Why do Angels, Gods, Deities, Immortals have weapons?

[Spirit Ape]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

 

Ape

[lino]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

 

Ape

 

They are going to guard their kin and descendants. It becomes a matter of personal property.

[Scarlet Wampus]

Given the range of different tools anthropomorphic deities could be using the popularity of dedicated killing tools does stand out. I think the deep answer for this is in our propensity for violence & war. I've seen a few esoteric explanations but to me they only appear esoteric in as much as they deliberately avoid the obvious.

[Taomeow]

Weapons have been invented by tao. The sage emulates her.

 

Why did tao invent weapons? They found out, e.g., when they exterminated wolves in certain areas, supposedly to kind-heartedly protect the deer. I think it was about the Yellowstone, the program I saw. Anyway, once the wolves were all gone, the peaceful deer multiplied unimpeded and gobbled up all the bark from all the trees. The trees were holding together the soil; when they died, the soil fell apart. The river turned into a muddy unlivable mess. Fish died. Herons who used to fish died. Eagles who used to fowl died. Deer, in the meantime, starved because there was nothing more to eat for them. Their numbers shrunk far below what they were when the wolves with their weapons were there. The never-ending chain of death unleashed by human interference into the armed balance of species kept spreading till they reintroduced the wolves, painstakingly, over a period of 30 years. Deer population became stable. Vegetation recovered. The soil solidified. The river ran clear. Fish returned. Herons returned. And so on. Wolves did this with their weapons.

[de_paradise]

To whack baddies, scare away the nonsense in your mental landscape. Symbolic of defensive power.

 

Theres this case where Richard Bandler hypnotized this kid who was having nightmares about a monster. Bandler had the kid create imagine another thing that could defeat the monster, that would be on his side if he needed. The nightmares disappeared after.

 

If I feel threatened while in some odd state, like I'm floating and vibrating away in some kind of dreamy OBE, and if I feel scared at some point, I will turn myself into Vajrayogini, who is an armed and scary-looking wrathful deity. Or just do the mantra.

[Taomeow]

[Loke]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

 

Ape

If above as below then the heaven is a predatory heven.

[suninmyeyes]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

 

Ape

Well i think that in order to exist/survive everyone needs defense mechanisam of some sort ,be it good health or a kalashnikov or bow and arrow depending on the circumstances and time/age.

So metaphoriclly and maybe alligned with common human associations towards a norm for what a certain type of(imaginary?)caracther is like or should be- people attributed /connected certain weapons with immortals,gods etc.

In another words one can almost see the personality through by the type of weapons and role they have.

And weapons could also be in some cases a gross physical symbols for more subtle form of defense mechanisam .

Or?

Edited April 11, 2010 by suninmyeyes

[lino]

If above as below then the heaven is a predatory heven.

 

No

 

Not really

 

They are protecting their own tribe whether it be a good person, kin, or somebody out

of their belief system

[Spirit Ape]

I saw christian pics of the arch angels all with different weapons that resemble the Kwan Dao (helberd, swords, daggers) all the traditional kung fu weapons. So was wondering why the have a similar hirachy like Kwan Dao usually goes with Generals etc.

 

Ape

[C T]

The symbolic representation of wrathful deities armed with myriad weapons and skulls and bones etc are to demonstrate the subjugation of primal ignorance and delusion and other human weaknesses that need to be transformed in order to unveil the unblemished heart nature of all beings. (In Tib Buddhism).

[3bob]

The symbolic representation of wrathful deities armed with myriad weapons and skulls and bones etc are to demonstrate the subjugation of primal ignorance and delusion and other human weaknesses that need to be transformed in order to unveil the unblemished heart nature of all beings. (In Tib Buddhism).

 

Pretty much agreed with that CowTao, although I'd add that in any of the dualistic worlds or realms there will be exchanges and or "wars" of the dualistic manifestations of the various energies and Beings therein. Thus the greatest weapon so to speak is the truth of non-dualism which can not be overcome by the lesser weapons or truths of Beings identified with the realms of dualism.

 

Om

[C T]

 

Thus the greatest weapon so to speak is the truth of non-dualism which can not be overcome by the lesser weapons or truths of Beings identified with the realms of dualism.

 

Om

Yes 3Bob... thank you for the added observation.. this 'greatest weapon' you mentioned is also symbolically represented as the adamantine, indestructible dorje/vajra, or thunderbolt sceptre (that which cuts through all duality).

 

Here's an example - the Vajra Guru himself: Guru Padmasambhava with the dorje in his right palm --

http://www.khandro.net/images/GuRin_frm.jpg

 

Blessings and peace to all.

