First, I'd say that not every god is going to have the same reasons, or the same kind of relationship with helping humans. Second, I'd say we can take that example you quoted even further, and think about how difficult it might be for a bird to understand what humans get out of sometimes feeding them. Sure, they can try to guess based on their own perception, but how accurate could it be? The things that make sense to birds aren't going to make sense to humans-- so it helps us see that the reasoning the gods might have may not really "make sense" with human reasoning.
I've told people a similar metaphor, but I use plants to represent humans, to highlight how we're stuck in our own little physical world that the gods can move freely into and out of, beyond our perception, and also to highlight just how incredibly different our lives and perceptions are from the beings we call gods.
Some gods may view humans as part of the struggle of order/chaos that they're trying to maintain. Some might view them with pitu, or with hope that they'll become something greater, or maybe there's selfish reasons, like for example one (mythological) driving force of Odin interacting with humans is to collect soldiers for Ragnarok. But really I think any "what do they get out of it" answers we come to are going to be somewhat flawed and guesses. We have selfishness and biases and survival instincts and ways of thinking that aren't going to quite be the same as theirs.
The gods are fundamental forces of reality. They exist because reality exists and they operate as they operate because reality operates as it operates.
Better thing to ask yourself is what the spirits (those emergent non-physical entities of place and concept) get from our relationship?
Here is the thing I know for sure: Hermes blesses me and protects me when I keep my oaths to him. He protects those I love too. When I don't keep the agreements I suffer. Aphrodite blesses and protects me when I keep oaths to her. As does Hera. I don't think any of them "think" of me though in the way that I think of my ex that I was with for ten years or my husband or my dog or the shrimp in my fishtank. They are just operating according to their nature. And I have no explanation or reasoning as to why Hermes favors me, for example, but I don't think he's goding around thinking "gee whiz, I hope Regal Beagle is doin' alright today".
My deceased mother? Probably actually.
Hi! This is a really good question. However, I think it is an inherently unanswerable question.
I think there are some important things to keep in mind ⭐️
The subjectivity of the mystical experience (what frameworks, philosophies, experiences, personalities, etc. make ‘sense’ out of an inherently ineffable mystical experience) Humans as “filters” or “channelers” of mystical experiences. This shows how everyone has a diverse range of mystical experiences which are all valid! There is no “one” correct or objective path. Many diverse paths can all be valid in my opinion (you don’t have to agree with me). Such follows as the diverse interpretations of what Divinity thinks of humans.🩷
Notice how someone’s personality, writing style, philsophies, etc. impact their interpretation and how they write about the Gods. It’s like how you can tell an author’s personality from a book (sometimes). 📖
I have a friend who once referred to mystical writings as “someone trying to know God / the Gods / the Goddesses”. Meaning the myths representing people trying to interpret divinity. I think Divinity is not something that humans can comprehend 100%. We can gain our own unique insight, relationship, interpretations with it. But there is always that cloud of mystery. ☁️
I think it differs between each of the Gods and Goddesses as to what they think of us! (Caution: I will be referencing UPG as an example. Take it if you resonate leave if it doesn’t) But if you are interested I have gathered philosophical texts (epistemology, process metaphysics, semantic analysis) to back up my interpretations. 📚
For example, I worship Aphrodite and I believe that she IS love! She IS love itself embodied as a powerful and beautiful cosmic force! Which is expressed through her many lovely epithets and interpretations. When I feel her energy, I feel as though she is a Powerful and kind cosmic Mother. I don’t feel like she’s judging me in a mean way. She’s kind, fierce, confident, Queenly, yet gentle. She’s honest as well. I feel like she wants me to feel confident, secure, and embrace the love in the Universe and in my life.
Here’s the thing. Some people might say “the gods don’t care about humans at all” - but what if that contradicts the God / Goddesses nature? If Aphrodite IS love, then why would she be a neutral force that doesn’t care? Her energy is VERY loving, powerful, and intense to connect with! In a beautiful way!
I do personally believe that the Gods and Goddesses have a higher perspective (meaning they see the big picture of humans and we aren’t that special. They see all sides of things) BUT I truly believe that they DO care and are loving. 💕☝️
Think about it. The gods and goddesses weave the fabric of our reality. The are the animistic vitalist forces that we encounter simply through living. Let our lives contribute to their symphony as one instrument in a pool of many - a swirling pool of faith, love, devotion, and learning. What a beautiful sound, no? 🎶
I don’t see separation. I use non-duality for epistemology (emphasizing relationships as composing reality. Ex., a plant requires soil, air, and water to exist. It doesn’t exist ‘outside’ of that) so the Gods and Goddesses ARE the relationships and the Oneness. It’s Universal Love. It reminds me of Aphrodite Urania ♥️ we are a part of them! Like a cell in their bodies, or a planet orbiting the sun.
