₦airaland Forum

viaro:
The evidence is in the science of astronomy. From observations of planet and star formation in the cosmos.

Oh puhleease!! NO "science of astronomy" past, present or future has made any observations that the universe emerged on its own! If you have any such sciences that draws such a conclusion, please highlight it here for us.

But the science of astronomy has shown that the creation account of how the God davidylan and you believe in said he created the universe is wrong, no?. . . .

profibadan:
Guys let us join the Nigeria Skeptical Society to provide alternative lifestyle in order to address the chaotic religious irrationalities bedevelling Nigerians, More than 7 have join since the announcement of this Post, mail profibadan@gmail.com or call 07060874312 to join

Do you have money to give out to Nigerians as an alternative since MONEY is the ONLY God they worship?. . . .

davidylan:
hmm do you understand the term "empirical evidence"? Do you understand what is meant by scientific inquiry? What is the meaning of the above copy-paste job?

When you provide any method of empirically testing the God hypothesis and the method to use to conduct the test, I will assume you have an idea of what you are talking about. . . .

so someone types up unproven nonsense on the web and that is "evidence" that ALL GODS are man-made?

Sure, that is why no God can be shown to exist on its own independent of man made stories and myths, man made influence, societal and cultural acceptance of man. . .If you kown any god that exist independent of these things then point to it. . . .All Gods that human worship and believe in REMAIN man made. . . .

davidylan:
Where is the attempt to address the issues? tired, evasive and brainless attempts to shift issues to brainless insults is the reason i stay away from here as much as possible now. Argh.

And what are the "issues" that you have raised?. . . .Who cares if you come here or not, you think any body takes your ridiculous opionions seriously? . . . .This guy is truly deluded. . . .

davidylan:
Where is your empirical evidence of this FACT?

Here it is. . . Men have been creating Gods and Godesses all through out human history. . . .ALL Gods REMAIN man made


Abonde (Abundia - Perchta - Satia - Habundie)
Intrinsically linked with the classical goddess Diana, Abonde led nocturnal hordes of witches through homes and cellars, eating and drinking all they could find. If food and drink were left as offerings, Abonde would bestow prosperity upon the occupants of the home. If nothing was left out for her and her followers, she would deny the denizens of her blessings and protection.

According to Roman de la Rose, written at the end of the thirteenth century, thirdborn children were obligated to travel with Abonde three times a week to the homes of neighbours. Nothing could stop
these people, as they became incorporeal in the company of Abonde. Only their souls would travel as their bodies remained behind immobile. There was a downside to this astral projection: if the body was turned over while the soul was elsewhere, the soul would never return.

Aditi (Limitless)
Hindu Mother Goddess, self-formed, the Cosmic Matrix. Mother of the Sun God Mitra and the Moon God Varuna.

Ambika
Hindu, 'the generatrix,' wife of Shiva or of Rudra.

Annapurna
Hindu. Goddess who provides food; she lives on top of Mount Annapurna.

Aphrodite (Foam-Born)
Greek Goddess of sexual love. She was born of the bloody foam of the sea where Cronus threw the genitals of his father Uranus after castrating him. Married, on Zeus's orders, to the lame Smith God Hephaestus, and unfaithful to him with the war God Ares. She was in fact an ancient East Mediterranean Goddess and can be equated with Astarte.

Apollo (Phoebus, the Bright One)
Greek. Identified with the sun. Said to be the most powerful of the Gods. Son of Zeus and Leto. Born on Delos, taken North and raised by the hyperboreans, he went to Delphi and killed the dragon Python, guardian of the oracle of Themis, but a ravager of the countryside. Tall, handsome, outstanding in word and deed, he was the god of ever-renewed youth, archetype of virile beauty and masculine virtue. He was also known as a seducer & extremely arrogant. Talented in music,  inventor of the lyre,  he was the inspiration of poets and soothsayers. His oracles were expressed in verse. He could cure illness and banish evil. He was a doctor who knew the purification rites and was invoked against plague. His image was set at dangerous places for protection (Lighting the ways) Nothing escaped his vision (light of day).
 
Arachne
Greek Spider Goddess. A Lydian girl skilled in weaving, she dared to challenge Athene to compete with her. The contest was held, and Arachne's work was faultless: impudently, it portrayed some of the Gods' less reputable deeds, including Athene's father Zeus abducting Europa. Furious, Athene turned her into a spider, doomed eternally to spin thread drawn from her own body. But the Spider Goddess is more archetypal than this story suggests: spinning and weaving the pattern of destiny like the Moerae or the Norns, and enthroned in the middle of her spiral-pathed stronghold like Arianrhod. Athene here represents Athenian patriarchal thinking, trying to discipline earlier
Goddess-concepts.

Aradia
(Italy, Tuscany) Witch Goddess, surviving there into this century. Daughter of Diana and Diana's brother Lucifer (i.e. of the Moon and Sun), she came to Earth to teach the witches her mother's magic.

Ariadne
Cretan and Greek. The daughter of King Minos of Crete, who with her her cunning thread helped Theseus find his way into the labyrinth to kill the Minotaur, and out again. She eloped with him, but he abandoned her on the island of Naxos. She was consoled by Dionysus, who in her
Naxos cult was regarded as her consort.

Aries (Mars)
Greek. Son of Hera, born without male assistance. He was a supreme fighter, loved battle and cared little about issues, switching sides without scruple. He delighted in massacres. He was god of war, not victory, and was thoughtless about winning, only fighting. Was on occasion disarmed by Athena,  Goddess of restraint and forethought,  to keep him from interfering in battles that did not concern him. He was prolific in love, but also a rapist. He was run by his passions.

Arianrhod (Silver Wheel)
Major Welsh Goddess. Mother of Llew Llau Gyffes by her brother Gwydion. Her consort Nwyvre ('Sky, Space, Firmament') has survived in name only. Caer Arianrhod is the circumpolar stars, to which souls withdraw between incarnations; she is thus a Goddess of reincarnation. Honoured at the Full Moon.

Artemis
Greek Nature and Moon Goddess. Daughter of Zeus and Leto, and twin sister of Apollo (though a day older). She probably absorbed a pre-Indo-European Sun Goddess, and her twinning in classical legend with the Sun God Apollo may stem from this. The Greeks assimilated her to a pre-Greek mistress of wild beasts. Bears were sacred to her, and she was associated with the constellation Ursa Major.

Ashtaroth (Astaroth)
Ashtaroth was usually depicted as an ugly demon riding a dragon and carrying a viper in his left hand. He was the Treasurer of Hell, and was also the Grand Duke of its western regions. He encouraged sloth and idleness.

Ashtaroth was one of two demons prayed to in the Black Masses of Catherine Monvoisin, Madame  de Montespan (mistress of Louis XIV), and a 67-year-old priest by the name of Guibourg. (The other demon prayed to was Asmodeus.)

Asmodeus
Asmodeus was one of the busiest demons. He was not only the overseer of all the gambling houses in the court of Hell, but the general spreader of dissipation. On top of that, Asmodeus was the demon of lust, personally responsible for stirring up matrimonial trouble. Maybe it was because he came from the original dysfunctional family. According to Jewish legend, his mother was a mortal woman, Naamah, and his father was one of the fallen angels.

Characterized in The Testament of Solomon, the great manual of magic, as "furious and shouting," Asmodeus routinely did everything he could to keep husbands and wives from having intercourse, while encouraging them at every turn to indulge their pent-up drives in adulterous and sinful affairs. When he condescended to appear before a  mortal, he did so riding a dragon, armed with a spear; he had three heads - one a bull's, one a ram's, and one a man's - as all three of these were considered lecherous creatures by nature. His feet, on the same theory, were those of a cock.

Astarte
Canaanite version of Ishtar; fertility goddess. Chief goddess of Tyre and Sidon. Astarte was also the Greek form of the name Ashtart. Tends to merge with Asherat and Anat, and with the Egyptian Hathor. She came to Egypt; Rameses II built a temple honoring her, and she and Isis
were said to be firm friends.

Athena
Greek, a Warrior Goddess, yet also one of intelligence and the arts of peace. Protector of towns, above all of Athens.

Banshee (Bean Sidhe , 'Woman Fairy')
Irish. Attached to old Irish families ('the O's and the Mac's'), she can be heard keening sorrowfully near the house when a member of the family is about to die. Still very much believed in, and heard.

