6.
The world he had made was beautiful. Seas crashed on the shore, and the breeze carried the salt up. Riverbeds glistened with gold. The land stood littered with beautiful rocks, scarlet, and turquoise, and celadon. The heavens splendor was rivaled by a single planet. No place was as filled with glories as this. Yet the planet was empty. God felt the void, even in his slumber, and he filled it. God dreamt life.
19 comments:
Sorry it took me so long to comment on this series, but I do like it. Your descriptiveness is very nice. :)
This is one I wrote during a bout of insomnia. How I miss the delusions of sleeplessness. They make for the best inspiration.
So you've started to sleep again?
I never claimed that Miss Profile Picture.
Look; I'm going to go right out here and say this: I don't really like this series (wow talk about maybe breaking the record for most potentially antagonistic posts on this blog in a single day). I'll admit it's neat, but I fear the depiction of God is specific enough to warrant concern from me. The problem with talking about God is that you can't be specific because He is entirely outside the box that you know. You can't begin to even call specifics like this, and I know you're going from Genesis, but if that's the case then why not just quote Genesis? To me it seems like you're either creating fiction, editing the bible, or making assumptions that aren't yours to make. In fact Elphaba is completely wrong in my opinion; your descriptiveness is what kills this series for me. While your writing is nice I don't enjoy it this time for the reasons stated above.
Well, to each his own, of course. I'm sorry you don't like it. Think of it as historical fiction, if you're so inclined. In now way do I attempt to say this is what happened, nor do I necessarily claim this is the god of a particular religion. Very few things I post on this blog are meant to be taken seriously, and this is no exception (though it is more serious than most of my works, I suppose. God things are). One day this will all be talked about on Between the Lines. Until then, you need only suffer through one more chapter.
"Well, to each his own, of course. I'm sorry you don't like it."
Are you really? Or are you more concerned about the overall popularity?
"Think of it as historical fiction, if you're so inclined."
I'm not so inclined as you could probably tell be rereading my comment.
"In now way do I attempt to say this is what happened, nor do I necessarily claim this is the god of a particular religion."
I suppose that's supposed to be no way instead of now way. Fine, I'll buy that you're not attempting to say this is what happened, but of course you don't necessarily claim you're talking about the god of a particular religion, you don't need to. Anyone who knows anything about religions can pretty much tell you right off the bat that this is eerily similar to The God of Genesis. You're a Christian, I'm a Christian, whether you admit it or not this is too similar to The God that we both worship to be anything else.
"Very few things I post on this blog are meant to be taken seriously, and this is no exception (though it is more serious than most of my works, I suppose. God things are)."
Well if you haven't noticed I tend to take most things seriously... Yes God things are serious, so stop messing around with it! Duh, if you don't want it to be taken seriously then don't talk about God, because I'm sure I'm not the only one who will throw a fit if someone starts writing fictional stories about The God.
"One day this will all be talked about on Between the Lines."
You're going to have to cross link everything related otherwise I doubt I'll read it.
"Until then, you need only suffer through one more chapter."
Thank... well I should probably not so obviously be a hypocrite... Thank you.
"Are you really? Or are you more concerned about the overall popularity?"
I'm more concerned with the creation of worlds through words. Which is the point of all I write. Popularity and specific reader enjoyment are both secondary and very nearly synonymous in the concerns they bring me.
"I'm not so inclined as you could probably tell be rereading my comment."
Yeah, I guessed as much. I had to try though. I find sometimes things can change completely through different lenses.
"This is eerily similar to The God of Genesis"
True, but did not Altjira craft the world during Dreamtime? Many god's created, and most all focused on earth. The fact that there are seven chapters is no coincidence, true, but that's more of a nod to the biblical representation.
"Well if you haven't noticed I tend to take most things seriously"
True.
"If you don't want it to be taken seriously then don't talk about God"
I don't want to be taken seriously, but I don't find the prospect undesirable. I just want to be seen, and have my works take some meaning to someone.
