Do the gods intervene?

[Derek Hemingway]

I have often wondered, do you take the stoic view that the gods do not intervene in humanity? or do you take the opposite view that they do? Let's discuss below, I'm not sure where I stand and I would like to discuss with others.

[Corvus]

I feel like the gods intervene, but I wouldn't begin to understand how they do so beyond an individual level. I feel when I request aid from my gods that I tend to receive it. Now obviously that's a number of logical fallacies, but I'm kinda cool with it.

[monsno_leedra]

I sort of agree with Corvus' perspective here.

I think the deities I honor and worship do tend to aid me when I call upon them. Yet I also think that it is not a blanket aiding but more of a when I really need it then they influence things. I believe that perspective is a combination of being divinities vice being seen as a Mother / Father figure much less an unconditional friend figure. There are times I feel my prayers, libations and offerings move them to my favor, yet other times I think it is more of a you only desire it you don't really need it. That or I have not earned it within their perspectives.

On the humanity or humankind level I think they do but it is probably so broad that it is not visible on the micro level. In part because the various pantheon's sort of suggest that they compete against one another at times but also have sphere's of influence that do not become all inclusive. I will add I am not completely supportive of the idea that ethnic / cultural influences really do not play a part.

[Rhythm]

Specific intervention (and reactive intervention) is hotly contested between (and within) believing demographics. Gods do this, but not that. Not that, but this. They do what they want, not what you ask, or what you ask but not what they want.

Perhaps a wider view would give us all a little more clarity on what we believe and why? Under a pan or panentheistic view, the divine intervenes because it can't not. All material relationships, for starters, are general (rather than specific) intervention. You want to take your boat offshore to the gulf stream, but a strong sea breeze intervenes, blowing you back to shore because that's what wind does. Blows. Or maybe it's the other way around. You desperately want to make it back to shore and sure as shit, the wind takes you there. Provided that a deity controls, or is, or resolves to some set of natural relationships, intervention is assured, even if a specific or specifically supernatural intervention (or a commitment to our wishes, for that matter) is not.

Personally, I think that once we take a reificationary view of the natural world, as paganism is by and large defined as, the question of whether or not the divine intervenes has been answered, even if no individual answer to the question about the nature of that intervention is implied or suggested or demonstrated by the same. The sun intervened in my life this morning - perhaps not on my behalf or even by any choice....but certainly to my benefit.