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PART #3
MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS Prehistoric: Deduced Burial:Sacrifices:Cannibalism:Hunting Fertility: Shamanism magic Egyptian: Osirus (almost extinct), Mesopotamian: polytheism (Hittite, Persia etc. also) European Polytheism Greek Roman plus Mystery religions (example Mithraism) and Gnosticism Later Mesopotamia Norse Hinduism (Rgveda, Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanisads, Hindu(100-400AD),Puranic (4-700AD) Jainism Sikhism Buddhism (Siddhartha Gautama ca700BC) absence of self, 8 fold path Nirvana Theravada school,Mahayana,&Yogacara; Tantrism, Tibetan, Shingon) Confucism (Con Fu Zu 551-479 BC- a Tradition not quite religion, Mencius 2nd sage & Hsun-tzu) Taoist (Lao Tzu 604-531 BC - & Chuang-tzu ca 400 BC) Shinto (the way of the Gods) Zoroasterism {Zarthustia ca 750 BC}(Parsiism) Spirit of Good Ormazd vs Evil Ahriman Judaism (Talmud in Babylon, Diaspora 70 AD, Hellenistic, Rabbinic, ) Christianity unity prior to 1054 (Coptic, Indian, Aramaic, and far mid east) Roman Catholic - Greek Orthodox (schism 1054) Russian Orthodox Protestant Lutheranism (Martin Luther 1483-1564) Calvin, Christian (John Calvin or-Jean Caulvin 1509-1564) Anglican/ Episcopal (Henry VIII -1491-1547) Presbyterian Dutch Reformed Church, Baptist Methodist (John Wesley 1701-1791) Church of Christ Pentecostal etc “Mormon” Latter Day Saints (Joseph Smith 1805-1844) Misc. Other Revelation Sects - Chr. Scientist (Mary baker Eddy) etc. (Prophet) Islam - Muslim- 5 pillars: Profession of faith, 5 daily prayers, tax (zakat), fasting Ramadan, & Mecca Khasijism, & Ibadis Mu’tzalism Sunni Shiite (& Ismailis) Sufi - the mystical path misc other - some now not considered Muslim, Bahá i & Druzes
Maya, (Blood rulers bleed selves, human sacrifice) etc. and Aztec, (Temples of Sun (Serpent, Quezaquatle)/ moon, Blood- human sacrifice, and blood letting) Inca, Nature, Sun (Inti) Moon (Killia), Water, {3 levels (Condor = sky, free; Panther = Earth, power; and Spirit World Below), Caste social system elevation by selection of abilities, to Inca class) Wiccia, Witchcraft, Goddess worship, Neo Paganism, (decentralized, circles, “energy”) Druidism, (Trees - sacred oak). Shamanism, Magic, Animism American Indian, Eskimo NATURE WORSHIP: Sun {male} etc.), Moon {female}, etc.), Stars, Astrology, Seasons (Stonehenge) Myths, Mythology, Sorcery (White and Black) Satanism “Island” polytheism. Ancestor Worship Hero Worship
ATHEISM, (Communism, Socialism, Competition, and Capitalism) Agnosticism. Skepticism, and Transcendentalism A chronological outline of Greek Philosophy and philosophers is found later. These should also be looked upon as part of religion, and religious heritage as they feed into and have had a MAJOR effect on all extant western and mid eastern religions, and have had significant effect or perhaps interactions with far Eastern religions. The Christian religions all argue over details to break into more sects than I care to try to list. They all claim to be “The One” true religion, excommunicating all others, and in fact there are major flaws, usually ethical flaws which can be proven from observation (reality), in all of them. And what Yahshu really tried to teach has been sorely subverted, twisted and even reversed in most cases.
PROBLEMS: Celibacy, as a virtue. Virginity is sacred. Sex is “dirty”/bad. Authoritarianism: Oligarchy, government which is a removal of freedom Infallibility, including the claim that Bible is “THE word of God” Claim of exclusiveness a “monopoly” in communication to and from God Asking tangible rewards for intangible “blessings” Private Interpretations - and deliberate mis-translations Puritanical “rejection of happiness, and bodily pleasures
What are religions and what are business operating under the guise of religion? “BUSINESSES” It is certain that men claiming to be exclusive messengers of God are all liars. God communicates with us all directly and individually, as HE pleases. He is not so weak or stupid as to require an interpreter or middle man. That alleged exclusive license is just a lie trying to establish a monopoly for “business” reasons. In fact I am of the opinion that all “church” ORGANIZATIONS should be declared businesses and subject to the same taxes and regulations that any other business must obey. Freedom of religion should mean freedom of BELIEF, but should not be extended to the business activities of selling prayers to god (small g as what real God would need an intervening party). Businesses use advertising to obtain “memberships” with “membership dues”, and all that selling of intangibles implies. “Religious businesses” also should be forced to comply with the “truth in advertising” and fraud laws, and not be allowed to “sell” faith healing or any other medical or psychological “practice without a license”. An not allowed to practice at all unless they can prove their remedy is effective, and not overpriced. The same tests, clinical trials, and proof of efficacy restrictions, that apply to any other product such as a new drug should also apply to selling faith healing miracles. If they ask for payment to pray for some tangible benefit, then they should be required to provide PROOF which will stand up in a court of their delivery of what was contracted for. Either they must offer tangible proof of delivery, or stop asking for payment in tangible values. As soon as tangible payment is solicited in any form, no matter how subtle, including “voluntary donations”, and as soon as an tangible benefit is promised or social sanction is proposed for failure to contribute as is now frequently “demanded”, they have crossed from religion and belief into a business transaction. If they offer intangible benefits, then they should be allowed intangible and only intangible payments without having a business license. PURE SPIRITS :: I do believe in a continuing life after death, which does require either a form of “reincarnation”, or perhaps existence in a pure spirit form without body. Let us examine “pure spirit” forms first . In my experience I have never meet a spirit not part of a body, so I have rejected the pure spirit form alternative. Also I believe that in a progression I will need a “body machine”, a connection to matter in some form, to help me sense, observe, and manipulate matter. I do not wish to discard observation, sensing, and manipulation of matter, which the pure spirit option seems to require. In fact I place earlier forms in the preexistence as having been with more limited links to matter or even totally without manipulation of matter, and thus this present “incarnation” is an improvement. The exact reverse postulate also can be proposed and examined, making release from matter and its limitations a “liberation” and desirable. But that achieves nirvana, release from living. ESP::If we had no body or at least less bodily limitations and used ESP perception and telekinetics, the direct mind to matter manipulation link, this seems at first glance highly desirable. This also seems not only possible, but even probable in later reincarnations. But not in THIS body; telekinetics is a pretty well disproven ESP ability, with lots of frauds but no positive results. Telekinetics would be a greater power, which would also require us to have better ethical control over that power. It is a much greater power, and thus is subject both to greater ability and potential greater abuses. You do not give a loaded gun to a baby. That is why we do not yet have that ability. While I expect to live again after death, I do not expect to continue “in reverse” and not as anything but myself, or a better continuation of where I now am, and certainly not as a different lower animal. I do accept the possibility (even probability) that my body will be somewhat different and better, as the metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. Thus I would postulate gaining these powers only after we have learned to use our present powers ethically. I tie advancement in the use of power to advancement in self responsibility. REINCARNATION::I do not reject any reincarnation out of hand, in fact to the contrary. What I am trying to do is to define the most probable form of soul transfer from several presently conceived options. There is not all that much difference in transfer of a soul from one body to another in sequel time and transfer of a soul to a new body in another universe, or to another “perfect” body at a later time in this universe. They all require soul transfer from body to body. The human to human body reincarnation religions can be considered and overall as “mainstream” they can be discarded. There is a major problem with sequel human reincarnation in that the total number of people keep increasing at a geometric rate. The total numbers increase every year, and double roughly every 25 years. Where do we find enough “prior lives” to provide for the present population or the future numbers in the geometric (exponentially growing) progression? It is amusing that in one reincarnation believer’s meeting there were eight different people all of whom claimed to have been Cleopatra in a prior life. That is clearly improbable. In fact people claiming reincarnation from famous people is relatively common and claims of prior lives from relatively unknown people is rare, virtually unknown. Most of the cases can be traced to people having read about the famous person, and then later taking that persona. The hypnosis regressions case have been investigated and in the end not one case would stand up to skeptical examination. Thus the claims range from unintentional self deception to just plain intentional fraud for getting attention, for publicity or for financial gain. Many claims were subconsciously controlled with the best of personal integrity, and the person actually believed what they claimed. But none so far could be really certified, (other than as possibly as harmless from of being “insane”). Many were deliberate, some malicious to obtain money, and a few were probably unintentional and subconscious “tricks of the mind”. Yet I have no data at all that would stand up under my “court” criteria of valid testimony. Thus I discount this option generally. If it were really true I think we would have accumulated enough data by now to prove it. The lack of proof is NOT conclusive, but it is indicative of probability. Yet there is a small but very convincing body of evidence in support of reincarnation, particularly child reincarnation, from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and the “Indonesia and Indian Ocean” area. Thus I can not totally discard it We can discount most of the “western world” claims as almost all of the claims in the US, England, France, etc. have been proven as false.
If we use animal reincarnation sequences, then we can account for total numbers of humans, but that leave a huge problem in that there are so many more ants or termites than humans, millions, even billions to one, that the theory fails just on numbers again. In general there are many more insects in one acre of termite mound country in South America or on the African plains than the whole human population of Earth. The numbers just don’t add up. There also is a basic philosophical problem in that most of these Far Eastern religions all assume that life is inherently painful, and their goal is nirvana- to stop reincarnation and re-join with the prime spirit from which we came. That assumption is trying to terminate individuality and individual existence. EGYPT ca 3000 BC- 100 AD OSIRUS The religion of ancient Egypt {To them Kemi or Kemti} is virtually extinct today with probably less than 100 practitioners, but has had such a dramatic influence on other religions that some mention is desirable. Fragments have been adopted into other religions wholesale, and thus they still exist. The primary religion is polytheistic with literally over 100 Gods, believing in a life after death, and needing the preservation of a “resting place” for the soul (Ba or Sa, a goose symbol). That is the reason for mummification and production of many statues which also could serve as a substitute for the body if it was accidentally destroyed. The afterlife started with a judgement in which the soul had to answer for the actions in this life, “I have not stolen from the orphan or widow” etc. and the fate was determined by Osirus in judgement as the soul (heart symbol) was weighed against “truth”, Maat a feather symbol of the Goddess Ma’at truth and justice. Each city had a primary deity, and depending on which city was dominant, the worship of that particular deity would also wax and wane with the political power of the city. The God of Memphis is Ptah, and the God of Thebes is Amen {the Ram of Fertility} with consort . The Creation story starts with Amen-Re, O, the Sun God and perhaps his less frequently seen feminine equivalent Amenet. He/She had twins: Shu the God of support , The four pillars of Earth, and Tefnut the goddess of sunlight, and anger symbol a head of a lioness. Shu and Tefnut in turn had twins, Nut the sky goddess, and Geb the God of Earth / land. Geb {Ken ken wu, the great cackler} usually has a goose on his head, and Nut usually has a jug of water on her head and carries a lotus staff. Geb laid the Great Egg from which the earth hatched into the water, the Great Lake out of which land appears, and then the land became a great reed swamp. The house of the Gods (Temples) always had a lake of creation as part of the complex, and a goose was symbolically introduced onto those waters each morning, cackling loudly as it was released- the morning alarm clock. Nut and Geb had four children, Osirus (order) , Set (disorder) , Isis (life, light and faithful wife and mother) and Nephthys (darkness, death and dreary places)
The Story of Osirus (Asr symbol an eye
O God of
Order) starts with him having turned chaos into order and ruling the
Earth (Egypt, the “Two Lands” of upper {red
land} and lower {black land} Egypt), with his wife Isis
(Ist, symbol a throne). His twin brother
Set (Red, ruddy complexion, two horned, God of
chaos / confusion- this is where we get our devil myths) has wife
Isis, being the faithful wife sought out her husband, and eventually found his coffin in the center of the tree. She begged the tree, and the king graciously gave it to her. She returned to Egypt with it. The soul of Osirus was in the underworld without air, and so Isis again as faithful wife took the form of a hawk and came to fan his face, and in that form she also settled down on his penis and inseminated herself from his body. Set, being even more angry at this, chopped Osirus body into 24 fragments, and threw them into the Nile again. Isis again sought her husband, and found all except one part (the penis) which the Crocodile God, Sobek, had swallowed. Where ever she found a part of his body she put up a TET to mark the place, and eventually sewed all the parts back together again, and placed them into the coffin again, and placed it in the underworld under the guardianship of the 24 demons of the day and night where Set would have to pass them to get at him again. There he still is ruling the underworld, land of the dead. She returned to Earth where she, with the help of Nephrites, hid in the papyrus swamp until she gave birth to Horus (Heru U the Hawk God - son and legitimate heir of Osirus who looks over and protects Egypt which is why the Hawk is sacred). When he finally grew up Horus fought and conquered Set to become King of the World, his rightful title. Osirus is frequently shown with both Isis and Nephrites behind him since he also inherited his wife’s sister when Set was disinherited. Set is frequently shown as a hippopotamus. Think of the great beasts, rampaging through a farmer’s field, destroying and eating his crops. What a good representation of chaos. The Ibix headed God Thoth, (Thuti) taught men how to read and write, and is usually shown as a scribe to the other Gods. In another version of this story, Nut was cursed by Amen Ra that she could not have a child in any of the year. Thoth won 1/72 of the light from the moon god in a game of Senet and added 5 days to the year not in any month (The year in Egypt is 12 months of 30 days plus 5 days not in any month) in which Nut had five children:1) Osirus, 2) Horus, 3) Set, 4) Isis and 5) Nephthes. Thus days 1, 3, and 5 are unlucky and 2 and 4 are lucky. This version conflicts with the other, but somehow the Egyptians were never bothered by that little discrepancy. Hathor {Atr the cow goddess of fertility and birth} Nith (Nit or Nad), Min{God of the Western desert, and male fertility with erect penis}, Khnemu (Ram headed) Bes {a little dwarf who was so ugly he scared off evil spirits, associated with Birth, and midwifery} etc. also figured prominently into their mythology.
