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american spirit, captain america, columbia, george washington, Goddesses, Gods, goes of america, justice, liberty, Pagan, Pagan Blog Project, Paganism, Religion, the american way, truth, uncle sam, victoria
No, this isn’t me talking about the book American gods. This is more an idea that hit me, thinking about my home nation and the deities we have now or might have in the future. See, I think there might be something to the idea of Blood and Soil, and have no problem with nationalism. I talk about my ancestral Gods from Scandinavia, but I haven’t touched on my own nations Gods. Admitedly it’s because I don’t deal with them much (and maybe that should change), but there it is. Here’s a list and my thoughts on some of the Gods of America.
Probably the most well known God of America (at least the United States) is Columbia. Our very capital is called Washington, District of Columbia (more on this in a minute.) Our site of Government is literally a piece of land dedicated to the Goddess, though most people fail to realize this. It says something about our Founding Fathers and those that followed that we did such a Pagan thing.
Goddess Columbia
Another familiar face that is a deity of America would probably be Uncle Sam. A friend of mine figured he was probably our War God, and it fits since you normally see him in old WW2 posters for buying war bonds and doing your part. Honestly, I suspect you could do worse for a war god. Though he hasn’t gotten much in the way of love these last few decades. We’ll see how powerful he remains, and if we don’t end up finding a new God of War in the end.
Probably one of the most important of the Gods of America is George Washington. Few people realize it, but he was lifted up via the rites of apotheosis to be a God by the people of America after his death. There’s even a lovely image of it.
from Da Wiki
Personally, I think we could do worse for a Chief Deity for the American Pantheon. Washington is alright by me, and I wish more of our elected officials would invoke his spirit and follow in his example.
Liberty and Victoria (seen in the image above next to Washington) are Roman Goddesses, but they found eager homes in America. Sadly, I’m not an expert on the American Deities, so I’ve probably missed a few out there. Coming from the Scandinavian Pantheon, I’m not sure who is in the American Pagan Pantheon.
There is one, though, that I think should be nominated to the Pantheon. He is one who embodies the American Dream, what it means to be noble, just, courageous, powerful, and righteous without being self-righteous. He is, Captain America.
Who's strong and brave, here to save the American way?
Really, just reading the Comics, seeing the Movie, or just knowing much of anything about this guy shows he’s the epitome of the American Spirit and what it should mean to be an American. He’s not political, doesn’t take sides, just respects everyone and takes no bull from those that would tread on freedom, liberty, and justice. And the fact that he wouldn’t want to be deified means that he could be trusted with that power.
Anyways, those are my thoughts, what are yours?
Son of Hel 
More widely known that Captain America (at least before the recent film) and a progenitor of Justice in my eyes, is Superman. He is the All-American sorta fellow, the embodiment of the American Dream, actually. He is an immigrant who came here with nothing, worked hard, and found a way to become a part of what is said to make this nation great……
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Yeah, Superman would would. I suppose WonderWoman would as well, lol. Both embodied what it meant to be an American as well. Superman would likely be our God of Justice and Immigration, and Wonder Woman our Goddess of Sisterhood and Justice. Capt, idk, the fact that he starts out as this scrawny little guy and through hard work, a bit of science, and a good heart manages to become great really represents America and our Spirit.
We have a lot of Gods and Goddesses for Justice, don’t we?
Interesting of note, in crossovers, even Batman and Superman bow out and let Capt lead the team.
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Excellent! I would also like to offer up the idea of Star Trek crew being possible American Gods
Kirk ~ God of Passion
Spock ~ God of Logic
Worf ~ God of War
Picard ~ God of Right Action
…. I could go on…..
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I think Captain America and Superman approach the same ideal from different angles – Superman fights for Truth, Justice and the American Way, but he’s never limited himself to American issues and he regularly flies all over the world. Maybe you could see them as two faces of the same God?
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Or Superman is our God of Aid, and Captain America is our God of War. We only fight to defend ourselves (or Avenge as the case may be) though we do try to help those we fight. But when it comes to Aiding others, we tend to go everywhere we’re needed, like Superman does.
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Mr. Lucius, I want to know–can you please write an article about Washingtonism? I would love to see someone write a semi-scholarly but informative article about the Washingtonist faith and I’ve been trying to find an author who will write about it. You seem like you are good at writing articles about religions and new religious movements. Washingtonists worship George Washington and the Founding Fathers.
