f*ck you guys. we can guess all we want, but i get the feeling we won't know until gaiman wants us to know.

~ian~

quote:

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Originally posted by Khnemu:
f*ck you guys. we can guess all we want, but i get the feeling we won't know until gaiman wants us to know.

~ian~

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...and the point of that was.... ?

Look, just because your post gets buried doesn't mean it wasn't read/acknoledged/etc. No need to bitch about it... sheesh.

-=- Saint NightWalker -=-

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f*ck you guys. we can guess all we want, but i get the feeling we won't know until gaiman wants us to know.
~ian~


Yeah, no need for this. I think the Ombwiri is a great idea - and quite possibly correct, but the description you posted merely said that they could only be seen by the initiated - that does not describe why Shadow does not remember the name.

You are correct - only Gaiman can answer the question, but I enjoy finding out what over people think and why. I have learned quite a lot from this post about other mythologies. No need to get hostile just because not everyone agrees with you.

quote:

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Hiding the identity would also prevent excommunication

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I'm preatty sure Neil is Jewish, and thus couldn't get excommunicated (which i think is a Catholic thing) ... Oh, and for other reasons, I don't think its the Judeo-Christian God.

The (could be wrong) Floyd

Neil is Jewish? That will please my jewish convert friend Joe!

huh?...oh, OOPS! sorry guys!! i meant to put it more like. "f*ck, this sux, you guys." sorry for the confusion!

~ian~

I think he's Jewish... he mentioned it in "My Life in Early Moorcock," which i think is autobiographical. He also mentions "Hebrew school" in the Companion. I could be wrong, though, and i'm not sure I ought to be talking about this religion.

The Floyd

Well, ian, that makes much more sense! And I must agree, this does suck!

And Floyd - I don't think it's the Judo-Chritian god either (didn't know he knew Martial arts, didja?) (Yes, it was a horridly bad pun, but, oh well!) but I thought I would throw out that idea to see what people thought. Who knows, it could spark the thought that smacks the nail.

Jaer

Neil Gaiman is definitely Jewish in upbringing. I swear I've read it in one of his interviews or something. I remember because it was something I hadn't known before, so I took the liberty of remembering it.

Jaer- You spelled "Christian" wrong. I wouldn't mind, except that happens to be my name, for some odd and paradoxical reason (seeing as how i'm an atheiest and stuff). Liked the pun, though.

Da Floyd

Just to say a little something to back up the idea of it being the Judeo-Christian God...All the money in Vegas does contain the phrase "In God We Trust". And being in America, where there are indeed many, many Christians and Jews...It does have a sort of logic to it. It may be a stretch, but I thought I'd throw my two cents in.

While at the Toronto Indigo signing, I asked the good Mr Gaiman about this Forgettable God character. He told me that he knew someone would ask and that he'd make a point to remember but he shrugged and said it must have slipped his mind.

I think that was more fun than if he'd actually told me.

What a guy.

AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!! Darn the man and his wit and humor!!

I think deep down, we all knew that is exactly what he would say.

These are the questions that plague our times, the endless riddles that sufficate the mind, the eternal twists and tortures the rend and tear at our thoughts, preventing all other contemplations and -

OOHHH!! Cold fusion. . .

Jaer
Keep reading, I'm sure I'll mis-spell some other very simple, perfectly chromulent words.

[This message has been edited by jaer (edited 07-23-2001).]

Yeah, I told him that I knew he'd say that.
He smiled and shhok my hand and I think he enjoyed perpetuating the mystery.

He's just following one of the two key rules of magic (magic tricks being a big motif in the book). "You never tell anyone how you do your tricks." I think it's brilliant he's not telling us. If he told us, then all the magic would fall flat.

And I still think it's Ketu.

[This message has been edited by Biggles (edited 07-24-2001).]

Yes, Neil Gaiman is Jewish and yes, it is Catholics who get excommunicated. Nothing to do with the main topic, really, I was just reading all those notes...
The debate is most fun, probably would be a letdown in many ways to actually identify the guy...

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but on the site www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~shawn/egypt/gods.html, it is stated, "Amen appears to have been the protector of any pious devotee in need." That would explain why he helps out the waitress... granted, she's not a "devotee"... but it still seems to fit.

Read with interest today, and just have a suggestion; could it be, perhaps, Mercury/Hermes? I know Neil said he excluded Greek gods, but, well, it kind of fits; Mercury is the god of commerce, and thievery (which the god doesn't overtly do, if I remember, but what is Vegas besides legitimate stealing?), and he was, while dishonest, helpful to mortals, and the patron of travelers and way-farers.
And plus, well, Mercury is quicksilver, isn't it? Which has a tendency to vanish, like the memory of the god, no?

Neil didn't exclude the Greek Gods... he simply didn't have an explanation (like he did for the other gods) for them to be there.

-=- Saint NightWalker -=-

I think it wouldn't be too hard to include the Greek gods. An old worshiper brings them over... easy. I like the idea of comic books- someone reads the old Hercules comics or even Sandman and starts worship Zeus, Morpheus, etc... but wait, that might make them new comic book gods...
The guy dosen't sound like Mercury. I don't know why- i think Hermes would just be more flamboyant, somehow.

The (fastfast) Floyd