The key point is that there were a multitude of Gods, some with multiple personalities, and that each was worshiped in his own temple, had temple property (farm land) to provide for the priests and perpetual offerings, and Egypt had approximately 180 special festival days each year in which they did not work, and food was provided by one temple or the other, when Isis visited Osirus and two days later the two returning to the temple of Isis followed in 3 days by Osirus returning to his own temple. That left only 200 work days a year, far less than we now have. The Egyptians were the first to have an iso-solar 365 day calendar, with 12 months, and with 24 hours in a day. We inherited all those. We get 60 min in an hour and 60 sec in a min from the Sumerian - Babylonians. The Jewish custom of circumcision is inherited from Egypt also. The Egyptians had three seasons based upon Nile flooding, Flood season from mid July, Growing, and Resting seasons. They usually quarried stone in Resting and moved it in Flood, and were usually able to get two crops a year if the flood was neither too large of too small, both extremes of flood or drought cutting the harvest. We get our four seasons from Mesopotamia/ Sumeria. HINDUISM covers a complex set of practices that evolved from the Indo-European “Vedas” (Rigveda) or books of life ca 1500 BC. These concepts were first brought to India by the Aryans who entered India about that time through the Khyber pass, over running the Indus Valley civilization. Somewhat later a group of philosophical and metaphysical texts called the Upanishads were written to define the relationship of man to the universe as they saw it. These concepts cover cradle to grave behavior. There are many complex variations within the overall religion. One common theme is reincarnation, in life after life, and a goal is to attain self liberation or Mosha. Brahman is the neuter life force lying within all living things, and achieving loss of identity between self and this Cosmic force, nirvana, is the goal. Karma is the law by which one accumulates status by doing good toward that goal or losses by bad actions. The religion is polytheistic, with Brahma the supreme eternal spirit of the universe, creator; Vishnu the preserver (consort Laksmi one of whose reincarnations was Krishna is the Lord, with 10 other incarnations.(see polytheism), and Siva (Shiva) as god of destruction and reproduction (consort Parvati as perhaps the main deities.. The cult of Sakti (also Devi, Durga or Kali) combines Tantric methods to harness the creative energy within oneself including yoga The Vedic period ca 400-800 BC saw many animal (and human) sacrifices, followed by the period of the Mauryan Empire ca 321-185 BC and this transitioned into the Hindu (100-400AD) and Puranic (400-700AD) periods. The religion also was associated with a caste system, Brahman (priest, usually white Aryan) at the top, warriors, and agriculture/traders lower down, with out casts at the bottom. The birth status was Karma (fate, destiny) from previous reincarnations, and thus “god’s will”, acceptance of fate leads to misplaced values. The overall lack of social mobility leads to lack of incentive for self improvement. This caste system appears originally to have been a way to suppress the darker conquered races leaving the white Aryan as masters. However; it is notable that as obnoxious and repressive as the caste system was, slavery was not part of that system.
The basic philosophy of all branches of Hinduism tends to be female, Earth centered, and pacific; centered in home and village as opposed to male dominated active or evangelical religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. There have been numerous reassertions of a basic secular statement that dharma “right life” or “good civil behavior” is, or should be, the goal of both the religion and government. This ethical goal appears highly desirable, but every time it has been tried, it also has resulted in rapid total collapse and destruction of the civilization that embraced this philosophy. Asoka (or Ashoka) (ca 310-238 BC) (who actually was a Buddhist but used Buddhist arguments only to those fellow followers) expressed this as “little sin and many good deeds” follow the virtues of honesty, truthfulness, compassion, mercifulness, benevolence, non-violence, and considerate behavior toward all. He had conquered considerable territory, but in remorse totally rejected armed force and thus as a result his empire crumbled. One must realize that others with lower ethical principles exist, who are willing to use violence. One must be willing (reluctantly) to meet them on their own terms where necessary. If teaching them the higher ethic were possible “conversion” is much more desirable, but those at the lowest levels frequently understand nothing but force, so force or a willingness to use force must be used as a final resort in those cases. Some extremes in Hinduism included strict vegetarianism, a total renunciations of the worldly pleasures, and particularly men in later life (the third phase) frequently renounce all worldly goods, giving everything to their wives and children and seeking spiritual enlightenment and release. Juggernaut (an incarnation of Vishnu) was or is hauled as an Idol on a very large car, with huge wheels, and the devotees threw themselves under the wheels of this and were crushed to death, thus earning “karma”. Hinduism is generally tolerant of other religions, but in recent history it has been actively at war with Islam. In part this is reaction to Islams own “jihad” mentality. Mahatma Gandhi(1869-1948) was one of the most successful recent advocates of nonviolent noncooperation, resistance to bad law, and disobedience to unethical authority. His methods worked because he caused contradictions in the high ethical standards of those in power, but now have failed because people could not follow his examples once he was dead. He was ethically too far ahead of humanity as a whole. His basic concept was that people struggling for freedom still should not allow actions in contradiction to their own basic respect for life, and the lives of others. The use of force by others did not in his mind justify his use of force, even in resistance to the primary abuse of force. He did use noncooperation, and refused to act against his own conscience. JAINISM:: Founded by Vardhamana or “The Great hero” “Mahavira” (599-527 BC), in counter response to Vedic animal sacrifice.. Jainism holds life to be sacred, and the prime tenant is ahimsa; to refrain from harming any living creature. By doing this the soul attains perfection, and can attain liberation (moksha). Jainism does not have a creator God, and the eternal Universe is divided into two (dualistic) parts- soul or living, Jiva; and ajiva or space, matter, and time. Karma is a substance intangible invisible, which flows and hinders Jiva. Souls are divided into those in bondage and those who have attained liberation. The Didambars, “sky clad” or naked sect members believe in owning nothing, and women may not attain liberation. Svetammbaras “white robe” contradict those beliefs. The religion is very tolerant of other beliefs, and since the religion is not evangelical it has not spread as widely as other more aggressive religions. SIKHISM Founded by Nanak (1469-1539 AD) the first of the ten Gurus ca 1500 in Punjab, Northern India, an amalgam of Hindu and Muslim beliefs, they reject the Caste system, and believe in One God (but with many names). There is no professional priest caste, and they reject Idols or images. Their sacred book Adi Granth was written by the fifth Guru Arjun (1563-1606) and they became militant after major Muslim persecution. The mass movements in 1948 of about 2.5 million people each direction and the resulting violence at the partition of India and Pakistan was largely a Muslim- Sikh “war.”The Golden Temple (Harimandir) has been destroyed and rebuilt several times in this violence.
BUDDHISM (founded by Siddhartha Gautama ca700BC) Buddha means The enlightened one, and these are first The Four Noble Truths: 1) Life is fundamentally disappointment and suffering, 2) Suffering is the result of seeking pleasure, power, and continued existence, 3) to stop suffering and disappointment one must stop desiring, and 4) the eight fold path is the way to stop desiring, and thus suffering. :: The 8 fold path::1) right views, 2) right intentions, 3) right speech, 4) right actions, 5) right livelihood, 6) right effort,7) right awareness, and 8) right concentration. The goal is to “blow out”, nirvana, and achieve nothingness, to re unite with the cosmic world soul. They hold that there is no personal self or “soul”, and an absence of “self” is good. There have been several “schools” which follow slightly different paths: Thera_vada; Maha _ya_na, & Yogacara; Tantrism, Tibetan, and Shingon Buddhism. Theravada is the older tradition from ca 700 BC to ca 200 BC. It has regulations, rituals, meditative techniques etc. leading to arhatship (the highest spiritual attainment). The Mahayana flourished ca 200 BC to 200 AD developed two levels of argument about relative and absolute truths, stressed mediation and sudden enlightenment, with offshoot in Japan of ZEN. Tantric Buddhism is also known as the “Diamond or Adamantine Vehicle” started ca 600 AD. It uses “masters” with elaborate rituals to guide initiates into dualism such as male-female, good-bad, yin-yang, with sacred gestures, (mudras), and sacred sounds (mantras) as well as maps (mandalas) of the sacred cosmos, dominant in India, Tibet and Mongolia.
Confucianism (Con Fu Zu 551-479 BC) is more of a tradition, or philosophy than religion. It proposes individual duties, moral standards, and community duties, and establishes governmental and individual responsibilities, ritual, and codes, for interpersonal relationships. Yet this ethical tradition of behavior is really as important as most religions, despite the fact it does not try to deal with “creation” or “life after death”... (Perhaps Confucius was even smarter than we thought deliberately to omit those areas from consideration!) (Mencius 2nd sage & Hsun-tzu)
TAOISM (Lao Tzu 604-531 BC - & Chuang-tzu ca 400 BC) This is a religion and has emphasis on individuality, spontaneity, self responsibility and self freedom of expression. It promotes mystical experience, and in many ways is almost exactly opposed to Confucianism which was about the same date. The general concepts are magical, and the goal is immortality which is achieved by “marriage” of the opposed yin and yang forces within the body. Tao is a key concept, “The Absolute eternal creative force”, and Te is Tao manifest within all things Tao te in perfect harmony with ones original nature. Lao tze asked one to “embrace the primitive, discard wisdom, and manifest the simple; reduce selfishness, - have few desires.” The achievement of immortality was demonstrated by the “immortals” (hsein) in the next few centuries by way of diet, sexual discipline, meditation, breath control, magical talesman, and alchemy as well as the search for “The Isles of Bliss.” Diet should be simple and healthy avoiding things that would feed the three worms of the body, disease, old age and death. In sex one avoids ejaculation to mix semen with breath and to nourish the “embryo immortal self in body.” One meditates as to the oneness of the thousands of Gods in the body (microcosm) and the same Gods outside the body (macrocosm). One strives to cause breath to move throughout all the fields of the body. Various talesman and magical or herbal potions were used to reverse aging, and for healing, protection from demons and finally for communication with the immortal spirits.
