The Brayden Trilogy: Part the Second
The Unknown and Unseen God
October 29, 2016
G.D.O'Bradovich III
I value not this business of names.
Antiquities of the Jews
Antiquities of the Jews
1
We will attempt to reconstruct the significant steps of mankind's progression from ignorance of god, to polytheism, to monotheism and to agnosticism or uncertainty.
From the natural world, man observes three distinct regions of the heavens. First, the sky where birds fly, second, the area where clouds are found and, finally, the vast expanse above the clouds where the planets and stars are located.
At that primitive time, man either could not or would not reason that there are different levels of the heavens, that is, the assumption was that the planets, sun and the moon travel the same path. Only later would the planets, sun and moon be understood as traveling unique courses, such a model of the heavens is found in the spheres of early astronomy.
Man would notice the two bright stars in the morning before sunrise and two bright stars in the evening after sunset. These four stars, plus the sun, the moon, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars are the Ennead or the company of nine gods as found in Egyptian myths. The division of the celestial workers into nine divisions is also found in the Christian angelic hierarchy. Only with sufficient time and correct reasoning would man understand that the morning stars are identical with the evening stars. Later, these stars would be promoted to planets and named Venus and Mercury.
We suggest that primitive man would grant various influences to the planets, as upheld by the current teachings of astrology. We will use the term “gods” for ease of use and readily acknowledge the ambiguity of the word as used in this essay. While these gods of the seven planets would find near universal agreement among mankind, some people, in the course of time, introduced strange gods. We suggest the only possible candidates for “strange gods” must be the stars.
The stars would rightly be considered strange gods, as the stars are generally uninteresting and repeat their course annually, unlike the planets that wander through the night sky and sometimes change direction without any notice. The arbitrary change of direction is a clear indication of the gods’ powers and their fickle nature, as related in the Roman and pagan myths, especially Zeus. It is clear to the unbiased observer that these planetary gods are worthy of worship, unlike the stars.
We suggest that before the advanced concepts and associated apologetics of theology, the majority of worshipers would understand three heavens; the area of birds, the region of clouds and the vast domain of the gods.
We suggest that the typical early Christian adherent was incapable of making a distinction between worshiping Jesus and venerating Saint George, as there was no demarcation between worship and veneration. Without the distinction of relegating veneration to beings who are not god, it is understandable that Christians worshiped the saints as gods. We note that the saints are considered holy, just as god is deemed holy. The degree of holiness is the result of an advanced theological distinction.
From the natural world, man observes three distinct regions of the heavens. First, the sky where birds fly, second, the area where clouds are found and, finally, the vast expanse above the clouds where the planets and stars are located.
At that primitive time, man either could not or would not reason that there are different levels of the heavens, that is, the assumption was that the planets, sun and the moon travel the same path. Only later would the planets, sun and moon be understood as traveling unique courses, such a model of the heavens is found in the spheres of early astronomy.
Man would notice the two bright stars in the morning before sunrise and two bright stars in the evening after sunset. These four stars, plus the sun, the moon, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars are the Ennead or the company of nine gods as found in Egyptian myths. The division of the celestial workers into nine divisions is also found in the Christian angelic hierarchy. Only with sufficient time and correct reasoning would man understand that the morning stars are identical with the evening stars. Later, these stars would be promoted to planets and named Venus and Mercury.
We suggest that primitive man would grant various influences to the planets, as upheld by the current teachings of astrology. We will use the term “gods” for ease of use and readily acknowledge the ambiguity of the word as used in this essay. While these gods of the seven planets would find near universal agreement among mankind, some people, in the course of time, introduced strange gods. We suggest the only possible candidates for “strange gods” must be the stars.
The stars would rightly be considered strange gods, as the stars are generally uninteresting and repeat their course annually, unlike the planets that wander through the night sky and sometimes change direction without any notice. The arbitrary change of direction is a clear indication of the gods’ powers and their fickle nature, as related in the Roman and pagan myths, especially Zeus. It is clear to the unbiased observer that these planetary gods are worthy of worship, unlike the stars.
We suggest that before the advanced concepts and associated apologetics of theology, the majority of worshipers would understand three heavens; the area of birds, the region of clouds and the vast domain of the gods.
We suggest that the typical early Christian adherent was incapable of making a distinction between worshiping Jesus and venerating Saint George, as there was no demarcation between worship and veneration. Without the distinction of relegating veneration to beings who are not god, it is understandable that Christians worshiped the saints as gods. We note that the saints are considered holy, just as god is deemed holy. The degree of holiness is the result of an advanced theological distinction.