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My favorite American god, and I will admit that I’m biased here, is the goddess Portlandia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portlandia). I’ve only worked with her a little but I’m becoming very fond of her. đŸ™‚
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I love that you included Captain America. đŸ˜€ Makes sense! I might add Rosie the Riveter as a sort of minor goddess while we’re talking about Uncle Sam. And if Washington gets to become a god, I think MLK Jr probably deserves that honor as well (though he might not be as open to the idea, but who knows). Probably some others I’ll kick myself later for not remembering. đŸ˜€
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MLK might be, though he’s one of those I’d label hard to quantify. Same with Malcolm X. Al Sharpton would love to be one, but I’m putting the kibosh on that one, lol. The biggest reason Washington gets to be one is because he was given Apotheosis. Most of the other founding fathers didn’t get that, even Jefferson (who I think is awesome). It’s a lot harder for a physical person to be elevated to godhood, than say someone who was already an “idea” and “spirit” like Columbia, Capt America, etc.
Otherwise Chuck Norris would already be a physical god at this point, rather than just a memetic god.
Rosie the Riveter, for instance, I think could become a minor goddess fairly easily, because she already exists as spirit and received the belief of the populace. Then again, merely being of Spirit isn’t enough either. For instance, Spiderman isn’t one I would consider up there for Godhood, at least not of “America.”
But thanks for the thoughts. And if you come up with anymore, let me know!
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I think I meant that MLK deserves an apotheosis. I sort of left the realm of “gods we already have” and was talking about “gods we should have.” I think Washington benefited from earlier times when Americans were more willing to use that sort of imagery, whereas by the time MLK lived and died that would have seemed strange. But I think he was as much a hero as Washington and is elevated to the same level by many, so that it makes sense to me that he would have achieved apotheosis as well, if it can be said that anyone did. I was looking for a civil rights beacon that represented that in the same way Washington is idealized as representing America gaining independence, and immediately all the posters and other images of MLK’s face flooded my mind. I would definitely argue that he has become an idea and a symbol rather than just being a physical historical person. But I do understand what you mean about it being a tricky question.
I guess it boils down to how we define god and what it takes to become one. Why would Washington in particular be granted apotheosis? In my opinion it’s for the same reasons I just mentioned for MLK. Even though his actual role in forming America wasn’t more important than others’, he was the one lifted up even during his lifetime as a symbol of American independence, and over the years that iconic and idealized representation of Washington has stuck in people’s minds and become indistinguishable from America’s birth as a country. Spider-Man is an idea, but he doesn’t represent anything larger than himself in the same way Captain America and Washington do. Whether they start as ideal or physical, I think a being achieves transcendence by becoming an icon, having people link that being with some greater purpose and empower him or her with their faith (by which I don’t mean just belief, but trust and loyalty).
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ah, gotcha. very good points đŸ™‚
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I had never thought about this, before. But, now that you mention it, the forefathers will likely become Gods in the future because we already worship them as such. Even people like Ronald Regan has become somewhat of a deity to hardcore conservatives, and his name will likely become one associated with a United States pantheon, one day.
It sort of makes you think about how the Gods really became Gods. Are they really deities as in supernatural beings capable of bringing on to Valhalla or heaven, or are they really ancestors whose names became associated with deity through story and myth?
Take George Washington for instance. What is he known for? He’s known for being the first President of the US, a position he didn’t even want and tried to get out of. He’s known for starving in Valley Forge along with his troops during the Revolutionary War, again, something he really was reluctant to be involved with, but was. Those are things of myths. If you think about it, all of our mythology has stories of things that pretty much any one of our forefathers could have done if embellished a tad.
The American pantheon of Gods? Not so far fetched from where I sit. Also, Look up “The Backside of American History” by Ed Wallace. Things that they don’t teach in schools about our sometimes not nice history that everyone should read.
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yeah, though sometimes the way it’s going it seems the founding fathers will be remembered less as gods who gave us democracy and a republic, and more like evil men of no account.
The hidden history is certainly interesting to know, and it is important to remember our mistakes. I just hate that at times it seems people hide the good things and good intentions too. Most kids don’t even know our nations history. I think only 13% have any form of proficiency or knowledge of it.
I think another thing is that the people back then were more spiritual and religious. These days, everyone is so secular and anti-spiritual that I’m not sure we could elevate new deities, like MLK @sanil suggested.
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You’re probably right. Religion is dying out in a hurry. I was asked on a forum today, why I even bother to have a religion if I border on atheism, anyway. My answer was, because it keeps me sane and because living an atheist life doesn’t work for me.
I often wonder what the state of religion will be in 200 years. And, you’re right, kids today don’t know any of our history. Good or bad. They’re re-writing history books down here in TX as we speak. To be nothing more than propaganda.
I homeschool.
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In two hundred years? hard to say, but looking at the way things are working in the shadows that most people aren’t talking about…we probably got three options.