SHINTO (the way of the Gods), is polytheistic and concerned with Kami or sacred power, present in every one and every thing at all times. It is the original national religion of Japan, modified by Taoism, Buddhism, and other religions. The Sun goddess, Amaterasu, is the chief Kami, associated with the Imperial House of Japan. There is no specific founder, nor any official “bible”; however the “records of Ancient Matters” and Chronicles of Japan” written ca 720 AD are regarded as sacred histories. The practice usually includes ritual purification, recitation of prayers particularly for appropriate occasions, music / song, dance, regular festivals (matsuiri), and numerous celebrations. The Shrines are separated from secular areas by a gateway into the sacred precinct. The goal is sincerity, pure heart, and uprightness, with virtues of a bright, sincere, and pure mind. Most Japanese have dual religion, a Shinto shrine, for the Kami and a Buddhist shrine for the family ancestors. The baby is presented to Kami, they usually are initiated (7,5,3) boys at 7 girls at 3 and 5), married, and live according to Shinto rite, and are buried by Buddhist rite. The Kami gives life (man is Kami’s child) thus his life is sacred, and they seek Kami’s will (makoto) or the truthful way. Thus one gains the approval and protection of Kami. There is a spring festival (haru Matsuri or Prayer for good harvest festival - Toshigoi Matsuri), A harvest festival (Aki Matsuri), An annual festival, and divine procession (Rei-sai). The Grand festival usually takes place in 11 parts::1) purification 2)Adoration (all bow to the shrine), 3) Opening the Shrine 4) Presentation of food to Kami, 5)Prayer, 6) music, 7) General offerings, such as evergreens, 8) Taking offerings away, 9) Shutting the door to the shrine, 10) Final adoration (bow) and 11) Sharing the food<. (feast).
ZOROASTERISM, founded by Zoroaster or Zarthushtra (ca 628-551 BC) in Iran/ Persia, receiving a vision from Ahura Mazda, (later Ohrmazd or Ormazd) Wise Lord, the highest God, creator of heaven and earth, and alone to be worshipped. The people (and language) are Parsis or Parsees, scriptures Avesta, older Hymns Gathas. There is a dualism of good (Ohrmazd) and bad (Ahriman). There are seven beneficent immortals, four children:: Holy Spirit or Bounteous Spirit (Spenta Mainyu =good; note his twin: Angra Mainyu is Destructive Spirit) ), Justice-Truth (Asha Vahishta), Righteous Thinking (Vohu Manah), Devotion (Spenta Armaiti); and 3 qualities Desirable Dominion (Khshathra Vairya) Wholeness (Haurvatat) and Immortality (Ameretat). The afterlife has good (Kingdom of Everlasting Joy) and bad ( horror and darkness) reward after judgement for actions in Earthly state by Ormazd - Ahura Mazda as the soul passes over the much feared bridge of the Requiter (Cinvat). In the end evil (Ahriman) will be destroyed, and the world will end in a conflagration and be renewed to “paradise” under good (Ormazd), with resurrection of the dead followers of good. The traditional religion prior to Zoroaster involving an orgy or excessive sacrifice of cattle and getting drunk was shifted to only moderate sacrifice (haoma) under the control of the Magi or priest class. The creation story has four periods of 3000 years each. 1) Ormazd existed, in light, and Ahriman, below in darkness. 2) Ahriman attacked Ohrmazd, and they made a pact to limit their struggle to 9000 years, upon which Ohrmazd recited the Ahuna Varya, sacred prayer, which so stunned Ahriman and he fell back into darkness where he lay for 3000 years. Ormazd made sky, earth, plants, the First Ox, and the First Primitive Man, Gayomart. . The fravashi (preexistent souls) were given a choice of life - incarnation to battle Ahriman or staying safe as embryonic people - and chose life. Ahriman generated six demons in opposition. At the end of that time Ahrima made the primitive first woman, the whore, who burst through sky and corrupted creation. 3) Ormazd killed Gayomart from whose body came all men and metals, and the Ox from whom came all plants and animals. Ahriman triumphed in this period, but was not able to escape from the material world and thus generated his own destruction. 4) The final period started with the birth of Zarthushtra, and at the end of each 1000 years there will be another “posthumous son” who, with the last savior, Saoshyans, bringing final judgement, the drink of immortality, and starting the “new world.” The influence of this religion of Christian doctrine can not be overestimated, and perhaps 50% of the dogma and rituals adopted ca 40-300 AD most specifically including “Revelations” or “The Apocalypse” came directly from Zoroasterism. The God of Darius I was Ahura, but Persia became Hellinized post Alexander the Great ca 330 BC. and the religion was neglected in the Parthian Empire (247BC-224 AD). With the Sasanian dynasty ca 224 AD Zoroasterism became the Persian state religion. Post Mohammed Islam competed with it, and while it was tolerated for 300 years, they were subsequently persecuted. Many moved to India near Bombay, and the remaining Parsees tend to be noted for their charity, wealth, and education.
POLYTHEISM: ca300 BC- 500 AD In general all polytheistic religions have a multitude of Gods, one for each aspect of nature. There is always as far as I can tell a primary God and Goddess, and Gods (or Goddesses) for the Sun, Moon, Rain, Agriculture, War, Home, Fertility, and in fact anything that was important to that culture. The Romans listed some hundred Gods in their pantheon, but 12 were considered as the primary group. These polytheistic Gods , are still used today and have had a profound influence upon our lives. For example they are preserved in the names of the days of the week:: 1)Sun day 2)Moon day, Monday, Lunes Luna 3)Tyr’s day, Tuesday, Martes Mars’ day 4)Woden’s day, Wednesday Miercoles, Mercury. 5)Thor’s day Thursday, Jueves Jove’s day 6)Frya’s day, Friday Venus’ day Viernes, and 7) Saturn’s day Saturday. The religion started out with many contradictory attributes, and in general as time went on it was refined to create a consistent theology. The power also clustered in fewer & fewer Gods, tending to monotheism. POLYTHEISM EQUIVALENCY God of Heaven Nut(fem!) Nammu(fem) Uranus Uranus Mother Earth Geb(male!) Anu(male) Gaea Tellus Father Gods Osirus/Amen Ea/Enki Cronus(Kronus) Saturn Mother Gods(6) Mut/Amunet Enlil Rhea Cybele King of Gods Amen (Bel)Marduk Odin Zeus6 Jupiter Queen Goddess mother wife Hathor/Isis Makh Frigg Hera6 Juno Goddess of Love Isis (Ast) Ishtar Freya Aphrodite Venus (spring, moon & fertility) Astarte God of War Onuris(Anhur) Tyr/Thor Ares Mars Goddess. wisdom war Neith(Nit, Neit) Minerva Athena God wisdom Thoth(Thuti) Nabu Mimir Guide to Underworld/messenger Anubis(Anpu) Hermes Mercury Mischief Set Tiamat(fem) Loki Pan Faunus Male Fertility/sex Min (Khensu) Eros Cupid Goddess Hearth Hathor(Atr) Makh/Mama Hestia6 Vesta Agriculture (Grain) Min(male) Dunuzi(male) Frey(male) Demeter6 Ceres Sea Nun/Anket(fem) Njord Poseidon6 Neptune Fire/forge Gibil Hephaestus Vulcan Sun Ra (Aton) Shamosh Helios Sol Horus (Heru) Apollo Moon Khensu(male) Sin Artemis Diana (hunt virginity) Selene Luna Dawn (East) Henkhisesui(male) Eastre Eos Aurora Healing, medicine Imhotep Gula(fem) Asclepius Aescculapius Wine/Drink revelry Tchabu Dionysus Bacchus Underworld Osirus (Osr) Nergal Hel Hades6 Pluto
Greek (Roman name) gods a partial list, with some relationships Adonis handsome young mortal man lover of Aphrodite, killed by Boar. Apollo --Twin Artemis father Zeus =fz Music, poetry. prophesy, and male beauty Aphrodite (Venus) goddess of Love/sex see Ishtar(Babylon) Ashtoreth (Phoenicia & Syria) Asclepius (Aesculpius) (son Apollo and Nymph Coronis) God Medicine/ healing. Ares (Mars) father Zeus =fz mother Hera God war Artemis (Diana) twin Apollo father Zeus =fz mother=Leto- hunting, wild animals, Moon Athena (Minerva)from Zeus head after swallowed Titaness Metis, Wisdom, skills and warfare) Cronus or Kronus(Saturn) a Titan, God Agriculture children Gaea & Uranus overthrew father Uranus Titan became ruler universe & was in turn overthrown by son Zeus. Demeter(Ceres dau Uranus and Rhea) Agriculture Grain dau by Zeus= Kore(Persephone) Dionysus (Bacchus) =fz mother=Semle God of wine ecstasy, & Revelry(wife Ariadne) Eileithyia =fz mother=Hera or = Hera, aided women in childbirth Eos (Aurora) Dawn and East Eros (Cupid) god of Love son Aphrodite Flora (Roman)Goddess of plants, Fauna Goddess of Woodlands, flocks & Fields wife/sister Faunus/Pan Gaea (Tellus) Mother Earth, Wife Uranus Mother of Titans, daughter Cronus Hades (Pluto) mother=Rhea God underworld stole & md Kore, her mother weeps 6 mo. Hecate, Hekate, moon,earth, underground, realm of dead(Witchcraft/sorcery) Helios (Sol- “Sol Invictus” Invincible Sun) - God of Sun. son Titan Hyperion Helen- legendary ancestor of all Greeks, also “of Troy” causing Trojan war Hephaestus (Vulcanus) God of Fire/metal workLame,wife Aphrodite,made first woman Pandora Hera (Juno)sister wife Zeus goddess women, marriage, home(seduced by Zeus as Cuckoo) Hermes (Mercury) messenger of Gods, Merchants wand twined serpents.shown w. Asclepius Hesperides nymphs who guard golden apples given wedding gift to Hera by Gaea Hesperus (Evening Star- Venus) Hestia (Vesta) (6 Vestal Virgins) Goddess of Hearth, home fire, virginity one of Nymphs guarding golden Apples above. Kore (Persephone) =fz mother=Demeter sowing sprouting of Grain Morpheus God dreams of humans, son of Hypnos (sleep), brothers Ikelos(Phobetus) dreams of animals & Phantasus dreams of inanimate things. Nyx Goddess night, dau Chaos, sons Hypnos(Somnus) sleep and Thanates death Pan (Faunus){min}son Hermes & Penelope half goat wild animals, fields,forests(also mischief) Pandora first woman - made by Hephaestus opened her box and let loose evils, hope alone remaining. Plutus & Pluton sons Kore (Persephone) and Hades (Pluto), blind God wealth. Poseidon(Neptune) mother=Rhea Sea & horses Priapus(Priapus also)Son Dionysus & Aphrodite god male procreative power erection. Promethius Titan God of trickery stole fire and gave to men, punished by Zeus Quirinus Rhea (Cybele or Ops) Nature = dau Uranus and Gaea (Tellus), wife Cronus (Saturn) mother Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Demeter, Hera, Hestia (mother of the Gods) Titans::12 Children Uranus and Gaea::6 brothers: Oceanus, Coeus, Cirus, Hyperion, Iapetus, Cronus, 6 sisters: Thea, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, and Thethys Uranus- god of heavens husband (or son) Gaea father of Titans, Furies, Cyclopes Zeus (Jupiter){Sanskrit Dyaus} King of Gods on Olympus, God of sky and weather
Animals - which were “sacred to or offered to” for which attributes Heifer Athena Cows Hera Bull Zeus, Dionysus Lust for Power, weather, Feasts Pig Demeter Tranquility in home Dog Hecate Game/heifers Artemis Good hunting Horses Poseidon Sea voyages Asses Priapus Male Sexual power Ares/Mars Combativeness Aphrodite/Venus Voluptuousness Hermes/Mercury Greed
3 Graces, Aglaia(Brilliance), Euphrosyne(Joy) & Thalia(Bloom) daus Zeus & Hera or Eurynome Furies 3 Goddesses who punished unavenged crimes Alecto, Tisiphone, and Megaera - Lucifer (Venus as morning star), Hesperus evening star Titans:: race of giants :: see Rhea mother of Centaurs, father was Ixion(son Ares) by cloud, substituted by Zeus instead of Hera, Tartarus- the infernal Hell below hades where Zeus threw the rebel Titans. Titania queen fairyland, wife Oberon Oberon (elf Auberon, Oaf -) King fairyland
Lectisternium 12 God/Goddesses in pairs at feast to welcome them. Jupiter+Juno, Vesta(eternal virgin, hearth)+Mercury(Trade/outdoors), Mars+Venus, Herculese+ Diana, Apollo+ Latuna, Vulcan + Aphrodite etc. Saturnalia Dec 17 festival of winter solstice (orgiastic festival) Daedala festival of Hera - reconciliation by burning wooden image of bride. Dionysia male fertility festival with phallus pole, Anthesteria - broaching the new wine (offering for the dead) Lupercalia -Festival 15 Feb goats killed eaten, skin cut to thongs to strike women, causing fertility Thalysia harvest celebration Thargelia (scapegoat takes all sins of village) Thesmonphoria for women in honor of Demeter, mourn Adonis. Pyanespia Bean feast (boys collect offerings to hang on wool pole)
Elusian rite: Hades wanted wife so stole Kore (Grain maiden) and Demeter was so upset and searched for her daughter and grain would not grow, eventually Hades sent Kore back to give birth to Plutus (blind wealth) and or Pluton (the rich one) and Demeter was joyed at return and allowed grain to grown, until Kore ate Pomegranate seed when she returned to Hades for 1/3 year, when Demeter still weeps and does not prosper
Story of Pandora’s Box, Epimentheus (Hindsight) was warned by Zeus, but still married Pandora, later releasing the evils from her “box”, keeping only hope for mankind.