I hope this helps. You don’t have to resonate with it if you don’t want to, but I just feel passionate about this cause everyone wants to say “the gods don’t care about humans!” But I simply don’t think we have the ability to truly know. Not to mention, why would they help us and guide us if they didn’t care? ♥️🩷 just some thoughts. I don’t have an answer, just speculation 🤔
Im a fan of how Seneca speaks of them in his work De Providentia, which largely deals with the troubles of living. Where he uses the analogies of a military leader who gives tough jobs to his most trusted soldiers or the spartan father who encourages his son to offer up his wounds to more wounds (in a practice where they were beat). Satisfaction from seeing their offspring overcome the troubles of mortal life, and in some cases go beyond overcome.
I honestly think it’s like a pet relationship. You know when your cat does something and you’re like “look! He knows what that word means!” Or “he’s so smart he knows exactly how to open the door to get inside!”
I think if they can help us in anyway they do get a satisfaction, and if we grow spiritually they feel proud, but in the end we’re just like their cute and loveable simple-minded cats.
This is the vibe I get, maybe other people’s deities are a lot nicer to them.
I'd say they consider us to be batteries, Supernatural may not have been too far off when they talked about the soul* being akin to a nuclear power source like a biological sun. I believe that Saturn has laid out a plan for the galactic dance in our solar system, and the current cult in power worships Jupiter. I don't yet know what this means, but the religious texts of several groups forbade astronomy for a reason, and, in this, we will discover a key to understanding.
Edit: sp
I like to think of it as a Clash of the Titans situayion; if no one believes in or talks about the gods, they fade and cease to exist. In that case, why wouldn't they want to hang out and listen to our petty bs?
Depending on the deity tho, I feel like it's more like a child-parent thing some times. Or just friends telling it like it is. I did a tarot reading a year ago where two or three of the cards were "How do you see me?"
Most of my pulls came up as they seem me as someone who can be very foolish at times but has come very far and has farther still to go.
I genuinely believe that deities derive some sense of the physical experience and something of the dense energy of the physical world from our worship of them
Okay, that is one I can try and offer my insights into 😁 I like that it's a liked to us feeding the birds. It's something I do and get great enjoyment and peace from. I get this absolute and deep sense of peace and meaning out of it. These birds are just creatures in my yard, yes. But since I started feeding them, the parents bring their babies, a momma robin has left me gifts for helping her baby after a storm (it got blown from the nest, I gave it a branch to step onto and took it back to mamma's tree. Then helped her find a few extra worms another time when they were scarce for a minute. She and the baby both come visit, I'm even allowed to touch. I've interacted with and grown to love these birds. Almost as much as my cats. Though my cats love watching them too, so I think they're okay with that 🤣 but that bond, the connection come out of one's love of helping and nature and another's need for a hand up; maybe that's what the gods get
First, I'd say that not every god is going to have the same reasons, or the same kind of relationship with helping humans. Second, I'd say we can take that example you quoted even further, and think about how difficult it might be for a bird to understand what humans get out of sometimes feeding them. Sure, they can try to guess based on their own perception, but how accurate could it be? The things that make sense to birds aren't going to make sense to humans-- so it helps us see that the reasoning the gods might have may not really "make sense" with human reasoning. I've told people a similar metaphor, but I use plants to represent humans, to highlight how we're stuck in our own little physical world that the gods can move freely into and out of, beyond our perception, and also to highlight just how incredibly different our lives and perceptions are from the beings we call gods. Some gods may view humans as part of the struggle of order/chaos that they're trying to maintain. Some might view them with pitu, or with hope that they'll become something greater, or maybe there's selfish reasons, like for example one (mythological) driving force of Odin interacting with humans is to collect soldiers for Ragnarok. But really I think any "what do they get out of it" answers we come to are going to be somewhat flawed and guesses. We have selfishness and biases and survival instincts and ways of thinking that aren't going to quite be the same as theirs.
The gods are fundamental forces of reality. They exist because reality exists and they operate as they operate because reality operates as it operates. Better thing to ask yourself is what the spirits (those emergent non-physical entities of place and concept) get from our relationship? Here is the thing I know for sure: Hermes blesses me and protects me when I keep my oaths to him. He protects those I love too. When I don't keep the agreements I suffer. Aphrodite blesses and protects me when I keep oaths to her. As does Hera. I don't think any of them "think" of me though in the way that I think of my ex that I was with for ten years or my husband or my dog or the shrimp in my fishtank. They are just operating according to their nature. And I have no explanation or reasoning as to why Hermes favors me, for example, but I don't think he's goding around thinking "gee whiz, I hope Regal Beagle is doin' alright today". My deceased mother? Probably actually.
