenic religion.

I coudn't ever say that Mars and Ares are the same. Similar yes, same no.

Looks like I'll have to go hunting for a new book to add to the collection.  

[TeaDidikai]

Noirkaze

I coudn't ever say that Mars and Ares are the same. Similar yes, same no.

Looks like I'll have to go hunting for a new book to add to the collection.

Likewise. Though- how a god of herds and agriculture is akin to a patron of fighters...  

[maenad nuri]

TeaDidikai

Noirkaze

I coudn't ever say that Mars and Ares are the same. Similar yes, same no.

Looks like I'll have to go hunting for a new book to add to the collection.

Likewise. Though- how a god of herds and agriculture is akin to a patron of fighters...

Protecting your herds and fields? If you can't defend your land, then it may not be yours for long. Just a first thought  

[Gideon Starorzewski]

I think it really is far too presumptuous of someone to delineate whom can worship or contact what deity. It's rather up to them who they want to deal with.  

[TeaDidikai]

Nuri

Protecting your herds and fields? If you can't defend your land, then it may not be yours for long. Just a first thought

Fair enough I guess.

Gideon Starorzewski

I think it really is far too presumptuous of someone to delineate whom can worship or contact what deity. It's rather up to them who they want to deal with.

And when the god themself states as much?

I think it is just as presumptuous to suggest that a person gets to cherry pick dieties who have clearly stated that they are not for them.  

[Tagra Nar]

TeaDidikai

And when the god themself states as much?

I think it is just as presumptuous to suggest that a person gets to cherry pick dieties who have clearly stated that they are not for them.

And if the god allows the person to worship in a way different from the ancient form or cultural norm?