New Gods?

[MidnightLetter]

I have to admit I was somewhat disturbed by this...but it's a good discussion topic none the less. Not only that but there is the opportunity to add you input if you want to take the survey.

Quote:

Practicing with the New Gods
Friday April 10, 2009

If you've read Neil Gaiman's American Gods, you're familiar with the concept that as new technology develops, new godforms develop as well, while the older gods may be stepping by the wayside. For instance, the gods of the Internet, of Wall Street, even the iPod touch may well try to usurp folks like Baldr, Cernunnos or Athena. Heck, anyone who's hung out on the Interwebs long enough has invoked "the goddess Ignora," and while it's meant tongue in cheek, how do we know that we are not giving Ignora life by the very act of invoking her?

At any rate, the marvelous Thorn Magazine is looking for input on thoughts and practice with the new gods for their June issue. If you'd like to participate, you can stop by to fill out a short preliminary questionnaire at New Gods. By the way, if you're unfamiliar with Thorn, it's definitely worth checking out.

source

So...what are your thoughts on "New Gods"?  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Honestly, I'd say they were thoughtforms more than actual gods.  

[Beautiful Propaganda]

Hey, I got that newsletter I think it's kind of a play pretend thing...nobody thinks they're real Gods/Goddesses. Unles Imissed that somewhere. In that case, eek  

[doistu]

My first impression was "Haha funny joke!"

But I know people who would take this kind of thing seriously.

It's sad. I hope it never comes to be true.  

[too2sweet]

Violet Song jat Shariff

Honestly, I'd say they were thoughtforms more than actual gods.

What worries me though, is now they are simply thoughtforms. However as the years go by, is it possible that they would develop into something "bigger". Especially if more and more people started to believe in "them".  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

too2sweet

Violet Song jat Shariff

Honestly, I'd say they were thoughtforms more than actual gods.

What worries me though, is now they are simply thoughtforms. However as the years go by, is it possible that they would develop into something "bigger". Especially if more and more people started to believe in "them".

OMG. You're alive.

I guess. But then (for me, anyways) it leads to questions like, what kind of UPG has gone into knowing the nature of these "gods"?
Is any of the UPG able to be verified among a wide group to become SPG?
In what manner do these "deities" want to be worshiped/honored?
Are these all "deities" or are they some sort of lesser divine beings being misconstrued as deities?
What kind of culture do they stem from?

Also, it seems silly to want to create forms like that. I mean, if one knows their own gods well enough, I would think that most of the "modern" things can and are covered by the gods we already have, ya know? (if that makes sense).  

[too2sweet]

Yeah...I'm here...I've just been "blah".

I completely agree with you. There's just this nagging "fear" in the back of my mind, that if enough people put their "energy" into one of these things that it will "become". An "if they build it, it will come" type thing.

The culture is what bothers me the most, because based on the article, it's material things, money, technology, etc... I don't like the idea of those things being "worshiped". (though I'm sure there are already many that do, in their own ways)

It's sort of weird, because I have no problem with people "creating" their own gods, but for some reason this in particular doesn't sit well with me at all. gonk  

[IceQueenMizore]

too2sweet

Yeah...I'm here...I've just been "blah".

I completely agree with you. There's just this nagging "fear" in the back of my mind, that if enough people put their "energy" into one of these things that it will "become". An "if they build it, it will come" type thing.

The culture is what bothers me the most, because based on the article, it's material things, money, technology, etc... I don't like the idea of those things being "worshiped". (though I'm sure there are already many that do, in their own ways)

It's sort of weird, because I have no problem with people "creating" their own gods, but for some reason this in particular doesn't sit well with me at all. gonk

Same here, I like the making new gods, but not the Tech thing... seems unnatural...  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

Have you read some of the replies on that website?! They're ******** scary!

I had to have a rant. I told 'em if this actually happened, right, then the new energies with the most belief right now would probably be those of the Cthulhu Mythos. And that we'd all go insane, be eaten, and then the world would be devoured by Azathoth.

