Oannes

Lee Berman · 20 Mar 2012, 21:04 · from 2012-March.txt.gz

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From: severiansola at hotmail.com (Lee Berman)
Date: Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:04:46 -0400
Subject: (urth) Oannes
Message-ID: <SNT123-W65DE9AF8FE573096EF9A03CF430 at phx.gbl>

>James Wynn: Ushas is better from the position of the Heirogrammates because 
>it sets humanity on the course to producing the Heiros. No Ushas, no Heiros.
>Presumaby, it is better from the position of the Pancreator for some 
>larger plan. In either case, one might as well ask the surgeon "What is 
>so great about a man losing his legs?"....

>Outsider worship is better just as Christianity is better because they are both 
>worship of the True God rather than Whorl daemons. The Outsider IS the God of 
>the Bible.

>Gerry Quinn: Worship of the Outsider is better than worship of Pas because it is 
>closer to the truth.

First of all, nice overall post, James. 

My point about Christianity remains implicit in your answer (and Gerry's). We
don't question the surgical removal of legs because of an implicit assumption
that the upper body is more important than the lower; that life is more valuable
than death. Such things seem so obvious as to be above discussion perhaps. But
your answer suggests that the superiority of Hiero life to human life is equivalent
to the superiority of head and heart over legs. Likewise, the way and the truth of
Christianity is implicitly favored over other religions without the need for 
justification. 

The assumption of inherent superiority of Christianity is in Wolfe's work
as much as in your answer. We might seem some passing mention of the ickiness
and cruelty of other religions but it is unnecessary. In fact, you don't
mention it, which is probably good as it might invite the argument over ickiness
and cruelty which can be found in Judeo-Christianity.  As Gerry says, Christians
feel they are superior because they know the truth.

In contrast, as Dan'l's post illustrates, a Hindu might say that Pas worship can 
be just as legitimate a path to the Truth as Outsider worship, as Dionysus worship, as 
Oannes/Abaia worship, as The Mother worship etc. It is a different basic assumption and 
it gives Asian art forms a different flavor than Western forms,
in my experience.

I'm just saying I think it is important to openly acknowledge the Christian belief
in One Truth Only, for a full understanding of Wolfe's work, especially if he is 
considered to be a Christian writer.

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