God and Satan: Same Guy - Different Wardrobe?
Good {adjective} /better, best/ [[derived from Old English “god”]] 1: effective, efficient. 2: beneficial. 3: valid; real. 4: healthy; sound. 5: honorable. 6: enjoyable, pleasant, etc. 7: reliable. 8: thorough. 9: excellent. 10: virtuous, devout, kind, dutiful, etc. 11: proper,12: skilled. 13: considerable (a good number of) 14: at least (a good six months) – noun. |
Abstract:
Does “Good” and “Evil” truly exist? ... Yes, but only because they are defined as such by those interpreting the action, event, or entity.
Argument:
Imagine two different cultures. To keep it simple, let us say two “tribes”. Let’s imagine that these tribes live relatively close to one another but, because of extremely grave geographical conditions (for instance, a mountain range, impossible in height), neither tribe has the slightest idea regarding the other’s existence.
For thousands of years these two tribes have had much in common without even knowing it. Both have developed considerably similar customs, such as yearly celebrations revolving around the seasons and the benefits brought about by the seasonal changes in their climate. You see, the survival of both tribes primarily depends on two constants… Hunting and fishing.
The hunting aspects of their survival are predominantly catered to by the migration of a particular breed of mountain goat inhabiting the mountains dividing the two tribes. Goats descend from their unreachable heights every year, following the increase in vegetative growth that comes with fair weather. All in all, it seems that an adequate –if not altogether equal- amount of goats migrate to lower altitudes on both sides of the mountain (where both tribes can have access to them equally).
As there is no river, or access to the ocean, both tribes satisfy their fishing needs by way of two very separate, but equal, lakes. These lakes are not voluminous enough to be considered “great” but they are, nonetheless, sufficient for fishing. These lakes also provide for irrigation to what little crops our tribes do farm. Both lakes are fed from two very separate underground springs.
The livelihood, and continued survival, of each peoples depends on their access to game, in this case the migration of the mountain goat, a healthy supply of fish, and an adequate year of farming off of the land. Both tribes have proven themselves to be very good planners and have developed means to preserve their supplies, storing them to sustain themselves over the winter months.
As improbable as it may seem, both tribes –unknowingly, of course- have (throughout their evolution) developed remarkably similar religions. Both have developed a monotheistic based belief structure. Their individual religious practices, ethics, and overall morality are in fact identical. With the exception of the names ascribed to rituals, the title of their godhead, and their religious holidays, our tribes’ religions are the same. |
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It was a horrible thing. It occurred during the winter months. During the course of the earth’s quaking, the very schematics of the mountains were redesigned. It just so happened that nearly ninety percent of the goat population had been east of the fault line during the more drastic changes. And whatever number of goats hadn’t been to the east of the fault were destroyed entirely.
A great divide, a canyon, was created in the middle of the mountains. Those goats fortunate enough to survive the earthquake now found the chasm dividing the mountains to be unmanageable. Never again would they migrate westward.
In addition to the numerous changes made by this shifting of earth, a large underground deposit of salt –previously kept isolated- pushed westward. It then made itself a permanent addition to the very underground spring that supplies the westernmost tribe’s lake with water.
Both peoples, oblivious to the ways of geology, could only explain the unprecedented rumbling they felt as some sort of divine intervention. Their god must have been doing something in the mountains that winter.
Spring came.
Much to the surprise of the easternmost tribe, the spring immediately following the “great shaking” brought with it a never before seen supply of goats. These goats, indigenous to the range, had no choice but to go down the eastern side of the mountain when the weather allowed for better grazing along its lower reaches.
The eastern tribe gave thanks to their god.
Surely, this must be a blessing to them. And, year after year, the abundance continued. The eastern tribe’s population grew at a rate faster than ever before; its advancement quickly accelerated. It would be remembered that, because of their years of religious diligence, their god had blessed them with goodness during the year of “the great shaking”.
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