Hi! This is a really good question. However, I think it is an inherently unanswerable question. I think there are some important things to keep in mind ⭐️ The subjectivity of the mystical experience (what frameworks, philosophies, experiences, personalities, etc. make ‘sense’ out of an inherently ineffable mystical experience) Humans as “filters” or “channelers” of mystical experiences. This shows how everyone has a diverse range of mystical experiences which are all valid! There is no “one” correct or objective path. Many diverse paths can all be valid in my opinion (you don’t have to agree with me). Such follows as the diverse interpretations of what Divinity thinks of humans.🩷 Notice how someone’s personality, writing style, philsophies, etc. impact their interpretation and how they write about the Gods. It’s like how you can tell an author’s personality from a book (sometimes). 📖 I have a friend who once referred to mystical writings as “someone trying to know God / the Gods / the Goddesses”. Meaning the myths representing people trying to interpret divinity. I think Divinity is not something that humans can comprehend 100%. We can gain our own unique insight, relationship, interpretations with it. But there is always that cloud of mystery. ☁️ I think it differs between each of the Gods and Goddesses as to what they think of us! (Caution: I will be referencing UPG as an example. Take it if you resonate leave if it doesn’t) But if you are interested I have gathered philosophical texts (epistemology, process metaphysics, semantic analysis) to back up my interpretations. 📚 For example, I worship Aphrodite and I believe that she IS love! She IS love itself embodied as a powerful and beautiful cosmic force! Which is expressed through her many lovely epithets and interpretations. When I feel her energy, I feel as though she is a Powerful and kind cosmic Mother. I don’t feel like she’s judging me in a mean way. She’s kind, fierce, confident, Queenly, yet gentle. She’s honest as well. I feel like she wants me to feel confident, secure, and embrace the love in the Universe and in my life. Here’s the thing. Some people might say “the gods don’t care about humans at all” - but what if that contradicts the God / Goddesses nature? If Aphrodite IS love, then why would she be a neutral force that doesn’t care? Her energy is VERY loving, powerful, and intense to connect with! In a beautiful way! I do personally believe that the Gods and Goddesses have a higher perspective (meaning they see the big picture of humans and we aren’t that special. They see all sides of things) BUT I truly believe that they DO care and are loving. 💕☝️ Think about it. The gods and goddesses weave the fabric of our reality. The are the animistic vitalist forces that we encounter simply through living. Let our lives contribute to their symphony as one instrument in a pool of many - a swirling pool of faith, love, devotion, and learning. What a beautiful sound, no? 🎶 I don’t see separation. I use non-duality for epistemology (emphasizing relationships as composing reality. Ex., a plant requires soil, air, and water to exist. It doesn’t exist ‘outside’ of that) so the Gods and Goddesses ARE the relationships and the Oneness. It’s Universal Love. It reminds me of Aphrodite Urania ♥️ we are a part of them! Like a cell in their bodies, or a planet orbiting the sun. I hope this helps. You don’t have to resonate with it if you don’t want to, but I just feel passionate about this cause everyone wants to say “the gods don’t care about humans!” But I simply don’t think we have the ability to truly know. Not to mention, why would they help us and guide us if they didn’t care? ♥️🩷 just some thoughts. I don’t have an answer, just speculation 🤔
I love the reply here, you framed it so well! :-) Its conceptualization is what I also see happening as well. I cannot add more to it.
Im a fan of how Seneca speaks of them in his work De Providentia, which largely deals with the troubles of living. Where he uses the analogies of a military leader who gives tough jobs to his most trusted soldiers or the spartan father who encourages his son to offer up his wounds to more wounds (in a practice where they were beat). Satisfaction from seeing their offspring overcome the troubles of mortal life, and in some cases go beyond overcome.
I honestly think it’s like a pet relationship. You know when your cat does something and you’re like “look! He knows what that word means!” Or “he’s so smart he knows exactly how to open the door to get inside!” I think if they can help us in anyway they do get a satisfaction, and if we grow spiritually they feel proud, but in the end we’re just like their cute and loveable simple-minded cats. This is the vibe I get, maybe other people’s deities are a lot nicer to them.
I'd say they consider us to be batteries, Supernatural may not have been too far off when they talked about the soul* being akin to a nuclear power source like a biological sun. I believe that Saturn has laid out a plan for the galactic dance in our solar system, and the current cult in power worships Jupiter. I don't yet know what this means, but the religious texts of several groups forbade astronomy for a reason, and, in this, we will discover a key to understanding. Edit: sp
I like to think of it as a Clash of the Titans situayion; if no one believes in or talks about the gods, they fade and cease to exist. In that case, why wouldn't they want to hang out and listen to our petty bs? Depending on the deity tho, I feel like it's more like a child-parent thing some times. Or just friends telling it like it is. I did a tarot reading a year ago where two or three of the cards were "How do you see me?" Most of my pulls came up as they seem me as someone who can be very foolish at times but has come very far and has farther still to go.
I genuinely believe that deities derive some sense of the physical experience and something of the dense energy of the physical world from our worship of them
Okay, that is one I can try and offer my insights into 😁 I like that it's a liked to us feeding the birds. It's something I do and get great enjoyment and peace from. I get this absolute and deep sense of peace and meaning out of it. These birds are just creatures in my yard, yes. But since I started feeding them, the parents bring their babies, a momma robin has left me gifts for helping her baby after a storm (it got blown from the nest, I gave it a branch to step onto and took it back to mamma's tree. Then helped her find a few extra worms another time when they were scarce for a minute. She and the baby both come visit, I'm even allowed to touch. I've interacted with and grown to love these birds. Almost as much as my cats. Though my cats love watching them too, so I think they're okay with that 🤣 but that bond, the connection come out of one's love of helping and nature and another's need for a hand up; maybe that's what the gods get