2
References to Saint Nicholas the Wonder Worker as a god can be found as recently as the seventeenth century. Whatever supernatural abilities archangel’s posses, the Old Testament relates that it can take several days for an archangel to relay their messages. Clearly, we rightly infer that archangels are limited by temporal considerations. Saints and gods are not so limited, as we are familiar with Saint Nicholas’ ability to deliver packages to millions of children worldwide during the course of one night. While people may explicitly deny that Saint Nicholas is a god, we have accumulated anecdotal evidence over many centuries from children of Saint Nicholas: godlike powers over time and space. In addition, millions of parents annually declare to children that Saint Nicholas does in fact do these extraordinary feats by himself, although they freely admit that shopping mall Santas are Saint Nicholas’ assistants.
The idea that god is supernatural- beyond nature- is an innovation. To be beyond nature, in a physical sense, means that this supposed god occupies the area above the third heaven, above the celestial region. This god is not seen and may correctly described as the “unknown god”. We will not speculate upon how the idea of this ‘unknown god” occupying the area above the third heaven came into being among the beliefs of mankind. However, we must state that the sum of the planets and stars gives the possibility of hundreds of visible gods to freely worship, or to ignore, as one chooses. We are uncertain of the need or the motivation to suggest the existence of an “unknown god”. The concept of the seventh, eighth and ninth heavens are the result of the idea that the planets occupy spheres above the earth; where the seventh heaven is beyond Saturn and the eighth heaven is beyond the stars. Certain gnostics supposedly held opinions that there were either 360 or 365 gods, thereby giving each day of the year a unique god. Today, we are clearly impoverished, if only numerically speaking, as only the seven gods of the week days remain.
The image of deceased loved ones playing harps on clouds must be the product of the idea that the deceased could do no better than reach the second heaven. If the deceased could attain a higher position, then they would not be depicted resting on clouds, since clouds are only found in the second heaven. It is possible that at one time the third heaven was reserved for the gods, and only later included the saints, since the saints are holy and are in the company of god. We remind the Gentle Reader that saints are not made in the Orthodox Church, they are only recognized as saints. It is possible that certain churches have recognized saints that other churches have not recognized. Although participation varies, long established saints are acknowledged by all Orthodox Christians.
The idea of a god existing beyond the highest visible heaven must be the product of speculation. No doubt, there was an individual, long forgotten in the mists of time, who suggested that the visible gods were not gods at all, but messengers for the one unseen and unknown god. The unseen and unknown god must be above nature, without physical form and, hence, made entirely of spirit.
Therefore, without empirical evidence, we find ourselves confronted with the idea of a god above nature and spiritual with lesser beings (demoted from gods to saints, to angels, to archons et cetera) who receive god’s orders and dutifully carry out his supreme will.
The idea that god is supernatural- beyond nature- is an innovation. To be beyond nature, in a physical sense, means that this supposed god occupies the area above the third heaven, above the celestial region. This god is not seen and may correctly described as the “unknown god”. We will not speculate upon how the idea of this ‘unknown god” occupying the area above the third heaven came into being among the beliefs of mankind. However, we must state that the sum of the planets and stars gives the possibility of hundreds of visible gods to freely worship, or to ignore, as one chooses. We are uncertain of the need or the motivation to suggest the existence of an “unknown god”. The concept of the seventh, eighth and ninth heavens are the result of the idea that the planets occupy spheres above the earth; where the seventh heaven is beyond Saturn and the eighth heaven is beyond the stars. Certain gnostics supposedly held opinions that there were either 360 or 365 gods, thereby giving each day of the year a unique god. Today, we are clearly impoverished, if only numerically speaking, as only the seven gods of the week days remain.
The image of deceased loved ones playing harps on clouds must be the product of the idea that the deceased could do no better than reach the second heaven. If the deceased could attain a higher position, then they would not be depicted resting on clouds, since clouds are only found in the second heaven. It is possible that at one time the third heaven was reserved for the gods, and only later included the saints, since the saints are holy and are in the company of god. We remind the Gentle Reader that saints are not made in the Orthodox Church, they are only recognized as saints. It is possible that certain churches have recognized saints that other churches have not recognized. Although participation varies, long established saints are acknowledged by all Orthodox Christians.
