There are two Gods who command the heavens of America. They were born from a mother Goddess named Salvation. She was killed during childbirth–but her twin sons carry her name as their creed, proclaiming it as a constant reminder that they were born under from her image of care, compassion, and tender mercy. Their father was a Titan Storm God, the second cousin of Zeus, twice removed. Though he lacked the prowess of the Lightning Bolt Wielding ruler of the skies, he had teeth of gold, and was known for being very quick with his hands.
There is a shrine, actually many shrines to this father God, whose name was Vegas. Salvation wanted to name her sons Empathy and Wisdom, but Vegas thought those names too feminine, and insisted they be named Power and Greed. Salvation argued, saying that is has always been known that the names given to one’s children set the course for their existence. Here mother, Providence, taught her this. Vegas finally relented, but when their sons were born, upon the death of Salvation, Vegas named the sons by that which he had deemed most honorable: Power and Greed.
It was rumored, in the kingdom of the Gods, that Salvation’s death was unnatural, being that she was a Goddess, and immortal. There was much talk and suspicion that Vegas ended Salvation’s life, but no one stepped forward to confront him, due to his power to charm anyone who looked him in the eye. Such was his power to charm that the first time he looked into the eye’s of his twin sons, that he passed that power on to them in the flash of an instant.
As the young Gods grew, they often wrestled with each other, much to the delight of their father. Power often overtook Greed, but as Greed was born thirty seconds after Power, and was therefore the younger of the two. Greed, to compensate, quickly learned to back up Power, and grew deft at bolstering Power’s strength, making them inseparable. Being that the twins were Gods, and identical twins, Power and Greed learned to share their energy, such that Power fed Greed, and Greed fed Power. As a result, they grew bigger and stronger than either would have on their own, much to the delight of Vegas.
As the twins reached adulthood, they grew restless to strike out on their own, and claim a land in which they could call their own, and set about drawing the worship they so craved from the minions that ravished the Earth, called humans. One dark night, carrying the gauntlet of their mother, Salvation, they stole away from their father’s shrines, and set about to claim their stake. Power and Greed began to argue, each preferring a different quadrant of the land known as America. They soon realized they would have to establish their domain despite the warnings and admonitions from the other gods, which were heralded by their maternal grandmother, Providence. Providence, who was kept at bay by Vegas during the twins childhood years, shook her head, and tears rained down over the lands, causing the rivers to swell, and the low lands to flood.
“They will see”, she cried. “They will see that as the human’s worship these twins, feeding them the energy of their lives and prayers, that they will grow stronger, and become too strong for any of us to intervene.”
Here sister, Compassion, nodded. She had already felt her power diminished, as had many of the other Goddesses and Gods. Worship feeds the Gods, and the more they are ignored, the weaker they become.
Power and Greed, after long bouts of wrestling and arguing came to the realization that if they stood together, they could claim the entire nation. Their strength together would know no bounds, and they would be able to keep the other Gods and Goddesses at bay. They descended upon the Earth, and wove their magic into the consciousness of the humans called Americans.
They had battles to fight. The country had been founded under names of powerful deities: Liberty, Justice, Equality, Virtue, and Honor were powerful foes against Power and Greed. Honesty and Integrity joined in the fight, but Power and Greed showed no mercy, and soon dominated the lot of them.
As the Americans say the glitter and glory demonstrated by the mighty Power and Greed, they rallied around, screaming and shouting, leaping at the golden promises these twin Gods made.
“Worship us, you shall be like unto Gods” they told the Americans. You, too, can battle for supremacy with each other, and whoever holds to our standards, shall always remain on top.” It is our promise, the promise of our mother, Salvation.
The Americans began to sacrifice to these twin Gods. They sacrificed the losers of their contests: the poor, the weak, the children, the elderly. They sacrificed and sacrificed, and further divided themselves into levels and hierarchies. Those who won drew admiration from those who wanted to win, and Power and Greed reaped the energy from the worship and grew bigger, stronger and ever more influential.
You may wonder how this tale ends, but I cannot say, for it is not over yet. Power and Greed still rule the lands, and the future has not been told. You may ask Providence. She knows, but long ago stopped speaking. Perhaps if the people started giving their energy to the enemies of Power and Greed, they could be diminished, but they have spread their seed far and wide, and their Priests are entrenched within their shrines.
I hope to be able to write the next chapter in the days ahead, or perhaps my children will, or their children. For now, I will honor Liberty, Justice, Equality, Virtue, Honor, Honesty, Integrity, and Providence. I will contribute my energy to them, in hopes that they will someday overcome Power and Greed.