About the Finnish Perkele

[Ahnasihn]

As far as I remember, the word 'perkele' actually refers to an ancient Finnish god of thunder. So perhaps it has been later given the significance of the 'devil'...

 

[Voice of God]

Finnish god of thunder is Ukko. Perkele is ancient lithuanian (or latvian?) forest spirit, who was mean but also friendly at times, but when christians came they twisted the word to mean Satan, because obviously Perkele was a mean pagan spirit = Satan.

Not 100% on this, but something like this it was when I read about it. I think the book was "Perkele! Johdatus Demonologiaan" (by some estonian guy) or then some other source.... It's so long when I read it, I can't remember it precisely.

 

[CadalMord]

Yeah, I've heard about the same as Voice of God (weird nick, eh?) Well, I somehow remember reading the "Perkele"-word on the Bible somewhere, too. But well, I don't have so good a memory to remember exactly everything I've read.

 

[Voice of God]

Perkele is in the bible, but remember that the finnish translation is done way after christians came here. Agricola must've turned some words like "devil" or "satan" or "enemy" into Perkele.

And my nick's true, I'm the Voice of God, I give you all the answers you'll ever need, and I'm always right.

 

[disasterpeace]

no palvotaan pekelettä! sitä minkä noi kristilliset (ruotsalaiset... luulisin) meiltä riisti

 

[Voice of God]

 

[WolfHeart]

Perkele is used in old (IMHO better) translation of bible.

Some extracts from book of revelations:

NEW
Hän otti kiinni lohikäärmeen, tuon muinaisaikojen käärmeen, jonka nimet ovat Paholainen ja Saatana...

OLD
Hän otti kiinni lohikäärmeen, tuon vanhan käärmeen, jonka nimet ovat Perkele ja Saatana...

So Perkele is replaced with Paholainen, which means Devil.

 

[bodomite]

mmmmm very intresting!

 

[BurningAngel]

suomessa opn perkeleen palvojia edelleen...
some one can translate it...=)

 

[disasterpeace]

hey bodomite have you ever visited the lake bodom "I Survived the Lake Bodom"