Bast
Egyptian Cat Goddess of Bubastis in the Delta. Originally lion-headed, she represented the beneficient power of the Sun, in contrast to Sekhmet who personified its destructive power.

Bean-Nighe ('Washing Woman')
Scottish and Irish. Haunts lonely streams washing the bloodstained garments of those about to die.

Bechaud
According to the Grimorium Verum, Bechaud has power over rain, hail, thunder, and lightning.

Beelzebub
Part of the Christian mythos, Beelzebub was one of the powerful seraphim first recruited by Satan. From his new home in Hell, Beelzebub discovered how to tempt people with pride. He became associated with flies because he had sent a plague of the insects to Canaan. He may also have become known as the "Lord of the Flies" because of the popular belief that decaying corpses generated flies.

Regardless, when summoned by sorcerers or witches, he would appear in the form of a fly, a gargantuan cow, or a male goat with a long tail. He had a tendency to vomit flames if he was angered.

Befana ('Epiphany')
Italian Witch Fairy who flies her broomstick on Twelfth Night to come down chimneys and bring presents to children.

Belial
Before Satan had been the established leader of the forces of evil, Belial had been the undisputed regent of darkness. This view is reinforced in The War of the Sons of Light and the Sons of Darkness from one of the Dead Sea Scrolls: "But for corruption thou hast made Belial, an angel of
hostility. All his dominion is in darkness, and his purpose is to bring about wickedness and guilt."

Binah ('Understanding')
Hebrew. The Supernal Mother, third Sephirah of the Cabalistic Tree of Life. She takes the raw directionless energy of Chokmah, the Supernal Father (the second Sephira), and gives it form and manifestation; she is thus both the Bright Mother, Aima (nourishing) and the Dark Mother, Ama (constricting).

Bona Dea ('Good Goddess')
Roman Earth Goddess of Fertility, worshipped only by women; even statues of men were covered where her rites took place.

Brighid (Brigid, Brigit, Brid)
Irish Goddess of Fertility and Inspiritation, daughter of the Dagda; called 'the poetess.' Often triple ('The Three Brigids'). Her characteristics, legends and holy places were taken over by the historical St Bridget.

Cailleach Beine Brick:
A Scottish legendary witch probably recalling an earlier local goddess.

Callisto: ('Most Beautiful')
Greek Moon Goddess, to whom the she-bear was sacred in Arcadia. Envisaged as the axle on which everything turns, and thus connected with the Ursa Major constellation. Linked with Artemis, often called Artemis Callisto.

Carman
Irish. Wexford Goddess, whence Gaelic name of Wexford, Loch Garman (Loch gCarman).

Cernunnos
A Celtic god whose physical attributes came to be applied to those of Satan. Known as the Horned God and as Hu Gadarn, Cernunnos was the god of nature, astral planes, virility, fertility, animals, sex, the underworld, reincarnation, and shamanism.

Cerridwen
Welsh Mother, Moon and Grain Goddess, wife of Tegid and mother of Creirwy (the most beautiful girl in the world) and Avagdu (the ugliest boy). Owner of an inexhaustible cauldron called Amen, in which she made a magic draught called 'greal' ('Grail?') from six plants, which gave inspiration and knowledge. Mother of Taliesen, greatest of all Welsh bards. Most of her legends emphasize the terrifying aspect of the Dark Mother; yet her cauldron is the source of wisdom and inspiration.



Clauneck
According to the Grimorium Verum, Clauneck is a demon who can bestow riches upon you and uncover buried treasure.

Cliona of the Fair Hair
Irish. South Munster Goddess of great beauty, daughter of Gebann the Druid, of the Tuatha De Danaan. Connected with the O'Keefe family.

Clisthert
According to the Grimorium Verum, Clisthert "can turn the day into night, or the night into day, whenever you feel the need for a sudden change."

Cronos (Saturn)
Greek. Son of Uranus (Heaven) and Gaea (Earth). Gaea, worn out by numerous pregnancies, requested to be free of this burden, so Cronos (Saturn) took up a sickle and cut off his father's testicles. His wife was Rhea, and he fathered Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon and Zeus. Was eventually deposed by Zeus. His festivals, the Saturnalia, were a time of liberation and freedom for all and got pretty wild. They were celebrated from Dec. 17th until the new year. Saturn is the archetype for "father time".
 
Cybele
Greek. Originally Phrygian, finally merged with Rhea. Goddess of Caverns, of the Earth in its primitive state; worshipped on mountain tops. Ruled over wild beasts. Also a Bee Goddess.

Dakini
Hindu. One of the Six Goddess Governing the Six Bodily Substances; the others being Hakini, Kakini, Lakini, Rakini and Sakini.

Dana, Danu
The major Irish Mother Goddess, who gave her name to the Tuatha De Danann ('Peoples of the Goddess Dana'), the last but one occupiers of Ireland in the mytholigical cycle.

Demeter (Earth-Goddess-Mother)
Greek goddess of the fruitful Earth, especially of barley. Daughter of Cronus and Rhea. Her brother Zeus, tricking her in the form of a bull, made her the mother of Persephone.

Diana
The classical moon goddess, Diana, is still worshipped by neopagans today. Long after Christianity's triumph over classical paganism, her worship is still going strong.

Diana was the personification of the positive aspects of lunar forces. She was also believed to have led groups of nightriders (known as the "Wild Hunt" or the "Furious Horde" who flew through the air. The "Wild Hunt" was comprised of "people taken by death before their time, children snatched away at an early age, victims of a violent end." The goddess would accompany her followers as they wandered at night among the houses of the well-to-do. Whenever they would arrive at a home that was particularly well-kept, Diana would bestow her blessings upon it.

Diana was intrinsically linked with several other witch deities, including Abonde, Abundia, Aradia, Hecate, Herodias, Holda, Perchta, Satia, and Venus.

Dione
Phoenician/Greek. Also known as Baltis. A Nature or Earth Goddess, overlapping with Diana and Danae. Daughter of Uranus and Gaia. Married her brother Cronus, who gave her the city of Byblos.



Discordia
Roman Goddess of Discord and Strife, who preceeded the chariot of Mars. Greek equivalent Eris.

Dionysius
Greek. Son of Zeus and Semele. His escort was satyrs and marginally sane gods. He did not respect laws or customs, loved disguises, wild screaming, licentious dances and wild places. He was a drunken god with no home, living in the wild and eating raw meat. He encouraged excesses of all kinds. Hera hated Dionysus because of Zeus's infidelity and hounded him. She caused him to be killed by the Titans, but he was resurrected through the efforts of Athena, Zeus, Apollo, and Rhea. She drove him mad, but through Cybele he gained mastery of it. He drove many people mad for various reasons.
 
Ereshkigal ('Queen of the Great Below')
Assyro-Babylonian Goddess of the Underworld, sister of Ishtar (Inanna). Known as 'Star of Lamentation,' or sometimes simply as Allatu ('The Goddess').

Eris
Greek goddess of Discord.

Erin
Irish. One of the Three Queens of the Tuatha De Danann, daughters of the Dagda, who asked that Ireland be named after them.

Eros (Cupid)
Greek. A primordial god, contemporary of Chaos, who existed before Cronos (Saturn) and Zeus. He came out of an egg that formed the earth and sky when it broke in two. He precipitated the embraces of Gaea (the Earth) and Uranus (the heavens), which resulted in the birth of Oceanus, Tethys, Coeus, and Cronos (Saturn) . The Earth and heavens were so tightly embraced that none of the children could rise towards the light until Cronos (Saturn) castrated his father. Cupid was associated with Aphrodite, who moderated his power. Where he was desire, instinct and violent sex, she was grace, tenderness and sweet pleasure. Cupid made people lose their reason and paralyzed their wills, even inspiring Zeus to capricious sexual desires.
 
As Eros he is said to be the child of Porus (Expedience) and Penia (Poverty). Like Penia, he was said to always be in search of something, and like Porus, he always found a means of attaining his aims.
 
Faunus
A Roman God, Son of Circe and Jupiter. Protector of the Roman peoples, he lived on Palatine Hill in Rome. His oracle was given in nightmares. Lupercalia was his festival, during which his priests ran through the streets with leather straps and struck any women they met with them to bestow health and fertility. The women were said to strip themselves to be better targets. He reproduced himself in the satyrs.
 
