Tuesday, March 3, 2015

If you could ask any question of a god or goddess, what would you ask?


If you could ask any question of a god or goddess, who would you choose to speak to, and what would you ask? I'd be happy to see your posts below.

My character has an exchange with a goddess, who shall remain nameless but perhaps you can guess who she is.



       The goddess didn’t pay any attention to me; she absently stroked the wolf’s head, whispered to him and then he vanished so swiftly I wasn’t even sure in which direction he ran. He was just gone. She spoke to me again as if nothing has happened. “Human beings conceive and perceive gods in a way comprehensible to themselves and their nature. And we do our best to accommodate them, so that we may communicate with and help one another. But when the time comes, you will learn more about my father.  Perhaps your paths will cross, if he so wills it or the Fates do. I truly do not know.

            “I know questions are swarming in your mind but you must be patient. They must wait. We have work to do.”

            I couldn’t help thinking about metaphysics. I wanted to know the answers to questions, well, Otto would never think about but questions I’d think about, the questions the truly wise had asked forever, without ever finding out the answers. Despite what she said, I had to ask, I couldn’t help it. “Please, Your Highness, I have to know! Zeus, the king of the Greek gods – he must be your father! Does he get along with Odin? And is there a king above them all? Or are they adversaries? What do you think about our Judeo Christian religious beliefs? What about atheists? And what about Native American sacred traditions? Who or what is the Great Mystery that Ohiyesa wrote about?”

            She smiled. “Don’t you find it impolite to discuss people’s religious beliefs? If people disbelieve in my existence, who am I to challenge their convictions? Belief is not the same as truth, I think. Yet you will find a common thread in true wisdom that is intermingled with folly.

            “Know this: your knowledge of Native American religions and its pantheon will serve you in good stead when you meet others in the journey that lies before you. To your first question, your answer will come soon, depending on your success in your journey. I cannot deny that there are great perils and the danger you face is potentially mortal.

            “To your second question, I would ask you does not the choice of name provide the answer to your question, and reflect human wisdom?  Human wisdom – sadly, there has been a dearth of wisdom through the ages, ages beyond your imagining. Even if I am not the goddess of wisdom, the truth is plain to the least of us. I would answer only that the Great Mystery is the Source of every one of us, yet does not interact directly with mortals. An aspect of Him exists in His children, including for better or worse the gods, and also within his mortal godchildren, the last for want of a better analogy.

            “But I am not here with you now to speak to the child philosopher. When you meet my brother, you will have much to discuss, for in some respects you are kindred spirits. Our time is limited in this realm, you cannot stay long. Sadly, now is a time of war and battle, not one of peace.”

            I didn’t mean to sound whiny, but I couldn’t help getting upset. “But you, a goddess, have to know the answers to why are we here, how did the universe come to be, why is there so much pain and suffering in the world, why does evil happen, why are people so cruel, why there is disease and death and hate, what purpose do we human beings have?”

The Kindle edition of the book is free to purchasers of the Trade Paperback @ Amazon.com and available here: Son of Thunder Kindle Edition