When reading Victors
and Vanquished, it told of an Aztec leader that was asked for help by the
Mexica people that were being attacked by the Spaniards. This leader refused to
help his brothers in the fight, saying,
“Why would strangers come without cause? A god has sent them, that is why they came!” (p. 188)
This idea, that God
or the gods determine what happens, is found in many cultures. The mentioned leader
claimed that they were being defeated because they hadn't worshiped the gods
in a sufficient way. Why would a culture believe so strongly that their gods
play such a large part in their lives?
When thinking about this, I remembered reading something like this for my other class, Western Humanities. The tie together
was perfect, because I’ve been studying about another war in Greek times, told
by the Iliad. The Greek culture also
put great importance in their gods and throughout the story there are multiple
times when the gods intervene and help whoever they prefer to win, often when
that person would not have won otherwise.
Tying these two cultures together – the Greek and the Aztec –
also helps in thinking about other cultures and how they have the same views.
Even in the Latter-day Saint mind, blessings and consequences play a huge part
in our reasoning behind what happens to us in this life.
I guess this stood out to me because I wonder
why humans want something to blame when things go wrong, and to praise when
things go right. Maybe it’s our inner desire for a bigger picture, and a need
to know that we aren’t just on the earth by chance. We want a larger being to
be in control, even if that larger being is selfish, punishing, and worship-hungry.
Trying to please a god gives something to live for, and something to die for.
Believing that hardships come from disobedience gives hope that life can get
better.
No comments:
Post a Comment