Finding your path.... Any path....

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[GoblynQueene]

Thanks to everyone for your input.

I think I'll start with a couple of books on the pantheons of different civilizations and see if anything resonates with me.

[WarHorse]

I don't know what I believe and I don't want to be wrong.

I know this will sound strange, but I feel if you are worried about doing it wrong, then you are doing it wrong.

Doggonit, Juniperrr, you stole my thunder!

I am sure a lot of things got "lost in time and translation" as it were.

Bingo!  I started to study the Sumerian lexicon last summer and wow! do you have to re-wire your brain to understand those ancient languages.  And then making an accurate translation that allows for all of the nuance and subtleties...pretty much impossible.

..."what if YHWH really is the only god and if he is, will I 'piss God off' doing this. There is a lot of cultural conditioning to overcome.

I dealt with that a lot when I was trying to be an atheist.   "What if I'm wrong?  What if I'm wrong?  Oh my, oh my."  Then as I realized we were basing our lives on mis-interpretations of vague translations of ancient metaphors, I became a little less worried.

[EverFool]

I think people are quoting the bible to show that what she has been told should not be taken literally.

I sympathise with offering comfort.  But I find looking for proof that Paganism is fine and dandy in a book that says God is the One True Way is bizaare.  If you don't believe in the Bible as Truth, then it's a non-issue.  If you believe the Bible *is* truth, than perhaps Christianity is where you belong, or at least you need more time to mull over your spirituality.
Parts of this discussion feels like looking for legal loopholes.

Psalm 82:1 "God stands in the divine assembly,
                among the gods he dispenses justice"

I looked in my Bible.  In mine it appears as

'God presides in the great assembly;
he gives judgement among the "gods"'

The quotation marks are how it appears in my copy of the Bible.  That suggests a tone of 'they aren't gods' to me personally.

[SunflowerP]

The quotation marks are how it appears in my copy of the Bible.  That suggests a tone of 'they aren't gods' to me personally.

Not mine (a TEV - "Today's English Version", aka "Good News Bible").  What version is yours?

Sunflower

[EverFool]

Not mine (a TEV - "Today's English Version", aka "Good News Bible").  What version is yours?

Sunflower

New International Version.

[Dania]

I looked in my Bible.  In mine it appears as

My King James version says:

"GOD standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

I see every translation is radically different LOL. I know someone who can read Hebrew...I ought to see if he knows what the original version of the Bible says.

[RandallS]

I see every translation is radically different LOL. I know someone who can read Hebrew...I ought to see if he knows what the original version of the Bible says.

My copy of the New American Bible (one of Koi's favorites and my copy has lots of explanatory footnotes) reads:

Psalms 82:1  God arises in the divine assembly; he judges in the midst of the gods.

A footnote says: "The gods: human judges, who are 'godlike' in their prerogative of establishing justice on earth. Cf Ps 58,2"

Looking at Psalms 58:2, we find: "Do you indeed like gods pronounce justice and judge fairly, you men of rank?"

A foot on this verse reads: 'Like gods: literally 'O gods!" Here, as also in Ps 82, judges are called "gods" in the sense of possessing godlike power" or of "taking God's place in pronouncing judgment. See note of Ps 45, 7."

The note referred to mention the the Hebrew king was called by a name that also meant "god" because he was "godlike" in power.

[ShadowScape]

My King James version says:

"GOD standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods."

I was using the Jerusalem Study Bible. Catholic. It has heaps of information to  show why they opted for the translations that they did when ever there is any doubt. They also show what the other possibilities are.

[ShadowScape]

My copy of the New American Bible (one of Koi's favorites and my copy has lots of explanatory footnotes) reads:

Psalms 82:1  God arises in the divine assembly; he judges in the midst of the gods.

A footnote says: "The gods: human judges, who are 'godlike' in their prerogative of establishing justice on earth. Cf Ps 58,2"

the foot note in mine says 'the rulers and the judges are reckoned with the "sons of the Most High the members of the heavenly court.'

Anyone can put any twist on it they like, or have a genuine belief in their own scholarship etc. It is much the same situation that anyone studying any old religion has - lots of opinions.

