Saturday, May 29, 2010

In Our Own Image

Early man made things and Did Stuff, and in groups: hunted, ate, shaped rocks, hated. It was part of just staying alive. There wasn't much time or energy for solo contemplation. Early man had gods who made things, Did Stuff, and lived in groups: moved, loved, punished, battled. Along came Greek philosophers - back before Socrates, maybe Democritus or someone - who noticed that Ethiopians had gods who were black and had flat noses; Thracian god had red hair and blue eyes, just like the Thracians. They reasoned that man must be making gods in his own image, which hardly seemed right.

So they sat and thought about it and decided that the real gods were beings who thought things rather than doing things. And philosophers have tended that way ever since, even Christian philosophers, describing gods who more like thoughts, and didn't have any personality. Proving their point about making gods in their own image, I guess.

When Jesus came, he Did Stuff. The prophets before him and the early saints, same thing. Worth thinking about.

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