The character of supernatural no matter what they are 'gods or
spirits' varies significantly between different societies. Worldwide
differences have been observed regarding certain personality and character
traits of supernatural powers. They can be predictable or unpredictable,
helpful or punishing, interested in human affairs or partially and may be not
interested at all. It is a point of discussion that why the traits of character
and personality differs among different societies. One possible answer which is
drawn from cross cultural studies of different characters of supernatural is
that the whole idea of supernatural character is emphasized on child
training practices. It is believed that the god-human relationship is much like
parent-child relationship. This parent-child relation is relived while dealing
with the supernatural, if in a society children
are pleasantly nurtured and immediate response is
given to crying ones. Their gods are believed to be kind nurturing and helpful
and individuals will perform all rituals in order to gain attraction of their gods.
While on the other hand societies in which the environment is hurtful and no
proper response is given to crying children and they are often
punished severely for their mistakes, their gods will tend to be punishing
and malevolent with less care and affection. Individuals in such societies
perform their rituals because they are afraid that if they avoid doing so, they
will be severely punished by their gods. When we consider both the societies
individuals are performing rituals but some are doing them for gaining rewards
and some are performing just to avoid punishment. Generally societies with more
love and affection and more child caring possess kind, caring, benevolent and
generous gods while societies with less caring or rather hurtful environment
possess aggressive and malevolent and punishing gods.
It is believed that the supernatural world should be parallel to
natural world. As mentioned above how child training practices are related
to different characters of supernatural, the hierarchy of supernatural beings also
reflect the natural hierarchy. The range of social structures in human
societies from egalitarian to highly stratified has its counterpart in
supernatural world. Some societies possess gods which are not ranked, one god possesses
the same power as the other but some possess ranked gods or spirits. Each clan
group may have its own god who may primarily gain importance form its clan
members only. However the gods of various clans are believed to be ranked in
the same way as the clan groups are ranked in a village. The gods of most high
ranked and important clan are subjected to high status and importance and are
respected by all clans of the village. Its shrine would be in the center of
village and is elaborately decorated. These ranked societies mostly did
not believe in high gods or supreme gods, but other advance societies may
possess some high gods which are at supreme positions among other gods, they
are generally believed as creator god.
Although some religions are monotheistic which mean possess one god, most
monotheistic religions possess more than one supernatural beings for example;
demons, angels and the devil. The illustrations can be seen when we observe
Christianity and Islam which are among the most widespread religions in today's world.
On the other hand a polytheistic religion recognizes many important gods for
different functions and no god is supreme. Now the question arise why do some
society believe in high gods and some do not, the possible answer for this
question as a result of a cross cultural research is people often personify god
as individual who make all important decisions for the society. So according to
this belief societies with hierarchical political systems will tend to
believe in high gods while when there is no such social or political
system societies with lower and fewer level of decision making group tend
to be polytheistic in approach.
Talking about intervention of god in human affairs, when faced
with difficulties, pain, injustice and trauma's of life people explain
these events with intervention of the gods. In an old testament the direct
intervention of god caused a great flood that killed most of the people in
Noah. People may search for the memories of some taboo violation in other
societies that has brought a supernatural intervention in a form of a disaster.
It is not necessary that intervention is harmful, sometimes people ask for
a divine intervention either for good and happiness of oneself,
friends and family or evil for others. People may ask their gods for
interventions in weather to make crops grow well, to send fish to fishermen,
send game to hunters, to avoid accidents and illness and to stop a disaster.
However gods doesn't seem to intervene in all societies. In some societies
they readily intervene in human affairs; in others they are not just a bit
interested and in still others they intervene occasionally. It is a point of discussion
that why in some societies gods intervenes and do not intervene in others and
we do not have enough cross cultural research to reach a conclusion.
Life after Death:
Ideas about afterlife are vague and unimportant in many societies,
but many people have very definite and elaborate ideas about what happens after
one dies. These ideas and belief may vary a lot from one society to another.
Some believe in the theory of rebirth and some believe that once an individual
is dead he enters into a surprisingly new world which resides between the
living world only. The Lugbara see their dead as joining the ancestors of
the living who stay near the family homesite. They care for the living
ones and retain interest in their day to day affairs and they are often
believed to punish or reward their living relatives on accounts of their behaviours
and deeds. The Zuni of the south-western United States believe that the one who
die joins the past dead known as the Katcinas,
in a katcina village at the bottom of the nearby lake. The dead people then
live a life of singing and dancing and they bring rain to the living Zuni's by
doing so. On the other hand they punish the individuals who fail to do their
duties and also punish those who are behind masks and who often try
to be-fool people by their fake personality.
Some society’s views about afterlife are blending of two or more cultures.
The Chamulas have merged the ancient Mayan worship of sun and moon with
the Spanish conquerors' Jesus and Mary. They believe that all people
after death go into an underworld where they live human-like life but
they are incapable of performing 'sexual intercourse’. Their believe is that
when sun set's in the world it arise in the underworld lighting up there
dispersing its glory and giving light to the dead. It means sun rises in the
east and sets in the west after travelling over the world it goes under the
world and a reverse cycle is followed there. Only murderers and suicides
are punished and being burned by Christ-sun on their journey. Many people
including many Christians believe in the concept of hell and heaven.
According to them dead are divided into two groups. The
individuals who have committed sins all over their lives are sent to
hell for everlasting suffering and punishment and were tortured with fire and
the individuals those were kind and generous and basically good people are sent
to heaven where they enjoy everlasting reward and happiness. Several societies
see the dead as returning to earth to be reborn. The Hindus use this pattern of
reincarnation to justify one's caste in this life and the promise of eventual
release from the pain of life by attaining the state or 'nirvana' , or inclusion into the almighty
from whom we originated from.
In many religions afterlife and after world seems to revolve
around the everyday world. In this sense we try to relate dead with the living.
I am closing this post with a puzzling cycle of life and death and i hope u
have enjoyed reading this piece. Stay tuned for my next posts till then
goodbye...........................Tarun Joshi
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