[ShadowScape]

IIf you believe the Bible *is* truth, than perhaps Christianity is where you belong, or at least you need more time to mull over your spirituality.

I agree with this - it is what I said originally. If she keeps searching and researching she might find another path or she might find a version of the Christian God she can live with.

[ShadowScape]

I agree with this - it is what I said originally. If she keeps searching and researching she might find another path or she might find a version of the Christian God she can live with.

Sorry for the string of posts - (I'm helping my mother shower and dress and posting while waiting).

I'm quoting myself because I wanted to add that believing the Bible is not the same as being conditioned to believe it and therefor having fears that you might be wrong when you find that you can't believe it.

[AdeleGenevieve]

I really do not think I should give anyone advice on finding their own path, but I can sympathize with being brought up in a Christian home. Both of my parents are Southern Baptists! YIKES! I do think that the posts that you have received in response so far are very wise. And, I have to agree that your own path will call to you outside of a religious label. Find yourself first, find your path, and then find your religion (if you fit into one at all).

YHVH did not call to me. YHVH is not my deity, not my god/dess. I am sure He calls to many, just not to me.

I think our paths call to us, but it takes time to find our way.

Gaea (Gaia) in one form or another throughout my entire life has called to me as one of her own. She is my Goddess, and I am her daughter. Plain and simple. That is my path. Whether someone labels that pagan or not makes no difference to me. I am a daughter of Gaea. First and foremost. Period. I did not realize this as my path in full until my early twenties. The early years and especially the teen years were mostly searching and trying many different things (different jobs, college classes and majors, groups of friends, spiritualities, etc..) to figure out who I was as an individual.


Do some very deep inner searching and strip yourself of the need for labels. I am sure you will find your path.


Blessings!

Adele Genevieve

[tempest4479]

Hi another newbie here.  Just found your site and I had to add to this discussion.

I for one was very lucky growing up.  My parents did not have a specific religion.  My father for one didn’t really believe in GOD or GODS or anything in between.  I was basically never told anything about it.  It was all up to me.  They did send me to church when I was little but I think this was basically due to the fact that my aunt was the teacher and my Dad didn’t want her to get after him.  As I grew I went to different churches and tried different things.  I remember one church I went to where ever one started screaming like crazy, I calmly walked out of the church. There was nothing bad about it just was not me.

I had always loved the idea of magic but in a small town with no book store and at that time no internet the only thing I had to go on was TV, not a lot of help there.  One day I found some books in the School library of all places on Wicca, tarot, runes and all different kinds of things.  I was the first person to check them out in years and I also think the last.   I have still not found my place but I do know that it is not in a Christian church. 

Oh and the quotes on the bible not sure if they really do any good.  The stories in there have been rewritten thousands of times, leaving parts out, misspelling words, left out words on purpose, changing of words, lost parts and more.  There are more wholes in that thing that Swiss cheese.  That is what happens when rich, white men (like Ancient Kings and priests) have control over something for thousands of years.  If they wanted to change it they did and if they want to steal, burn, or fight over a part they did.

To tell you the truth you probable never will be total happy with a religion unless you make your own up lol. Good luck on your search.

[RandallS]

Hi another newbie here.  Just found your site and I had to add to this discussion.

Welcome to The Cauldron!

[WarHorse]

Hi another newbie here.  Just found your site and I had to add to this discussion.

Tempest4479:

I have to add that your Path is much the same as mine - who makes the rules?  Wealthy white men?  What about those of us who are not wealthy or white?

That is as much a political question as Spiritual.

Now, to intercede on Randall's behalf (given that he is otherwise occupied), we do have some posting rules here.  When you click "reply/quote," the "quote" is there for a reason; it is so the rest of us know which post you are replying to.  This is primarily for the convenience of the staff, but some of the rest of us need a refresher if we've fallen behind.

So when you see all of that quote junk at the top of your reply, please leave it, or some of it, so the rest of us know to whom you are replying.

Otherwise, Bob the Dinosaur will have to give you a wedgie.

Cheers,
WarHorse
(mostly white, but hardly wealthy)

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