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Posted by Spirit Dancer
on 8/6/2009, 2:55 pm, in reply to "Re: help"
24.119.47.171
Personally, I blame the development of language. Different cultures have different languages. Each culture has legends that are told in their own language. The name for the God and Goddess changes as cultures evolve and languages change.
From my (admitted less than extensive) research, I have found that the gods are actually quite similar across various pantheon lines. Zeus (Greek), Thor (Norse), and Shango (Vodou) are all war gods who prefer to vanquish their enemies with lightning bolts. Hera (Greek) and Kali (Hindu) are both strong mothers who are well-known for their ill tempers. The list goes on.
Another thing that is common in all of the mythologies that I have studied is a family tree. I have yet to cross a pantheon that didn’t have a chief god and goddess. The primary parental figures are ever-present.
In Vodou mythology, there are many tales of gods possessing their priests, and traveling to foreign lands. This is how Haitian Vodou, American Voodoo, Santeria, and Candomble were born. This is also how Catholic idols became apart of the Vodou religion.
The way I figure it, that is how the God and Goddess got so many names. When humankind explored the world he/she took his/her gods with him/her. As time passed, and societies evolved, people needed to find ways to address and honor their gods in accordance to their place of residence. New traditions were constructed. New names were given. The end result is that now we have multiple names and traditions for the same gods and goddesses that are worshiped by people on the other side of the planet.
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