God of Love, Goddess of War

1. God of Love, Goddess of War

   #1

   THe gender roles of the deities associated with love and war have been pretty much the same for our recorded religious history.
   
   I had an interesting idea of a gender switch, a God of Love and a Goddess of War. THe basic idea for the God of Love comes from the fact that most forms of love and courtship are initiated by men towards women. Chivalry, giving flowers and stuff like that. Thus the God of Love would be more a guide, an instructor for the amorous rather than the whimsical and sometimes chaotic Goddess of love. The main inspiration I had for this was Chris Isaak. He plays love ballads and has supermodels frolicking in the surf in his videos. He is the da' man.
   
   On the opposite side, the Goddess of War plays upon the increasing appearance of women in action roles, most notable in my book being Milla Jovovich ala Resident Evil, UltraViolet etc. Other ideas could include Angelina jolie, Kate Beckinsdale, and possibly Michelle Rodriguez. This idea was started by a comment on the Director's Commentary on Resident Evil: Apocalypse in which Jovovich stated that women could make superior soldiers in a futuristic battlefield being smaller, more agile, and having a lower center of gravity.
   
   ideas, comments, flames?

2. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #2

   Write them up: I think you have them pegged nicely. 
   
   They can be elements anyone can adopt for their pantheon. (Systems: Divine - choose as appropriate) .
   
   ....Of course, you could do a number of the gender reversed gods...
   
   
   
   

3. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #3

   I think it is a logical solution so write them up Scras. It makes sense, as any diety description could by someone as profound as us, being mortal. Sounds believable, intriging, and down right nasty. Go for it.

4. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #4

   Now I want to see this...
   "The female of the species is more deadly than the male." - Kipling

5. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #5

   This isn't totally germane, but...
   Actually, the synthesis of goddess of love and goddess of war/discord/death is common in mythology.. Take for instance, Ishtar, and her Greek counterpart, Aphrodite. Izanami, the first woman in Japanese mythology, was the first lover, but also became the queen of the World of Darkness. The Norse goddess Freya is another good example (a goddess of beauty, along with Ida, but she was also the queen of the valkyries and road amongst the battlefields choosing the slain).

6. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #6

   also Morrigan, Celtic goddess of battle and strife, as well as fertility, interestingly enough.

7. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #7

   I think what Scras is trying to say here is that most people seem to see these two stereotypes 1.) the big, burly God of War, complete with blood-red tattooes, and 2.) the big breasted, playboy centerfold Goddess of Love.
   
   And as far as the Valkyries and Morrigan go, weren't they more concerned with the fate of the soldiers who died, as opposed to actually waging the war.  You wouldn't want to attract their attention, as opposed to a god of war, whom you wnat to look favorably upon you.  Of course that's just how I see it.

8. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #8

   Well, I know that's what Scras is saying, that's why I said it wasn't germane.

9. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

   #9

   Hey guys don't forget the Greek Mythology, Hera, Zues's wife, was always doing stuff considered "evil". In my opinion evil is how one looks at something, so everyone, be it a paladin or a heatless assassin it actually "neutral", but take it as you will.

10. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

    #10

    Alignments are bunk. I mean, who in this world really goes around thinking that they do anything but good? The world is not that black and white.
    There are other reasons as well, but I don't remember them... They were exhaustively discussed around the time I first started coming here.

11. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

    #11

    Good bump for this thread, I had almost let this idea perish.
    
    As was stated above this idea is about the genders assigned to the basic roles of love and war; those genders being female and male respectively. Good and evil really dont come into play in this general arena as some of the greatest wonders, and most savage atrocities have fallen under the aegis of love.
    
    Upon seeing pics of the new game Heavenly Blade, or God of War with a chick, I am much more interested in seeing what I can come up with along these lines.

12. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

    #12

    Well, call me weird, but there's just something sexy about a woman who can kill me with a sword. ;)
    
    But seriously, folks!
    Again, I'm going to remark that in some contexts these are not new ideas- Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess, I think I already mentioned that she was goddess of both beauty and discord/war. The Morrigan (Celtic goddesses) were war goddesses. Whereas, Eros was a Greek god of love.

13. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

    #13

    True CP, very true, and I also agree, a woman that can kill me with a sword. DEAD SEXY!

14. Re: God of Love, Goddess of War

    #14

    
    also Morrigan, Celtic goddess of battle and strife, as well as fertility, interestingly enough.
    

    
    
    Wait, Muro... Your wife was pregnant... and you can't see the association between these two sets of things?

Sagely Advice · All categories · Guildhall