"I'm sure I'm not the only one who will throw a fit if someone starts writing fictional stories about The God"
I'm sure you won't. But I want to display my works, and though I don't mean to cause offense, I'm willing to. There will always be people who appreciate such things (Elphaba) and those who find it gets to close for comfort (You). It's for the first group any work is written. Those who appreciate. As you do other writings.Such as the Apocalypse.
"You're going to have to cross link everything related otherwise I doubt I'll read it."
I've no place to link on this blog. Every day is filled. Between the Lines will always be where it is now. I don't want to litter the site with posts and links to posts. Just fill it.
To the brim.
"Thank... well I should probably not so obviously be a hypocrite... Thank you."
I need only say this made me smile a little. I find humor in words where it oughtn't be. But it's humor to me nonetheless.
Not to be overly antagonistic, Met, but I don't see what the problem is. Reogan is simply telling a creation story in his own words. Yes, it bears a striking resemblance to the one in Genesis, but does that mean he's editing the Bible? Of course not.
I appreciate this series because I enjoy its descriptiveness, as I said in my original comment. It helps me visualize the creation story--to think that God actually created not only the world around us, but the detail He put into His work! I don't see it as offensive to the Christian faith; more like one person's imagining of what the creation was like.
This is going to be a long week...
""Are you really? Or are you more concerned about the overall popularity?""
"I'm more concerned with the creation of worlds through words. Which is the point of all I write."
That's what you write, not the point. It's not an end to itself. Why do you keep trying to distance your actual beliefs from what you're writing?
"Popularity and specific reader enjoyment are both secondary and very nearly synonymous in the concerns they bring me."
What's primary then? Since the paragraph above doesn't tell me the point I assume this is what you really meant. So let me ask you... why?
""I'm not so inclined as you could probably tell be rereading my comment.""
"Yeah, I guessed as much. I had to try though. I find sometimes things can change completely through different lenses."
You're right about that and I'll admit you usually are alright at presenting things in certain ways, but I'm taking this from my point of view and I've decided to be honest for a bit.
""This is eerily similar to The God of Genesis""
"True, but did not Altjira craft the world during Dreamtime? Many god's created, and most all focused on earth. The fact that there are seven chapters is no coincidence, true, but that's more of a nod to the biblical representation."
Wait... let me get this right, you first argue that this god is not necessarily The God and then you tell me that the seven chapters is a not to biblical representation.
""If you don't want it to be taken seriously then don't talk about God""
"I don't want to be taken seriously, but I don't find the prospect undesirable. I just want to be seen, and have my works take some meaning to someone."
What sort of meaning? You have the position to influence people with your works and yet you aren't sure what message you're sending them? Isn't that sort of dangerous/risky?
""I'm sure I'm not the only one who will throw a fit if someone starts writing fictional stories about The God""
"I'm sure you won't. But I want to display my works, and though I don't mean to cause offense, I'm willing to. There will always be people who appreciate such things (Elphaba) and those who find it gets to close for comfort (You)."
Too close for comfort? You do realize you're talking about God here, right? At what point will you draw the line then? Why did you write this?
"It's for the first group any work is written. Those who appreciate. As you do other writings. Such as the Apocalypse."
Well it's posted on this blog so it's for everyone, but that doesn't mean they enjoy it. Are you trying to say that you write this because people enjoy it? If this is the case, why do they enjoy it?
""Thank... well I should probably not so obviously be a hypocrite... Thank you.""
"I need only say this made me smile a little. I find humor in words where it oughtn't be. But it's humor to me nonetheless."
That was my intention :) I'm not in this to demoralize you, but to tell you my perspective and hope that you might take it into consideration.
Now for Elphaba...
"Not to be overly antagonistic, Met, but I don't see what the problem is. Reogan is simply telling a creation story in his own words."
Which effectively makes him the god of this story...
"Yes, it bears a striking resemblance to the one in Genesis, but does that mean he's editing the Bible? Of course not."
