[Main Blog Post] [Book] Thoughts on Devotional Polytheism

[jprussell]

This week, a fairly quick rundown of my thoughts on Devotional Polytheism by Galina Krasskova.

As always, let me know what you think!

Comments

[sdi]

I'm always very surprised when people say things like "you can always do better" as if it's an encouragement. Isn't it the same as saying "you're never good enough?" How depressing, to always be a failure by definition, whether one tries one's best or not! If that's the case, why try at all?

Today's MM capsule review is fitting, since I also get the same feeling from Greer's Shoggoth Concerto, Nyogotha Variations, and Hall of Homeless Gods, when he says things like "the universe doesn't have eyes." Greer seems to find encouragement in it, though it reads like an inducement to suicide to me: if nobody cares then nothing matters, and if nothing matters, why try?

Maybe that's why I find the Mysteries compelling: every soul is unique and so needs a unique teaching.

[(Anonymous)]

I appreciate your view on this book, Jeff. Because I started out Gaelic Polytheist instead of Heathen I did sometimes wonder "well, how do *I* do this?" while reading it. But I think there's an answer to your critique that Galina doesn't give definite instructions--she seems to continually get massive amounts of flak from the Heathen sphere: "Meanie gatekeeper, how dare you make us feel judged, what about Sally No-Hands who can't make offerings because she has no hands but you're obviously saying she can't be a real polytheist and who elected you Asapope, REEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" So I presume she was being circumspect and trying to just get the idea of devotion out there, with hopes that readers would be inspired to search out information on How. My best guess, anyway.

--Sister Crow

[thinking_turtle]

Thanks for your new blog! According to "the ancient city" by Numa Denis Fustel de Coulanges for Romans the state was a religion. Their heaviest punishment was interdiction from fire and water. That is the religious fire that is burning in every Roman house, and the holy water they during for rites.

A commercial transaction was a religious ritual, for example Mancipatio: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mancipatio. It was only later that Roman law changed from divine law to human (pretorian) law.

The book is fascinating reading.