"The Many-Faced God" from Game of Thrones

[Guest SirVladimir]

I've been watching the series and the little detail got stuck in my head. Obviously, the "Faceless Men" are a cult, but are they really? They say to become a devotee, you must first become nobody. Pretty familiar, ha?

Quote

The Faceless Men worship Death, whom they believe is the only god. The cult is actually a syncretic religion; its followers believe that Death is unknowingly worshiped by devotees of all the religions in the world, simply under different names. Every religion either has a god of death (in polytheistic faiths), or has a god with dominion over death (in monotheistic faiths). The Faceless Men believe that all of these gods are simply different aspects, or "faces", through which Death has revealed Himself to humanity - hence they formally refer to their deity as "the Many-Faced God".

The Faceless Men are a cult of religious assassins that worship the Many-Faced God, and they believe that death is a merciful end to suffering. For a price, they will grant the "gift" of death to anyone in the world, considering the assassination a sacrament to their god. In their temple - the House of Black and White - those who seek an end to suffering may drink poisoned water which grants a painless death. Killing for personal gain or out of anger or hate are forbidden to Faceless Men.

Little Zen Devils... or not?

[Shin]

[seeking_brilliance]

On 5/4/2019 at 1:10 PM, SirVladimir said:

I've been watching the series and the little detail got stuck in my head. Obviously, the "Faceless Men" are a cult, but are they really? They say to become a devotee, you must first become nobody. Pretty familiar, ha?

Little Zen Devils... or not?

It's definitely a neat little nod.  Hollywood is peppered with this kind of stuff

[FractalFlux]

GoT has many cool hints at archetypes, nonduality and consciousness, GRRM seems to be on to something  
That is probably part of the reason it has become so successful. 
The Faceless Men always reminded me of a Zen Monastery, the only part that is fantasy is that they are assassins that kill for money and are literally shapeshifting
You enter through a door of black & white, leave your personality behind and train to become nobody, and you are beaten with sticks in the process  
The hall of faces reminds me of the net of being, just portrayed with a little hellish touch^^

When you are no-one, you are everyone!

[Neorez]

Bran seems to be on to something as well as the three eyed raven(is he enlightened?). I think he is even more spiritually evolved than the faceless men.