Sunday, December 2, 2012

Creation


First, to the one who tipped about the Pagan Shop in Germany.  They did have a Hela Figure Statue.  Danke!

Second, this post is one that I was going to skip, however some have asked for it.  I know many may be upset by it.  But I don't understand why so I don't know how to write it in a way that is less upsetting.   The following is a copy of creation notes from my BOS and journals.  Personally, I tend to be more science oriented, but myth stories are interesting to read.  Please follow up with your own research. 
Creation, a word from Middle English, can hold many meanings such as the act of producing or causing to exist or the original bringing into existence of the universe by God.  "Every person is the creation of himself, the image of his own thinking and believing. As individuals think and believe, so they are. -Claude M. Bristol"

Creationism is the religious belief that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being. The history of creationism relates to the history of thought based on a premise that the natural universe had a beginning, and came into being supernaturally. The term creationism in its broad sense covers a wide range of views and interpretations, and was not in common use before the late 19th century.

Throughout recorded history, many people have viewed the universe as a created entity (creation myths).  Many ancient historical accounts from around the World refer to or imply a creation of the Earth (and also the universe).  Although specific historical understandings of creationism have used varying degrees of empirical, spiritual and/or philosophical investigations, they are all based on the view that the universe was created. Generally Buddhism rejects a creator, stating that questions on the origin of the World are worthless.

The most influential force on more recent Eastern history of creationism has been the Genesis creation narrative, which was accepted as a historical account until the advent of modern geology (the discovery that the Earth was far older than a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis could account for). It has provided a basic framework for Jewish, Christian and Islamic epistemological understandings of how the universe came into being - through the supernatural intervention of God, Yahweh, or Allah.

Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids ("great apes") and mammals. The study of human evolution uses many scientific disciplines, including physical anthropology, primatology, archaeology, linguistics and genetics.

Scientists have estimated that humans branched off from their common ancestor with chimpanzees about 5–7 million years ago. Several species and subspecies of Homo evolved and are now extinct, introgressed or extant.
From around the start of the 19th century, ideas such as Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's concept of transmutation of species had gained a small number of supporters in Paris and Edinburgh, mostly amongst anatomists.  Charles Darwin's development of his theory of natural selection in the 1830s and the anonymous publication of Vestiges of Creation in 1844 aroused wide public interest with support from Quakers and Unitarians, but was strongly criticized by the scientific community, which emphasized the need for solidly backed science. In 1859 Darwin's On the Origin of Species provided that evidence from an authoritative and respected source, and gradually convinced scientists that evolution occurs.  This book re-examined the Bible and cast doubt on a literal interpretation.  By 1875 most American naturalists supported ideas of theistic evolution, often involving special creation of human beings. 

Homo sapiens (Latin for "wise") have lived from about 250,000 years ago to the present. Between 400,000 years ago and the second interglacial period in the Middle Pleistocene, around 250,000 years ago, the trend in skull expansion and the elaboration of stone tool technologies developed, providing evidence for a transition from H. erectus to H. sapiens. The direct evidence suggests there was a migration of H. erectus out of Africa, then a further speciation of H. sapiens from H. erectus in Africa.  A subsequent migration within and out of Africa eventually replaced the earlier dispersed H. erectus.  This migration and origin theory is usually referred to as the recent single origin or Out of Africa theory.

Anatomically, modern humans originated in Africa about 200,000 years ago, reaching full behavioral modernity around 50,000 years ago.  Humans have a highly developed brain and are capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection, and problem solving.  This mental capability, combined with an erect body carriage that frees the hands for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of tools than any other living species on Earth. Other higher-level thought processes of humans, such as self-awareness, rationality, and sapience, are considered to be defining features of what constitutes a "person".

Humans are noted for their desire to understand and influence their environment, seeking to explain and manipulate phenomena through science, philosophy, mythology, and religion. This natural curiosity has led to the development of advanced tools and skills, which are passed down culturally; humans are the only species known to build fires, cook their food, clothe themselves, create art, and use numerous other technologies.

 
Norse - In the beginning there was the void called Ginnungagap. What does Ginnungagap mean? Yawning gap, beginning gap, gap with magical potential, mighty gap; these are a few of the educated guesses. Along with the void existed Niflheim the land of fog and ice in the north and Muspelheim the land of fire in the south. There seems to be a bit of confusion as to whether or not these existed after Ginnungagap or along side of it from the beginning.

In Niflheim was a spring called Hvergelmir from which the Elivagar Rivers flowed. The Elivargar froze layer upon layer until it filled in the northerly portion of the gap. Concurrently, the southern portion was being filled by sparks and molten material from Muspelheim.

The mix of fire and ice caused part of the Elivagar to melt forming the figures Ymir, the primeval giant, and the cow Audhumla. The cow's milk was Ymir's food.  While Ymir slept, his arms begat two frost giants, one male one female, while his two legs begat another male.

While Ymir was busy procreating, Audhumla was busy eating.  Her nourishment came from licking the salty ice.  Her incessant licking formed the God Buri. He had a son named Bor, who became the father of Gods Odin, Vili, and Ve.   For some reason the sons of Bor decided to kill poor Ymir.  His blood caused a flood which killed all of the frost giants except for two, Bergelmir and his wife, who escaped the deluge in their boat.  From them spring the families of frost ogres.
Odin, Vili, and Ve put Ymir's corpse into the middle of Ginnungagap and created the Earth and sky from it.  From Ymir's dead body, Odin created the world-Ymir's blood was the sea; his flesh, the earth; his skull, the sky; his bones, the mountains; his hair, the trees.  They also created the stars, sun, and moon from sparks coming out of Muspelheim.

From the maggots that crawled in Ymir's flesh, Odin, Vili, and Ve created dwarves. They have shape and wits of men, but they live under the earth in caves.

In Norse mythology, Ask and Embla were the first two humans, created by the Gods. According to chapter 9 of the Prose Edda book Gylfaginning, the three brothers Vili, Ve, and Odin, are the creators of the first man and woman. The brothers were once walking along a beach and found two trees there. They took the wood and from it created the first human beings; Ask and Embla. One of the three gave them the breath of life, the second gave them movement and intelligence and the third gave them shape, speech, hearing and sight.  Ask and Embla go on to become the progenitors of all humanity and were given a home within the walls of Midgard.

Finally, the three brothers built their own realm.  Asgard is a mighty stronghold, with green plains and shining palaces high over Midgard.  Vili and Ve sacrified their lives to save the new realm, transfering their essence to Odin.  In Asgard was a great hall named Hlidskjalf. Odin, the oldest brother, sat on a high seat.  From there he could look out over the whole world and see what everyone was doing.  He is the father of all the Gods and men and of everything that he and his power created.
 

 

 
So may it be.









Creation                   







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