The Atheists win, religion/spirituality is wiped out. I personally consider this one of only moderate likely hood. Atheism over specialized to fight monotheism, and tends to run into trouble when it hits Paganism (Prove god exists!” “Okay, see that thunderstorm or the way the crops grow? That is my god and my goddess.See justice in action, that is another of my gods.etc) When you worship a being that is bound to a physical concept, that you can see, bit harder to dismiss. they can laugh, but they can’t say it isn’t there scientifically, because the storm is real, crop growth is real, and justice is a philosophically proven concept.
This leads to the second option where a world stripped of Christianity leaves people feeling utterly empty, since science and atheism can’t really help you with the big questions that have vexed them since its inception, turn to Pagan religions. I consider this one likely eventually, possibly in a hundred years or two.
The third, option, however, at this point is looking the most likely unless something drastic happens, in which case in two hundred years most of the world is likely to be Muslim. I say this because it is one of the fastest growing religions on the planet, enough of its members have no problem using violence, and even more have no problem using the Laws of our own countries, to advance their religion, while the Christians are pathetic at fighting it and the atheists run like cowards when confronted with it (generally from a fear of the violence, of which many more researched than i have studied).
Hopefully though, something drastic will happen. And if not, maybe we’ll get lucky and Ragnarok will happen.
I’ve heard what they’re doing in TX to the textbooks (nothing like finding out they don’t talk about Paganism, talk about Christianity as a “belief,” but treat anything from Islam as a FACT!). It’s pretty messed up. I was homeschooled, and if i ever have kids I’ll probably do that too.
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I’m going to have to agree with your third option, and also let it be known that that is one of my greatest fears. Not for myself because I’ll be long dead, but for my children and grandchildren, etc. Not all Islamics are bad, but a good portion of them definitely are and that is a concern.
See, it’s not trendy to say that outloud, though. You’re supposed to shut up and stick of for all Muslim activity regardless of which types of Muslims are doing it.
I doubt the atheist, one. Simply because there will always be some sort of spirituality out there. There will always be religion, I think. Whether it’s kept under wraps in your own home or what.
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Yeah, screw that. I’ll say what I think needs to be said. What can they do, call me a racist? I’m a heathen, we already get that, I stopped giving it power a long time ago. Kill me? I die and go to Valhalla. Hopefully I don’t go alone. Sides, I hardly ever know when to shut up anyways, why start now? Much better to just spit in their faces and laugh all the way. đŸ˜€
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I haven’t been known for my subtlety either. Obviously, I know quite a few Muslims who aren’t interested in any type of dominance or violence, but the ones who are interested in it scare me, frankly. I don’t know any, thank the Gods for that. Yeah, I’m sure someone would hop on it as racist, they did when people stated any dislike for Obama, whether it was really racism or not.
I’m obviously not going to walk up to some Muslim extremist and tell them I don’t really like their philosophy, but I will make it known in my own circles (and blog) that I don’t. I see it the same as mentioning that I don’t like Christian philosophy.
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The Almighty dollar is god in America! And none other can stand up to her!
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I don’t know about that, but she is pretty powerful, lol.
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Hello – I was pointed in your direction by Star Foster.
I’m not a Heathen, I’m a Hellenic, but many of us do worship American Gods. Columbia, for me, is the Goddess of this country and many also see Washington as a deified Hero. More recent heroes include the he 40 Heroes of Flight 93, which have an official shrine being erected in their honor.
I also honor the Nymphs of Coldwater Springs (Minnesota) and The Old Man of the River (the Mississippi) – to name a few more local … Landvaettir you would call them?
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Thanks for the comment. I used to read yours over on The Wild Hunt (was there under a different name) It is good to see you again.
I think they would be landvaettir, but I’d have to do more research on that, I haven’t head of the nymphs of Coldwater springs.
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You bet. I noticed you subscribed to my wordpress blog but I don’t use it. I have an account so I can write for PNC. My blog for religious writing is on G+. https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/116586950475697519583/
I’ve been peeking through your blog and I’ve enjoyed it.
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Pingback: Gods = Folklorized Historical Figures? « Through Witch-Colored Glasses
Oh yea I read recently that Superman is already a god. Just renamed. Check out his supermans real name! Kal-El His fathers name is Jor-El The El in Hebrew means god!
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/46949
Ck out the webste for more info
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Pingback: American Myths??? | Biblebelt Witch
All of you here may be interested to know that believers of the new religious movement Washingtonism do worship the Founding Fathers as Gods. https://www.facebook.com/TheAmericanChristGeorgeWashington/
https://nrm.fandom.com/wiki/Washingtonism
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