I also took the Thorn mag survey thing and had a rant about how the Old Gods are not just manifestations of their "domains" and that, actually, they haven't ******** gone anywhere, so it's just possible that they're aware of the internet, kthx.

Also they mentioned "new gods of roads". Because the Romans never had roads, oh no. Known for it in ********. **stab**  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

too2sweet

Yeah...I'm here...I've just been "blah".

I completely agree with you. There's just this nagging "fear" in the back of my mind, that if enough people put their "energy" into one of these things that it will "become". An "if they build it, it will come" type thing.

The culture is what bothers me the most, because based on the article, it's material things, money, technology, etc... I don't like the idea of those things being "worshiped". (though I'm sure there are already many that do, in their own ways)

It's sort of weird, because I have no problem with people "creating" their own gods, but for some reason this in particular doesn't sit well with me at all. gonk

Eh, even with the concept of worshiping technology as gods...with as fast as it evolves, I don't see a Cult of the iPod Nano lasting more than a couple years before a newer, better toy comes out, ya know? Or, imagine someone trying to "create" a god of the 5.25" floppy disk back in the 90s? It would've totally died out. So I guess perhaps where I'm rambling to is, I think that even if people tried to "make" gods, they wouldn't be focused enough for anymore than a couple years before something newer and greater comes out?
(I hope that made sense)  

[whiporwill-o]

i don't believe for a secong that the "gods of old" will ever die, seriously, they have been around longer than ANYTHING else.

as for the tech gods, i don't really see an issue. many cultures have gods and goddesses for everything, even toaster ovens and refridgerators (which are all man-made items), i don't really see how an internet goddess is any different. after all the net is something that we, sadly, have come to not be able to live without in some form or another, be it work, research, shopping or anything else, it's just something that we have developed a need for. (ok, the wording sounds really weird in that sentence, but you all know what i mean)

i have not read neil gaiman's work, so before i go any further, is there a negative connotation to his writings? is there a reason for a fear that these thoughtforms may gain power?

EDIT: i just feel a need to state that i, personally, would not pay homage to these "new gods" as i believe more in worshipping natural deities (nature, emotions and the like).  

[raging-earth]

I'm falling even more in love with you, letting go all I've held onto...

Well, the idea of a god/dess must begin somewhere. At one point the gods and goddesses we Pagans/etc. worship were simple thought forms that grew into what they are to us today.

I'm not comfortable with the idea of these new thought forms being associated with technology. That seems too much like man simply worshiping himself and his own creations.

...I'm standing here until you make me move, I'm hanging by a moment here with you.

 

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

whiporwill-o

i don't believe for a secong that the "gods of old" will ever die, seriously, they have been around longer than ANYTHING else.

Ragnarok disagrees with you ninja  

[Sanguina Cruenta]

raging-earth

Well, the idea of a god/dess must begin somewhere. At one point the gods and goddesses we Pagans/etc. worship were simple thought forms that grew into what they are to us today.

You say that like it's a common belief neutral

I sincerely hope there are more Pagans who actually believe in the gods they worship than there are ones who think they're just ideas and archetypes.

Vi: I'm fairly sure she means "disappear forever" rather than "kinda sorta stick around, maybe, but on a different plane".
I mean, we don't know what happens to most of the gods after Ragnarok, but I see know reason why they would disappear forever when other gods have died and just ended up in Hel's hall.

That's my theory anyway wink  

[Violet Song jat Shariff]

Sanguina Cruenta

Vi: I'm fairly sure she means "disappear forever" rather than "kinda sorta stick around, maybe, but on a different plane".
I mean, we don't know what happens to most of the gods after Ragnarok, but I see know reason why they would disappear forever when other gods have died and just ended up in Hel's hall.

That's my theory anyway wink

Ah. That makes sense too.
Still though, even in Hel they aren't as...potent?....as they were pre-Hel. I guess that's more what I'm thinking of.
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