Fraw Fenus (See Venus)

Fraw Holt (See Holda)

Fraw Selga
Fraw Selga is yet another goddess believed to have led the "Furious Horde." A Germanic deity, Fraw Selga was said to be the sister of Fraw Fenus (Venus), and like Venus and Diana, was referred to as "the mistress of the game." The processions following Fraw Selga "were composed of souls in purgatory, as well as of the damned who were suffering various punishments."

Fraw Selga could impart wisdom to her followers. She knew where buried treasure intended for the God-fearing could be found.

Frimost
According to the Grimorium Verum, Frimost can control the minds and bodies of girls and women.

Frucissiere
According to the Grimorium Verum, Frucissiere "can bring the dead back to life."

Frutimiere
According to the Grimorium Verum, Frutimiere "can serve up any feast you desire."

Gaia (Earth)
The 'deep-breasted,' the primordial Greek Earth Mother, the first being to emerge from Chaos. She was regarded as creating the universe, the first race of gods, and humankind.

Glaisrig (Glaistig)
A Scottish Undine, beautiul and seductive, but a goat from the waist down (which she hides under a long green dress). She lures men to dance with her and then sucks their blood. Yet she can be benign, looking after children or old people or herding cattle for farmers.

Gorgons, The
Greek. Three daughters of Phorcys and his sister Ceto. Winged monsters with hair of serpents, they turned men to stone by their gaze. They were Euryale and Stheno, who were immortal, and Medusa who was mortal and killed by Perseus.

Grian: ('Sun')
Irish. A Fairy Queen with a court on Pallas Green Hill, Co. Tipperary. Also a general Goddess symbol.

Gruagach, The ('The Long-Haired One')
Scottish. Female fairy to whom the dairymaids used to pour libations of milk into a hollow stone.

Guland
According to the Grimorium Verum, Guland "can inflict any kind of disease."

Gulfora
Gulfora, also known as the Queen of the Sabbat, was another goddess in the same vein as Holda, Perchta, and Diana. She led the Wild Hunt, which is also known as "the days of Jupiter."

Gwenhwyfar (Guinevere, Gueneva)
Arthur's queen. Traces of Triple Goddess.



 

Hades (Pluto)
Son of Cronos (Saturn), brother of Zeus and Poseidon. When the world was divided between the three brothers, the underworld and hell fell to Hades, while Zeus took the heavens and Poseidon the seas. He had a helmet that made him invisible. He ruled the dead, and forbade his subjects to leave his domain. He desired Persephone, but Zeus forbade the marriage. He then kidnapped her.

Hathor
Egyptian. An ancient Sky Goddess; Ra's daughter by Nut, or his wife; sometimes the wife or mother of Horus the Elder, Goddess of pleasure, joy, love, music and dancing. Protectress of women and embodiment of the finest female qualities.

Hecate
Perhaps the most notorious of all witch goddesses, Hecate was a dark manifestation of Diana. Hecate is the patron goddess of witches and sorceresses because of her skill in the arts of black magic. She is the queen of darkness, perverse sexuality, and death. Classically, she is the goddess of "roads in general and crossroads in particular, the latter being considered the center of ghostly activities, particularly in the dead of night, Offerings of food (known as Hecate's suppers) were left to placate her, for she was terrible both in her powers and in her person--a veritable Fury, armed with a scourge and blazing torch and accompanied by terrifying hounds."

The followers of Hecate were rumoured to have strange powers, such as that of being able to draw down the moon in order to employ the averse aspects of lunar forces. Followers could metamorphose into animals and birds, had insatiable sexual appetites, and had an intrinsic understanding of aphrodisiac and poisonous herbs.

Hephaestus (Vulcan)
Son of Zeus and Hera. He was lame, either because his mother, startled by his ugliness, dropped him, or because Zeus, angry that he took his mother's side in a dispute, threw him from Olympos. He dwelled among mortals and became the god of black smithing and artistic metal work. He made a golden throne that imprisoned any who sat in it, and gave it to Hera to avenge himself for his fall from Olympos.
 
Hermes (Mercury)
Son of Zeus and the nymph Maia. He stole some of Apollo's cattle shortly after his birth and concealed them, sacrificing two to the Olympian Gods. This theft won high recognition as a God himself. When Apollo discovered the theft and Hermes was tried his defense was so skillful and spirited that Zeus laughed and ruled that there should be a friendly settlement between the brothers. Hermes was God of the spoken word and oratory and was the intermediary between the God and men. Also the God of commerce and contracts, where language must be precise to convey the correct meaning.

Herodias (See Aradia or Diana)

Hel, Hela
Teutonic Goddess of the kingdom of the dead, not considered as a place of punishment. Daughter of Loki and Angurboda, and sister of the Midgard serpent of the ocean encircling the Earth, and of the devouring Fenris-wolf. Half her face was totally black.

Hestia (Hearth)
Greek. First daughter of Cronus and Rhea, and oldest of the Olympians. Goddess of domestic fire and of the home in general. Poseidon and Apollo both wanted to marry her but she placed herself under Zeus' protection as eternally virgin. She received the first morsel of every sacrifice. Roman equivalent Vesta.

Hicpacth
According to the Grimorium Verum, Hicpacth "can deliver to you anyone you want to see, from whatever distance, in the batting of an eye.

Holda
Also known as Fraw Holt, Holda became virtually synonymous with Abonde, Diana, and Perchta. Originally, Holda had been a Germanic goddess of vegetation and fertility, much like Perchta. Holda was also the goddess of spinning and weaving.

She, like her other manifestations, was the leader of the "Furious Horde" or "Wild Hunt" (Wütischend Heer, Wilde Jagd, Mesnie Sauvage)--"namely of the ranks of those who had died prematurely and passed through village streets at night, unrelenting and terrible, while the inhabitants barricaded their doors for protection."

Holda had two forms, that of a beautiful girl dressed all in white, and that of a hideous crone with fangs, a hooked nose, and long, tangled grey hair. In the latter form, she looked just like the stereotypical image of a witch or the evil stepmother of fairy tales. As the White Lady, she was a fertility goddess who granted prosperity to home, family, and field. As the Hag, she offered those who ignored or insulted her death, illness, and misfortune. In this form, she was responsible for fog and snow.

Huictiigaras
According to the Grimorium Verum, Huictiigaras "can put you to sleep or create insomnia."

Humots
According to the Grimorium Verum, Humots "can provide you with any book you want."

Inanna ('Lady of Heaven')
Sumerian Queen of Heaven, Mother Goddess to whom the Semitic Ishtar was assimilated.

Isis
Egyptian. The most complete flowering of the Goddess concept in human history. Daughter of Earth God Geb and Sky Goddess Nut.

Kali
Hindu, Tibetan, Nepalese. Often called Kali Ma ('the Black Mother'). A terrible but necessary destroyer, particularly of demons, but also a powerful creative force, much misunderstood in the
West.

Kiepoth
According to the Grimorium Verum, Kiepoth can provide one with insightful dreams and visions.

Khil
According to the Grimorium Verum, Khil "can create earthquakes on demand."

Kundalini: ('Coiled')
Hindu. The feminine Serpent Force, especially in its relation to organic and inorganic matter; the universal life-force of which electricity and magnetism are mere manifestations. Envisaged as moving in a left-handed spiral, when aroused in the human body, from the base of the spine up to the brain.

Lady of the Lake
Arthurian. In some legends Vivienne (or Viviane); in others, Vivienne was the daughter of the Lady of the Lake by Dylan, son of Arianrhod and Gwydion. In Thomas Mallory, the Lady of the Lake is called Nimue.

Lakshmi
Hindu Goddess of good fortune and plenty, and the personification of beauty.

Leannan Sidhe
Irish fairy lover, succubus. In the Isle of Man she is malevolent and vampiric.

Leonard
Although he had a rather unlikely name for a demon, Leonard was a kind of quality control expert for black magic and sorcery. He was also the master of sabbats, presiding over them in the form of
an enormous three-horned black goat with the head of a fox.

Lilith
Lilith is a kabalistic demon who appealed more to magicians than to witches. According to legend, Lilith was the first wife of Adam, and the first social feminist. Made from filth before the creation of Eve, Lilith believed herself to be Adam's equal and objected to "missionary style" sex. She believed that sexual relations should take place with the two of them lying side by side. Adam objected to this, so Lilith left him to mate with fallen angels.

