Tuesday, October 29, 2013

my take on Star Foster and her blog on if you have a shitty life it's because you worship shitty Gods

Her blog can be found here:  http://starfosterblog.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/square-gods-we-are-what-we-worship/   I found out about it by reading Fluid Morality's rant on it.  I think she has some very cogent points.  http://fluidmorality.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/victim-blame-game/#comments  I also happen to like Ruadhan's poits as well.  http://thespiae.oddmodout.com/2013/10/29/close-but-no-bananas-you-have-no-bananas-today/

Way to go, labeling a bunch of Polytheists(hard or soft), who have relationships with the more uncomfortable Gods, as a bunch of kids looking to spice up their life.  It isn't because they have anything deeper, than to get rid of ennui.  Thanks, I didn't realize I had nominated you my cranky mom or English victorian judgemental aunt.

Plus, really, way to insult those Deities who have different spheres of influence then those that may look "safe".  Eris may be scary, and the Greek Goddess of Chaos and disorder, but sometimes we need that to shake us up.  I can't believe you had the cajones to label her as a Bad Goddess.  The only ones I know talk lightly of her, are Discordians, and they have developed a relationship with her.  It's one thing to critique and say you need to rethink your stance, it's quite another to blatantly insult and moralize what Gods are good Gods vs Bad Gods.

You go and say, that Gods aren't plug and play devices.  However then you go on about how these so called "square Gods are better".  You may feel that they are better for you now.  However are you choosing them or you them?  This isn't fluffy bunny Wicca, where you choose a God from a list with it's properties, this is Polytheism.  The Gods usually choose their followers, and it takes a while for things to develop.  They establish relationships and trust is formed.


Your take on Gods, is very two dimensional and naive.  If Hestia so wishes, she will rearrange your life, to make things go her way.  It is not only the trickster Gods that do so.  Idunna is a Gardener, if she thinks you need weeds pulled out of your life, she will not hesitate to do so.  I wouldn't even go so far as to label Zeus as square either(have you read his myths? he wields lightning, he's the Patriarch of a Pantheon.   Mayhaps understanding the drama and hellaballoo involved in politics and power would dissuade you of his squareness).

All of the Gods have points that we are comfortable with and points that make us feel very uncomfortable. That even holds true for the Christian Gods(Yahweh and the flood, Jesus anger at the money lender at the temple, Demeter causing winter and famine when her daughter was taken, ).  The Dark Gods are more upfront with their uncomfortable parts.  While Loki is a trickster, and has his scary parts(and people should think carefully before taking him on, even if he is poking you, we do have choices in this) I have found in my experience he is also very honest.


You say Frigga is less interesting than Loki, which is insulting to her.  She isn't some frumpy house frau lady.  She's the matriarch of the Norse Pantheon and she isn't above kicking some ass along the way.  If you choose to still stick her in the whole stay at home mother routine of the Gods, maybe you should realize, that those mothers are usually feared and respected and weren't above ordering, rearranging, using cast iron skillets on dense noggins, and tough love.


Now the one that really gets me. (oh lets be frank all of it gets my goat) She's insulting my Gods.He is family and i love him.  And one of the things you don't do to those I love, is speak bad about them. You don't say bad things about my kids, you don't talk bad about my husband, and you certainly don't talk shit about my Dads.

Loki has done many things in my life, and no it wasn't to cure ennui.  He took me by the scruff of my neck(with my other Gods help.  Cernunnos certainly wasn't quiet) and showed me I was in an abusive relationship.  He Socratically made me think and helped me choose better choices. If she had bothered to do more basic research, (ok if she had bothered to look beyond preconceptions, prejudices, and do her duty since she wants to act as a theologian in this article, she might have found things are a lot richer and complex then she puts)  she might find that he does that a lot for those that worship him, beyond the Tom Hiddleness.

Loki has more depth to him, then the fact that he is a shape changing, gender bending, God of pranks(if you wish to look at him lightly) or the Norse Satan, if you wish to take the more hard line Asatru stance.  For one thing, to many of his worshippers, he's a pretty darn good psychologist who makes you see what you are doing, through stages and changes you for the better.  Not many other Gods can do it, because for some of his followers, we were broken, before he took us and duct taped us together.  We certainly owe him more than, thanks for all the fish but Star thinks you are scary so we are gonna go play with Thor now.

Then she goes on to say, that she'd rather have Dagda on her side then Morrigan.  Really lady?  Have you READ any of the Irish myths.  Should I remind you of http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C3%BA_Chulainn, Several great grandfathers before him had pissed off the Morrigan by disrespecting her and she cursed that family for 7 generations.

The Morrigan has a temper, there are some Gods it's best to tread lightly with, even if you are going to caution against.  You are going to spurn the Goddess of Fate! I mean I like, and more importantly respect the Morrigan.  She is a lot more than the bitching badass of war.  She has a lot of depth to her.  Thanks so much for continuing the prejudice that she's just a Bitch(I asked permission if she was ok with this)

Besides someone who is in the military, Morrigan works well with someone who is going into law(being a lawyer, cop, advocate etc).  She does have a temper.  She also loves deeply and has passion. She however also does have an iron steel spined and shows the more tough side, then her love side.  The best example I would use is an Irish Matriarch.

Not that the Dagda doesn't have his own temper and dark side.  Reading some of the myths may show you, just who you are dealing with.  You are white washing the Gods you feel comfortable with.  You are putting modern values on those Gods, and forgetting they don't forgive like Jesus.  That isn't a very good or safe idea and can get you in trouble.

I think next time lady you go off and pedantically preach about what others need to avoid, you should take some time and try not to insult entire Pantheons, even those you think are "good".  Maybe actually read beyond one or two myths that have been sanitized for readers.  Actually try to get to know the Gods.  Knock on their doors respectfully, offer tea and coffee.  Maybe then, once you have done some work on this, I will take your blathering of you are who you worship, with more respect and seriousness.

1 comment:

  1. (I know you already know, but putting it here anyways) Honorable Mention: http://saltyourbones.wordpress.com/2013/10/30/2/

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