The Blaze from India
Is God one presence, or legion? If just one thing, does Yahweh nonetheless show different faces to mankind? That certainly accords with Hinduism, whose overlord Krishna has assigned some 33 million subordinates - in effect, a middle-management layer of deities - to keep the cogs of our world (the sun, the wind, motherhood, knowledge, cheese blintzes...it's quite a list) rotating as they ought.
But that's polytheism for you, and monotheists scoff at that, no? Not so fast: Mormonism comprises an elaborate intergalactic network of mini-gods and goddesses, each couple assigned to bestride a particular planet. Says their prophet, if you live a saintly Mormon life, the Almighty declares your deity and awards you a planet. In all, a sporting proposition.
Yet surely mainline Christianity, the Godzilla of monotheisms, sweeps aside false idols and will have no other gods before it (including you), yes? Sure, but then what about the Almighty parsed into Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? "No-one fully understands it," counsels Christianity.com, "If you try to explain the Trinity, you will lose your mind. But if you deny it, you will lose your soul." That's some Sophie's Choice. I'll take what's behind Door Number 3, please. No, darn, Holy Ghost again.
TITLE - "The Blaze from India"
WHERE - Wildfire smoke from India, at the birthplace of the Buddha, Lumbini, Nepal (2019)