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John Bunyan's avatar

I did a deep dive into Revelation a few years ago (apocolypses being all the rage back then) and came away with the impression that it was one of the most insightful treatises about human nature I've ever read. Why does it always seem like the world is ending, and that Revelation is happening before our eyes? Beacuse humans are constantly creating the conditions that Revelation describes. I've generally thought that this was due to our fallen nature, and that we create end-of-the-world-worthy scenarios intrinsically and mostly unconsciously ("humans goona human"). I hadn't really considered that this pattern is being actively directed by supernatural forces. I don't know that active direction is necessary - I do think that humans would manage to create the patterns of Revelation again and again without nudging - but it's not as if the forces of Evil have no agency. As usual, you've given me a lot to ponder. Thanks for writing.

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Shimpling Chadacre's avatar

I've been re-watching some old Star Trek TNG episodes lately - particularly the ones featuring Q, the "Trickster God" - and it resonated with this and one of your earlier posts regarding "intelligences" or "entities" of which we're entirely unaware in our mundane day-to-day lives.

After a break of several decades, I've recently had some experiences with a couple of psycho-active compounds which, perhaps hallucinatory/imaginary or not, have left me with the distinct impression that by either disabling certain mental filters or amplifying otherwise repressed senses, it is possible to perceive other "entities", operating in realms which seem utterly alien and yet weirdly familiar.

In particular your observation that these entities or forces operate through all matter, all life, in timescales and with purpose that bear no relation to our individual or collective concerns, rings true.

It resonates with the Eleusinian Mysteries - and pantheism/polytheism. As Britannica puts it "Typically, polytheistic cultures include belief in many demonic and ghostly forces in addition to the gods, and some supernatural beings will be malevolent."

Sometimes we're of use, and they use us, and sometimes we're utterly irrelevant, and meaningless. And sometimes, if they even notice us, we're just playthings for their amusement, entirely unconcerned by the outcomes for us as individuals.

Thanks for taking the time to share such insightful and thought-provoking posts.

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