[3bob]

Yes 3Bob... thank you for the added observation.. this 'greatest weapon' you mentioned is also symbolically represented as the adamantine, indestructible dorje/vajra, or thunderbolt sceptre (that which cuts through all duality).

 

Here's an example - the Vajra Guru himself: Guru Padmasambhava with the dorje in his right palm --

http://www.khandro.net/images/GuRin_frm.jpg

 

Blessings and peace to all.

 

An excellent depiction from the Buddhist view CowTao,

 

Here is Hindu depiction of Siva as non-dual. Note that the scepters are almost identical.

 

Edited April 11, 2010 by 3bob

[Cloudhand]

Just because you follow Tao, dosnt mean you cant protect family, self , gods or whatever what about kung fu. Pictures deplict the times. Cloud

[Scarlet Wampus]

The pictures depict the times indeed!

[Ramon25]

Its like asking why do people practice martial arts like tai chi bagua hsing xi and such for spritual develpoment. Weapons to me are not a way of showing ignorance but are a symbol of power- personal power, discipline, mastering the primal and equally valid side of existence- Weapons work with the third eye and solar plexus chackra, having the power to cut through our ignorance. Alot of people seem to think anything worldly is evil and that is denying the root, the earth which is a pretty hostile place in some situations. So to embody a weapon is to have mastered ONE aspect of the primal- to sophisticate it.

[Cloudhand]

Its like asking why do people practice martial arts like tai chi bagua hsing xi and such for spritual develpoment. Weapons to me are not a way of showing ignorance but are a symbol of power- personal power, discipline, mastering the primal and equally valid side of existence- Weapons work with the third eye and solar plexus chackra, having the power to cut through our ignorance. Alot of people seem to think anything worldly is evil and that is denying the root, the earth which is a pretty hostile place in some situations. So to embody a weapon is to have mastered ONE aspect of the primal- to sophisticate it.

 

 

You said it brother! Cloud

[Gerard]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

 

Ape

 

 

Those weapons are, as you know, symbolic. They represent the power of good vs. evil.

 

They were "metal" in nature due to the powerful influence of the Bronze Age in human civilisation in the years to come. In this age is were metalworking achieved a structured, systematic and widespread use.

 

Even tarot cards like to depict various swords, coins, rods due to that influence.

[baiqi]

Besides all what had been said, I would also add that "heavens" are not so peaceful as we think they are...By "heavens" I mean other realms of existence, including the realm of gods.

 

As for religious taoism, you can see many pictures with 2 different types of gods: some, on one side, have different kinds of weapons, and the others are with scrolls for reading.

I think this is a reminder that you should not separate "martial arts" from "literature".

[~jK~]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

 

Ape

The thinking must be that if you all will believe in them, then you all will believe in them having weapons to keep all you fools in line.

 

Hey - it works for the catholicks - they get to bugger all the little alter boys they want and no one even thinks of jail time for them let alone the sexual preditor list.

 

You want a deep answer for this? Try churching it - you'll get a deep one

[Athanor]

Just wondering why all the different religions there gods had some type of weapon/s? All the christian angels have weapons, immortals, gods and Deities, I want a deep answer for this can anyone help?

They were created in an era where people seriously thought that even the best interest needs to have a forceful protection to make it able to become reality. So when people imagined these creatures and found them out, they created them with weapons to give them the power to protect their aim, or to destroy the obstacles which people couldn't destroy.

 

No historical person of high spirituality has weapons, only legendary people or people from fairy tales have weapons. Buddha & Jesus didn't have a weapon.

[Thunder_Gooch]

[Birch]

Because we invented them (the angels, gods, immortals, and the weapons.) And once we invented them, then they came to abide with us with their weapons in their hands until we need or want to use them.

 

People still call upon them? Hopefully they only answer when needed and not desired? Right now, it would seem otherwise to me. If I can't "cut it" myself then I assume I need to train better. But I'd rather live than die by the sword (or a gun, or a flail).

 

But I don't know, so perhaps the angels, gods and immortals and weapons have other ideas in mind when carrying out our "wishes"? Like the wolves Tao Meow mentions?

[lino]

Because we invented them (the angels, gods, immortals, and the weapons.) And once we invented them, then they came to abide with us with their weapons in their hands until we need or want to use them.

 

People still call upon them? Hopefully they only answer when needed and not desired? Right now, it would seem otherwise to me. If I can't "cut it" myself then I assume I need to train better. But I'd rather live than die by the sword (or a gun, or a flail).

 

But I don't know, so perhaps the angels, gods and immortals and weapons have other ideas in mind when carrying out our "wishes"? Like the wolves Tao Meow mentions?

 

I suspect that all of Saints's workloads may have lighten all of a sudden.