Self-deification

Self-deification

Self-deification is the belief that oneself is a deity or the striving for personal apotheosis. The term autotheism can be used in the same sense (first attested in 1619), [ [http://phrontistery.info/church.html Word List: Definitions of Ecclesiastical Terms ] ] but it should be noted that the term has an unrelated meaning as a technical term in Christology.

Suitheism is a hybrid neologism coined by American occultists David Michael Cunningham and Traeonna A. R. Wagener with the same meaning ["Creating Magickal Entities", 2001; the term is attested as early as 1999 on Usenet [http://groups.google.com/group/alt.satanism/browse_thread/thread/7f088ebf5126d897/d0a62701fe7be4ca?lnk=st&q=suitheism&rnum=1#d0a62701fe7be4ca] ]

Self-deification can either involve the expectation of worship by other people, as in the case of divine kingship in imperial cults, or it can be the mystical notion of identity of the soul or the self with God (Unio Mystica, Advaita).

Modern instances of purported self-deification include:
* Father Divine (d. 1965)
* Lou de Palingboer (d. 1968)
* Juanita García Peraza (d. 1970)
* Yahweh ben Yahweh (d. 2007)
* Caligula
* Josef Stalin
* Adolf Hitler
* Kim Il-sung living:
* Jehovah Wanyonyi (b. c. 1924)
* Sathya Sai Baba (b. c. 1927)
* Mitsuo Matayoshi (b. 1944)
* Mother Meera (b. 1960)
* Vissarion (b. 1961)
* Grigory Grabovoy (b. 1963
* Kim Jong-il b. 1941

References

ee also

* God complex
* List of people who have been considered deities
* List of people who have claimed to be Jesus Christ
* Imperial cult
* Divine king
* Hubris
* Cult of personality
* Divinization
* Messianic complex
* Godman (Hindu ascetic)


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Deity — • This article is confined to the non Christian notion of the Deity Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Deity     Deity     † …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Apotheosis — (from Greek ἀποθεόω, apotheoō to deify ), deification or divinization is the glorification of an individual to a divine level.AntiquityPrior to the Hellenistic period, imperial cults were known in Ancient Egypt (pharaohs) and Mesopotamia (since… …   Wikipedia

  • Reinhold Niebuhr — Born Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr June 21, 1892(1892 06 21) Wright City, Missouri Died June 1, 1971 …   Wikipedia

  • Paradise Lost — Infobox Book name = Paradise Lost title orig = translator = image caption = Title page of the first edition (1668) author = John Milton illustrator = cover artists = J. B. de Medina and Henry Aldrich country = England language = English series =… …   Wikipedia

  • Left-Hand Path and Right-Hand Path — The terms Left Hand Path and Right Hand Path refer to a dichotomy between two opposing belief systems, whose meanings have varied over time. Modern definitions of Right Hand Path elevate spirituality, the strict observance of moral codes, and the …   Wikipedia

  • Est Playing the Game — Infobox Book name = Est Playing the Game title orig = translator = image caption = Book cover author = Carl Frederick illustrator = cover artist = country = USA language = English series = subject = Erhard Seminars Training genre = Non fiction… …   Wikipedia

  • Lodowicke Muggleton — Lodowicke Muggleton, by William Wood, circa 1674 Lodowicke Muggleton (1609–1698) was an English plebeian religious thinker, who gave his name to Muggletonianism. He spent his working life as a journeyman tailor in the City of London and was… …   Wikipedia

  • Autotheism — can refer to: * self deification *the Christian doctrine of God s self subsistence, in particular in reference to God the Son being God of himself , and not merely an emanation , or God of God ; see Christology …   Wikipedia

  • Leszek Kołakowski — (born 23 October, 1927 in Radom, Poland) is a distinguished Polish philosopher and historian of ideas. He is best known for his critical analyses of Marxist thought, especially his acclaimed three volume history, Main Currents of Marxism .Life… …   Wikipedia

  • Jehovah Wanyonyi — (1924? ) lives in western Kenya, near Mount Elgon that he considers Mount Zion. He claims to be God and deems Jesus Christ to be his son. He also claims to be able to cure AIDS and that he would punish Kenya if they did not give him three billion …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”