Together with the fallen angels, Lilith parented a huge family of female demons called lilim. Lilim are identical to succubi for all intents and purposes. Both seduce men and take away men's strength in the night hours.

Lorelei
German. A beautiful siren who sat on a cliff above the Rhine, luring boatmen to their death with her songs.

Luna
The Roman Moon Goddess, identified with Diana and the Greek Selene.

Malkuth ('The Kingdom')
Hebrew. Personification of Earth, of the Earth-soul; the goddess in actual manifestation.

Maya
Hindu. The Goddess of Nature, the universal creatress.

Medusa
Greek. The only mortal member of the three Gorgons. Her hair was turned to serpents by Athene because she dared to claim equal beauty with hers. Her gaze turned men to stone.

Mephistopheles
The name Mephistopheles comes from the Greek for "he who does not like light." Mephistopheles is perhaps most famous for being the demon summoned by Faust. Faust had summoned him to teach him great knowledge and to grant him immense power.

Mephistopheles fulfilled all of Faust's desires. Nevertheless, at the end of the twenty-four year contract, it was Faust's turn to please Mephistopheles. All that was left of Faust at the end of the
contract was his torn and bloodied corpse. The soul had been consigned to Mephistopheles in Hell.

Mersilde
According to the Grimorium Verum, Mersilde "can magically transport you anywhere, instantaneously."

Minerva (Athena)
Minerva  is yet another goddess thought to have led the Wild Hunt. Like Holda, Minerva was traditionally thought of as the goddess of weaving, spinning, and of  women's household arts in general.

Morail
According to the Grimorium Verum, Morail "can bestow invisibility on anyone or any object."

Morgan
('Of the Sea') Arthur's half-sister Morgan le Fay; but would seem to be a much older Goddess, possibly the Glastonbury Tor one, for her island is Avalon.

Muisin
According to the Grimorium Verum, Muisin is a demon who "can sway the minds of great lords and offer strategic and political advice."

Neith
Egyptian. A very ancient Delta Goddess, protectress of Sais; her emblem was the crossed arrows of a predynastic clan.

Nemesis
Greek. Daughter of Erebus and Nyx. Goddess of divine anger, against mortals who offended the moral law, broke taboos or achieved too much happiness or wealth.

Nicneven
Scottish Samhain Witch Goddess. Tradition places her night according to the old (Julian) calendar, on 10 November.

Nimue
Arthurian. Thomas Mallory's name for the Lady of the Lake.

Nostiluca
Gaulish Witch Goddess.

Oshun and Oya
Nigerian, Yoruba tribe and Brizilian Voodoo. Sisters, daughters of Yemaja, and wives of the Thunder God Shango. Oshun was beautiful and Oya plain, and there was jealousy between them. Goddesses respectively of the rivers Oshun and Niger.

Pandora ('Gift of All')
The Greek Eve, fashioned in clay by Hephaestus on Zeus' orders to punish Prometheus for having stolen fire from heaven. Her name means that each God or Goddess gave her an appropriate gift. Zeus gave her a box which she must not open. She did open it, and all the evils that plague humankind came out of it. All that was left at the bottom was Hope.

Perchta
Perchta or Percht was yet another manifestation of Diana and was synonymous with Abonde as the leader of the host of the dead. Perchta was originally a southern German goddess of vegetation and
fertility. She had many different names (and changed her sex) depending on the geographical region. In "southern Austria, in Carintia, among the the Slovenes, 'Quantembermann' (the man of the four Ember Days) or 'Kwaternik'; in Baden, in Swabia, in Switzerland, and with the Slovenes again, 'Frau Faste' (the lady of the Ember Days) or similar names such as 'Posterli,' 'Quatemberca,'" and Fronfastenweiber.'

Persephone
Greek and Phoenician. Originally a purely Underworld Goddess, became a corn-seed Goddess, daughter of Demeter.

Poseidon (Neptune)
Son of Cronos (Saturn) and Rhea, he is represented wielding a trident being pulled by monsters in a chariot. After Zeus' victory over Cronos (Saturn), the gods, who preferred life on earth, divided the various domains of earth. Poseidon chose the seas. He represented the hidden forces of  germination and death. Together with his wife Amphitrite, he had powerful ties with Gaea, the Earth, mother of the Titans. As subterranean Gods, they shook the world from inside. Poseidon caused earthquakes when he made love to his wife. The mystery isle of Atlanta belonged to Poseidon. Poseidon could provoke storms, set fire to rocks on shore and create springs of water. He had many children, most wicked and violent, like the Cyclops of the Oddessy.

Put Satanachia
Put Satanachia was the commander-in-chief of Satan's army of darkness. Aside from having profound power over mothers, Put Satanichia had an immense knowledge of the planets. He also
provided witches with their animal familiars.

Pythia ('Pythoness')
Greek. Serpent Goddess, daughter of Gaia.

Rhiannon ('Great, or Divine, Queen').
Welsh fertility and Otherworld Goddess.

Sarasvati
Hindu. Wife of Brahma, born of his body. Goddess of speech, music, wisdom, knowledge and the arts.

Satan
Satan, of course, was the deity of choice during the witchcraze on old days. Witches' sabbats, also known as "Synagogues of Satan," were held in dedication to him. Physical adoration and submission to the Devil were necessary parts of every sabbat. Satan most often appeared at these sabbats in the form of a black billy goat or tom cat.

Satia (See Abonde or Diana)

Segal
According to the Grimorium Verum, Segal "can make all kinds of prodigies appear."

Sekhmet ('The Powerful')
Egyptian Lioness-Goddess, Eye of Ra who was her father. Wife of Ptah as Goddess of the Memphite triad, and mother of Nefertum, God of the setting Sun (later replaced by Imhotep).

Selene
Greek Moon Goddess, daughter of Hyperion and Theia, and sister of Helios (the Sun) and Eos (Dawn); though sometimes said to be the daughter of Zeus or of Helios.

Sirchade
According to the Grimorium Verum, Sirchade "can introduce you to any one of a huge assortment
of animals, both real and supernatural."

Sophia ('Wisdom')
A Gnostic Aeon; but Wisdom personified as female was earlier also characteristic of Hebrew and Greek-Hebrew thinking.

Surgat
According to the Grimorium Verum, Surgat "can unlock anything."

Tailtiu
Irish. Foster-mother of Lugh, who instituted the Tailtean Games, central event of the Festival of Lughnasadh (1 August), in her memory.

Tara ('Radiating')
Hindu Star Goddess, wife of Brihaspati (identified with the planet Jupiter), teacher of the Gods.

Tenemit
Egyptian Underworld Goddess, who gave ale to the deceased.

Tiamat
Assyro-Babylonian Primordial Sea Mother Goddess, the mass of salt waters, who with her mate Apsu (the sweet waters) begat the original chaotic world and who also symbolized it and ruled it.

Ulupi
Hindu. A Serpent Goddess, one of the Nagis, dwelling in Patala, the lowest level of the Underworld.

Valkyries, The
Teutonic. In late Scandinavian myth, they brought the souls of those slain in battle to Odin.

Venus
Venus was originally the Roman goddess of love, but by the time of the witchcraze she was relegated to demon status. She became synonymous with Diana in terms of being followed at night
by a retinue of women. Witches knew her as Fraw Fenus, stating they visited her at night-time.

Venus could grant to these witches the power of astral projection. Witches could fall into "swoons which rendered them insensible to pricks or scaldings." When the women revived, they said they had been to heaven and "spoke of stolen or hidden objects."

Verdelet
Verdelet was something of a cross between a maitre d' and a transportation coordinator. He was master of ceremonies in Hell, and also shouldered the responsibility of making sure witches on Earth got to their sabbats safely and on time.

Vesta ('Torch, Candle')
Roman Goddess of fire, both domestic and ritual. Daughter of Saturn and Ops. Domestically she presided over the hearth and the preparation of meals.

Vivienne, Viviane
Arthurian. Sometimes referred to as the Lady of the Lake, sometimes as the Lady's daughter.

Yesod ('Foundation')
Hebrew. Ninth Sephira of the Cabalistic Tree of Life, sphere of the Moon and of the astral plane.
 
