Superhuman/Supernatural/Paranormal Rants (or Props)

[Zaleramancer]

I meant more recently. People are getting annoyed at Jester for no apparent reason.

Though... I do find different things annoying than some people.


Anyway, back to the topic!

Anyone read the book, American Gods?

I recently finished it.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

No. No I did not. What's it about (assuming the title isn't a precise interpretation)?

[jester_of_god]

It was hypothalmus...Finally Psychology one comes in handy.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Psychology's always handy.

[jester_of_god]

If you aren't sufficient enough to use it to warp the minds of others you need more practice.

[Zaleramancer]

It's interesting.. In a vaguely depressing way.

Basically, It's about the conflict between two groups of gods.

The old and forgotten ones, Odin-Anasazi-Bast-etc, who barely manage to find enough attention and worship to not fade out of exsistance.

And the new gods. Ones created unintentionally by humans as they focused on various things. From media to famous musicians to nameless security people.

The new gods want to wipe out the old ones, supposedly because they're "Outdated" and "Archaic". But in reality, it's just because they are scared. They know humans will eventually forget them as they become things of the past, just like the old gods. The old gods fight right back, because they miss what once was and never will be again.

So it's kind of sad. For me at least. I tend to dislike books where things that are supposed to last forever end up dieing.  

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Yep, that psychology, its fascinating.

[jester_of_god]

Ah, the old concept of that dieties existence are entirely dependent on the collective will of the people who worship them, and without it they faid from existence...It kind of is sad.....the trick is to amass a large following base, tell them to recruit as many members of the human race as possible, and then faid into obscurity, constantly feeding on their hope as they try to prove your existence...their sweet, delicous hope.

...okay, sorry but I think part of my brain is going through a bit of an evil streak today.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

I've never understood why people are arrogant to believe that a GOD requires belief and worship from MORTALS to exist.

Then again, I don't care to understand it. I don't believe it, and that's all I'm concerned about for now.

[jester_of_god]

the same concept that says if a tree falls in the middle of a forest with no one around to hear it, does it make a sound. An eternal exitence is lonely without anything to worship you or just accompany you for that matter.


Then again it could also still follow the basic concept of demons gaining power by eating the souls and spirits of their folowers.

[Zaleramancer]

The most I've ever seen that are in fantasy settings.

Most likely so that any characters that were deities would have an excuse as to not just solving all the current plot problems.

[Zaleramancer]

Here come the fireworks.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Quick hide behind your shields of apathy....

[Celadon's Penultimate]

What?

If a tree falls in a forest with air, the air vibrates, ergo it makes a sound, regardless of whether anyone is around to interpret the vibrations as such. I've never understood why people have made it out to be some kind of conundrum.

And demons can harm the souls even of people who don't follow them, if those people fall to their influence (through temptation or possession).

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Well, I don't know if you've seen it, but people teach that in psychology. That divinity is some creation of the mind.

Not everybody does (luckily I had a Christian professor, so we could discuss both sides without being biased), but still, it's odd.

[jester_of_god]

Philot: Sorry it's in my nature.

Marv: I've put that on a long time ago.

Shadow: Give the tree a consciousness and it becoems insanely depressed that no one is paying attention to it's death.

Also I agree about the demon part, let them in and they can drain you.

[jester_of_god]

......uuuuuuuuuh,.....the fact that you could discuss it without being biased has more to do with the person than their religion.

[Marvelous Miscreant]

I meant to shield ourselves from you Jester. You don't have apathy, you have to be in the middle of everything.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

jester_of_god wrote

Shadow: Give the tree a consciousness and it becoems insanely depressed that no one is paying attention to it's death.

When a being dies, do you really think it is concerned about the thoughts of others as it faces its OWN demise? Isn't that ascribing a conceited view to the whole situation?

Our perception is necessary to make it important, or to make it valid.

But that's not true. EVERYTHING will go on with or without us. The world will continue, all its processes carried out as they should. And if things are thrown off balance, they'll balance themselves eventually. We're not powerful enough to destroy this world, let alone have any effect on divinity.

[Zaleramancer]

I had a christian teacher try to teach without bias.

Didn't go well. Better than I expected but still...


That probably has to do more with him and the rest of the people around where I live than religion, though.