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Gods of Westeros


Brynden Blackfyre

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So I read an interesting post by By Odin's Beard on the Norse Mythology Thread and was inspired to make this thread. Is there any symbolism relating to the gods/religions in ASOIAF and are there any relations between real world religions?

A few of the religions:

R'hllor

The Seven

Old Gods

God of Death 

Drowned God

 

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I'm sure there are many obvious parallels, though I am ignorant about most religions.

If I recall correctly, in an interview George mentioned that the inspiration for The Seven came from the Holy Trinity in Christianity. 
Being brought up Catholic, I think he mentioned that having been taught that both the father, son and holy spirit/ghost are simultaneously three aspects of one god and different entities altogether rather confusing.

I'll try to find the source later... It may have been on one of the interviews created for the show?

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2 hours ago, Brynden Blackfyre said:

So I read an interesting post by By Odin's Beard on the Norse Mythology Thread and was inspired to make this thread. Is there any symbolism relating to the gods/religions in ASOIAF and are there any relations between real world religions?

A few of the religions:

 These are probably the only ones that matter in the story because any of the others are either extinct, or just minor off-shoots from these bigger ones.

2 hours ago, Brynden Blackfyre said:

R'hllor

Based heavily on Zoroastrianism (as GRRM says)

2 hours ago, Brynden Blackfyre said:

The Seven

 Roughly based on Catholicism, but with GRRM own invented militant religion the Steel Angels/Bakkalon thrown in for good measure.

2 hours ago, Brynden Blackfyre said:

Old Gods

 Norse animism as GRRM says.

2 hours ago, Brynden Blackfyre said:

God of Death etc

Funny enough, in different interviews GRRM says this is the only god that is "true" (or whatever) since it is the only god that actually carries through with its promises, and he wonders why more religious people don't worship death :lol:

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The God of Death = Money. many different faces on coins, all with the same purpose. Enough of it will be able to send an assassin after you.

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7 hours ago, Lord Lannister said:

I always found it amusing that the most prevalent religion on Westeros is the one that actually has no supernatural elements to it.

Amusing, and telling. People don't want religion because it actually does something. If they come across something that actually appears supernatural they call the practitioner a witch and chuck them in a lake. Religion's there to provide comfort, not scare the bejesus out of you.

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The Stallion that will mount the world, Rhaego, is a parallel to Jesus Christ.

AGOT, Dany V:

Quote

As swift as the wind he rides, and behind him his khalasar covers the earth, men without number, with arakhs shining in their hands like blades of razor grass. Fierce as a storm this prince will be. His enemies will tremble before him, and their wives will weep tears of blood and rend their flesh in grief. The bells in his hair will sing his coming, and the milk men in the stone tents will fear his name.

Quote

The stallion is the khal of khals promised in ancient prophecy, child. He will unite the Dothraki into a single khalasar and ride to the ends of the earth, or so it was promised. All the people of the world will be his herd.

AGOT, Dany IX:

Quote

Her son was tall and proud, with Drogo’s copper skin and her own silver-gold hair, violet eyes shaped like almonds. And he smiled for her and began to lift his hand toward hers, but when he opened his mouth the fire poured out. She saw his heart burning through his chest, and in an instant he was gone, consumed like a moth by a candle, turned to ash.

Revelation 19-11:16

Quote

11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Blazing heart is symbol of Jesus. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Heart

And in ASOIAF it's a symbol of R'hllor, used by Melisandre and Stannis. Rhaego is not only the Stallion, but he is also champion of R'hllor, and probably future Red Priest (that fire pouring out of his mouth, is probably kiss of life).

ACOK, Dany IV:

Quote

A tall lord with copper skin and silver-gold hair stood beneath the banner of a fiery stallion, a burning city behind him.

In Catholicism there is a Holy Trinity - Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. And in ASOIAF there are three heads of the dragon - Mother (Dany), Son (Rhaego) and Ghost (Jon Snow, dead and revived), three dragonriders, three Azor Ahai, three promised Princes/Princess. "The dragon has three heads", which probably means that there are three saviours, not one.

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2 hours ago, Shouldve Taken The Black said:

Amusing, and telling. People don't want religion because it actually does something. If they come across something that actually appears supernatural they call the practitioner a witch and chuck them in a lake. Religion's there to provide comfort, not scare the bejesus out of you.

The High Sparrow seems to have missed the memo on that.

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