Orpheus and wife Eurydice, after she dies he sang so beautifully he got permission to take her back from Hades, under condition he would not look back, but just as he reached light he did so, so she vanished, and he also vanished into a song. ZEUS:: CHILDREN:: By wife Hera had Hephaestus, Hebe, Ares, Eileithyia, by Aegina (dau of river god Asopus - carried off to island Oenone) Aecus (Justice judge of dead with Rhadamanthus and Minos)(Festival of Aiakeia in his honor at Aegina) by Alcmene(wife King Amphitryon)twins:Iphiclesby Amph & Heracles by Zeus in form of Amph by Demeter Persephone, - by Dione (dau Oceanus)(older partner than Hera); Aphrodite by Eurpoa(dau King Phoenix/Agenor of Phoenicia, carried off by Zeus as Bull)King Minos of Crete by Io(Callithyia dau Inachus 1st Priestess Hera, Zeus impregnated, changed to heifer to protect from Hera, given to Hera guarded by Argus(all seeing) put to sleep by Hermes/killed, Hera sent “gad fly” to pester so Io who wandered to Egypt via Ox crossing Bosphorus where she had) Epaphus (in Egypt Apis) by Leto (Latona Titaness dau Corus & Phoebe) Apollo and Artemis, by Leda of Sparta (wife of Tyndareus by whom Clytemnestra, Zeus in form of swan)-Dioscuri, (twins) Castor by king Tyndareus, & thus mortal, and Pollux by Zeus thus immortal. spend half time in hades, half in heavens, and by Zeus alone Helen of Troy by Mnemosyne (Titaness dau Uranus and Gaea) mother 9 muses see below Metis Zeus Swallowed Titaness Metis and from his head sprang Athena. by Nemesis (pursued by Zeus in from of swan, caught her as goose) laid egg hatched as Helen By Semele (dau Cadmus & Harmonica of Thebes) Dionysus, Litai (prayer) old crippled dau Zeus follows Ate (rash ruinous actions) correcting her harm 3 Graces by Hera or Euphrosyne (a dau Oceanus) Aegle md Helios
9 Muses (Mousa in Greek) 1) Calliope (Kalliope, “she of the beautiful voice” -muse of epic poetry), had two sons Hymen and Ialemus by Apollo; & mother of Lineus (invented rhythm and melody) 2) Clio “the proclaimer”, muse of History, 3) Erato - of love poetry, 4) Urania -Astronomy, 5) Thalia of comedy and pastoral poetry, 6) Euterpe -of music and lyric poetry, charm, 6)Melpomena of tragedy, 8)Polymena or Polyhymnia (many hymns) of sacred poetry; and 9) Terpsichore (delighting in dance) muse of dancing **mother Mnemosyne (Memory) by Zeus on 9 consecutive nights. Nymphs:: Naiads (cave springs), Dryads (wood nymphs) and Hamadryads (fate is bound up with her tree), Nerids (sea) and includes Eilethyia for childbirth. MESOPOTAMIA:: In dealing with the Gods of Mesopotamia, there is a “language” problem. The first language was old Sumerian(Akkadian). Then Mesopotamia was overrun by the Semites and the new rulers, lacking a written language, simply took over the written Sumerian language. But the words changed. Some of the new words were written the same way, but pronounced differently. Some of the homonyms were pronounced the same way but with new meaning. Later yet another shift gives a third Persian Cuneiform. Thus there are usually at least three variants for each God/ Goddess. The list below is incomplete, usually using the most popular form.
Mesopotamian and other Gods Adad/Shamash God Winds Storm see also Mer Adapa first man equivalent to Adam. Anu/Anum remote God heaven sky son Ea by wife Nammu, later wives Ninzalli, Antu & Ishtar Anshar father of heaven before Anu after Lakhmu, Kishar Father of Earth before Anu Ashur, (Assyria) (= Marduk in Babylonia) Chief God War and Empire of Assyria Baal, Bel/Enlil God Earth & Heavens (Bel Marduk, Chief God & Sun God Babylon)wife Ninlil Birtu and Manungal Gods passage to underworld/across River Khubur Dambine wife Ea sons Adapa, Marduk(Sun) Dumuzi/Tammuz Vegetation God spends half yr Underworld, brought back by Ishtar in spring, Mother Sirdu, sister Geshtin Ea/Enki God of wisdom, abyss, water wife Ninlil(wind) father of Gods Marduk,Sin, Ea-anum/Nin-tinugga Goddess of Healing consort Pabilsag/En-Dagga Enlil/Ellil, Sumerian Babylonian air, wind brought floods(Semite Bel) wife Ninlil Enki Sumerian Babylonian water Gibil/Nusku God Fire son Nunna/Damgal Gula/Ninkarrak Goddess of medicine and Healing wife Ninurta Ishtar/Ninni/Inninna/(Assyria)Estre Goddess Love, fertility (= Aphrodite = Venus = Isis = Astarte = Ashoreth in Phoenicia/Syria) dau of Sin Moon God, wife/concubine Anu had dau Nana Kingu, husband caused rebellion Tiamat & whose blood was used to make mankind Lakhmu serpent God wife Lakhamu Goddess of moisture 1st came from Apsu(void) Makh/Ninmakh/Mama/Nintu/Aruru Goddess presided over conception & Birth. Marduk (of Ur) Sun God, triumphant over Chaos (Tiamat,female) wife Sarpanitu Nabu/Tuta“The Announcer”God wisdom vegetation(Thoth eqiv) son of Marduk,wife Tashmitu Nana/Nanai daughter Anu Mer/Ishkur/(Semite)Ramman God of Storms (Hittite Teshub Syrian Amurru) son Ea wife Shala Nergal/Ninazu God Hades=,Kigallu/Arallu/Irkalla son Anu & Kutusar wife Mammitu/Ereshkigal Ningal/Nikkal wife Sin had Shamosh The Sun Ninlil wife Ea/Bel children Urash, Sin, Marduk Ninurta (other Ninlil wife Enlil) Nin-Mar goddess city Mar associateed with Sin by whom had 12 children Ninurta/Enurta/Abu/Urash God war son of Enlil, wife Gula(medicine) had son Ninazu Nunna/Damgal son is Gibil(fire) Sarpanitu(Zerbanitu) wife Marduk son Nabu Sin(of Ur)Enzu/Nunnar, Moon God was supreme son Ea wife Ningal son Shamosh, dau Ishtar Shala wife Mer(storms) Goddess of snow covered mountains Shamosh/Utu/Babbar - The Sun, son of Sin(Moon) and Ningal, wife is Aia Tiamat(of Ur) = chaos, vanquished by Marduk, husband Kingu was sacrificed to make man Urash/Ninurta/Ningirsu Battle son Enlil wife Nin-Uru/Niegal son was Lagamal Zamana/Zababa God Battle son Enlil
Mithra (Persian successor to Marduk) GodLight and truth, opposed darkness evil Moloch of Phoenicia later Carthage to whom human sacrifices made. Hellotis of Crete = Europa in Crete
Norse- Nordic Icelandic Gods of the Edder. The Aesir Odin (Wodin Othin ) supreme god -art culture war half dead heros to his Valhalla Thor thunder, war son of Odin magic hammer (Mojnir) destroyed foes Frey God crops, peace love prosperity wife Gerd dau giant Gymir Freya (Freyr, Freja) sister Frey, goddess love, death rode Boar, chariot w cats. half heros go to her hall Folkvanger nicknames Gefn, Horn, Mardoll or Syr, Frigg wife Odin fertility mother Baldar Tyr God of Justice, War one handed lost to wolf Fenrir for tricking while Asir tied it up. Loki - discord and mischief son Frost Giant Farbauti, created Female Angrboda who had three “evils” Hel goddess death, Fenrir (the wolf) and Jormungand serpent surrounding the world. Heimdahl Guardian of Rainbow Bridge Bifrost to sound alarm Gjallarhorn for final battle Ragnerok Hod (blind killed Baldar tricked by Loki into throwing missletoe, the only thing that could harm Baldar). Jord Giantess mother of Thor mistress Odin. Mimir wisdom and water sent to Vanir rivals as hostage, killed Njord sea god father Frey, Freya Baldar son Odin & Frigg, Light peace virtue and wisdom (killed by plot of Loki) Yggdrasill - The World Tree, India Indra storm, rain, battles Agni Fire Surya Sun Kama Love (Venus) Skanda War (Mars) Sarasvati learning (Thoth) Yama Judgement (Hades - Osirus etc.)
Later Vedic period see also Hinduism Brahma the supreme eternal spirit of the universe, creator; Vishnu the preserver (consort Laksmi_) whose reincarnations were: 1) Matsya (fish) 2)Kuma (tortiose) 3) Vaaha (boar) 4) Narasimha (half man half lion) 5) Vamana (dwarf) 6) Parasurama (Rama with ax) 7) Rama (the hero) 8) Krishna is the cowherd, 9) Buddah 10) Kalkin (yet to come) Siva (Shiva) as god of destruction and reproduction (consort Pa_rvati_). The cult of Sa _kti (also Devi_ Durga_ or Kali _)
JUDAISM :: Actual date and places for a formal start of Judaism is ill defined, but this religion generally starts with Abram / Abraham (ca 2050 BC Abram means exalted father, and Abraham means father of many) a Prince of Ur of the Chaladee who left Mesopotamia for Canaan and Egypt. He and his descendents were given a covenant by the God creator which gave them a special relationship with the Creator and which defines good and bad impulses (free choice dualism). Deliberate choice of bad is “sin.” They are to witness this to all mankind by proper choice. In the first phase they settled and dwelled in Canaan. In the second phase they were forced by famine to go to Egypt. In the third phase while in Egypt they were eventually placed in captivity, being freed at the end of that phase by Moshe (Moses ca 1324-1220 BC- Born Egypt, adopted as Prince probably Seti I, exiled ca 1294 by Ramses II (b ca 1319 reign 67 yrs ca 1292-1225 BC) under whom Exodus took place). The Celebration and remembrance of that is the Passover, (15 Nisan -Late March early April each year). The Fourth phase was the Journey phase, ending with the crossing of the River Jordan and resettlement in Canaan again. The fifth phase was the period of Judges, followed ca 1021-922 BC by the period of Kings starting with Saul, David, and Solomon. (reign 962-922 BC) The sixth phase starts with the secession of the Northern Tribes ca 922 BC with the period of the Prophets., with numerous wars, and general decline in power, It was in this time ca 850 BC that the “Five Books of Moses”, or Pentateuch, were formally written down. The seventh “captivity” phase starts with the Conquest and Captivity of the Northern tribes (722-21 BC) and finally the conquest of Judah by Babylon 597 BC. The eighth phase starts with the return of Israel from Captivity, 538 BC. The ninth “Hellenic” phase starts with the conquest of the whole area by Alexander the Great 332 BC. The tenth or “Period of foreign rule and Revolts” starts with a decree prohibiting practice of Judaism by Antiochous IV Epiphanes resulting in the revolt of the Maccabees. In that siege the Temple oil miraculously lasted 7 days, leading to celebration of Hanukkah or festival of lights in the present ritual. The Hellenization however continued in this period, including translation of the Five main books into Greek, i.e. the Septuagint. Roman rule starting 63 BC, (to 135 AD) saw the Herodian “tetrarchs” (kings over 1/4 of the land). This period also was Messiahanic from ca 200 BC since they looked for the coming of an “Idealized King” a Messiah to restore divine sovereignty over all mankind, and most particularly over the by now oppressive rule of the Roman Empire. This dissatisfaction eventually led the Zealots (63-73 AD) to rebel and the Roman retaliation led to the destruction of the “Second Temple” followed by phase 11) the diaspora of Jews from Jerusalem. This is concurrent with the rise of Christianity. This Rabbinic phase, or the time of the “teachers” may be subdivided into the early Rabbinic period, the patriarchs, and particularly Judah ha Nasi (175-220 AD) created the final version of the Talmud and “oral law” or mishna. With the death of Gameliel V in 425 the period of Patriarchs ended. The head of exiled Jewry was in part in Jerusalem but also later Babylon until the period of Islam.
