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And I would have gotten away with it too, if it wasn't for you meddling GODS!!! - Abbie Hedden

I've always wondered about fate. We aren't robots, and decide things for ourselves, and at the same time, God knows the outcome of all things. I won't dive into an Arminianism versus Calvinism argument here, but a certain question seems to rise from the Iliad. If something is fated to happen, would it not occur naturally, without men or immortals interfering? The gods of Olympus interfere in the war only in accordance with what they know to be fated. In fact, they save and condemn mortal lives in accordance with fate. This brings to light two factors. The first is that they must self-fulfill prophecies. This is mind-wrenching. Instead of prophecies foreseeing actions, they see an outcome, and gods and mortals must act in a way that will cause the outcome to happen. It seems more logical to me that a prophecy is something that will happen no matter what, and therefore no one should act differently than they originally would. The second factor one must consider in light of the prophecies is that the gods must answer to someone higher than themselves. Many myths refer to the three Fates and the Oracle, immortals who are cursed with knowledge and only pop in to mysteriously share the prophecy of the hero's doom or triumph. Zeus has direct access to the fate of mortals, however.  Zeus mourns Hector before his death, citing all of the wondrous deeds and sacrifices that Hector had offered to Zeus. Athena chides her father: "what are you saying? A man, a mere mortal,/ his doom sealed long ago? You'd set him free/from all the pains of death? Do as you please-/ but none of the deathless gods will ever praise you." (Homer, Book 22, lines 210-217). Zeus then weighs the fate of Achilles against the fate of Hector, and Hector's sinks, showing that it is time for his prophesied death to occur. So Zeus must answer to fate, if only to earn the praises of his immortal companions. So, the Greeks invented gods that are not only flawed, but also answer to higher powers. Instead of worshiping a God who made us in His own image, the Greeks created gods in their own image. Why do you think they did that?


Commented on Clabo's and Abbigayle's 

Comments

  1. Caroline TuckerAugust 31, 2020 at 10:16 PM

    Wow. I might not sleep tonight because I will be thinking about this. I think it is interesting to compare the gods being created in human image while God created humans in His image. Wouldn’t we, broken humans, want gods who are broken like us. We could relate to the gods. It means that if we have an affair out of marriage, for example, and it be okay because Zeus did so as well. Then, look where Zeus is, he is the most powerful god there is. However, this belief brings no hope, no discipline, and no security. I am very thankful God is not this way. He is perfect and we (human beings) were once perfect but because of sin we no longer are. As a Christian, I have a just, holy, and loving God.

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