The only new books I read were 3 prequels, therefore I can not say
anything about religion intentions of the 2 new writers of Dune.
But for your discussion, especially if it is involving the F. Herbert
work I think that first and foremost is im****tant to define term
'GOD'. Todays definition of the major monotheistic religions implies
that the 'GOD' is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent,
omnibenevolent. Neither of those qualities was attributed to any of
the DUNE characters. In polytheism you have a bit 'lesser' gods, which
abilities are limited, and duties are limited. If you apply that
definition than you can declare some character gods, in the same way
ancient Roman emperors were declaring themselves gods. So in the
polytheistic sense Paul can be a god.
My opinion is that F. Herbert did not wished to include the
monotheistic God (the God) in his writing simply because one can not
have interesting and tense story with omniscient, omnipotent,
omnipresent, omnibenevolent main character. with such character as
sup****ting character you can have a story (remember Q from Star Trek),
but not as main character. Unless you limit him/her in some way. But
if you do limit the God than it is not the God anymore. So F. Herbert
did gave different views about the God and the religion in his
stories, because he was describing the human nature. I clearly
remember that Chani never thought that Paul was the God nor a god
(polytheistic one). She knew he has some strange qualities, but for
her he never was a or the god. Same was with Leto II, not a single
Bene Gesserit reverent mother considered him a god and definitely not
the God. On the other hand, Fish Speakers did. But their opinion did
not made him the God. It just made interesting point of how people can
be forced to believe strangest things. After all, even today you have
people which believe that computer or Elvis is god. But every one of
them, including a computer or Elvis can be declared gods in
polytheistic sense.
> Tony replied:
>
> Thank you for this information. =A0If I understand this issue correctly,
i=
f
> one ascribes to the Jewish definition of Messiah, one someone be the
> Messiah, and be merely "a king" and not God. =A0And you're probably
correc=
t in
> describing Frank Herbert's intentions with respect to Paul. =A0However,
fo=
r
> the purposes of the discussion thread below ("Gods of Dune") I'm
intereste=
d
> in identifying all the various gods identified in the Dune Chronicles.
> According to this perspective, we should note that Paul was considered
to =
be
> a god. =A0For example, in Dune Messiah Paul declares in reference to
himse=
lf:
>
> "When godhead is given, that's the one thing the so-called god no longer
> controls."
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