The Question of Names
Originally this was part of a comment in reply to a comment made to me on the last post. It was a little lengthier though, and I decided to put it here instead.
Why does She have so many different names? They reflect the people and the reasons they call upon her. I myself am known by different names by different groups of people, or at least commonly referred to by different names depending on who they are. If I couldn't discern the voice of the person who spoke to me from behind, how they addressed me would imply how they knew me, perceived me, and might give an inkling of what they would want.
For those who I dealt with in the sporting arena, or in the military, I am Graves. A reference as such tells me the background and nature of myself the person is identifying with. As well as gender, as mostly males refer to me as such.
If I am addressed as Steve, it is more likely going to be someone closer to me. A close friend or a family member.
If my full name (including middle) is used, it is probably my mother, and she is annoyed with me.
If I am referenced as Spider, there is a very small set of people it could be.
If I am referenced as Wanderer, it is probably one of you folks.
If I am referenced using the terms Reverend and/or wolf, the person addressing me is probably someone I know from my religious path.
Not everyone has so many "identities" but it is, by default, a way to gauge who you are speaking with.
In terms of the Goddess, she knows who is speaking to her. However, if you are addressing a Goddess known as a Goddess of War, then you have obviously focused your own attentions, thus communing with her is easier.
Some actually consider them to be different entities, others just different personalities. In truth, the end result wouldn't be changed in either case. And so goes another reflection on life, or something close to it.
Why does She have so many different names? They reflect the people and the reasons they call upon her. I myself am known by different names by different groups of people, or at least commonly referred to by different names depending on who they are. If I couldn't discern the voice of the person who spoke to me from behind, how they addressed me would imply how they knew me, perceived me, and might give an inkling of what they would want.
For those who I dealt with in the sporting arena, or in the military, I am Graves. A reference as such tells me the background and nature of myself the person is identifying with. As well as gender, as mostly males refer to me as such.
If I am addressed as Steve, it is more likely going to be someone closer to me. A close friend or a family member.
If my full name (including middle) is used, it is probably my mother, and she is annoyed with me.
If I am referenced as Spider, there is a very small set of people it could be.
If I am referenced as Wanderer, it is probably one of you folks.
If I am referenced using the terms Reverend and/or wolf, the person addressing me is probably someone I know from my religious path.
Not everyone has so many "identities" but it is, by default, a way to gauge who you are speaking with.
In terms of the Goddess, she knows who is speaking to her. However, if you are addressing a Goddess known as a Goddess of War, then you have obviously focused your own attentions, thus communing with her is easier.
Some actually consider them to be different entities, others just different personalities. In truth, the end result wouldn't be changed in either case. And so goes another reflection on life, or something close to it.
posted by Wanderer at 3:44 PM
2 Comments:
And some people find the Trinity confusing. Moses asked that "who?" question, and his answer was, "I Am"
Many Jewish leaders got very upset with Jesus because He used the "I Am" designation refering to Himself,
I Am the Light of the world. I Am the Bread of Life, etc. I personally have about as many designations as you do, Puff, Meemee, Dear, Maryellen, Mrs. Brokop, ShiMa, and I understand your answer to the question of names...but I am thinking now about identity and character. The question of nature...the question of What as well as Who...by the way
Happy First Day of Spring!
But surely, you realize that the lesson in the "I am" story was that the name did not quantify God? Not that the various names didn't address something, but the source was a deity which was just as it was, and thus unnameable in truth by us?
I find your comment about finding the trinity confusing a little odd. Is not the trinity the same. "God that is called Father", "God that is called Son", and "God that is called Holy Spirit." Yet they are all the same. Is this not much as I have designated? Each of the above being a particular portion of God's personality that we attempt to interact with? How does this differ from "Goddess whom we call upon in war", "Goddess whom we call upon for fertility", "Goddess whom we call upon for magic (miracles)", who are also all truly the same?
True, we have more Goddesses, but then many of the Christian traditions have their "saints" that serve the same roles. People call upon St. Jude as the Patron Saint of lost causes. Does he truly help them? Doubtful. Yet, there have been enough examples of impact of this prayer.
Perhaps the more likely is that God answers the truly focused prayer, focused by the name of this departed individual, much the same at the names of the Goddess as I mentioned?
The Goddess does not lose her identity due to a myriad of names. At the core she is what she is, and in truth no name we might give her would do her justice. As such, we don't know her name, we simply know what we call her when we need her. Comfortingly, she is smart enough to know who we are talking to.
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