helmikuuta 07, 2006

Cold fun gods

It's cold. Cold now, cold at work. I actually had to read with my gloves on today, which is a bit too much. Must remember to take an extra sweater to work tomorrow or a really big scarf or something.

I was to play squash today for the first time in my life and one can say without hesitation that at first I rather sucked. Eventually though I got the racket to connect with the ball and realised that squash is not a bad way to exercise. I've always thought that the game is about crashing into walls and running oneself breathless, but apparently that is only for pros. For beginners who are more into playing than winning points it is just plain fun.

The world is still going slightly mad and our oh so tolerant religions are proving their toleration to everyone. Is it really much wonder when one considers the origins of our monotheistic religions? Yahweh/Jahve, the god of Jews and Christians, was originally a god of war, Muslims' Allah may or may not be the same god (or perhaps a Moon god with three daughters). Islam is said to have originally meant the strength which characterized a desert warrior who - even when faced with impossible odds - would fight to the death for his tribe. Why wouldn't people with such gods value bloodshed?

Can gods change their minds? Or do people have to learn to think for themselves?

"Good lord! Is it not a silly sort of argument to reckon by the same works that one man is a god whilst his rivals are mere "sorcerers"?"
Celsus, c. 170 CE (Common Era, previously known as AD)

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