User blog comment:Fimber/Elements of classic literature and religion in "Merlin"/@comment-188.32.253.75-20130203051430/@comment-5102537-20130324104426

I see your point about the Old Religion and I agree in regard to the beliefs of people. When I'm referring to the Old Religion, I mean the magic itself that seems to be the power coming from the gods/goddesses rather than just being something that people use. While, of course, not everyone who uses magic is evil/bad, the Old Religion itself is an institution that is rather bad and ruthless, given that the Triple Goddess seems to be the boss of it all and given that the temptation and promises of magic/using magic leads to pain and destruction almost all the time.

I don't see the druids being worshippers of the Old Ways. It was never clarified on the show but they actually seem to be the neutral or even good ones who don't necessarily support the Old Ways. And even if they do, they seem to support the positive side of the Old Religion only.

Let's say that Christianity, for example, came from God - and I'm not a religious person at all - I would think of if (regarding the Old Testament) as being quite bad and ruthless. I wouldn't regard it as a matter of belief only but as a power and force directly coming from an almighty being that wants to torment mortals and needs their obedience and worshipping. Since the real religions are really only a matter of believing or not, it's only what people make of it, how they use it and how they interprete it. The religion itself is only what people make of it, a neutral thing and not a powerful entity itself. The people who act according to their own subjective beliefs are the force.

The Old Religion, on the other hand, is indeed a real magical force, presided and probably even created by the Triple Goddess. The rare occasions on which people used it for good were in no relation to the bad outcome of using (or having) magic at other times. The balance of nature that requires a life for another doesn't actually make much sense. If we take a look at nature in real life, and yes, it's cruelty, it's again only what the creatures do, plus the result of action and reaction in regard to natural catastrophies, for example. Nature doesn't promise you a magical healing and then says "too bad, you saved your loved one but another of your loved ones has to die now. Toodles." What nature does is a reaction of an action, a logical consequence, whether someone succeeds in saving another or not.

But the Old Religion obviously can decide whether or not to take a life/to demand a price for another life. They (the goddessess/the High Priestesses) can even choose who has to die. There is arbitrariness behind it - something that's not behind nature in real life.

To make it short: our nature is the combination of all things, a matter of cause and effect. Whereas the Old Religion is a power directed and presided by a powerful entity that has plans and acts deliberately by oppressing and using human beings and other creatures.

--

As for Uther, yes, I've written a blog about "The Death Song of Uther Pendragon" in which  stated what I think about this farce. I think it's a shame that there are numerous fans out there who wish death on someone (even if only fictional characters), and I've read those comments many times of those who even wish eternal suffering on real people who, in their opinion, are evil. That's quite immature and also actually a dangerous point of view. Discussing with people who simply disagree is one thing, but discussing with those who wish others (even real people) to suffer, to die and to literally go to hell is just too silly and stupid. Reminds me of a medieval mob when people swing their forks and want the witches to burn.

I'm eager to what you think about the epsiode :-)