Which God's rules apply?

[TeaDidikai]

SoundDoctrine

That was helpful and confusing at the same time.
I see how it helps me a lot, but then again I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO confused.

Like, I've always been a Trinitarian, so I oathed to the Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (you know, all that jazz).
So in regards to number 1, in not believing the Trinity, I haven't oathed to YHVH.

A) I've heard you talk about Him before. Can you give me more information about Ahura Mazda?

Fiddler handled this.

Quote:

B) An Aeon? Details?

Aeons are what make up Divinity beyond Kether.

Within the most basic understanding of this kind of mysticism, YHVH is the cruel imperfect form of Divinity.

Within the OT, he holds envy, wrath, and has no problem killing those who had no choice in the role they played (Infant First Born of Egypt anyone?).

Within this very limited understanding of Kabalism, that which is Deity (tm), incarnated down the Tree of Life, then slowly accended back up beyond Kether.

Quote:

And with the other options, basically you're saying I'm cool because YHWH's not Triune.

Not really.

B says that, but A and C make room for the idea that Yeshua never removed the Law- which would be bad except that Sheol isn't quite as Dante would have you believe, or that as a result of the teachings themselves being flawed, an Oath made in error isn't held.

The best way I can explain the last one would be for me to demand you to promise that you will hop on your left foot by saying as much, and you looked at me with hope in your eyes and said "Fish!".

Quote:

I guess I should tell you that I'm not a Christian anymore.

Interesting. I had read that you were agnostic, but for some reason I couldn't wrap my head around it and thought you had always been.

Quote:

I'd like to call myself Pagan now,

Don't really see a need. I myself am not pagan and I'm perfectly happy.

Quote:

Maybe Agnostic would be better, since I haven't found any specifc religion or deities.

I think most folks call that "looking", "seeking", or something akin to such.

To be an agnostic you'd need to figure out if you are hard or soft. I'd bet on soft.

Quote:

But I already know that I'm interested in the paranormal. I prayed today, and I just kinda told YHWH(Ahura Mazda, or an Aeon, or Triune God), that I couldn't follow Him anymore, and I apologized a lot, and that was that.

Mighty polite of you. I say that with true respect. It's better than running off and cheating on him with another god. Best to be upfront with the break.  

[Fiddlers Green]

Oh, one point that is important to make, whether YHVH = Ahura Mazda is a point of contention.
Dhimmi Zoroastrians tend to say yes, as do some who are close to Sihks and Baha'i... other, Diaspora Zoroastrians and other Mazdians tend to say no.

The equating of Adonai with Anhur is a relatively recent developement, which has roots during troubled times.
There are strong arguements about similarities between God the Father of the New Testament and Anhur, however, there are equally strong differences between The Tertragrammaton of Judaism (who is very similar to Allah of Islam, so much so that claims they are the same diety don't rankle me nearly as much) and Ahura Mazda.
The recent unitarian trends in faiths that are either monotheistic, or at least very close to said concept can lead to odd and conflicting identity issues for gods... just look what happened to poor Mithras in Rome.... sweatdrop  

[Deoridhe]

Fiddlers Green

just look what happened to poor Mithras in Rome.... sweatdrop

Honestly, I think what happened to the Gods in Rome should be a huge warning against soft polytheism, but then I'm a hard polytheist.  

[Fiddlers Green]

Deoridhe

Honestly, I think what happened to the Gods in Rome should be a huge warning against soft polytheism, but then I'm a hard polytheist.

Weren't most of the native Roman gods sorta put on the back burner for souped up versions of the Hellenic gods? sweatdrop  

[Darin Rosewood]

SoundDoctrine

I prayed today, and I just kinda told YHWH(Ahura Mazda, or an Aeon, or Triune God), that I couldn't follow Him anymore, and I apologized a lot, and that was that.

I did much the same thing when I broke away from Christianity. I told Him: "Well, my Lord, I'm sorry. I still believe in you and love you, but I don't think it's in either of our best interests for me to worship you. There are other things out there for me that I can't experience as a Christian. In addition--no offense meant to you, Lord--but your followers have grown rather corrupt, and I can't support their blatant intolerance of minorities and non-Christians. I don't know if I'll choose to worship another god. Perhaps, but I'd like to get things straightened out first. Anyway, I'd still like to have a relationship between us: you, your son, the Holy Spirit, and me. Not a religious relationship, mind, simply a bond of friendship and love. It's up to you, of course, but I don't want to abandon you entirely. Sorry about all this, I hope you can forgive me. Amen."
I haven't really received a response about it, though. I still go to church, mostly because I haven't told my parents about this. You think it's okay to take communion and serve as an acolyte?  

