This time of year is a perfect time for paladins.
Why do I say that?
We have Love, where the Bible has a full chapter dedicated to it. (1 Cor 13)
As we celebrate Valentines Day and the Love is in the air, we need to remember we have a God that loved us more than we can imagine.
Next we have Honor. Paladins are all about Honor. In World of Warcraft we are celebrating the Chinese New Year with honoring the elders. While this is more a form of ancestor worship concept and against what I stand for, I do think it is important to honor and remember those that have gone before us.
So as Paladins, we should be all over this, being Honorable and Lovable today.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
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I don't think in the game, the key phrase, as you points out is "honoring the elders". Thus, it's not really any form of ancestor worship. Case in point, the Bible says "honor your father and mother", so we do. It is not "worshiping" them, but holding them in high respect and revering them. There really is a difference between honoring someone and worshiping someone.
ReplyDeleteMy point is the whole celebration is based on the Chinese culture which does do ancestor worship.
ReplyDeleteAnd while in game it is going around and honoring those from the past, its roots is in the real world celebration.
Actually, the Chinese do not worship their ancestors. The whole idea of "ancestor worship" is a misconception. The chinese had their own deities that they worshiped, deities who would likely become very angry if anyone or anything other than themselves were to have been worshiped. Chinese culture and Japanese culture are very much alike, and even Tom N. would tell you that there was no "ancestor worship" among his people, as would any native American culture which practices the same thing. They honor and pay homage to their ancestors for what they have given to them, and even ask that their ancestors bless the crops, land, children, etc. but they do NOT worship them.
ReplyDeleteJust a quick check of something like Wikipedia will show you the following:
ReplyDelete"On the second day, the Chinese pray to their ancestors as well as to all the gods. They are extra kind to dogs and feed them well as it is believed that the second day is the birthday of all dogs."
Now that is not to say that ALL Chinese follow this any more than all American's honor the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas.
I learned about it from "Mulan". :P
ReplyDeleteAncestor worship (also called ancestor veneration) is a ritual practice that is based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Early forms of ancestor worship were deeply rooted and extensively developed by the Late Neolithic Period in China. The goal of ancestor worship is to ensure the ancestors' continued well-being and positive disposition towards the living and sometimes to ask for special favors or assistance. The social or nonreligious function of ancestor worship is "to cultivate kinship values like filial piety, family loyalty, and continuity of the family lineage." (Yang 1957:278)
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