In the middle ages Jewry split into the Sefardic (Spanish, Kabbala mysticism)
and Ashkenazic (Franco-Prussian, Hasidism) schools, both of which came under
strong persecution ca 1306. The final phase 12 Zionism, or the move to
return to Palestine is a relatively recent development, leading to the
founding of Israel and a Returning to Abraham, he had at least three listed wives: Sarah, Hagar of Egypt, and Keteah. By Sarah he had Isaac, his direct heir, by Hagar Ishmael, from whom come the Arabic nations, and by Keteah he had Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishdak, and Shuah. Isaac, his Heir, married Rebekah and had Esau and Jacob (later named Israel). Jacob had four wives:: Leah with children Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Ishchar, Zebulon, and daughter Dinah; wife Rachel had Joseph and Benjamin: Rachel’s Handmaiden Bilah had Dan and Naphtali; while Leah’s Handmaiden Zipah had Gad and Asher; Thus come the 12 tribes of Israel. Both the Arabs and Israelites are of the same ancestry, (i.e. any disagreement is just a continuing family fight). Joseph was sold into Egypt, but became Vizier to the Pharaoh , and by Asenath daughter of Potipher had Ephraim and Manasseh. The generations afterward were reduced to slavery in the New Kingdom ca 1540-1270 BC, until the exodus under Moshe. The practices of Judaism included animal sacrifice from ca 2000 BC until about 40 AD. From the original passover the blood of a lamb was placed on the door post and lentil each year until almost exactly the time of the Death of Jesus - Yashu, when it was discontinued. Interestingly enough with His blood sacrifice, all Jewish blood sacrifice stopped, whether they accepted Him or not. The Egyptian customs infiltrated Hebrew thinking because of the long period in Egypt. Circumcision for example comes from Egypt. Their “God with no name” gives rise to the very name Moses- Thothmose means roughly worshiper of Thoth, Amenmose means worshiper of Amen, but Moses thus means worshiper and by the omission of the prefix implying of the God with no name. The Trauma of the Exodus is still celebrated at Passover, today, and so the rituals all have historical remembrance attached. The Menorah, with seven candles designates the seven days of creation, and the Hannukah with 8 the dispensations of time: Adam: Noah: Abraham: Moshe: The Messiah; & the “Angel of Light”(or Lucifer, or Satan), to be followed by a final good period or The millennium, and the final judgement; but it is rarely mentioned as such because the implication of the Messiah. Present “Judo-christian” custom has become monogamous, but that traditionally was not the case. Abraham, and Israel were multiply polygamous, but that was nothing compared to Solomon with 300 wives and concubines. I am still trying to understand how this got shifted into the present custom, and even more puzzling is how it got to be “God’s will” with those who take the Bible as literal truth. This monogamy is traced in part from Greek “democratic” concepts, ca 300 BC There are not enough women to allow plural marriages for everyone, so in the “democratic” tradition, if there are not plural wives for everyone, (note “wives” are a sort of possession in Greek tradition) then it must be equal for all. Thus we have unintentionally inherited both monogamy and the habit of dressing our wives in public so that they would be hidden to the lust from others from that “possessive” period and time.
A brief story of Christianity: About June 7 BC Mari (Mary), (daughter of Heli, Granddaughter of Mattat (or Mathan) age roughly 12 to 13 years old and engaged / promised to be married to Yoshef Ben Yacob (Joseph), her cousin, (son of Yacob (Jacob), and Grandson of Mattat) a Carpenter of Nazareth became pregnant. She was married roughly in August to Joseph, the male lineal heir of King David, and in April of 6 B.C. they traveled, despite her late pregnancy to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover and the 7 days of unleavened bread (Pasha or Peshwa, 15 to 22 Nisan or Abib), since Joseph was a strict practicing Jew. After the celebration of Passover (15 Nisan) they continued on to Bethlehem, the traditional seat of all of David’s lineage where Joseph had to be for the Convocation (High assembly 7 days later on 22 Nisan), and taxation for a head tax decreed by Augustus Caesar. They were not, as is usually supposed, poor at all, but distinctly upper middle class as he was a carpenter, a very skilled profession in that time and place, perhaps analogous to a building contractor today, and she had a burro to ride, rather than having to walk. The 8 to 10 mile donkey ride had a not totally unexpected effect and she went into labor, and they arrived to find “no place at the Inn” for them. If you will consider the rather “messy” nature of a birth you will probably also understand why the innkeeper was more than a little reluctant to have “THAT” inconvenience in his dirt floored rooms, but he did allow them to stay in the stables where she gave birth probably after sunset starting the day 6 April 6 BC. This date is the “day of the Messiah” in the 7 day Passover period for that year, and the year is easily documented from the rather horrible death by a brain disorder of Herod Antipater (reign 37 BC to March -April 4 BC) after his “slaying of the innocents” in Aug 5 BC. and the Ascension of his son Herod Antipas (Beheaded John the Baptist, reign 4 BC - 39 AD when he was banished by Caligula) to the position of Tetrarch of Judea (ruler over a fourth of the province of Judea in the Roman Empire, nominally under the Davidic Kings, but appointed and controlled by Rome under the procurers from Rome such as Pontius Pilate, (procurer 26-36 AD) -Note he mentioned John the Baptist as preaching and being a nuisance in a report to Rome in his second year i.e. 27 BC). On the 8th day after the birth they returned to Jerusalem and offered a dove (the rich offered an unblemished kid goat, most people afforded only a white dove) for the first born, and then returned to Nazareth. About 18 months later three “wise men” from the East arrived after a journey which would have taken several months, to seek out “The messiah” “the Anointed one” or “Christus” the chosen one. They first “checked in” with Herod, to obtain his permission. He well knew of the predictions of a King to be born and knew that he should give up power and precedence to this new “King” of the Jews, but he was power hungry and had no intention of giving up his position. So he ordered them to return and tell him when they found this child. They eventually tracked down Mary and Yoshef with son Yahshu (Greek: Jesus Latin: Jesu) in Nashereth (Nazareth), and after leaving gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh (all of extreme value per weight) left for home going directly by the shortest way to the East, rather then going a total of four days out of their way to return to Jerusalem.
Eventually Herod Antipater (remember he came to the throne by killing his father - that is what the prenom Antipater means) realized what had happened so he ordered the killing of all male children born in his territory in the last two years. He knew that the infant would be about 18 months old at that point. Happily Mary and Yoshef had been warned of his concern and possible intent by the wise men. They had taken the wealth represented by the gifts and the opportunity presented by the direct departure of the wise men to the East, without returning to Herod, to go south through Jerusalem to Egypt before the slaughter. They resided there for several years until well after the well deserved but cruel Death of the elder Herod. The childhood of Yashu after they returned from Egypt to Nazareth has only the one reputably recorded instance. It was the family custom to travel each Passover the two-day journey each way from Galilee to Jerusalem for that holy day. They did this in company with numerous other friends. The only major incident we know of happened about the Eighth birthday of Yashu where he stayed behind in the Temple until his parents missed him after they were about half way back home. They had assumed he was with other children in the company, when in fact he was still in Jerusalem. I can imagine that they were more than a bit unhappy to return a full day and then retrace their journey actually loosing three days walking. At that point I can imagine Mary was probably the mother of perhaps 4 more children, since we know the names of several siblings, (James “the Brother of the Lord”, Joses, Simon, and Judas and at least two sisters (Matt 13-55,56). That would in part account for not missing him earlier. By about 26 AD Yoshef had died, and Yashu had taken over the business and was supporting his mother. He started his active preaching career approximately 27 AD. We know John (The Baptist) his cousin was very active at that time, his activities being reported by Pontius Pilot to Rome. The death of Yashu by crucifixion occurred Wednesday 5 April 30 AD, (14 Nisan) the day before Passover, a Sabbath day. He was in the tomb as predicted and clearly stated three nights and three days: (Remember by Hebrew custom the day starts at sundown, the night first, followed by the day) Passover Thursday 15 Nisan, Friday, 16 Nisan, Sabbath Saturday 17 Nisan, arising the night or morning of Sunday 17 Nisan. This has been confused because of use of the word Sabbath for passover. It is one of seven special holy days other than the regular “Saturday” last day of the week. Scholars did not think of Passover Sabbath so erroneously placed his death on Friday, the day before Sabbath. That same sort of error also is why the AD and BC dates do not start at his birth. In ca 500 AD Dionysius Exiguus (died 540) miscalculated from After the Founding of Rome dates and failed to include 6 years to reach the proper “Year of Our Lord” Anno Domini conversion. Jesus was active in his ministry for about 2 years, starting with the marriage in Canaan in 28 AD and all of 29 BC. ending April 30 AD. The significance of that marriage has also been poorly understood. Who was the groom? Why would Mary be informed that wine was running low unless she was concerned as hostess? Then why would Yashu be asked unless he also were furnishing the wine? At that time it was the custom for the Groom to feed the people at a wedding.
Thus from evidence that it was HIS own wedding, a requirement before he would be an “elder” and be allowed unrestricted teaching and reading as a Rabbi in the local synagogue. The active preaching of Yashu has been recorded, and is written in the Bible. There has been far too much written about those words- and they should be allowed to speak for themselves. But we do need to note that there is at least one major book, “The Gospel of Thomas” made recently available from a copy found in Egypt in a ruined Coptic Church, which also should be studied. We knew this major first hand work had existed by numerous quotations from it in early histories such as Josephus, but it was not included in the “New Testament”; probably because it was not available in Rome when the Cannon was being selected and crystalized. It was much more popular in the East and Egypt than in Rome. We can authenticate this to probably being the original work of “doubting” Saint Thomas, and it consists simply of the sayings of Jesus as best he could remember them, without embellishment or explanation. Most - about 60% are echoes of words in the 4 main Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But 40% are new things not otherwise reported. His words have been explained and deviations from what he taught were corrected by a series of letters written mostly by Paul, but including several other of the Apostles. However there also is extant two letters from Clement of Rome which should probably also be included in any study of the early church. They offer as much enlightenment probably as any of the letters of Paul to the Philippians or Thessalonians. There also were several dozen “forgeries” mostly written in the time ca 200-300 AD which are also still extant. These include for example “childhood” stories trying to fill in the gap from his birth to 28 AD. Many were written with the best of intentions, and repeated gossip which was prevalent at that time. Yet they all are fiction, and thus in part lies. One needs to know which of these exist, and probably should read them - we can still learn from fiction. They do represent stories and attitudes of that time. But we need to know that they are fiction, so we can use them only for what background they provide. The canonized texts have been frequently accepted at “The Word of God” which is contradicted right in those texts. The letters of Paul contain his salutations and usually who was to carry them to the designated place. They were intended to settle problems which had happened, and clear up doctrine. But in several places he clearly says “Now speak I, Paul, NOT God” and wanders off on his own opinions. The other question one must ask is what language does God speak? He “speaks” by the universe, and we see the results of His words. The archaic Greek used by Paul for example, or the Latin, were languages of men, meant to express concepts that men understood. You utterly can not describe the workings of a car or a TV set in those languages. They lack the words and the concepts necessary to do so. Thus they are limited. We can demonstrate that. God is NOT limited, and may not be limited, so trying to force him into using a limited language is intolerable logically speaking. Our written works are not infallible, and pretending otherwise is stupid.
