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Advanced Course in Yogi Philosophy and Oriental Occultism364
by his creators. Each of these Gods is an ardent patriot of the country to
which he belongs, and hates and despises all other countries and peoples.
These created Gods often are given grotesque forms and shapes. Some
have a dozen arms—some have several heads. They are armed with the
weapons of the times to which they belong. Some hunt and chase—others
indulge in warfare. They are supposed to grow angry, jealous, and to
manifest hate, envy, and often change their minds. They are revengeful and,
in short, are given all the attributes of a man of low development. And why
not? The people who form these mental concepts cannot imagine a God
very much in advance of them. These Gods generally demand flattery and
sacrifices, and have a large following of priests and attendants to sing their
praises, and to render homage. The priests are supported by the people,
under supposed Divine orders, and claim to have the ear of the Deity, and
to dispense favors. They all seem to think it a part of their duty, to chant the
praises of their Deity and to boast about his power, and claim that he can
overcome the Gods of other peoples. These Gods seem to like to have men
grovel in the dust before them, and loudly proclaim their slavery—following
the desires and examples of the kings and chiefs of the time. They can be
flattered and bribed into giving favors, and if the sacrifices and offerings
are not sufficient, they visit some terrible affliction upon the people, in
order to make them pay their tithes or to furnish a sufficient number of
objects for sacrifice. These Gods delight in the smell of burning flesh, and
the aroma of the burnt ox or sheep is a delight to them. They also favor
incense and perfumes. Once in a while they demand that blood—human
blood, often—be sprinkled upon their altars. They give revelations through
their high priests, and woe unto him who doubts them. Many of the priests
are sincere and honest, but many more are not, and use the superstitious
people as a milch cow, to support them in comfort. Heavens and hells
have been invented—the first to bribe the people to follow the laws of
the church of priests, and the second to frighten them if the bribe failed.
Temples are erected, and certain places are supposed to be “holier” than