Hylozoism

I am not a real believer in hylozoism, nor in animism.

However, there is something to be said about the idea that inanimate objects develop souls.

The problem arises when you ask, 'Why do people believe this?'

And the answer is that giving souls to objects is how people can explain the object's power (for example, some early Greek philosophers appeared to believe that magnets were alive because of their attractive forces).

OR the giving of a soul to an object gives it personality and means that the person is able to identify better with the object (for example, mononoke which inhabit abused pots or umbrellas to give them life. This idea is fundamentally not just an ayakashi or youkai story, but also seems to indicate the dislike of waste or carelessness with one's property. Certain supernatural stories around the world are used as a cautionary tale for others).

OR ascribing a soul to an object may be purely to allow a person to indulge in sentiment, such as the soul of a doll that has been handed down through the family for generations (or a figurine painstakingly crafted by an artist which is so loved that it gains a soul).

This idea in Japan, which is called seireishinkou or bukkatsurou is popular in stories and manga.

I myself am guilty of similar feeling at times, especially in the way that I revere the printed word.

But I draw the line at believing that any object can come alive or gain a soul, because I do not believe that spirits and small gods have power. Perhaps they may have power around those who allow them to exercise it but my faith proclaims God is more powerful than any earth-bound spirits or indeed, anything in the spirit world at all.

So to me, I do not disbelieve in animism.

I simply do not believe it has any standing in my relationship with God.

I guess you could say that I believe in ghosts and demons but they are not allowed to harm me. So whether or not they exist is kind of a moot point.

A lot of people hold this belief about God, don't they?

They say things like, 'I don't care if he exists or not.'

Or, 'I don't believe in him but if you want to it's fine. I respect your right to believe whatever you want.'

Or, 'Well, I don't want to be a Christian, I don't need God.'

I think that the people who say that all supernatural and spiritual things are non-existent are mistaken. A lot of the power comes from human belief that is true, but there is something there.

We may not know what it is, and I think a lot of the stories and monsters and creatures we have invented are a way of trying to identify the phenomena. But we know it is there. Whatever it is.

So monsters are frightening, but sometimes not knowing is more frightening, because it could be something even more horrible.

Anyway... hylozoism is quite complicated compared to animism. I prefer animism... but that could be because of the anime and manga that I have been reading/watching lately which tend more toward the sentimental side.

I will ask one more thing though.

When we try to understand supernatural things according to a human viewpoint, are we actually missing something, and is it actually quite conceited and short-sighted to do that?

I know that if you try to understand God from a human point of view, you are often confused, and you end up believing in a small-minded god that is more like a super-powered, judgmental version of yourself.

That is why being a Christian is so hard and why a lot of people don't keep trying.

Being a Christian is not just 'trying to be a good person'. Or 'being a judgmental git'.

It is (among many other things) an attempt to get to know the God who made the universe, and develop a good relationship with him. But that is very hard, because frankly, we're outclassed by him in the thinking department. What makes up for our myriad of mistakes is the fact that he loves and forgives and wants us to keep trying, keep trying.

Ok ok enough talk.

Gonna go play on the Global Link again yay second time to go to the new area! ^-^

Oh yeah! New part to the PGL!!!! ^_^

AWESOME! Fresh from the Pokemon Global Link website, we get the Spooky Manor extension that the other countries get as well!

True, we didn't get the Pokemon Cafe (which I REALLLYYYY wanted) but this will do, at least we aren't getting excluded this time.

Wahooo! So pleased. Gonna be able to try it out very soon, as in like today, as soon as they finish the site maintenance and I will be one of the first to try it out! Yessssshhhh!

Soooo pleased.

How ridiculous that I can be made happy by such a small thing, but that's the human condition for ya! Right? After all, even a smile, or a biscuit can make people feel pleased.

Yay!

Celebration!!!! And I got that event Zoroark. P.S. Snarl is not a great move actually. But it's ok...

And I did not know that Freddie Mercury's real name was Farrokh Bulsara.

