Sunday Devotional: Historical Truth

Years ago, on one of many discussion boards I frequented, I saw this post regarding a “new” movement back to a Germanic/Scandinavian pagan religion.

Myths are not fanciful stories made up by savages to explain a world they do not understand. On the contrary, mythology expresses truths of great spiritual importance; it is the language through which the collective unconscious, the Folk Soul, speaks to us.

Myths are those things which never happened, but are always true. They are the collective dream of the race.

We understand that our myths are not history. To confine the Gods and Goddesses to space and time is to limit them far too much, and to deprive them of their nature. Thor, Odin, and the rest of the Aesir and Vanir are too grand to be confused with mere anthropomorphic figures, though of course they can assume any shape they desire.

When a religion declares its myths to be literal, historical truth it exposes a great weakness - and gains nothing in return.

I snagged hard on this last statement.

Exposes a great weakness, hmm? What, the weakness of having to bow the knee to a sovereign Creator, rather than being master of our own destiny? This sounds very familiar to me.

“Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”

And it gains nothing in return?

Nothing?

So, having the peace to bear the death of a beloved adoptive father, and of a child, knowing—not just hoping, but truly knowing—that I will see them again someday, is not a gain? Having the assurance that my life has meaning beyond my understanding, both good and evil events woven together by a Heart that loves deeper than I can comprehend—that means nothing as well?

I wanted to be offended. I could only laugh, and sadly. If they only realized that the essence of all they seek—the connection to the Great Beyond, the banner of honor and courage—it’s found in Him who is in all and above all.

¹⁸ For thus says the Lord,
Who created the heavens,
Who is God,
Who formed the earth and made it,
Who has established it,
Who did not create it in vain,
Who formed it to be inhabited:
“I am the Lord, and there is no other.
¹⁹ I have not spoken in secret,
In a dark place of the earth;
I did not say to the seed of Jacob,
‘Seek Me in vain’;
I, the Lord, speak righteousness,
I declare things that are right.

²⁰ “Assemble yourselves and come;
Draw near together,
You who have escaped from the nations.
They have no knowledge,
Who carry the wood of their carved image,
And pray to a god that cannot save.
²¹ Tell and bring forth your case;
Yes, let them take counsel together.
Who has declared this from ancient time?
Who has told it from that time?
Have not I, the Lord?
And there is no other God besides Me,
A just God and a Savior;
There is none besides Me. (Isaiah 45, NKJV)