Zeus (Jupiter)
Son of Cronos (Saturn) and Rhea. He defeated Cronos (Saturn) in a battle and then divided the realms with his brothers by lot, getting the heavens for his own. He was ruler and judge, the arbiter of disputes among Gods and men. His decisions were just and well balanced, showing no favoritism. He had several wives and many lover's, earning the title "all father" or "father god". His infidelity caused much strife on Olympos and in the world through he raging of his wife, Hera.

davidylan:
That is ACTUALLY not true. Skepticism, as shown by your likes is simply a reflection of a mindset that is CLOSED to rational thinking. One that is not based on a method of "questioning claims". I hear skeptics crying about seeking rational answers to who Christ is . . . but i dont see anywhere those same Nigerian skeptics have ever done anything with their alleged minds to solve other pressing social or scientific problems.

This is no different from atheism.

The way you spew rubbish of this forum as if you have any idea of what you are talking about is ridiculous and pathetic. . .Were you not the same person that said some time ago that your religion requires 100% faith and loyalty? Where you not the same person that stated that proof should be left for maths and science labs?. . . .Now the same goon is here talking about questioning claims, Which of the claims of your religion have you questioned? . . . .Some times you wonder who gives these goons the opportunity to come on the internet and continiously make a fool of themselves. . . .

aletheia:
Where is your evidence that Ronald Ross would have discovered the malaria vector without prayer? Like I said your atheism is merely emotional and not based on intellect or rational evidence, no matter how much you try to convince yourself.

Ronald Ross followe the scientific method as someone here said. . . .He did not sit down pray and then heard the answers from some where, many other discoveries were made without praying to any imaginary god. . . . My atheism is based on the FACT that all gods and all religions are man made, that is why NO god can be shown to exist on its own independent of man made stories and myths, man made laws, societal acceptance and man's cultural infleunces. . . .If you know any god that exist on its own independent of these points i have stated then pls point to it, only then will i assume that you have an idea of what you are talking about. . .Your religion is nothing but following the cultural values of another person, and your REMAINS a creation of other men. . .

toba:
What i perceive in mazaje's anti God posts is a tone of someone that is agitated,hurt or have been dissapointed based on his personal experience as a theist,that took him to atheism. If that be the case,i can understand why he makes such comment as if he were a bad looser.

I became an atheist when i realized that the god hypothesis is completely bogus and that all gods were created by men according to their cultural and societal beliefs and values, Non of your ridiculous assertions lead me to leave christianity. . . Actually I consider myself to be a very very lucky person in life because I have never suffered any major disapointment.

Here is what lead me to athiesm.

https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-316436.0.html

aletheia:
@Mazaje:Unlike you who rushes in to defend his irrational foibles, I take time to read a post before replying. Here is the post I replied to:Does he ask about prayer solving the problem of a country or about prayer leading to an invention benefiting mankind? I gave a specific answer to his question. Ronald Ross, the 2nd Nobel Prize winner for Medicine, discovered the vector for malaria after praying. And this has led to saving countless millions of lives.
No wonder you can't but give a muddled and incoherent defense of your atheism seeing as it largely driven by emotions rather than any rational thought.

He would have discovered the malaria with or without his prayers and that is a fact because so many other disease vectors were discovered without prayers. . . .How did the prayers help him discover the malaria vector? Did prayers turn into a microscope and help him indentify the nature of the pathogen?. . . .

noetic16:
I am sure I stated explicitly that my opinion is a function of personal experience. why EXACTLY is mazaje ignoring this point?

Personal "experince" again eh?. . .Interesting. . . .

1. You are simply spiritually ignorant. Affliction is part of the way a believer is strengthened. Abraham is called the father of faith, yet for 25 years he had no child of his own. Job was a man considered righteous before God, yet he was afflicted and lost all he ever had. David was a man after God's heart, yet he lived as a destitute in the wilderness for 3 years . . . .and many others.

Interesting. . . .Personally I see these stories just as a moral teaching for people to accept the daily realities of life and nature but with God as the basic flavour.

Affliction is part of the christian faith to grow and get strengthened, . . .the fact that u are ignorant of this submission is no fault of mine but yours.

According to your own version of christianity affliction is part of the christian faith. A lot of christians I know will not agree with that hypothesis and as usual they will have biblical verses to support their claims. . .

2. attempting to quantify God's love is just ridiculous. how about getting to know God first.

Were you not the one talking about god's love all these while? . . . .

1. on what basis do u dismiss spiritual experiences. on what basis do u dismiss testimonies of those who have seen heaven and hell from all over the world.

On the basis that every religion that believes in the hell and heaven hypothesis have adherents that have "been" to heaven and hell and came back. I have told you that there is an islamic school of thought that encourages people to have dreams of the prophet mohammed, some claims that he comes and takes them to the other side. . .There are hindus that have "evidence" of people that reincarnated, recanation stories and evidence are all over india, nepal, sri-lanka and other countries, christians also have people that have been to heaven and came back. . . .every body seems to have evidence to support their claims about the after life that agrees with their religious and cultural beliefs. . .What does that tell you?. . .It tells me that they are all lying and deluded. . . . . .

2. on what basis do u dismiss millions of verified personal miracles all over the world? on what basis do u dismiss the promises of God? where is your evidence that eternity does not exist?

I have answered that already. . .What are the miracles? I will like to see any miracle worker heal am amputee and restore the persons amputated limbs. . .My evidence that eternity does not exist is that no body has ever objectively shown that there is any part of the human consciousness that survives bodily death. . .No evidence for the mythical soul is yet to be provided at all. . . .

3. You dont know God, u dont know the meaning of prayers, u dont know what it means to walk with God, u dont know how prayer works, u have no evidence to prove the non-existence of God or eternity.
My conclusion is simple . . , u are NOT qualified to pass a meaningful opinion on spiritual matters. . . . .u are spiritually dead.

who do u hold responsible if the doctors fail, and he dies in surgery?

No body. . .At least they would have tried to save him, something his God could not do. . .
did u actually read what I wrote?

No thats not prayers . . . .God is not an alaadin jinn u can make magical wishes to. The sons of God are assured of His promises, they dont make incantations before they travel.

Sure. . .My friend was not making incantations before he travelled. . . He just like you believes he is a son of your god and he also believes he is assured of his promise. . .

noetic16:
This is leading no where, as u keep throwing up all forms of irrelevant sentiments. The points are simple.
A. Noetic knows God, and as such is capable of talking about God . . . . .Noetic says God is good and loving . , . .his opinion is based on experience and well established FACTS.

Same old drivel. . . .Noetic's evidence to show that God is good and loving is WHAT?. . .Does noetic loves his family? Will he allow any of them to loose his/her ability to work he has has the chance to prevent it?. . . .When then does noetic's God who is alleged to be all loving allow his "Children" loose their ability to walk?. . . .Where is the love?. . . . .

B. Mazaje does NOT know God, and is as such NOT capable of making an honest,objective, informative opinion about God. . . . . .Mazaje states that God is not good. This is simply character assassination. . . . .u are impugning the character of a person u do not know. To find out who God is, walk with Him.

Mazaje did not even state if any God is good or not, all i said is that I find it perplexing when people worship and praise a God they already admitted is responbile for their misfortune.
.

u criticised my understanding of love, but u are unable to come up with something insightful as an alternative. How long would a man live on earth, at most 130 years . . . .can u compare 130 years to over 1,000,000 eternal years? so why then do u come up ill-informed conception about the love of God? or do u have any scientific evidence that suggests that there is no eternal life?

Your eternal years hyopthesis REMIANS a FANTASY that has no basis in reality. . . .Your evidence to show that there is any part of human consciousness that survives bodily death is what? I have been asking you this question for the past 2 years now, but you keep running around chasing shadows. . . .If even if we are to accept you fantasy as real, what has eternal life got to do with lack of protection in the here and now?. . .Why do christians pray for protection in the here and now, if the here and now is not important?. . . .Why do you pray for protection?

why was the accident in your self-elevating opinion an "unnecessary accident" since u seem to be more intelligent than God?

The accident is of no use to me because it causes unnecessary hardsip and pains, the family will loose a lot of resources as a result. I will protect him and not allow him go through such pains if i had the chance, every human will do the same to his friend whom he loves, But God always gets the speacial pleading. . . . .Very telling since God is imaginary. . . . .

he has . , . , the only problem is that u are spiritually deaf and dumb and cannot perceive what He is saying . . . .so I say to u, .the LORD loves u.

Nice to know. . . .

If tommorow your friend gets up to walk against all expectations . . , . .would u give God the glory?

