“Many Names, Many Faces” Ritual
by Guide
Chandonn
copyright 1998, all rights reserved.
first performed 3/25/98
INDEX:
Pantheism / Atheism
There are some who say there is no God. They envision no supernatural Beings
in human form. There are those in the East who say that the Divine is simply
a Spiritual Force which flows throughout Creation like a great Cosmic Wind.
Some use the term "Holy Spirit". Some of the Native Americans speak of "The
Great Spirit" or "The Great Mystery". Perhaps there is some common ground
in all these beliefs.
Mystics, prophets, and poets often comment: "Who can understand the Nature
of God?" In the East it has been said: "The Nature of God is a circle whose
center is everywhere, and whose circumference is nowhere." Maybe there is
a lesson for us all here. Perhaps -- to paraphrase the writer of The Gospel
of Thomas -- "(The Divine) is poured forth upon the earth, and men do not
see it:" That is to say: God can be found here, God can be found everywhere.
Many religions believe that their Gods were born from some greater Power.
Often, this is referred to as "The Source of All Being". Many also believe
that their Gods are connected in some mysterious way. For example, the Hindus
say that "all the goddesses in India are One." In the Star Wars movies George
Lucas wrote about "the Force" -- a power which surrounds and connects all
things. Perhaps this is much closer to reality than it may at first appear.
Animism
There are those who say that there are Gods, Spirits and Powers of all shapes
and sizes. There are Animal Spirits and Spirits in nature. The sun is a God,
or perhaps a Goddess. So is the moon. There are serpent-gods and buffalo-gods.
Sometimes they may appear as part-human, other times they may not. The rocks
themselves are alive, they say, as are the four winds.
The Druids have worshipped the god-forms in nature. Coyote and Spider-Grandmother
have graced the Native Americans. Quetzalcoatl and D'ambala are serpent-gods.
Perhaps there is a bit of Divinity in all aspects of nature.
Theism
Many say that God has a human face. Some say God is one, others say God is
many. The Jews and Muslims see a single, ruling human-like God. The Christians
see a unified three-some -- different leaves of the same clover. The Zoroastrians
have viewed a single God of Light at war with one of His servants -- an angel
of Darkness.
Throughout much of the rest of the world Gods and Goddesses have appeared
representing human-like aspects of the many forces of nature. Thor, Hera,
Neptune, Isis, Shiva, and many others have been our mentors, our heroes,
and our link to that which we do not understand.
Some would argue that man creates God in his own image. Perhaps this image
is simply a window to help us see the Great Mystery. Perhaps it is a door
through which we meet the Divine.
Created by Guides Chandonn,
Hypatia X, and
Sophia X Pharou
Last modified:
06/20/2009