Dystheism

Dystheism(fromAncient Greek:δυσ-,romanized:dus-,lit. 'bad' andθεόςtheos"god" ) is the belief that agodis not whollygoodand can even be consideredevil,or one and the same withSatan.Definitions of the term somewhat vary, with one author defining it as "where God decides to become malevolent".

The broad theme of dystheism has existed for millennia, as shown bytrickstersfound inethnic religionsand by various interpretations of theSupreme Beingofmonotheisticreligions. For example, theAbrahamic creator deity,when evaluated from outside the perspective of the Abrahamic religions, can be seen as angry, vengeful, smiting, and hypocritical. The modern concept dates back many decades, with theVictorian erafigureAlgernon Charles Swinburnewriting in his workAnactoriaabout theancient GreekpoetSapphoand her loverAnactoriain explicitly dystheistic imagery that includescannibalismandsadomasochism.

Background and details

The concept has been used frequently inpopular cultureand is a part of several religious traditions in the world. Tricksters found in ethnic religions often have a dystheistic nature. One example isEshu,a trickster inYoruba religionwho deliberately fostered violence between groups of people for his amusement, saying "causing strife is my greatest joy."Another example isLokiinold Norse religion,thoughOdinhas these qualities as well.

Zoroastrianisminvolves belief in an ongoing struggle between a creator god of goodness,Ahura Mazda,and a destroying god of hatred,Angra Mainyu,neither of which isomnipotent,which is a form ofdualistic cosmology.The ancient Greek godAres,depending on time and region, was associated with all the horrors of war.

Dystheists may themselves be theists oratheists,and in the case of either, concerning the nature of the Abrahamic god, will assert that God is not good, and is possibly, although not necessarily,malevolent,particularly but not exclusively to those who do not wish to follow any of theAbrahamic religions.For example, in hisSinners in the Hands of an Angry God(1741), therevivalist ChristianpreacherJonathan Edwardsdescribes a God full of vengeful rage and contempt. However, Edwards' theology presumes a God whose vengeance and contempt are directed toward evil and its manifestation infallen humanity.To Edwards, a deity that ignores moral corruption or shows indifference to evil would be closer to the deity espoused by dystheism, that is, evil, because justice is an extension of love and moral goodness.

One particular view of dystheism, an atheistic approach, is summarized by the prominentrevolutionaryphilosopherMikhail Bakunin,who wrote inGod and the Statethat "if God really existed, it would be necessary to abolish him". Bakunin argued that, as a "jealous lover of human liberty, and deeming it the absolute condition of all that we admire and respect in humanity", the "idea of God" constitutes metaphysicaloppressionof the idea of human choice.This argument is an inversion ofVoltaire's phrase "If God did not exist, it would be necessary for man to invent Him".

Political theorist and activistThomas Painesimilarly wrote inThe Age of Reason,"Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God." He added, "It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind; and, for my part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel."Unlike Bakunin, however, Paine's condemnation of the purported nature of the divine from his time did not extend to outright atheism and disbelief in all spirituality: Paine stated that he accepted thedeisticnotion of an almighty mover behind all things.

Usage in popular culture

Dystheism as a concept, although often not labeled as such, has been referred to in many aspects ofpopular culture.As stated before, related ideas date back many decades, with theVictorian erafigureAlgernon Charles Swinburnewriting in his workAnactoriaabout theancient GreekpoetSapphoand her loverAnactoriain explicitly dystheistic imagery that includescannibalismandsadomasochism.More recent examples include the popularStar Trektelevision series.Fictional characterWorfclaims that his race, theKlingons,have no gods, because they killed them centuries ago for being "more trouble than they were worth."Various music bands approached themes related to or directly touching dystheism; for example,thrash metalbandSlayercondensed it in the albumGod Hates Us All,whilemelodic death metalbandAt the Gatesexplored it in various works such asTerminal Spirit Disease,The Nightmare of BeingorSlaughter of the Soul.

See also

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