amorphous_constellation
Well-Known Member
An important distinction is that nowhere in the bible (I am fairly certain..) does a man ever change into an actual animal, or have a spirit related to an animal, on the contrary he his noted to be hierarchically above all the animals. In most other mythology that I have read, this idea of animals being consubstantial with man does occur, and frequently I believe. In this fact, I think there is an argument to be made that God made an ontological mistake if he expected to make humans into humbler creatures, that by setting him apart as more worthy than the swarms of sparrows or net-fulls of fish it was only to elevate the human pride he often detested.
In Irish mythology I noticed that the first man was able to change into fish and birds and that this was actually associated with wisdom. And the deities of course were often associated with the animals as well, changing into all kinds of animals and various elements in nature. Merlin escapes his high role in society to live in the forest and contemplate nature, I think reflecting a pretension toward non-abrahamic ontology quite strongly. The point is that in this kind of ontology, it seems that we are animals, and that has important implications. Rather than seeing the fish as an object that you merely kill and eat, you might perceive a spirit in a fish or bird that was just as good as yours if not better.
In Irish mythology I noticed that the first man was able to change into fish and birds and that this was actually associated with wisdom. And the deities of course were often associated with the animals as well, changing into all kinds of animals and various elements in nature. Merlin escapes his high role in society to live in the forest and contemplate nature, I think reflecting a pretension toward non-abrahamic ontology quite strongly. The point is that in this kind of ontology, it seems that we are animals, and that has important implications. Rather than seeing the fish as an object that you merely kill and eat, you might perceive a spirit in a fish or bird that was just as good as yours if not better.
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