Micah: Discworld QOTD, from Carpe Jugulum — Subium • Bluesky web client

Discworld QOTD, from Carpe Jugulum

Discworld QOTD, from Feet of Clay “People said that there was one law for the rich and one law for the poor, but it wasn't true. There was no law for those who made the law, and no law for the incorrigibly lawless.”

Terry had a lot of fun poking at the absurdity of monotheism in a world in which multiple gods will happily take potshots at your house for annoying them

My favourite Discworld deity will always be Anoia, a joke I didn’t get until I said her name out loud

We have a couple of utensils that are clearly artifacts of devotion to Anoia, so she gets acknowledged regularly in this house.

Rattle her drawers!

YUP.

*lightning bolt from a clear sky* "I Don't Consider That Much Of An Argument." (Feet of Clay, what a great -ing book)

"Offler is a vengeful god!" "Trigger-happy is more like it."

I miss him. I mean I never met him but I feel like he could provide wisdom and guidance right now

If you think about it, if the Discworld narrative of the number of gods was true, this world would probably be a happier place. Instead of a few with millions of followers wanting theirs to be No1 anyway possible, you'd never get enough believers to cause any problems.

The Hebrew Bible assumes the existence of multiple gods beside God and just says the Hebrews/Israelites are not allowed to worship them. Exhibit A: the commandment "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Big Pratchett fan, but this is maybe an e.g. of mapping Xian ideas onto all monotheists.

IIRC that claim is debatable and depends on minutae of translation. Which, incidentally is another aspect of religion that Terry was good at pointing out

IIRC correctly I have spent years studying the Bible in the original Hebrew, and if you can't read it, I don't think your contribution matters much here.

Ah, just seen your profile. Sorry if I was mansplaining. Happy to learn more

Also there are some instances in which it is unclear whether the word "elohim" should be translated as "gods" or "judges," e.g., from Psalms, "God presides in the divine assembly; in the midst of elohim God judges." I have not included those, lest people be concerned about translation.

I am not saying that the Hebrew Bible has no instances of "I am the only God"-type talk. But it is far, far less common than "Other gods, sure, whatever, but not for you, Israelites."

3) "I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD!" [Exod. 2:2]; 4) (Isaiah to priests of Baal): "If the LORD is God, then follow LORD; and if Baal, follow [Baal]!” (1 Kings 18:21). 5) "You shall have no foreign god, you shall not bow to an alien god" (Ps, 81:10) etc.

Thanks. "You shall have no other gods before me" &, among others: 1) "Who is like you among the gods, YHVH?" [Exod. 15:11] 2) "When you ... see the sun, moon & stars...do not be enticed into bowing down ... & worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations..." [Deut. 4:10] +

I think I'll loop back around to this one again after I re-finish Raising Steam today.

I still haven't read his final book because something in me won't let there be no new books left for me.

I've sworn not to read it until I complete my ebook collection. I still need Sourcery and I Shall Wear Midnight and one or two others.

📌

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