Let me pose a question

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Tell me, oh community of varied peoples and gods.

Suppose, for a moment, that you are worshiped as a God. As according to your godly duties, you declare a holy tree.

Upon informing your followers of this fact, they immediately go and cut down every holy tree they can find for incense.

How, again, is that logical? No where did I suggest that I wanted to burn the poor things!

Tch. The worst bit is that I must no do anything about it...tempting as it may be.

Comments

[clockmaster.livejournal.com]

Looks like they misunderstood your words madam.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Indeed. What is it with you humans and the destruction of Ginko trees?

[clockmaster.livejournal.com]

Ginko trees don't even exist in my world, madam. What if you explain them that that's not what you wanted?

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

You see, that is the problem. I am supposed to be a God - I must be as random, chaotic, unfeeling, petty, and foolish as I can possibly imagine.

By all rights I should praise the fools when all I really wish to do is destroy their village.

[clockmaster.livejournal.com]

...why that? Not all the gods are like this.

You feel motivated by destruction?

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

No, I suppose not. On the other hand, I am giving humanity exactly what it wishes for, am I not?

No. But it would certainly relieve some of the irritation I feel with my flawed creatures.

[clockmaster.livejournal.com]

I..suppose you are.

Maybe you can find another way to feel relieved.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

I simply wish it was not so difficult to preform to their expectations.

Not for a few hundred more years. To few of them are ready to be Godless.

[capnluffy.livejournal.com]

You don't look like a god.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

What does a God look like?

[jagan-glare.livejournal.com]

It's not. Your followers are morons.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I am constantly reminded of the fact.

Pity I simply cannot kill them all off.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

Obviously, they don't respect you as a god. You don't want those kind of people as followers.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Oh, of course I don't want them.

But that is really not the issue. I must be their deity, and have to suffer through it until I am able to drive all the truly intelligent ones away.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

Why are you forced to be their god?

The intelligent ones usually leave first, unless they're stubborn.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

They are my creatures, and they seem to believe that having a God is better than thinking. If to weed the thoughtful from the sheep I must become a monster, it is what I will do.

Indeed. That is the purpose of this farce, after all. No one truly intelligent would worship a real god who acts according to their beliefs. One who would save one child while letting thousand others die, or would only respond to esoteric dogma, or watch their every movement just waiting for some natural sin. No. The intelligent shall flee to Bastion Land, where I shall protect them from their foolish brethren.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

You don't need to be a monster. They should eventually find their way. Unless you like using fear to coerce people.

Stupid people bring some balance to the world. If they were all gone, then who can really tell who is intelligent?

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

I have waited long enough for 'eventually'. I gave them my teachings and left, hoping to return to a enlightened people. What I found was instead creatures who had grown none in all the centuries I had given them, and instead regressed to barbaric behaviors. I use no fear in my teachings, I simply act insane, and hope their logic will let them see light.

Intelligence is not deemed by IQ, or any other arbitrary test. I simply wish my world to be free of sheep who follow, preferring comfort to the difficulties of thought.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

Well, how did they get that way? Maybe something bad happened. Society doesn't usually regress so drastically unless there were severe changes.

I know what you mean about followers. I don't like those types either.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

There are a myriad of reasons why they devolved. The clearest problems were their 'discovery' of Industry and Capitalism. Both were far to soon for their limited social awareness. And 'Westernization' - *sigh* suddenly the barbarians took control of my world. That I had not expected.

Yes. They can be quite infuriating.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

There were some revolutions that took place in this country too.

They took control? If they're not handling things the right way, then you need to overthrow them.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

I have no problems with revolutions. They have their place in all societies. But when those revolutions result in new, harsher suffering for even more people...I take issue.

Oh, I did. I had to destroy much of what I had built as well - the rot had spread so far. But they are gone, and I am trying to remedy all the past mistakes I have made.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

Of course; I wouldn't oppose that. In fact, it seems like some people in this country have gone wild with all the new inventions and technology. I try to stay out of the really urban areas.

It looks like you need to start over. Don't take all the blame, though. People have to know how to handle themselves.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Yes. Madness is sometimes a result of quick change. And cities...cities are always dangerous.

One must move on from mistakes and failures. Hopefully my new world will progress properly.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

Make sure you establish better order this time. Or put someone smarter in charge. You don't wanna have to go through all this over again.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

This time I will not leave. That was my true mistake last time...now I shall watch them far more carefully.

[garvoy-princess.livejournal.com]

Did you go for a reason? You might get called away again.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

I left to take care of my other planets. But they should be able to handle another hundred thousand years without too much trouble - most have succeed in civilizing and are no longer at risk.

[oceanicbutterfly]

It seems like a reasonable misunderstanding. It's not necessarily obvious what a "holy tree" implies, and if trees are mainly good for wood in their eyes, then it stands to reason that a holy tree would provide holy wood.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Yes. That would be logical. I should not fault them interpreting my teachings in their own specific way. It is simply infuriating to see my holy trees burned in their hundreds.

Yet I cannot help but believe that those I am driving away would have thought more deeply about the repercussions of their actions, and considered that a self proclaimed Earth God would likely prefer trees as trees, rather than kindling.

[heavenly-home.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, that doesn't sound right at all...

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

No, it doesn't. However, I suppose should not be surprised. They are, after all, human.

[heavenly-home.livejournal.com]

But still, something so sacred should not be used so unwisely; it should be protected, not destroyed.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Indeed. I can only wish that someday my humans will grow to understand that all my creation is sacred, and should be protected. But that maybe a foolish hope.

[heavenly-home.livejournal.com]

My, harmony should not be such a difficult thing to have.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately not. At least, not the high standard of harmony that I expect my humans to achieve.

[heavenly-home.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, your humans were doing such a thing? How disrespectful!

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Indeed. Though, as far as I can tell, humans do such things on a regular basis even in other worlds.

[heavenly-home.livejournal.com]

Truly? I do hope we are not disrespecting our gods so...

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Oh? Mayhap not the gods you your self worship. But any God such as myself would despair over many 'modern' worlds.

Think - we created the world and then the plants and animals - and only after that did we decide to create humans. One would consider them almost and afterthought, correct?

But everywhere humans disrespect and destroy what came before them; the plants and animals that sustain them and ensure their survival. And they also ignore their own history, and refuse to learn from their mistakes.

[heavenly-home.livejournal.com]

...yes, what you describe is true of us. I do not think we know of any other way to live. I have not truly thought of it as such.

You have given me much to think on, ma'am. Thank you.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

I believe that a better way is possible. It may be hard to achieve, but what I have learned from this community suggests that perhaps thoughtful humans such as yourself will be able to work towards a better future without the ... assistance of creatures such as myself.

It is my purpose to make humanity think upon its actions and grow from it - but I apologize if your thoughts cause you pain.

[a-risky-gamble.livejournal.com]

....

WHA?!

Even I'm not that dumb!

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. It is comforting to know that even those on the internet are more intelligent than my followers.

[king-of-lies.livejournal.com]

Hmm, the question is whether you expect such things to happen. If you're aware of the group mentality of your followers, why not suggest you want them preserved? Of course, if you're disallowed to interfere that poses quite a problem.

[darkling-wind.livejournal.com]

The issue is that I should not suggest such things, as it will ruin the purpose of my prior actions. An intelligent worshiper would have not burned my trees. But I am driving those intelligent ones from my service whenever possible. Were I to become angry, or suggest my followers should do as they have done, the intelligent ones might stay, and believe me to be an adequate, sensible ruler. That must not be the outcome.