The news has been full of horrifying stories in the last few months. Rampaging wildfires, devastating earthquakes, and catastrophic flooding, to name a few. A detail caught my attention on a report I was watching about the earthquake in Morocco. The reporter said that many people he had spoken to believed that when a natural disaster like this occurred, it was because God was angry with them.
The idea that Divine anger is the source of natural disasters isn’t new. Nor is it unique to monotheism. Some classic Pagans viewed rituals as appeasing the gods to ward off disasters.
So how should we, as contemporary Pagans, especially hard polytheists, view this matter? It’s also an issue for animists, which many contemporary Pagans are. Are natural disasters the result of angry gods or malicious nature spirits?
Disasters as Divine Wrath
Some insight may be found in the views of the Greek philosopher Epicurus (341–270 B.C.E.). He’s most famous for his view that the goal of human life was the absence of physical and mental disturbance. That included not being afraid of the gods.
It’s important to understand that Epicurus believed in the existence of gods. He wasn’t an atheist. However, he believed that the gods are indifferent to humans. Epicurus believed the gods are so above us that we don’t appear on their radar.
For Epicurus, the indifference of the gods is a blessing. Epicurus said not having to fear the wrath of the gods should be one less source of anxiety for people.
As a Contemporary Pagan, I hold that while the gods are indifferent to humans, it doesn’t mean that we can’t seek them out and build relationships with them. Our rituals aren’t based on fear but on reciprocity. We perform rituals partially to aid us in building relationships with gods and other spirits.
I’m not saying the Otherworld is all “love and light.” Far from it. Like the material world, some Otherworldly entities and forces can be very hazardous and should be cautiously approached. As in the natural world, the Otherworld deserves respect but not our fear.
Disasters as a Result of Malicious Nature Spirits
Animism holds that all the material world is full of spirit. Spirits infuse every tree, every rock, and every blade of grass. Might these spirits be the cause of natural disasters?
Just as many ancient Pagans feared the wrath of gods, many feared being attacked by hostile spirits or demons. Texts from Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt contain spells and rituals to ward off dangerous spirits.
It was only natural that many ancient people saw hostile spirits as the source of disasters. The natural world was a dangerous place. Predators were everywhere. Life was fragile and usually brief. It must have felt like the world was out to get us.
Today, we understand the world differently. Even when human life is threatened by the natural world, we know it’s not personal. Natural disasters are, well, natural. When wildlife attacks, it’s just following instinct. Even a dangerous virus is just acting according to its nature.
Each nature spirit has its own domain. Like the gods, they’re indifferent to the affairs of humans. A river spirit cares about its river, while a tree spirit cares about the trees.
Also, like the gods, humans can build positive relations with nature spirits. I’m pleased to see more and more authors of books about magick encouraging their readers to build relations with the indigenous nature spirits in their areas.
A point of clarification is needed here. I’m generally indifferent to insects. However, if I find one in my house, they have my undivided attention. The presence of a cockroach, for example, means all-out war.
While nature spirits are indifferent to us, it doesn’t mean they will stay that way. Humans are the greatest threat to life since the asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs millions of years ago. Because of that, we run the risk of angering the spirits of nature.
We better hope we never get on the wrong side of nature spirits. It will not end well for us as a species.
