[pachyderm]

I don't know if this is forbidden or not; if it is, it can be removed or moved somewhere else. I thought it was revealing:

Gods inside, gods outside,
Gods above, gods below,
Gods oceanward, gods landward,
Gods incarnate, gods not incarnate,
Gods punishing sins, gods pardoning sins,
Gods devouring men, gods slaying warriors,
Gods saving men,
Gods of darkness and light, gods of the ten skies,

Can the gods all be counted?
The gods cannot all be counted!
(chant from the Society Islands)

This is from

A British Museum presentation on Polynesian "sacred" objects

[nowheretorun]

in a way i relate to this but im not sure discussion is allowed.. it makes me think of the four directional winds (five including updrafts) or the four directions (five including 'up') or the many emotions (spirit) we all have and that there is a master for each..... very interesting Pachy, ty for sharing....

[KathyM]

I'm stuck on the resource.

These museum exhibits are strange to me (we have them here in Chicago too). My first thought is why is a British museum in possession of Polynesian sacred objects? My second thought is why are they speaking on behalf of Polynesians - and what gives them the right to speak on Polynesian "power" and subjects that are considered "taboo?" To whom are they powerful and to whom are they taboo?

I'm not picking on you. I'm just the type of person who would prefer to see this presented directly from a Polynesian who could actually explain the meaning. That way, I would know it would be appropriately shared and explained. Some of the things I see on TV about the various American Indian cultures makes me laugh - sometimes the misinformation makes me cry.

It's a nice chant though. I take it to mean God is everywhere at all times, and we as human beings can't possibly place a GPS device on God to track his whereabouts.

What does it mean to you?

[SeptemberMorn]

I'm confused as to whether it is one God or many gods.

[pachyderm]

Like many earlier peoples, I think it was multiple gods for the Polynesians.

[Lenny]

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pachyderm said:
I thought it was revealing:


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It is revealing pachyderm and thankyou..I have never read those lines...

The Polynesians are certainly not alone. Polytheism (The belief in a multitude of Gods) is far older(mature/primitive) than monotheism. When humanity evolved a single God worship can be argued but it is widely believed that the first single God worship was in Egypt during the rule of Akhenaten. He founded this belief in the one GOd,,but the religion did not survive after his dealth...Many believe that Moses brought monotheism to the ancient Hebrews.

The largest monotheistic religious systems today include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Sikhism whcih when put upon a timeline of God worship...these religions are fairly young.

Lenny

[nowheretorun]

not to be funny Lenny, i really like your post but i guess i get to be unusual and different so...

i imagine the first idea of 'God" existed within the most simple mind form... it wouldnt have been to complex? would that be the oldest and therefore most connected to the One source? thanks for allowing my ponderings...

[Lenny]

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nowheretorun said:
thanks for allowing my ponderings...

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Oh,,your ponderings,,what a gift to us they are...

I would imagine Nowheretorun that the birth of such wonder came from a need to explain such powerlessness...

Lenny

[nowheretorun]

perhaps to express gratitude? i see your point too Lenny, ty for allowing... no disrespect intended to any...