Give which god glory? he is about to be taken to germany where the doctors will try their best and see if they can make him walk over time. . .If he gets to walk again, it will be as a result of the german doctor's effort not some imaginary deity. . . .

but u do remember Him when the going gets tough . . .right?

There is no evidence to also suggest that God does not love them. As a matter of fact God does. It is unintelligent and unspeakable to suggest that we intelligent beings are without a creator, and by communion with our creator we know that He loves us.

Typical ignorance. The fear of God does not connote the lay man's fear of a lion. The fear of God is to love God and to love God is to do His will. Simple.

blah blah blah

Fear and love in the same sentence is that an oxymoron?. . . .Fear god and love him

Prayer is an incessant communication between man and God. Prayer is the evidence of a steadfast relationship between man and God. It is not a one-off event that happens when a man is hopeless . . . .u cannot start praying in fear or in the face of difficulty and expect a result. Prayer is to continually be in the spiritual presence of God.

Prayer is NOT an incantation u make before travelling . . . . .it is a product of faith and not fear.

So when you talk to your god before you travel its not prayers eh?. . . . . . . .Keep on chasing shadows. . . .

viaro:
The problems of any country [b]are not solved by prayer alone [/b](that is not to play down the importance of 'prayer' at any level). I think that collectively, any country's development depends largely on the interplay of various factors.

After haranguing the OP you just turned around to do the same thing you accused him of doing. Name just one problems of a country that has ever been solved by prayers, Just tell us how prayer contributes to solving the problems of any country since you included it as part of the a solution by saying that the problems of any country are not solved by prayers alone. . . .

aletheia:
Taking up your challenge.

What is this? . . . . He asked you to show has prayer has helped solve the problem of a country and you came up with this joke?

Obviously because you know nothing about prayer and faith.

Same old excuses again. . . .Did Joshua really make the sun stop from rotating round the earth as the bible puts it or not?. . . Its obvious you will prefer to chase shadows that answer the question

Martin Luther and John Calvin are not Jesus Christ, and they didn't write the scriptures. Your point above is meaningless.

Which part of the bible did Jesus write?. . . . .The two guys are VERY important to what you believe as a protestant, without them your belief would have been completely different.

noetic16:
1. This is rather LAME. You questioned the rationale behind the belief in a good/loving God. And I questioned the objectivity in u asking that question. how can u access the goodness of God if u DONT know God? . . . , how can I pass judgement on mazaje's character, if I dont know him?

The fact is that people don't really understand the God hypothesis(You inclusive) as I aforementioned when it comes to God people just create reality according to their own thoughts, feelings, and actions.

2. Your understanding of love is deeply FLAWED. There is something called eternal endless life. A life without the ills and evil norms on our present planet. If the challenges we face in this limited world enables us to live in eternal life. ,  ,  .does that not impugn any malice u hold to the rationality of love?

It is your own understanding of love that is ridiculous and crazy. . . . .There is a belief men invented which they call eternal and endless life, A baseless belief that has no evidence for it at all, a fantasy and make belief that has no basis at all in reality. Love is love not your twisted idea of love, If you love your child you will protect him. You will not allow your friend to have such an accident if you have the ability to stop it, what more of an all loving and powerful God that can do all things. . . .It makes sense only if such a God is imaginary, which actually is the case . . . .

how and why did u come to the conclusion that the accident was an "unnecessary accident"? since this accident has further propelled him to believe more in God and pray more, how then is this accident in your self esteemed wisdom unnecessary to his personal spiritual development?

That is what amazes me more. I said that I just cannot fathom how people can praise and worship some deity who by their own admission caused the sickness and sorrow they are praying against, How you guys do this i don't know. So your God allowed him to have an accident and loss his ability to ever walk again because he wants him to grow spritual?. . . . .Hmmmm interesting. . . .

3. Dude, God loves everyone and that includes atheists like u who do not acknowledge Him. . . . .the only problem here is that u have no understanding of what the love of God means.

Will you allow God to tell people he loves them himself?. . . .Why is it that it is always people like you that are ALWAYS propagating this old mantra. Do you love your family? Will you allow any of them to have an accident and lose his/her ability to walk if you had the ability to stop the accident?. . .Love is love not the twisted idea of love you are trying to portray here. . . .

how does the above mantra impugn the truths contained in psalm 34:19? what your friend is facing is an affliction . . . . .the testimony of God through David stands that God will deliver the righteous from all afflictions.

He might be unable to ever walk again so how has God delivered him through his afflictions? Sometimes you really need to read what you are posting. . . .

What EXACTLY makes u think God did not answer his prayers? how about the millions of times your friend had travelled and was safe? did u acknowledge God for his safety? do u acknowledge God for the life your friend has lived before this incident? The problem with your half baked arguments is that u only remember God when events turn bad. . .but when they are good, u idolise your man made human-scientific-gods. This is rather lame and dishonest.

I don't even remember God in anything I do, I just wanted to understand why people believe that their God loves them when there is no evidence for that at all. . . .So God was the one that was saving my friend all these while untill now eh?. . . .Hmmmm intresting. . . .

The way God answers prayers are different from what we can perceive in our human consciousness. One thing I know is that the thoughts of God are VERY DEEP (psalm 92:5) I am as such persuaded to believe that through this tragedy, God has a plan and lesson for the dude ,  ,  . .

So your God's plans for his 'children" include allowing them to lose their ability to ever walk again eh?. . . .Interesting. . . . .

1. Dude, fearing God is the same as having faith. you cannot have faith in whom u dont fear. To fear God is to love God, to love God is to obey His commandments, to obey Him is to know Him and if u know Him u will fing Him capable and have absolute faith in Him

It is only religion and its very twisted ideas and way of though that will tell you that fear is a good thing . . . . Fear God, fear this, fear that. . .Its always about fear. . . .

2. have u ever seen me in person before? have I ever made any contact with u outside of nairaland? so how did become so gifted to be able to discern my level of faith?
The way u sit behind a computer and type all forms of lies and innuendos with the intention of misleading/misinforming everyone is highly despicable.

Learn to read I said he might have more faith than you, How did you come to the conclusion that he does not have faith? Is it only noetic that has faith? The way you sit behind the computer throwing away LAME and ridiculous apologies is really despicable. . . .

I did not question the faith or spiritual status of your friend . . . .all I did was to highlight the connection between faith and answering prayers.

You did question his faith, If not you would have not made that comment. . . .

what is this? . ,  . .and u dare accuse others of being dogmatic and deluded?

well if u dont know what prayer means . . . . dont u think u should ask?

What is prayer noetic. . . . .

profibadan:
If I had asked all Christians on Nairaland to shout Halleluyah, people will shout Bless you brother. Nigerians with their blind adherence to religion again. Name one invention which has benefited mankind that came via prayer.
Well I am not here to talk about prayers, it is my intention for like-minded people to come together to form a formidable team to discuss ways to educate and enlightened our people. Are you aware some Nigerian professors still believe Joshua literally asked the Sun to stand still. and that the salt we eat comes from Lot's wife.

Please guys, religion has been used to decieved us, first by the European missionaries but now by theologically illiterate pastors who lead gullible people. How many Nigerians that the book of Revelation which they quote to support the claim of Apocalyspe and Rapture was not part of the the Original Canonical Bible and the MArtin Luther with John Calvin never beleived in the Book?

How many of them really know that the bible was written much later than the time it was said to have been written? How many of the really know that so many of the writers of the bible remain UNKNOWN to this day? How many of them know that tradition is what dictates the name given to the writers of the bible. How many of them truly know that prophet Mohammed had nothing to do with the writing of the koran and that it was written long after his death by his conies. . . .How many Nigerians truly know anything about the history of all these imported religions they are dying and killing themselves over?. . . .

AYODEJI4LOVE:
mazaje[b].i want u 2 understand dat d accident may b mor dan dat if he did not pray.and pls av u forgoten job.it may just b a test of faith.[/b]
back 2 your question'personally i believe God loves me and u.dat's y he died on d cross.out of is abundant love 4 u is spearin your life till 2day after which you did not beleive in him.
wat if u die 2day and get to know God exist.what will you do.give your life to Jesus he loves you so much.tomorrow may b too late

Test of faith eh?. . . .What could be worse than the chance of losing your ability to ever walk again?. . . .God loves you and died on the cross for you? When did any God appear to you and personally told you that he loves you and died for you?. . . .

noetic16:
if u do not know a person, can u know how good or nice he/she is? same thing applies to God.
Since u do not know God, dont u think it is inappropriate to come to a conclusion that God does not love us. . . . . .do u not objectively consider urself unqualified to make such assesments?

