There is that of the Divine in all Creatures.
Leda & the Swan - Gericault
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So, what is all this talk of Divine Darwinism??
It's a notion I've been kicking around after years
of studying ancient mythologies and world beliefs.
It is myth-based, not in the least scientific, nor,
for that matter, religious.
In our efforts to explain our place in the universe,
our relationship to the planet and Her diversity,
our ancestors have put great emphasis on the affection
and physical interaction/procreation of the Divine and the Mundane.
Divine Darwinism pursues this theoretic line:
Given that there is that of the Divine in all creatures,
if follows that this Divinity came to us in conjunction with evolution.
D.D. refers to the process whereby the Gods and Goddesses
strengthened human and animal bloodlines with their own,
thus giving us all a bit of an edge in the survival game.
It is a matter of Chaos in the Blood: Evolution & Divine Windfalls.
Think about it.
After all, what a terrible waste to have the strength
and wisdom and cunning of the divine and not pass it
along to those you call your "children." Surely, the
divine forces in the universe, whatever name we might
give them, would treat neither their gifts not their
offspring so shabbily. In the days of the great
Pagan Pantheons, of the Pandava and the Maya Twins,
of the King Stag and the Children of Danu and offspring
of Aeneas, this was not the case.
(see Encyclopedia Mythica: mythology, folklore, and religion for myth specifics.)
The Old Deities -the Pagan Deities - loved their children enough
to give them the best possible chance in this wild and hostile world.
They gave them their own blood--made us truly children of the Divine.
How does this notion fit into Darwinian Evolution?
Quite simply--in fact, much more simply than the barren,
distant touch of monotheistic gods.
As we envisioned them, The Old Ones had a true concern
for us humans--and for our animal kin--both kindly affection
and, at times, ardent passion. They chose to be involved
in our lives, to give us what help they could. Plus, face
it, they were a randy bunch with Divine appetites.
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Mediterranean Bloodlines
The study of Eurocentric Civilization frequently begins
with a look at the prolific Greco-Roman Pantheon and their passel of offspring.
Divine Darwinism as it plays out around the Mediterranean
is primarily--but not exclusively--a god thing. I believe
this is in part due to the patriarchical character of Greek society.
The men were making the rules and the kings/heroes wanted
everyone to know of their personal relationship to the gods.
But I also believe it's more of a god thing because women
are inherently creators and thus, inherently divine.
Basically, we need less help than the men.
Just a thought.
In the beginning there was Woman.
Pandora, the First Woman, was created by the
Olympians with full of their Divine spark.
She, in turn, was wed to no mere mortal.
No, she married Epimetheus, a Titan.
Some say this was a trick played by the
Olympians to get even with Epimetheus's brother
Prometheus for the whole fire-gifting business.
Of course, in the process, Zeus and Co. infused
humanity with an extra dose of divine blood.
It was a gift which certainly helped us in the survival game.
This was only the beginning.
Among the Olympians, Zeus was the alpha-male
and his love-lust lived up to that status.
Io, Leda, Alcmene, Danaë, Europa, they were
but the better-known tip of his amorous iceberg.
Through them and their descendents Olympian blood
flowed through the royal families of the Mediterranean
and northern Africa, all the way to Ethiopia. What better
credentials for a king or queen than to have a god in their family tree.
Unfortunately, this claim to pedigree could also be misused
in the most barbaric fashion. Divine lineage was too easily
perverted into Divine privilege. A cosmic no-no of the first order.
Apollo, Poseidon, not to mention a plethora of lesser known
demiurges, nymphs, and other supernal beings, followed Zeus
lead, taking a plunge into the human gene pool. Their children
were strong or beautiful, wise or inventive. They had a Divine
edge which was, in turn, passed on to their children.
Though this was largely a god thing among the Olympians,
some goddesses - those not chaste or otherwise restricted - also got into the act.
Aphrodite, for example, was the mother of Aeneas, and he in turn was the father of Rome.
The immortals found a practical way of guaranteeing their immortality.
Bear Child -- Susan Seddon Boulet
Why is this so?
It seems like a good question, especially given the aloof nature
of the deities in more modern monotheistic faiths.
Why would the Gods and Goddesses be so fascinated with human beings?
Also, why are we humans so invested in being the children of the Gods?
Just some questions to kick around and explore here in the future.
IF ANYTHING HERE PIQUES YOUR INTEREST,E-MAIL ME!
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