This is more then a striking resemblance. I'm concerned with what he believes and I want to test his character motivations.
"I appreciate this series because I enjoy its descriptiveness, as I said in my original comment. It helps me visualize the creation story--to think that God actually created not only the world around us, but the detail He put into His work!"
That's the problem though, the Creation story cannot be visualized and it's not meant to be. I believe it should be examined through the science of existence.
"I don't see it as offensive to the Christian faith; more like one person's imagining of what the creation was like."
That's dangerous thinking in my opinion because in my mind this puts God in a box; your mind. When I say science of existence I mean not comprehending, but accepting basic truths. I may even be wrong in what I believe to be a basic truth, but I have faith in this (i.e. the concept that something cannot come from nothing, therefore non existence never existed (hence the term) and hence there must be an underlying concept outside linear existence). I know your goal here isn't to be antagonistic, but I just want you guys to tread carefully and think.
"This is going to be a long week..."
Surely some part of you enjoys this? However small it may be.
"That's what you write, not the point. It's not an end to itself."
No, actually. The end is creation. I thirst for power, and this grants it.
"Why do you keep trying to distance your actual beliefs from what you're writing?"
Because I write fiction. Fiction of the sort where the old gods live and demand sacrifice. Not this particular story, but still...
"What's primary then?"
Creation.
At this point I skipped a bit, as I believe my above answer renders it invalid. If I'm wrong, simply ask again.
"I've decided to be honest for a bit."
Something I can always respect.
"Then you tell me that the seven chapters is a not to biblical representation."
Yes. I wrote a story about an unspecified god, here called God, and as I wrote I gave it seven chapters because it seemed to be a delightful reference.
"What sort of meaning [do you want your stories to take]?"
Whatever they do mean. To you the reader.
"You have the position to influence people with your works and yet you aren't sure what message you're sending them? Isn't that sort of dangerous/risky?"
Not as long as my stories don't glorify dangerous/risky acts. The only ones that include them are usually humor. If I'm wrong here, please provide a specific example.
"You do realize you're talking about God here, right?"
God being a fictional character that alludes to the Jewish/Christian creator. Yes.
"At what point will you draw the line then?"
Seriously glorifying evil. Or mocking misfortune.
"Why did you write this?"
Inspiration came and this flowed from my fingers. Stories are written of their own accord. Authors only provide them passage into existence.
"Well it's posted on this blog so it's for everyone, but that doesn't mean they enjoy it."
Here we disagree. Posting on the blog means it's available for all to view, but that doesn't mean I put it here for them. Just for those who enjoy it.
"Are you trying to say that you write this because people enjoy it?"
Yes and no. I write it because I enjoy it. I post it so others can.
"If this is the case, why do they enjoy it?"
It's art. It occupies the mind, and one can find a meaning in it. A meaning specific to them.
I hate to break into others conversations, but I wanted to respond to this.
"Which effectively makes him the god of this story..."
Yes. I write to create. I write to manipulate and watch the effect of my actions. I play god with my stories, it's true. Guilty.
If we can't imagine what God is like, then how will we describe Him to others? The creation story is entirely possible to partially imagine--or, at least, to marvel about. Yes, we can't entirely comprehend God's awesomeness, but we can use our language to do our best.
It reminds me of something Robert Leighton said. (Actually, it was on a reading packet I had once, and I liked the quote. No idea who he is.) "What are our lame praises in comparison with God's love? Nothing, and less than nothing; but love will stammer rather than be dumb."
How about I clear this up and respond once and for all?
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You win.
I'm too lazy to compile a complete response, but I see your point. I just want you to be careful with what you write regarding religion and I'm sorry for being an idiot about it. Please forgive me.
Your comment assumes I haven't already. How misinformed of you.
Well it helps me with my guilt if you come out and say it to me. Anyway; thank you.
Welcome. Once more.
You are absolutely forgiven!
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