[maenad nuri]

Fiddlers Green

Deoridhe

Honestly, I think what happened to the Gods in Rome should be a huge warning against soft polytheism, but then I'm a hard polytheist.

Weren't most of the native Roman gods sorta put on the back burner for souped up versions of the Hellenic gods? sweatdrop

They sorta merged together. Seriously. Ares and Mars are very different, IMO.  

[Fiddlers Green]

Nuri

They sorta merged together. Seriously. Ares and Mars are very different, IMO.

Mayhaps Revised would be a better term then...
And yes, those are two very different entities. 3nodding  

[godhi]

I have an interesting question: Suppose you break the rules of your chosen faith. Woyuld you receive the punishment given to those of that faith in the Afterlife?

Another interesting question: If you broke enough of the rules of your faith to be denied Paradise but not enough to receive the ultimate punishment, would you be sent to the Afterlife of your ancestors for judgement?

I can picture a Christian of Anglo-Saxon heritage who broke just enough of the Ten Commandments to be denied Heaven, but not enough to go to Hell finding himself in the Afterlife standing before Odin:

Christian: What is this place? This isn't Heaven!
Heathen: Dude, you're at the Gates of Asgard.

Christian: Asgard? And who is the old guy with one eye?
Heathen: That's the Allfather.

Christian: (confused) That can't be God. I read Jack Chick comics, and He doesn't look like that. And where is Jesus?
Heathen: (shaking his head) Dude, you are so in the wrong place.

Odin: Since you refused to follow the Nine Noble Virtues and did not lead a heroic life, I'm sending you to Hel.
Christian: No, not that!
(vanishes in a puff of logic)
Heathen: Allfather, you have a sick sense of humor.  

[TeaDidikai]

godhi

Odin: Since you refused to follow the Nine Noble Virtues and did not lead a heroic life, I'm sending you to Hel.
Christian: No, not that!
(vanishes in a puff of logic)
Heathen: Allfather, you have a sick sense of humor.

I'd laugh. Especially since to the best of my knowledge, the Nine Noble Virtues aren't historical. twisted  

[MoonJeli]

This is a really really interesting topic, and I think I'll have to spend several hours reading over the posts here.

I converted to Christianity for about one year of my life in a fit of teenaged angst and rebellion. Since coming here, and reading everything that Tea and others have written about the Scriptures, I've learned that what I did was dabble in a fluffy Christian sect (and no rolemodels to steer me in a more accurate direction).

Now I wonder if that's better or worse than breaking a more educated and accurate oath, in the POV of the god it's made too.  

[TeaDidikai]

MoonJeli

This is a really really interesting topic, and I think I'll have to spend several hours reading over the posts here.

I converted to Christianity for about one year of my life in a fit of teenaged angst and rebellion. Since coming here, and reading everything that Tea and others have written about the Scriptures, I've learned that what I did was dabble in a fluffy Christian sect (and no rolemodels to steer me in a more accurate direction).

Now I wonder if that's better or worse than breaking a more educated and accurate oath, in the POV of the god it's made too.

For what little it is worth, my opinion on the Christian Populas as a whole is that a lack of scholarship has pretty much caused the core of what Yeshua said to be bastardized beyond belief.

I keep meaning to write a fictional account of the Early Church and Yeshua's message as I understand it from my studies. I was far more driven to do so before Dan Brown's book outlined the problems that would stem from my work.  

[Deoridhe]

TeaDidikai

godhi

Odin: Since you refused to follow the Nine Noble Virtues and did not lead a heroic life, I'm sending you to Hel.
Christian: No, not that!
(vanishes in a puff of logic)
Heathen: Allfather, you have a sick sense of humor.

I'd laugh. Especially since to the best of my knowledge, the Nine Noble Virtues aren't historical. twisted

Nope, and some of them aren't lore supported. It's an all right list of things to aspire too, I guess, but it shouldn't be used as some sort of benchmark or standard of heathanism.  

[TeaDidikai]

Deoridhe

Nope, and some of them aren't lore supported.

Which ones off the top of your head?  

[Deoridhe]

TeaDidikai

Deoridhe

Nope, and some of them aren't lore supported.

Which ones off the top of your head?

Industriousness. That one always makes me giggle. It's so WASP.  

[TeaDidikai]

Deoridhe

Industriousness. That one always makes me giggle. It's so WASP.

I've always wondered about that. I can't help but look at the viking era and say... "Silly Vikings, don't you know the Nine Noble Virtues say that you should have stayed home and tended your fields?"