Don't you think that the God loving people mantra has been over beating? I was not even talking about my self but about my friend who believes in a God that will guide and protect him like a father will protect his Children. . .How does your God love people? By failing to protect those that ALWAYS believe that he is always there to guide and protect them?. . .Will you allow your son whom you love to be involved in an unnecessary accident that might result in him not having the ability to ever walk again? Two days before the accident my friend was sing" On Christ the solid rock I stand all other rock is sinking sand" It only makes sense if this solid rock of his is imaginary. I KNOW VERY WELL that you will not allow your friend to be in the condition that he is if you have the ability to prevent it from happening talk less of a good God that allegedly "loves people" that worship him. . .Where is the love. . . . .

1. Those who prayed, prayed according to their understanding. but is their understanding wrong? . . .No. while God did not create an accident for the unfortunate dude, the accident was however in the knowledge of God. here is what the scriptures says.
. . . . .many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers us out of them all. psalm 34:19
. .  . . . .psalm 119:67&75[b] teaches us that afflictions draw us closer to Himself, to know and fear Him.[/b]
. . . . .[b]though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil for thou art with us psalm [/b]23
. . . . . Jesus said "I leave u my peace, not as the world gives it, but my peace that passes all understanding" . It is this peace that is beyond your human atheistic and supposedly rational understanding that persons of faith who face affliction experience,  . . .so that even when the tide suggests hopelessness, there is a shinning light inside from the Lord most high.

Did you bother to read what you wrote down from psalm 34:19? Did you not see where it says he will deliver us out of them all?. . . .Last time I checked both Christians and non Christians suffer from the same harm and misfortune, no? Do your truly believe that a God that can do all things was with my friend and still allowed him to have that accident?. . . .How does loosing your ability to walk make you love and fear a God whom you believe is so powerful that he has the ability to protect you from all harm as my friend does?. . . .Like everything religious there is always a clause to explain absurdity away. . . .If my friend is not a Christian then NO body is a Christian. . . .

2. by praying, they make a confession to the ultimate one . . . . , because through it all, we know that God is good.

God is good how? By failing to protect some one that VERY STRONGLY believes he will protect him and guide him? I was there when he was praying before he went on the journey. He prayed for God to protect him as he believes God always does he said in his prayers. . . .True he made some confession and offered some praises to his God but his main aim was to ask for protection in a God he believes is his father. . . .

You have no understanding of what prayer entails or how it works. . . . the scriptures says if we harbour iniquity in our heart, the Lord will not hear us. . . . can u testify that your friends heart was without sin?
The scriptures says that it is impossible to please God without faith . . , so did your friend pray by faith or fear?

What is this?. . .One minute you are talking about fearing God, now you are talking about having faith. He has faith, perhaps he has more than you. . . .That I am sure of. . . .

unfortunately not everyone who sings and dance praises or worships God. To entail in Godly worship involves a walk with God in holiness and purity.

He does believe in all these, I repeat if he is not a Christian then NO body is a Christian, and am serious about it. . . .

it seems to me that u find it inappropriate to confess your ignorance on God related matters. u dont know God, u as such have no basis for making the above innuendos.

Actually I opened this thread based on what I observe and see going on around me, not based on what your definition of God or prayer is. . . . .

noetic16:
and how did u come to the conclusion that prayers have failed the nation?

How has prayer helped the nation?

profibadan:
I like to affirm that Nigeria is an unnecessarily religious country,  Religion has failed to provide answers for my people, despite their blind adherence to various leechy camps and conventions parroted by religious leaders. Please I am proposing a Nigeria Skeptical Society, Let all Nigerian Skeptic come together to liberate our Nation. send me email : profibadan@gmail.com or call 07060874312 to join

Liberate Nigeria eh?. . . .Am an atheist but this idea of your will not work my brother, What do you have to offer them? Do you have endless sweet lies and sweet mythologies to offer? The land is so FULLLLLL of poverty and lack, people don't reason rationally here in Nigeria any more. If you have money to offer them, then I will encourage you to ride on, Because the only God Nigerians worship is MONEY no matter how much they keep lying to themselves. What do you want to give  to them in return? Don't you know that lack of belief in religious and the god hypothesis takes a lot of intellectuality, exposure, intelligence and good reasoning? How do you expect a country that is full of illiterates, backward thinking traditions and culture to understand anything you are talking about?. . . .Nigeria will not be ready for your movement in the next 200 years IMO, you can only try to show them that it is OK to be an atheist, Even that is a very difficult task talk less of liberating Nigeria from their various religious myths and delusions. . . . .It took Europeans over a thousand years of steady education and intellectual maturity to drop their religious beliefs and their belief in the Gods, They used to be like us too. The world is changing fast and one day we will all get there but sorry, Its will not be now. . . .

I truly want to know why people pray or hold unto the belief that their God loves them. . . .A very good friend of mine(we kind of fell apart as a result of my atheism and complete disregard for religion and all it entails, but we still remain close because he feels he some how has the power to show me the "light" recently had an accident and I went to visit him at the family residence after he was discharged from the hospital, others came to visit the family as well. We were all assembled together to pray and two people volunteered to pray for him, one of them(the pastor) was asking their God to come and rescue the guy from his predicament and heal him quickly. He then concluded that the accident was a test from the same God they were praying to and asking for his help to heal the friend of mine, The second guy prayed along the same lines but quite differently. After the whole thing they started singing and praising their God and all despite believing that the same God controls everything including the ghastly motor accident that left him with broken bones and all. . . .Firstly, I was there when the guy was about to travel, he even prayed in my presence for his God to protect him and grant him journey mercies before he embarked on the journey. . . . .

Secondly, I just cannot fathom how people can praise and worship some deity who by their own admission caused the sickness and sorrow they are praying against?. . . I just can not get it.

It seems like when it comes to God people just create reality according to their own thoughts, feelings, and actions. Its completely beyond my comprehension why people do these things. . . . .

Historically people used to marry very early. . .Girls used to marry at the age of 12-15 across may cultures, but that was THEN. . . .There is no need adhering to the cultures of primitive men who truly believe that the moon was once divided into two and bowed to an illiterate man from Arabia, or that the creator of the universe(assuming that the universe had a creator that is sentient) wants people to kill the enemies of his people. It is wrong to marry a 13 years old girl in this present age period.

imhotep:
The FACT still remains that no Atheist can PROVE [/b]that God does not [b]EXIST.

Ironically, then, atheism has something in common with theism: A CURIOUS INABILITY TO "PROVE". . .

Atheistic logic, in other words, looks very much like what you call Religious Logic . . .

You are getting it wrongly. NO theist has ever shown or provided any evidence to show that his or her god exist. The god hypothesis is just a claim that has NEVER been proven and a claim that has no evidence to support it at all. If there were no theist there will be no atheist, There was never a time before the god hypothesis was proposed that some one came forward and declared that there was no god, The no god assertion came only after the god assertion was made without any evidence. Atheist only said that there is no god based on the claims of the theist. My evidence to show that there is no god is that all gods and religions are man made  as as such no god can be shown to exist on its own independent of many made stories, man made culture, societal influence and cultural acceptance, If you know a god that exist on its own independent of all these things i have outlined then pls point to it. . . .

Mudley313:
after wrecklessly plagiarizing other ancient pagan religions n customs, n making an extension of original judaism, the hypocritical christian arrogantly makes the RIDICULOUS claim of not practicing religion but a way of life; the jews think its RIDICULOUS for the christians to believe that a poor carpenter who was humiliated and executed like a common thief was the long awaited messiah; the christians believe its RIDICULOUS for the jews to still be awaiting the messiah who christians believe has already been here 2000 yrs ago and his 2nd coming is expected; the muslims believe its RIDICULOUS to claim a man was a god or that god has a son that is somehow himself and they're 3 gods that are somehow one; the christians believe its RIDICULOUS to believe that some arab peodophile could come, plagiarize the jewish scripture n claim his religion is the one true religion; the protestants believe its RIDICULOUS to pray to god or jesus through Mary who was only human and worship graven images of her; the catholics think its RIDICULOUS for the penterascals to criticize them as false teachings for it was catholics who actually compiled the Bible itself that the penterascals use against them; the christians think its RIDICULOUS for the mormons to believe that some man called joseph smith was visited by angels and given some writings in tablets when they're more ridiculous stories of man seeing the back of god himself in their so-called holy book; the christian think its RIDICULOUS to believe in so-called barbaric and inferior african religions while ignoring all the barbaric acts that litter their bible; the traditionalist believe its RIDICULOUS to believe in the religion of white men who came to loot your land, enslave you and branded you inferior. . .and so on and so forth. The rationalist just believe all these contradictory beliefs are all RIDICULOUS

NICE ONE!!!. . . .

