Ancestors or Gods?

[EyeofOdin]

Some indigenous traditions have the belief that deceased people, because of their great actions, have ascended into godhood. Examples being Hercules, various Pharos, other kings, or ancestral spirits.

Would it be okay to revere an ancestor as having risen into godhood? Because of their good actions in life or would this be inappropriate as we don't know if they're now a god or goddess.

If we can, how would we know that they've ascended into being a deity?

 

[Sees]

Intuition, signs, or experiences that inform us possibly. Classically the great self-sacrifice criteria was pretty widespread, being the Hero, but I believe a life of even small, frequent deeds of honor, truth, sacrifice, duty, love, respect, etc. is a noble, heroic, divine path on it's own.

I would say even if not sure just honor him/her/them and whether they are "there" yet or not...it's OK.

Also, I would think if they are truly great people, who lived praiseworthy lives with integrity and passion, where most would look up to them and their legacy and hope to be like them or even be in awe - they are deified in a sense even without an understanding or belief in the concept.

 

[Quintessence]

I think this question can only be answered by asking yourself what constitutes a god in your path - what makes something worthy of that label.

To me, it's all gods. Some things are are "greater" gods, some things "lesser" gods, some are gods that others prefer to call "nature spirits" or "ancestors," but they're all gods to me. I would say that ancestral spirits/gods never reach the status of "greater" gods, and only very rarely would be classifiable as "lesser" gods - I'd be more likely to view them as "avatars" or human incarnations of a "greater" or "lesser" god.