I Am Fascinated By Science, Religion, and Philosophy
I find myself thinking about the Norse mythos. Albeit in a superficial way.
A harsh philosophy but one that held an attraction until pushed aside by Christianity. A different relationship between the gods and man. Most modern views of religion have toned it down a bit but Islam, Judaism and Christianity all have mankind submitting to an all-powerful god. Begging a supreme being for scraps like a domesticated dog.
They all leave mankind sitting there like Dug in the movie “UP”. Looking up in adoration and intoning with deep solemnity “I hid under your porch because I love you”! Contrast this with the Norse pantheon. A group of gods who are not all powerful, even mortal. Gods who know they are doomed to die in the end just like mankind. The relationship is like that of a Norse king to his warrior subject. The warrior offers his service and loyalty and the king repays that loyalty with rewards. The rise of Christianity also changed the relationship between warrior and king. It became that of ruler and subject. As the lowly peasant had to beg his lord for any boon, he had to beg god for salvation.
The old ways a Norseman could earn Valhalla by his own efforts (and a bit of luck). He couldn’t buy his way in he had to earn it.
Christianity tells us to put off desires for a better life. Just be pious and devoted then when you die you may earn the right to sit in heaven and sing praises to god for all eternity. Christians dismiss the old ways of the Norse as harsh and cruel. Yes, there was violence and life was harsh but there was an underpinning code that made sense when looked at objectively.
What do we have today? The goal is to pass into a peaceful and quiet tranquility. To sit and watch the sunset of our life. To gather and think on past glories. That’s the key, to look back at the past as if it’s some kind of movie. Christianity tells us that heaven will wash away our sins and pains. That we will all be content and happy.
I cannot see how this could possibly be. You remove the things that cause us pain, all we have fought for so we can join a herd of cattle who stand about lowing in unison to the farmer, begging to be milked.
What did the Norse offer? We don’t know for sure as most of the etymology was written by a Christian scholar, ages after Christianity had taken hold. One thing we know is that the afterlife was finite. The gods themselves die and those chosen die with them. Do all die? Apparently most of us do, but the world is then reborn from the darkness and the cycle starts over again.
To put this rambling into some semblance of order, my question on life is this: how do you live when the future holds no challenges? I don’t mean petty things like what to have for dinner, what’s in my 401K or what time does the movie start? Not all of us can continue to climb mountains, visit far off shores, or even hold a loved one close. ‘modern’ religions tell me ‘don’t worry about it. Serve god and just put up with the shit because the prize is just ahead’
Reminds me of Carl from Caddyshack: "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know... for the effort, you know?" And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.”
So what is the best time to go out? The ideal is to die in an appropriate heroic fashion. To re write The Lord of the Rings, carrying Gollum off the ledge into the crack of doom, destroy the ring and Sauron for all time. Not the long and drug out ending and the lame sailing off into the west. Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose.
The Norse view wasnt better, its merely my observation that more modern religions have issues.
A harsh philosophy but one that held an attraction until pushed aside by Christianity. A different relationship between the gods and man. Most modern views of religion have toned it down a bit but Islam, Judaism and Christianity all have mankind submitting to an all-powerful god. Begging a supreme being for scraps like a domesticated dog.
They all leave mankind sitting there like Dug in the movie “UP”. Looking up in adoration and intoning with deep solemnity “I hid under your porch because I love you”! Contrast this with the Norse pantheon. A group of gods who are not all powerful, even mortal. Gods who know they are doomed to die in the end just like mankind. The relationship is like that of a Norse king to his warrior subject. The warrior offers his service and loyalty and the king repays that loyalty with rewards. The rise of Christianity also changed the relationship between warrior and king. It became that of ruler and subject. As the lowly peasant had to beg his lord for any boon, he had to beg god for salvation.
The old ways a Norseman could earn Valhalla by his own efforts (and a bit of luck). He couldn’t buy his way in he had to earn it.
Christianity tells us to put off desires for a better life. Just be pious and devoted then when you die you may earn the right to sit in heaven and sing praises to god for all eternity. Christians dismiss the old ways of the Norse as harsh and cruel. Yes, there was violence and life was harsh but there was an underpinning code that made sense when looked at objectively.
What do we have today? The goal is to pass into a peaceful and quiet tranquility. To sit and watch the sunset of our life. To gather and think on past glories. That’s the key, to look back at the past as if it’s some kind of movie. Christianity tells us that heaven will wash away our sins and pains. That we will all be content and happy.
I cannot see how this could possibly be. You remove the things that cause us pain, all we have fought for so we can join a herd of cattle who stand about lowing in unison to the farmer, begging to be milked.
What did the Norse offer? We don’t know for sure as most of the etymology was written by a Christian scholar, ages after Christianity had taken hold. One thing we know is that the afterlife was finite. The gods themselves die and those chosen die with them. Do all die? Apparently most of us do, but the world is then reborn from the darkness and the cycle starts over again.
To put this rambling into some semblance of order, my question on life is this: how do you live when the future holds no challenges? I don’t mean petty things like what to have for dinner, what’s in my 401K or what time does the movie start? Not all of us can continue to climb mountains, visit far off shores, or even hold a loved one close. ‘modern’ religions tell me ‘don’t worry about it. Serve god and just put up with the shit because the prize is just ahead’
Reminds me of Carl from Caddyshack: "Hey, Lama, hey, how about a little something, you know... for the effort, you know?" And he says, "Oh, uh, there won't be any money, but when you die, on your deathbed, you will receive total consciousness." So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.”
So what is the best time to go out? The ideal is to die in an appropriate heroic fashion. To re write The Lord of the Rings, carrying Gollum off the ledge into the crack of doom, destroy the ring and Sauron for all time. Not the long and drug out ending and the lame sailing off into the west. Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose.
The Norse view wasnt better, its merely my observation that more modern religions have issues.
56-60, M