[quote author=Aloy+Emeka link=topic=449666.msg6075138#msg6075138 date=1274493178][size=16pt]Chicken With Four Limbs In Ogun[/size]



Residents of Ojuore in Sango area were amazed when a chick with four limbs was hatched by a mother hen last Sunday. And the ever superstitious neighbours suspected it was an act of wizardry by the chicken farmer who is simply known as Bola City.


https://pmnewsnigeria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Chinken-wth-four-leg1-460x336.jpg
•The four-legged chicken.
The incident, it was learnt, happened at about six o’ clock in the evening. Residents who witnessed the incident were scared of moving close to the chicken farmer for they suspected he must have bewitched the hen which hatched the four-limbed chick.
Even pregnant women who lived in the same compound with him were said to have deserted their homes because of fear.


Bola City was said to have been forced to vacate his house due to the suspicion and commotion that were generated after the incident.
Mulikat Ajala, a neigbour of the chicken farmer said: “in fact, this is unbelievable because it has not happened before. But I am not surprised because the man (the chicken minder) had been behaving strangely. And for his hen to have hatched a chick with four limbs means he could be a wizard. In fact, I cannot allow my children to move closer to him lest he bewitch them.”
Some Christian as well as Islamic faithful seized the opportunity to preach that people should turn to God, saying that the incident had some spiritual significance.
Experts, however, said the chicken suffered from genetic disorder before it was hatched.
—Dedigbo Ayodeji

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2010/05/21/chicken-with-four-limbs-in-ogun/[/quote] . . . . .

benodic:
@ poster,
why are you wasting your time. you know that none of them will come up with anything reasonable.

we are now in the age of reasoning where every knowledge is scrutinized in the light of modern knowledge and any one that is found wanting is tossed aside into the garbage heap.

but unfortunately some people have been trapped in the past and are directing their lives based on the experiences of primitive people more that two thousand years ago. overlooking the grand experiences that one can have here and now

Very well said. . . .

Both of them just have to believe and hold tenaciously unto what they have been indoctrinated to believe is true, because one can only have faith in what they’ve been told is god’s word. . .They all claim that their imaginary deities can speak but all the deities only rely on some crazy unknown humans that lived very long to write their words for them. . . . .Faith is yet another human construct that takes our gullibility and our willingness to relinquish both responsibility and rigorous intellectual honesty, and aims it all at man made myth. A very long period of systematic teaching is what makes people to believe these obvious lies and myths, after a very long period of hearing the same thing being repeated over and over again it become the "truth". . . . The fact remains that all these faith and belief are just ridiculous since it cannot be faith in god's word. It can only be faith in what you are told about.

All learned organized religious knowledge is known through the filter of the teacher(Pastors, parents and others).

Interesting read, Saw a report about it on the BBC new network during the day and read about it on the BBC new website. . . .The report says that it is only the genome the DNA in the cell that is entirely synthetic. They did use an existing cell as a template and as a recipient for their home-made DNA. So they did not create life, They actually did something spectacular and ground breaking. . . .

becomrich7 the mapomeje. . .What has this topic got to do with your maps?. . . .

This is truly pathetic. . . . Whats wrong with all these pedophilessssss. . . . . .Will the foolish and crazy senator allow his 13 years old daughter to marry a 50+ man? This man and all the Muslims supporting him are beyond crazy. . . .Sick people

Kay 17:
one - The Christ was not named Jesus, whence cometh this name?

Million dollar question. . . . .

I just don't understand this satan/devil myth any more? It used to make sense to me when I was in the bubble of delusion though . . . . . How many satans are there? Is it the same satan in Nigeria that is functioning in China or Mongolia? Can this mythical satan be every where?. . . .What evidence is there to show for this mythical construct?. . . . Human's will NEVER want to accept their responsibilities, people will prefer to blame their inadequacies on anything, even imaginary and mythical constructs. . . Satan my assssssssssssssssss. . . . .

^^

Is there any god that isn't man made?. . . . .

wirinet:
This post should be considered very important because it raises fundamental questions on the African variation of Christianity. Christianity in Africa has been reduced to the status of traditional African religions, its main motivation is to offer some kinds of supernatural protection, prosperity or some kind of supernatural power to its adherents. African Christianity that does not offer its adherents these things would die fast. It must promise reward for the undeserving, punishment for ones enemies, magic, and power to control anything, through mantras, night vigils and other spiritual rituals .

The problem is that none of these so called advantages can be statistically verified, in fact the opposite appears to be the case, the more religious a sect seem to be, the more you would find poverty and disease.

The "let my enemies die by fire" brand that exist in Nigeria. . . .The "Let my enemies go blind and let me  always be blessed type" .

[quote author=Mad_Max link=topic=443956.msg6071209#msg6071209 date=1274443815]Interesting posts. 'Where's the substance?' Excellent question. It's true. When we 'git religion' we go a little mad and point fingers and bay for the blood of those that don't believe as we do. It's the 'privileged frame of reference' mania that besets us all. Each of us believe he/she is 'special', his thoughts unique and profound, his insight the truth, the whole truth and nothing but. When we believe something to be true, it's sometimes inconceivable to our vanity that we might be wrong, that others believe different things just as deeply and feel that they are just as correct.'I' think it's true, so it must be true. And then you get others who believe the same and a little clique of 'those who have seen the light' starts, and the out-group is viewed with pity or contempt or hate. The more of our life we've invested in believing a set of things to be 'true', the harder it is to examine those beliefs objectively. It doesn't help that people are a raging volcano of conscious and unconscious intent, doubts, hopes, primitive fears, dreams, hates, loves, and these things interact with what we hold to be 'true' or 'false' at any time.

I know well the horrors of religious indoctrination to the mind. I wasn't joking when I called it a form of mental illness. But 'religion' by itself does nothing. People do everything. We're human, and it's the way people are. You're not obligated to accept anyone's view of God as yours, especially since they make all sorts of authoritative pronoucements for which no proof is ever offered. But aren't you judging 'God, if It exists, by the awful standards of what human beings say and do and write and believe to be 'true'? What if none of those things count or change a thing where He's concerned? What if our standards, our ways, our thoughts, our actions, our philosophies, our beliefs, our religions, are not His, and so He isn't in the least bound by those things? Sometimes I think each religion gets the 'God' it deserves. But maybe, just maybe, in spite of human deception and folly and wishful thinking, maybe humanity hasn't been foolish all along and there is actually a reality that transcends all this and isn't in the least affected by it.[/quote]Nice thoughts. . .

[quote author=Mad_Max link=topic=443956.msg6068413#msg6068413 date=1274389471]It may have begun that way but things have come a long way since then. It seems the only religion that hasn't separated itself from state is Islam, and you can see the result. Retrogression. I'm not sure you need to be religious or spiritual to be moral or to craft a just system of laws. There are non-religious persons with better morals than religious ones. I heard a Nigerian state governor married a 13 year old, and the unapologetic slowpoke insists his Islamic religion is above the law. It's criminal behavior. One of many reasons no religion can be above secular law.[/quote]Religion also can, and very much does, inhibit a person's moral growth and development. The religion based ethics that people advocate always boils down to a variation on the "might makes right" theme, or other similarly flawed foundations (e.g., since the god created us we are obligated to obey it). Religious based ethics or moral is always based on the "us versus them" idea, "We versus the world". The moral or ethics is always predicated on this shaky platform. . . . By giving people false ideas about ethics, religion is actually stunting their ability to fully understand real ethics. Aside from those kinds of meta-ethical issues, religion also gives people horrible normative ethical principles on issues ranging from freedom of speech, women's rights, child indoctrination and abuse, gay rights, etc. Our world would be far better off ethically if religion did not play such an influential role IMO. Secular ethics remain the best because it is comprehensive and tries to involve every body. . . .