TWK: The Aelf dilemma

James Wynn · 05 Dec 2005, 12:45 · from 2005-December.txt.gz

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From: thewynns at earthlink.net (James Wynn)
Date: Mon, 5 Dec 2005 07:45:12 -0500
Subject: (urth) TWK: The Aelf dilemma
References: <000a01c5f971$e57073e0$7c3ec6d8 at rclackey.stic.net>
	<E1EjBbW-000Dsu-Ka at oceanus.uk.clara.net>
Message-ID: <002501c5f999$bc3f1350$0301a8c0 at wdw.disney.com>

>>Given that the Aelf are not spiritually immortal, they have no hope of
>>eternal reward (still less the denizens of Muspel). So why the hell should
>>they worship humans -- or anyone or anything else? If there's no "pie in
>>the sky when they die", where's the payoff for whatever passes as
>>righteous living for an Aelf?

>Worship isn't primarily a matter of seeking supernatural reward.

This is true. It believed that until around the 3rd or 4th century BC (after
the books of the Bible were written), the Jews had no clear understanding of
an afterlife. The Sumerians believed that the afterlife consisted of
enternal darkness where people only ate mud. As for the Greeks, except for a
very few who had become deified, all people went to dark and gloomy Hades.

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