Celibacy is a concept that has been improperly grafted into the religion. We should assume that the leaders will set an example for the followers, that we should do as the leaders did. If they marry, then we should marry. Many of his original 12 disciples were married men, specifically including Peter. The requirements for a bishop are specific that he shall be married to one wife, so the marriage concept has been warped (by loose opinions stated as such stated by Paul of Tarsus) placing of improper value on virginity and celibacy both of which are improper pagan concepts “which enrich us not”. The prime message which Yashu brought also has been rather badly twisted by those who wish to sell repentance and forgiveness, and thus they accentuate guilt. The message is not one of guilt, shame or condemnation but salvation, and pride. God is the God of PEACE and LOVE; not strife, hate, violence or war. This is clearly, repeatedly stated. Yashu taught a positive ethic of Agape love, as opposed to the negative “thou shalt NOT” rules enforced by fear and punishment in the Old testament. It is a major ethical advance. He also taught self responsibility as opposed to obedience to “Authority”- and had more to say (Matt 23) against the sin of hypocrisy than any other wrong - it is a sin one commits against one’s self integrity more than against other people. The whole hope of the Christian belief is one of resurrection, ”For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten son that he who believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life, For God “sent his son into the world not to condemn the world but that the World through him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17). That resurrection is to be with a body incorruptible, and there are many different rewards “In my father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you so”(John 14:2). with “Bodies Celestial, Terrestrial, (telestial), One degree of glory of the sun, the moon and the Stars “(I Corr 15:40). This is to be obtained by Belief, and Baptism (baptismon meaning to be immersed) of the water and the pneumos (pneumos) - translated as either air or spirit, there being one baptism of John (water) and a second of the “spirit” or “air” which follows. The custom of “sprinkling” for baptism originated with Constantine. Up to that point people were totally immersed to “wash away their sins”. It was believed that the baptism relieved and forgave all sins so Constantine waited until he was dying for that rite; wishing to use that rite to wash away ALL his past “sins” or errors, which I suspect he believed were rather extreme, including for example killing of too many people to count easily. He waited a bit too long, and could not be moved from his death bed to total immersion without killing him. So after consultation they “sprinkled” him with “holy water”, claiming that was good enough. And if it is good enough for The Emperor, it is good enough for anyone else, so that became the custom. The early Christians also had been baptized “as proxy” for their deceased ancestors, but this had basically ceased by 325 AD. I have heard “Believe on his name and be saved” numerous times, with the amusing commentary that the speaker then could not give the proper name that was to be believed upon, usually saying “the name of Christ” (a title, the anointed one), or at best; the Greek version Jesus, which he would not have used.
I feel certain that Yashu spoke fluent Greek (evidence from Greek puns he used such as “Thou art Peter” (petros) “and upon this” (a feminine pronoun clearly referring to Revelation) “Rock” (petros) ”will I build my church” (congregation of people, not an organization as was later mis translated)), as well as Hebrew (the Language of the Synagogue) and Aramaic (his household language), and probably Egyptian and Roman Latin as well. He was without question a charismatic and well educated person. He was so typical of other men of the time that he could not have been picked out from a crowd in the street or the Temple open area, The Romans could not find him without help. He was a Son of God. But then he also granted that title to all of us that will accept it, and tried to get us to accept by way of “Our father who art in heaven..” I must note very few people are willing to accept His judgement, he thought more of most people, placed higher value on them, than they think of themselves. His religion indeed was one of positive values, as opposed to negative values, but again those who are not able to progress and operate at that ethical level have tended to regress back to a religion of repression, fear, and prohibitions. What He tired to pass on was a positive constructive attitude, to replace the negative and thus non-constructive past religious attitudes. Most of the petty bickering which has gone on was over mostly insignificant details. This was inspired by satanic selfish motivations. Yashu grossly condemned authority, authoritarianism, and hypocrisy, and was specific not to use special interpretations. Yet those forces immediately became dominant motivations within the leadership. What was taught was a decentralized personal religion, with “only one intermediary between man and God” - certainly not an oligarchy of men. Thus the apostasy he himself predicted has happened. The “End of the World” (actually end of the age) interpretations of these predictions mostly are pure nonsense, and until or unless mankind accepts self responsibility, and accepts a very agnostic, empirical basis for all religion, his thesis , message, will never be understood. Everyone then and now are looking for miracles done for them, yet the message is clearly one which specifies that the laws of the universe (of God) are immutable, and will not be changed on request because God must be consistent.. The miracle mongers in general follow Satan’s path, and then ask for payment - Pay to them for something that they say God did. I should think twice before I stole from God, and they are the very least are stealing credit, if not also physically stealing from the gullible people who are wanting something for nothing. The usual result is that they get nothing for something. The very concept of miracles defies and contradicts God’s consistent nature, breaking his rules. We have been told we would be judged by our actions. As long as we try we will be forgiven our errors, but one major unforgivable sin is just not trying. But as has been pointed out repeatedly if you can act and will not, why should you expect God to do something you yourself have refused to do? Thus we must at the very least do our best to set up conditions that are favorable to the result we desire before we ask any help at all. God may “help” by making things possible, but anything that can happen must be permissible. If something happened it must be possible.
CHRISTIANITY: Phases:: The original religion was Jewish, Messianic. The word Messiah in Hebrew translates to The Anointed one in English, Christus in Greek, all three indicating perfection or without blemish and also indicating chosen by anointing.. If there was a blemish it had been cured by the anointing. These early Christians had hope of quick results, actions. They expected an immediate second coming in power to end the reign of Romans. They were a unobtrusive minority, first recognized when they were blamed for the great fire in Rome by Nero, and many were killed at that time. The Christians in the first century AD were seen as an indistinguishable sect splintered off the Jewish religion like the Zealots, Pharisees, Sadducees, etc. They met in synagogues, on Saturday (Sabbath - Shibboth), and observed all the 7 high Jewish holy days 1) Passover and days of unleavened bread (Pasha or Peshwa, (15 to 22 Nisan or Abib) and the 2) Convocation, high assembly 7 days later (22 Nisan), 3) First harvest at Pentecost or wave offering (6-7 Sivan), 4) Rash Hashanna or Trumpets (1 Tishri), 5) Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement (10 Tishri) and 6) Tabernacles /Tents or Second Harvest (15 Tishri) and 7) its assembly 7 days later(22 Tishri) ; as well as Rejoicing in the Law 23 Tishri and the Festival of Lights, (Hanukkah). The Jewish religion suffered a major upset with the Zealot rebellion against Rome, the resulting sack of Jerusalem ca 70 AD and the Diaspora. In the period ca 100- 200 AD there was an admixture of other “pagan” rituals and rites from other religions added to Christianity, most notably by Pater Petros (Father Peter (the Zarthrusian), but do not confuse; ca a century after The Saint Peter’s death) from Zoroastrism. The Gnostics ca 150 AD taught total opposition of good and evil and claimed special revelation (Gnosis means “whispered” or secret special revelation, a tradition not to be found in the accessible books) and was lead by a Prophet Montanus (Phrygia ca 172 AD) and two priestesses who predicted the end of the world, and who provided a “third” set of books - the Old Testament of the Father, the New Testament of the Son, and this third set the Testaments of The Spirit. One of the main leaders was Terullian from Carthage, and it was condemned and suppressed in the next century or so. It particularly lost credibility when the world did not end as they scheduled. The early church was Greek in language and basic culture, not Latin. It was led by elders or “presbyteroi” presbyteroi in Greek usually translated as Priests in English, overseers or “episkopoi” episkopoi in Greek, now usually translated as Bishops in English, and assisted by attendants “diakonoi” diakonoi or deacons. These were a distinct class separate from the rest of the church (congregation). This distinction can best be seen by a letter of Clement of Rome, (Bishop of Rome ca 95 AD) to Carthage where he based his authority and the authority at Corrinth on historical succession. This he compared himself to the Levities who were hereditary priests and high priests, and over the laity who were a distinct order. Bishop Ignatius of Antioch wrote seven letters ca 150 AD on his way to Rome where he was killed that stressed the authority of the bishops. By 300 AD there were major disagreements between local leaders from various regions and in 324 these leaders were called to Nicaea by Constantine, a sun worshiper, who needed a new religion to weld his empire together.
The leaders now face to face in person continued to argue and no consensus was forth with coming, so Constantine set himself up as judge, listened to the arguments which had more or less resolved themselves into two major “camps” - that of Arius {(280-336 AD) A priest of Alexandria who taught (Arianism) that Jesus was not of the same substance as God the Father but merely the best of those created by Him} and Athanasious {(293-373 AD) Greek Church Patriarch of Alexandria teaching the “Trinity” Father, Son, and Holy Spirit equality}. Constantine more or less dictated the Nicaean Creed that was to be the final outcome, and which dominated The “universal” (Catholic) approved Roman Christian Church, while Arius fled into what now is Romania and Bulgaria where his version grew, lasted for several centuries and eventually the “Arian Heresy” died out. The conversion of the Empire to Christianity from Paganism was sudden and dramatic. Constantine decreed that no Christian could be held as a slave. So rather naturally almost all slaves quickly “converted” to gain their freedom. This in effect destroyed the slave based economy of Rome, and was one of the major causes of the collapse of the Empire. Christianity remained more or less universal for about 700 years more with a few notable exceptions like the Church Thomas founded in India or the Coptic church in Egypt which progressed on an independent path from the mainstream practices and beliefs which were crystalizing. Bishops were elected by their local congregations, and city bishops usually were considered to be over local rural bishops. Christianity was dominantly urban, as the rural nominally Christian peasants tended to continue to follow their traditional paganism, which is why Christian holidays like Christ’s mass were set to coincide with the pagan winter solstice festivals. In the fourth century the problem of authority competing for power was greatly reduced by the sack of Corrinth, Ephisus, etc. leaving only basically five main seats of power at Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Constantinople (after it was founded 330 AD) .Overall there was one basic belief and all Christians every where were looked on as the same. But the power struggle had begun, and Bishops were officially granted prestige equal to the city from which they came. There were a series of councils and at Constantinople in 381 that city was listed as a second see co equal to Rome. This displaced Alexandria etc. and assigned to them secondary status. In the time period near 649 there was a major East -West division of opinion over “one will” Monothelite & the Iconoclastic (destruction of images- particularly in Byzantinium this was important) argument which raged and from about 726 on further divided East and West traditions. At the same time Islam was encroaching into Christian territory. This eventually led to the preoccupation and the fighting over the control of the “holy land” in the crusades ca 1200-1400 AD and the conquest of Byzantinium in 1456.