Or that honey is actually... well it doesn't bother ME! After all, bees are clean. Don't wanna be so bold as to actually say what honey is because no other website that I have searched has been brave enough to say it and I might get sued by the Honey Board or whoever they are, those mysterious people.

It's funny though, you can be subjected to inadvertent porn in ads and such but nobody on the net has openly admitted what honey is.

What a funny world.

And how do they make royal jelly?

I wonder. How can they make it different?

... Also... bee pollen is not 100% straight pollen either.

Anyway, I will still eat it.

Honey, I mean. Who cares, right?

I miss Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson.

And DeForest Kelly (however to spell his name).

And James Doohan too.

I grew up with these men in my life, you know. Once they were gone, they each left a small gap which cannot be easily filled.

I never met any of them, of course.

I kinda would like to meet George Takei and Walter Koenig. And Nichelle Nichols. Sorry if I misspelled anyone's name. Yeah yeah, I guess any of the original crew is good to meet but I had a fondness for the secondary characters.

My father joined the fan club about 30 years ago, and he had badges and a blueprint of the Enterprise and lotsa cool stuff but he got rid of it... I wish I'd kept that stuff now. It was part of my childhood, to play with that memorabilia and to watch Star Trek and Star Wars. I was so scared of Darth Vader...

Probably still am!

I was scared of the Klingons too.

But now I think I hate the Romulans the most, because they are like mean Vulcans. They were always sarcastic and mean, even in the original show.

Well, enough of that. In the end, I loved it all. It's not the same now. Sometimes you can't go back.

But maybe in a while, I will be able to enjoy it as 'vintage', or 'classic' stuff.

Cross transceiver. NOT Ex!

With Black, I wish I could find a secret Team P base and fight a buncha them again. I actually miss them and I got a little addicted to their theme music. Also... I wanted to call my npc mates on the X-transceiver and chat to Beru and Cheren and the Prof and also Fennel again. Woulda been fun. If I missed out on that, tell me how to ok? I never got to call Cheren... tell him how I feel... Haha ok ok I know he is not real. But still... :P

Is there radio for B and W? I like the radio in SS and HG a lot.

Final note (yeah right).

Two beefs with Pokemon Black and White now (and I guess they are only minor). Ok ok it's actually three. Firstly to quickly say I wanna be able to access Pokemon Cafe in the DW. Secondly, I want N back, to battle. Thirdly, I forgot... what it was...

ARGH!

Oh yeah, I wanna battle all the gym leaders again like in HG and SS. That is actually really good.

I can't remember what the actual third one was so that will do.

I guess I'm just sad that it's over so fast. I mean, I tried to take my time so I clocked it in... no, it was less than three months. I wanted to drag it out over four months for the four seasons, but I got impatient. There is only so much you can do over and over, after all.

Ah I remember. It is to do with events and event Pokemon. In my country we can't access any events except what Australia can get, and even then we don't have as many gaming stores that do events. So a lotta us fans are way limited. Like me.

I just wish Nintendo would work on that for us here In NZ.

In other news, Rugby World Cup (I should be ok to say it in full on my own blog I hope), Ireland beat Australia. I was shocked. Also, Japan's try against us was AWESOME. Everyone watching was going 'YEAH JAPAN!' I bet. I know I was. And then the kick they got afterward went right over the goal, another few points, AMAZING.

I hate rugby, but that was awesome.

So pleased.

Sorry for Australia though.

Good on ya, Irish boys.

I guess... haha.

Kind of feeling like, 'Hey, Australia is good too!', all protective all of a sudden.

Well, that's that.

I think I complained about Pkmn B and W already but it's kind of a yearning. I've clocked all my games, just waiting for an event we can participate in now.

And no I don't mean lame stuff like Iris's Hydreigon or whatever. I mean, some of the hard to get legend or whatever they can offer. I want 'em! I want that musical horse one. Forgot the name... But it's cute!

Nostalgia...

I miss Sailor Moon.
:(
I also want to buy it in Japanese, and all of Pokemon in Japanese too.
I finally bought another DS so I can trade with meself.
No more trying to remember who has a DS and will trade with me!
Good times.

Ok well, I still miss Sailor Moon though.
COME BACK!!!!
>_<