The idea of a god existing beyond the highest visible heaven must be the product of speculation. No doubt, there was an individual, long forgotten in the mists of time, who suggested that the visible gods were not gods at all, but messengers for the one unseen and unknown god. The unseen and unknown god must be above nature, without physical form and, hence, made entirely of spirit.
Therefore, without empirical evidence, we find ourselves confronted with the idea of a god above nature and spiritual with lesser beings (demoted from gods to saints, to angels, to archons et cetera) who receive god’s orders and dutifully carry out his supreme will.
3
Firstly, with the introduction of this unseen and unknown god, people can freely speculate whether or not this supernatural god is benevolent (the opinion of most theists), malevolent (the opinion of some gnostics) or indifferent (the opinion of deists).
The unseen and unknown god may or may not reveal his intentions to humanity. If he has, then we can choose among certain types of Christianity, Judaism or Islam. If the unseen and unknown god continues to reveal his wishes, then we can choose Mormonism or Roman Catholicism, to name only two. By only specifying two Christian groups, we are not endorsing any view, only demonstrating our ignorance of other groups who also regularly receive god’s revelations.
If on the other hand, the unseen and unknown god has not revealed either himself or his intentions to mankind, then we are confronted by the issue of whether an unseen and unknown god, composed of spirit, and above the third heaven is not only a possibility, but an unseen and unknown aspect of our reality.
We wonder if mankind was “better off” believing and worshiping the visible gods. With the physical gods, people could blame poor weather on Jove and, alternately, praise him for an abundant harvest. Of course, the recognition and acknowledgment of the gods existence allowed for the appearance of their spokesmen, the charlatans. The ancients were beguiled by the supposed authority of the priest class to speak for the gods. Fortunately, this behavior is fundamentally different from the moderns who listen to god’s current spokesmen. Interestingly, god is consistent, both formerly and currently, when he declares that his followers should support his ministers and marginalize non believers whenever possible. Well, we should state that either god is consistent through the centuries or his spokesmen are consistent, as to suggest consistency from something that is unseen and unknown is beyond the ability of even Great Occultists.
In summation, we are confident that man’s progression from not knowing about gods, to worshiping terrestrial objects, to worshiping celestial objects reaches the penultimate point: worshiping one unseen and unknown god.
Why the idea of one unseen and unknown god has an appeal to man's mind and a grip on man’s imagination is beyond the insight of Yours Truly to adequately deduce, however, two possibilities are offered in earnest.
Proclamations of personal authority to speak for god, combined with appeals to ancient authority, may prove irresistible to the majority of mankind.
The unseen and unknown god may or may not reveal his intentions to humanity. If he has, then we can choose among certain types of Christianity, Judaism or Islam. If the unseen and unknown god continues to reveal his wishes, then we can choose Mormonism or Roman Catholicism, to name only two. By only specifying two Christian groups, we are not endorsing any view, only demonstrating our ignorance of other groups who also regularly receive god’s revelations.
If on the other hand, the unseen and unknown god has not revealed either himself or his intentions to mankind, then we are confronted by the issue of whether an unseen and unknown god, composed of spirit, and above the third heaven is not only a possibility, but an unseen and unknown aspect of our reality.
We wonder if mankind was “better off” believing and worshiping the visible gods. With the physical gods, people could blame poor weather on Jove and, alternately, praise him for an abundant harvest. Of course, the recognition and acknowledgment of the gods existence allowed for the appearance of their spokesmen, the charlatans. The ancients were beguiled by the supposed authority of the priest class to speak for the gods. Fortunately, this behavior is fundamentally different from the moderns who listen to god’s current spokesmen. Interestingly, god is consistent, both formerly and currently, when he declares that his followers should support his ministers and marginalize non believers whenever possible. Well, we should state that either god is consistent through the centuries or his spokesmen are consistent, as to suggest consistency from something that is unseen and unknown is beyond the ability of even Great Occultists.
In summation, we are confident that man’s progression from not knowing about gods, to worshiping terrestrial objects, to worshiping celestial objects reaches the penultimate point: worshiping one unseen and unknown god.
Why the idea of one unseen and unknown god has an appeal to man's mind and a grip on man’s imagination is beyond the insight of Yours Truly to adequately deduce, however, two possibilities are offered in earnest.
Proclamations of personal authority to speak for god, combined with appeals to ancient authority, may prove irresistible to the majority of mankind.