There was a final major traumatic E-W disagreement in 1054 AD when the Bishop
of Rome (Leo I) & the Bishop of Constantinople mutually excommunicated
each other in a power struggle over primacy of church control. The
Bishop of Rome held that Rome was dominant and Constantinople must defer in
any disagreement to Roman decisions, while the Bishop of “The Eastern
Roman Empire” claimed to be About 1200 AD monastic orders were becoming a very common, popular, and important part of society. At that time two major religious orders were established which continue to this day. The Franciscans founded ca 1215 by St. Francis of Assisi (1181-1226) tended to be associated with the rich and nobility, and the Dominicans founded 1208 by St. Dominic (1170-1221)(of Castile Spain), tended to be associated with the common peasantry and poor. The Jesuit order founded much later (1534, abolished 1774, re-established 1814)had emphasis on education and became the largest masculine order. These orders and the feminine equivalents offered a refuge from the harsh conditions in society, and also tended to keep literature and education alive in an otherwise illiterate world. They demanded celibacy, thus acted as a gene pool sink for the most intelligent people, dramatically harming mankind by breeding more of the least intelligent. This sink; however, had the overall result of withdrawing those with lesser sexual drive leaving only those with stronger sexual drives to breed, thus increasing sexuality. That in part accounts for the declining number of candidates for Priesthood in the Roman Catholic faith today (mathematical calculation of a genetic sink has precisely the observed effect). About 1200 the philosophy of Scholasticism, an attempt to correlate church doctrine to the classical intellectual traditions dominated by the assumptions and thoughts of Aristotle, including particularly the works of Thomas Aquinus (1224-1274), also caused a major revision in church dogma. The revisionists introduced guilt and placed emphasis on the symbol of the cross and Christ’s death in payment for all sins, with original sin including sexuality as sin, as a major part of the religion. This change in turn later led to the Reformation. The dissatisfaction with corrupt practices {such as buying and selling “indulgences” to sin, even including up to forgiveness for murder}, was already present when Martin Luther (1483-1546 ) nailed his 95 theses to the All Saints Church door (31 Oct 1517) triggering rejection of Papal authority, and eventually all authority. He based justification on faith alone (Fideism), and founded the protestant Lutheran Church. Later the schism of the Anglican church (April 1532) under Henry VIII (1491-1547) . and finally John Calvin (1509-1564) in 1536 in Switzerland was prominent in the founding of yet other splits. These three major splits were followed by numerous other denominations such as the “Dutch Reformed Church” and later Baptists, the Methodists founded by John Wesley(1703-1791), and many more radical splits including Quakers, the Puritans, the Pentecostal, and the relatively recent “prophet” based sects, including the Mormons or more properly Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints by Joseph Smith (1805-1844) in 1830, Christian Scientists by Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) in 1866 and Jehovah’s Witnesses (1931) (International Bible Student’s Association (1872) or Russellites) founded by Charles T Russell (1852-1916).
In all of the above one major consideration was to attain and maintain
individual power, and “authority” over others. This was first done by
claiming hereditary authority (starting with Clement of Rome) and later adding
in the prestige and political power of the city. Later yet the reformation was
based upon This suited an elite nobility and serf society as a tool for keeping the peasants in their “place”. The serfs had to be punished to get them to conform to the behavior desired by the lords, so the religion also was of that type mentality. It later included the inquisitions - physical torture to force conformity or at least outward confession of conformity. In that same time it was thought pious to burn a nonconformist at the stake to help them - so that their soul might be set free of their possessed body. Fear and force punishment and pain were the tools being used to cause conformity to what ever theory was currently held by the inquisitors. Mary for example got pregnant, and then married to provide an institution for raising her expected child. Then she had several other children, several named sons and at least one daughter. This role model seems to have been ignored. Her role model has been confused, even reversed, by theologians who wanted to place undue and even unethical and improper value on virginity and celibacy. So they created explanations in contradiction to the historical record (as questionable as it was) to match their own values. This use of force to inflict theory on the followers can now easily be seen as an exact diametrically opposed reversal of the teachings that had founded the religion. It certainly was a low point ethically speaking, and recognition of this was the spark that ignited the protestant reformation. That in turn fanned the fire, causing the fools who had started it by erroneous logic just to apply that same stupidity with more vigor, -persisting in the error, in a vicious cycle. Each abuse caused more extreme polarization on both sides, and this led to numerous wars, millions of deaths, and all in the name of “The Prince of Peace”, and “Christian humanity”. This persists in the North Ireland violence today, and in reality it all was politically motivated, the religion was a smoke screen for political clash between political powers, more easily recognized by who controlled which church oligarchy.
This fear pain, negative motivation followed its irrational course to the Puritanical extremes, where behavior here-now was somber and all bodily pleasure even laughter, was rejected in an irrational expectation of getting a different but undefined “reward” later. The backlash from that now includes the “saved by grace alone” religions, but the variations cover almost any psychotic mental state you can specify. Those who are happy with themselves do not need the fear, guilt or domination implied by most “authoritarian” based religions. Indeed Marx made the comment that religion is the opiate of the masses. Religions entrap and serve only those who are incompetent or unwilling to make their own ethical judgements, or those who need a “father” figure to dominate their lives. Let us examine several Christian “sects”, and not being proud perhaps we can “borrow” the good from each, avoiding that which is not good. We must remember that there are over 240 different “Christian” “churches” in the Los Angeles phone book alone so a total listing is impractical.
The Roman Catholic Church is the largest world wide, equal to all others
combined, and it has a centralized “government” which has kept it fairly
uniform until recently. With the mass now being in the local language the
Latin unification has disappeared, and more and more differences are
appearing. Three major flaws involve 1) a “fate” fear motivation,
“karma” “if we get something bad we deserved it” attitude, 2) a lack of
general interest or perhaps apathy, and 3) the celibacy/ birth control
problem. The attitude of fate causes people not to work, or strive to better
themselves. If they succeed, it was God’s will and if they fail it is not
their fault, so they leave it up to God. The general population
disagrees with the official policy in many areas, and there is a failing
confidence in the leadership - to put it bluntly the priests are out of
contact with reality and their people. For example celibacy is being rejected
by more and more people, and the infidelity of the priests who get caught
rather regularly does nothing to help their arguments. Birth control, divorce,
and lack of practical guidance in a fast changing world have left the church
out dated, out of contact, and thus ignored by most people who are nominal
Catholics but simply do not bother to attend. The members in general certainly
no longer are under the tight confessional control of the priests any more.
The recent removal of philosophical “garbage” which was inserted over the
years has no doubt helped. For example they recently lifted the sanctions
against Gallileo - perhaps a bit too late. Overall a large part of the
devout membership still believe in miracles, and a cornerstone of mysticism
and illogical mysteries is opening a probably fatal crack in the basic
foundation. The attempt to correct flaws is so slow because of the huge
bureaucratic oligarchy that problems are accumulating faster than solutions at
this time. There is a need to change, and still a need to provide
stability, to hold to necessary ethical principles. The dogma of
infallibility must be discarded, and the rites must be made more responsive to
current needs; but taking a “vote” and “pure” democratic processes will not
work either. Some of the Priests are taking the initiative, ignoring
central direction and oligarchic control and making needed changes. But
that can be as fragmentally bad as it is responsively good. The church
clearly must stand for something, and it can not change to meet the whim of
every minority demand. So the dilemma of meeting
My suggestions would include for example on the abortion issue (the ethics involved in church doctrine by the way is basically correct) of providing “shelter” for unwed mothers, and fast easy adoption of “unwanted” babies. By providing a “better” alternative, the church can bring what they perceive as an unethical practice to a halt - or at least minimize it. The same thing is true of Drugs, Alcoholism, Occupational problems, and every other social ill. The key is to provide better alternatives. You (we) can not just say “do what I tell you” any more; we must “put our money where our mouth is” and actually assist in the behavior we want to encourage and obviously discourage the what we perceive to be bad behavior,,,,, and NOT waste energy on things that really do not matter. This means getting rid of any nonfunctional bureaucracy, and all “cloistered orders” which do not contribute to the general congregation (NOTE: church= a group of people, NOT an organizational structure or a bunch of parasites living from the donations of the people). EASTERN or GREEK ORTHODOX After the split ca 1054 the Roman group and the Eastern Church were separate. The Byzantine church more or less has disappeared and with the exception of one small group on an island it no longer exists. The Greek church remains and is dominant in the eastern Mediterranean today, as well as having a major influence in most U.S. cities. The rites tend to be more conservative than Roman Catholic, but priests commonly do marry, and the congregation is not particularly evangelical so they are not growing either. RUSSIAN ORTHODOX This has of late been so suppressed that it almost is not a church any more. At one time ca 1600-1850 it was strongly dominant in Russia, but now it is a distinctly a minority group. The old mysticism as “opiate of the Masses” still persists, but drives away as many people as it attracts now since “science” and “atheism” is the “new religion”. The more education people have the less the tendency to return to the traditional churches, and it is attracting few leaders or people who can continue the traditions. The skepticism in examination of mystical claims is destroying credibility, and mysticism and irrational claims must be discarded.if it is to survive. PROTESTANT GROUPS Lutheran churches, particularly in Scandinavia and Germany, and in the N. U.S. provide a very conservative, stable background, but with stable to decreasing total population. The original split was caused by assertion of the primacy of conscience and the Bible and rejecting Papal political control. They are second to Roman Catholic in number, and in the period ca 1850 were very strongly involved in missionary work, but that has declined today. The Ayrian myth of Hitler withdrew official state support & close examination of concepts discredited much of what the Lutheran dogma had stood for. By avoiding excessive mysticism and fraudulent “faith healer” claims they have retained an aura of conservatism and respectability, but the lack of that sort of “fire” also has created apathy. The dogmatic “faith” like Catholicism is fairly rigid, and not suited to rapid change.
The Episcopal church (Anglican or Church of England in British lands) is also ultra conservative and differs only minimally from Catholicism. The chief difference is rejection of Papal power and declaration that the King (Queen) of England is “spiritual head” of the church, and marriage of priests is allowed if not required. This was the “elitist” church in the U.S. for many years. In the “protestant pyramid” they were at the top in terms of financial status of its members, and the Pentecostals were pretty much at the bottom. The last laid up treasures in heaven since they seemed unable to do so on earth. The social contacts within the Episcopal church tended to make it a place for socially upward mobile people to go to meet those richer yet, and form acquaintances which could be mutually helpful in business. The dogma is very close to Roman Catholic (and ordinances are generally mutually recognized between the two), but Pastors generally are married, they accept some women priests now, and the balance of stability versus need to change seems to be more toward maintaining stability with slow changes, just enough change to remain viable. Because the “church of England” was a state operated church there were also numerous “Non conformist” churches which sprang up in England. These people sought freedom of religion and many came to the colonies to escape persecution by the “conformist” church. The Puritans were an extremist group trying to make a total protestant reformation, to “purify” the church as much as possible as opposed to the Anglican church which closely followed Catholic traditions. They historically were the first in the U.S. starting in Massachusetts, and more or less immediately split with the excommunicated Roger Young going to Rhode Island to avoid the persecution of the Puritans. The Puritans using force and with exceedingly strict dogma, and rigid rules of behavior have been the cause of much mental illness in the U.S. and the world today, as well as the Civil War in England ca 1650. Their irrational extreme attitudes rejecting happiness, sensual pleasure, and sex have possibly caused more misery than any other group, totally disproportionate to their numbers.
Another major group that migrated to the U.S. under William Penn were the
“quakers” who came to Pennsylvania. The “Society of Friends” or Quakers adhere
strictly to “friendly persuasion”, & reject violence and use of force, even by
secular authority. They believed in obeying only their own conscience.
Yet authority has crept back in because they thought they needed leadership.
I agree that violence is the last refuge of an incompetent, Yet by the
very presence of numerous incompetent (defective) people violence is
inevitable. To protect one’s self it is necessary to use or at least be
prepared to use) violence or else the violent people will enslave and dominate
everyone else. Someone has had to protect the Quakers from, for example
Hitler. I agree that violence is detestable, reprehensible and Satanic.
