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Koala
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Koala
Joined: Oct 2005
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I could not understand meaning of two-way. Not a good way of phrasing it, I know. From what I gather, "working with" a deity means that the person interacts with the deity almost on an equal footing (more like a "colleague"), as opposed to worshipping the deity, which implies that the deity is a "higher" being (I really don't think I'm putting this well, and I hope I'm not offending anyone - that is not my intention). So, it sounds to me like Hinduism is a practice of worship (one-way: praise going towards the deity), whereas (again, this is my interpretation) many Pagans who work with a deity have an interactive process that could take several sessions to complete (asking help, receiving guidance, putting it into practice, returning to "discuss" the effects, altering the process to take new information into account, etc).
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Shark
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Shark
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 359 |
You are right. We worship deities. We do not treat them as equal.
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Zebra
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Zebra
Joined: Mar 2006
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This is one of the reasons I think that so many people are turning to Buddhism in the West. Because there is no confusion or question about whom to worship, or when, or the whereabouts according to geographic location.
In Buddhism, there is no somebody to worship.
There is no outer manifestation of an authority to whom one has to defer.
Buddhism states quite cleqarly that ultimately, there are no superiors, inferiors greaters or lessers.
This is why there was a recent upsurge of members of Hindu low caste systems "converting" to Buddhism, because ONE: they would no longer be classified as members of a Hindu class/caste system, as they were now Buddhists, and TWO, Buddhism makes no distinction between 'Kings and Commoners'.
Of course, before we begin to see this as a diatribe against Hinduism, it is immediately urgent and fair to point out that many religions have distinctions between castes and classes... Islam has a differentiation between Arab and African moslems, and even Catholicism (and other forms of Christianity) has been known to differentiate between those more or less worthy of being touched and blessed by God.
So this is not intended as an accusatory and defamatory indictement against Hinduism.
It was merely the original topic of discussion, but I didn't want it to become a dispute.
Thank you.
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Koala
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Koala
Joined: Oct 2005
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I don't know if "equal" is the right word either. I think, like everything, some Pagans would be comfortable with that statement and others wouldn't, and say you can't even compare humans to deities because it is such a different level of existence.
I thought of a (really bad) analogy, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment. I thought it might be a bit like you're working on a specific project at work and you need to go to your CEO for her/his input and skills. Depending on the project, you might need a lot of guidance and work from the CEO, or you might just need their "okay/sign-off". You work together for the good of the company and the company's clients. You wouldn't worship your CEO, but you would treat her/him with great respect for their experience, expertise, and wisdom, and honour their involvement, and thank them for their time. But you would be bringing your own skills and talents to the project, otherwise you wouldn't be working on it. And then another project might require working with the CFO, or the Chairman or other Board member who has a specific knowledge/power/insight that you need.
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Koala
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Koala
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I think a better term maybe is some people think of deity deities as there to help them do, or and accomplish something that they could not do on there own. so deity becomes like a silent helper who is there when you need them.
other believe they are at the will and mercy of deity deities. they must do or be a certen way to gain favor with the deity or fear the wrath of the deity if they dont. they must prase and worship the deity in a certen way. You may only gain favor in the eyes of the deity if and only if you do certen things.
then others or most fall somewhere in the middle. I dont know anything about Hinduism so...forgive me if I am wrong.. But outside of the extremist and radicals most all religious people fall in the middle. we REspect the Deities Deity because they are in contorl of our everything and can help or hinder us in our goals so we act think and do certen things to please the deity or deities.....BUT we also believe that God has mercy and will forgive us or overlook our faults and help us even if we fail to do and think and act a certen way.
so in short we believe they are above us and should be respected and set apart from us because they are wiser then us but they are also aprochible and loving.
hope I did not offened anyone out there either....this tends to be a tricky subject to get into when dealing with others who have different veiws and beliefs but it is a great topic!!!
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Shark
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Shark
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 359 |
I don't know if "equal" is the right word either. I think, like everything, some Pagans would be comfortable with that statement and others wouldn't, and say you can't even compare humans to deities because it is such a different level of existence.
I thought of a (really bad) analogy, but it's the best I can come up with at the moment. I thought it might be a bit like you're working on a specific project at work and you need to go to your CEO for her/his input and skills. Depending on the project, you might need a lot of guidance and work from the CEO, or you might just need their "okay/sign-off". You work together for the good of the company and the company's clients. You wouldn't worship your CEO, but you would treat her/him with great respect for their experience, expertise, and wisdom, and honour their involvement, and thank them for their time. But you would be bringing your own skills and talents to the project, otherwise you wouldn't be working on it. And then another project might require working with the CFO, or the Chairman or other Board member who has a specific knowledge/power/insight that you need. Well written. But Elle, hindus treat deities as much superior to them. They will not think of the deity on any level equal or slightly superior. They treat the deity as God.
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Joined: Oct 2007
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Shark
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Shark
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 359 |
I think a better term maybe is some people think of deity deities as there to help them do, or and accomplish something that they could not do on there own. so deity becomes like a silent helper who is there when you need them. Right.
other believe they are at the will and mercy of deity deities. they must do or be a certen way to gain favor with the deity or fear the wrath of the deity if they dont. they must prase and worship the deity in a certen way. You may only gain favor in the eyes of the deity if and only if you do certen things.Right
then others or most fall somewhere in the middle. I dont know anything about Hinduism so...forgive me if I am wrong.. But outside of the extremist and radicals most all religious people fall in the middle. we REspect the Deities Deity because they are in contorl of our everything and can help or hinder us in our goals so we act think and do certen things to please the deity or deities.....BUT we also believe that God has mercy and will forgive us or overlook our faults and help us even if we fail to do and think and act a certen way. Right
so in short we believe they are above us and should be respected and set apart from us because they are wiser then us but they are also aprochible and loving. Not only wiser but most powerful.
hope I did not offened anyone out there either....this tends to be a tricky subject to get into when dealing with others who have different veiws and beliefs but it is a great topic!!!
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Koala
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Koala
Joined: May 2007
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Cool!! is that what you ment Elle and Alexandra?
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Koala
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Koala
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,966 |
Yes. This discussion has pointed out for me some of the differences between Hinduism and the western Paganism that I've briefly been exposed to.
And I think Alexandra was pointing out the differences between Hinduism (which may include the worship of Buddha as a deity) and Buddhism which treats Buddha as a teacher (and worships/acknowledges no deities).
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Joined: Oct 2007
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Shark
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Shark
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 359 |
Hindus also treat Monkey, Elephant and snake as deities.
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