But as long as others practice it, a willingness to use violence to counter
violence must be present. The doctor may not like to operate, with the
blood and pain it causes, but in order to save the rest of the body it is
necessary to cut out the cancer, the wild uncontrolled cells that violate the
rules of the “body”. The operation must be done to remove the disorder
from that “society”. The same is
The “Pennsylvania Dutch” and Amish have elected “not to be modern” but in so doing they also have rejected education and progress to maximal potential. They do not use many “untried” inventions until the social effects are well known. But they ignore the fact that they do use almost all inventions up to about 1800, and are not above adopting others such as antibiotics thus the theology it irrational and inconsistent. The one thing that they have is a relatively simple patterned life which avoids stress by avoiding decisions. It lacks variety of experience, violating the key assumptions that variety is desirable. If variety is the spice of life then they approach the ultimate in bland living. The Unitarian church basically believes in everything and nothing. They allow such freedom of belief that they lack cohesion. This drives off many people, and it is rare to find anyone who is devout so this church lacks the drive of other evangelical churches. Their tolerance for diversity is their strong point, but that opposed fanaticism, so they do not make “waves” needed to attract attention. The Presbyterians are generally the development of the Swiss and Rhineland reforms culminating with John Calvin(1509-1564). The ministry of church government is elective with Christ only as head and other local officials elected democratically by the equal local lay members or presbyters, ministers are appointed to Pastorates of a church with consent and by the area Presbytery over several churches. Several of those Presbytery form the Synod, with the overall Synod directing general policy. Churches may release a pastor or he may chose to leave without consent of the Presbytery. The Presbytery is made up of all ministers in an area, plus one elder from each church. here is also a General Assembly which like the Synod meets annually. In general the Articles state that Christ died only for the predestined elect (the chosen leading to determinism). In general this leads to legalistic doctrine, and precise forms of “church” government. The Baptists in general, and General Baptists in specific split from the other protestants ca 1608- 1611 when Thomas Heleys returned from Amsterdam after persecution of separatists and contact there with John Smyth. They believe only in Baptism for believers, thus insisting that only those who were old enough to understand what they were doing should be immersed, and rejecting child baptism. They believe in the “Armenian” general atonement of all men not just the “elect” who were predestined to be saved. In the period 1680-1750 they declined but appear in 1770 New Connection Baptists & under “Methodist” evangelical influence they greatly expanded, formed the Baptist Union ca 1814 US, and then split again.
The US Southern Baptist established in 1854 by a split with the “Northern
Baptists” over slavery issues this is presently the largest denomination in
the U.S. (ca 14,000,000) They are a loose confederation of independent
congregations and until recent attempts of fundamentalists to take control,
there was minimal central control. The fundamentalist are a major faction who
deny evolution in favor of The Methodists were founded as a “society” by John Wesley (1703-1791) et al. ca 1750-1770 within the Church of England. They split totally off only in 1795. They insist on religion being mainly one’s own personal relationship with God, and reject doctrinal conformity. Their evangelical style using lay ministers greatly influenced most other groups. Their biggest success was with the working class who felt rejected by the “conformist” church, helping them to raise their status by giving them hope, by spiritually overcoming depression, by encouraging thrift, education, frugal living. There have been several schisms, over slavery, etc. most of which have been reunified now. The self help theme placed this congregation usually into the rising middle class. In the period ca 1820-1850 with the circuit riders, the Methodists had more members on the US frontier than any other denomination. The Pentecostal church grew out of the “Holiness” movement as one schism. The Church of Christ starting from the Disciples of Christ in the 1850 time period- U.S. mid 19th century relied on the New Testament as sole authority, and reject musical instruments, with a total rejection of creedal subscription and emphasis on a need for continued reforms, both personal and organizationally . The Pentecostal churches, and Assemblies of God came into being in the time ca 189--1910 when the older Methodist, Baptist and Disciples of Christ “churches for the poor” has become so much associated with the rising middle class that the poor no longer felt welcome To fill the need the Pentecostal group came into being, and helped them “lay up riches in heaven” to compensate for the lack of riches in this world. The in general allow any form of Baptism elected, believe in spontaneous testimonies, speaking in tongues, prayer in unison, or common time and extemporaneous sermons, with Lay preachers.
ISLAM ::The Way, is the religion founded by Mohammed or Muhammed (570-632 AD) with official isolunar dates (AH) starting from the Hegera, or flight from Mecca at 622 AD. Originally Arabic, and with El Koran (Quran) being written in the Arabic language this has acted to unify and stabilize the language. It has spread widely in Africa and the Middle East, as far as the Pacific. Islam is generally less fragmented than most other religions. It also is newer and thus has had less time to fragment. But there are at least four fundamental groups all disagreeing with one another to some extent; the three “S” sects are the Suni, the Shiite and Sufi, and the last is the Black or Negro Muslim movement. All of these follow five pillars of Islam (Arkla_n Al Islam): 1) Profession of faith (salat), 2) Prayer 5 times a day (Shahada), (if possible facing Mecca the Holy city), 3) Fasting each Ramadan month Sun up to Sun down (zakat), 4) A “tax” for orphans and widows (sawm), 5) if possible a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life (Hajj). The emphasis on Mecca makes the religion “provincial” and assures sooner or alter the total destruction of Mecca.
The creed is Belief 1) in One God (omnipotent, omniscient, unique, and merciful) 2) in Angels, 3) in the Revealed Books, 4) in the Prophets (including Adam, Abraham who is perhaps more important to Islam than Christianity, Moses, Christ whose divinity is rejected but accepted as a prophet, and most perfect and final - ultimate last of all Mohammed); 5) in the Day of Judgement. All men are exhorted to “surrender to The Will of Allah” , and follow the Shariah or laws, a total all embracing way of life (established by religious teachers) ca 200 -300 years AH which codify behavior and are “commanded by God” (Since Mohammed was the last prophet this is internally inconsistent). Since Mohammed had to flee, and later had to become militant to promote his religion, the Jihad or holy war has been abused by rulers to justify aggression, political power struggles and greed. The profession of faith “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is the prophet of God” is a learned dogmatic and semantically meaningless response, not a rational process, i.e. brainwashing to achieve obedience to authority. Most of the prayers, as in Christianity, also are mindless repetition which as far as I can see accomplishes nothing beneficial but more brainwashing. The fasting could help one loose weight, but I also note tempers flair in Ramadan, and there are more fights and so on, including murders, then than any other month. As a side note the Calendar is isolunar, and not solar, thus is generally much more primitive than for example Egypt ca 3000 BC, Mesopotamia ca 700-100 BC or the Maya or Aztec at the same general time--i.e. it is a poor agrian choice since the seasons rotate. It is a nomadic not a farmer’s calendar. The tax for the poor may have been intended as a good idea, but it is not a valid form of charity today. That is not the fault of Mohammed, but those who did not do what he proposed. The Pilgrimage to Mecca makes the whole religion “provincial” and thus limits it. As a side note Islam invented algebra, the concept of zero, and “Arabic” numbers while Christianity was in the “dark ages”. The Arabic schools in Spain passed most of the Classical Greek works to us via translation from Arabic back to Greek. European “scholarship” for years in the time near 1200-1400 AD consisted of translating Spanish Arabic works into Latin or Greek, or the local language and taking them back home. One must not dismiss Islam as “primitive” without caution. In fact the basic teachings are highly ethical and the problem is men have “interpreted” the original writings in such a way as to actually reverse what was said. Mohammed held that all men were brothers, and insisted on treating them with the respect one would use for a cousin or nephew or close relative. So long as his followers obeyed those precepts, Islam grew at an exponential rate. As soon as they split into sects, started arguing over power, and who would loot- steal from whom, how to control the wealth that was created by the stable society, etc, then it ceased to be HIS religion and became a religion of his interpreters. And it ceased to grow, eventually peaked, and now is loosing territory. It has lost much of its intellectual appeal, mostly by child like actions of irresponsible, but popular leaders, rigid dogma which is outdated, and rigid outdated customs which do not fit today’s world. Yet this fits most “third world” nations well, because they still are in the more primitive, or perhaps child like ethical state. The Black Muslim movement within the U.S. also is expanding because the religion appeals to those whose interests are not served by the more “established” white (WASP) religions.
MAYA, AZTEC The New World religion of the Maya was polytheistic with perhaps the Panther and Snake (Quetzalquatl) gods being most common. The Maya used blood sacrifice, lancing their own tongues etc. to get blood, and human sacrifice was common. The Aztec, bloodier yet, offering a still beating human heart each day, and several on special days, to their “Sun” god. Their whole civilization was built on a caste system, with war and conflict more or less as a normal part of their existence. The extremely authoritarian hereditary hierarchy was propped up by the priests who worshiped their various and numerous Gods at the top of pyramids. Usually the pyramid of the Sun was largest, with the Moon being second in size, and with perhaps as many as 50 smaller pyramids being present in a larger city. The agrarian based communities traded extensively within their empires, and the emphasis on which gods dominated varied somewhat from city to city, but almost all used similar rituals. INCA The Inca Empire worshiped Inti, the Sun God, Killia the Moon Goddess, and numerous other (Air/ Condor, Water/Fish - Whale, Earth/Panther, etc.) Gods. Their caste system was based upon promotion of the best, most intelligent best leaders / workers to “Inca” status, with only the top position of THE Inca being reserved for the hereditary Inca family. At age 12 boys and girls were taken and “apprenticed” to appropriate trades. These included Temple (School) of Waters for irrigation, Condor to learn raising ducks/geese or hunting birds; Llama for animal husbandry; Earth for agriculture, Stone for masonry; Pottery, etc, for boys and Weaving, Spinning, making Chicha (a maize fermented alcoholic beverage) and Cooking etc. for the girls. At age 18 the boys were required to pass a “test” to prove their competence by, for example, being given a female Llama, breeding and raising a baby llama; or building a specific size stone dry wall, etc. before they could marry. The theory was that they had to prove they could support a wife before they could have one. If they did not complete the test by age 25 then they would be drafted into Imperial service and never be married. The girls at age 18 were “chosen” and the best in each talent selected and reserved for the Inca class, and the “left over girls” were married off at the next “marriage day” in their town in their 18th year. Up to that point sex was strictly prohibited, with severe whipping and even death as punishment for violation. After marriage sex with the intent of having babies was mandatory. This was the way the empire kept an expanding working class. By the way the workers usually aged very fast and were “used up” and looked old by about age 35. The chosen girls (the best 10-15%) were taken to the Inca for whom they were selected, and married and started into reproduction but that might be delayed for as much as most of a year. In either case the best of the chosen Inca men and women were selected to be the teachers for the next cycles. Those men who were most skilled, and best leaders were promoted into the second level of Incas, and given second or even third wives. The very best girls were reserved for the harem of THE Inca or highest hereditary “Gods on Earth” Inca class. THE Inca needed many weavers since he wore a new, relatively fancy, and thus time consuming, garment each day. Thus many girls were dedicated to just weaving THE Inca’s clothing. They might be “honored” sexually as well. Available girls were displayed (semi nude) for his selection each evening.
One must remember that having a child by THE Inca would assure lifetime of relatively easy work, and luxury, and they were being honored by “God on Earth”, so the selected candidates were far from reluctant. The Hollywood Romantic concept of Love simply did not exist in that culture, but it was very pragmatic in all aspects. While ugly or disfigured girls had no chance at all to be selected, skills were far more important toward selection than physical “beauty”. But attractive physical looks also was part of the “Miss Inca” contest each year. All the chosen girls had to be moderately attractive. The marriages were performed in small towns once a year, in bigger cities four times a year as part of the festivals at equinoxes and solstices. In the smaller towns some representative from THE Inca was sent once each year to check on the town and to perform necessary judgements of criminals or to give appropriate rewards, or perform marriages. The eligible girls and boys were lined up , and those who had selected a spouse were paired, and those who had not voluntarily selected a spouse were also involuntarily paired off by the official At his instruction the couples joined hands (the official marriage ceremony) , and were given ceremonial “wacos” with about a half liter of chicha, to share, followed by a feast, dancing, and then to bed for sexual intercourse. The set of wacos from the local “temple” portraied different sexual positions (always “missionary” for the first night), and for the next lunar month the couples were given an appropriate different waco each night, to try that new position. Many of these ceramic wacos were hidden and survived destruction by the Spanish Christian priests who were horrified at that “pagan” practice; but golden ones (from Cusco) were virtually all melted down and the gold shipped to Spain. The first sexual contact was in the temple precinct accompanied by priest/ priestess, so that the newly married couple could be supervised and advised in their first attempts. There was love in marriage, particularly for the Inca class, but the marriages for the workers was was just part of living, and romantic love was not expected, or even discouraged. It was a more a “duty”, like everything else in their lives, regulated by the Inca supervisors. Also sex was not hidden but done openly, particularly at festivals, and celebrations, in their society. The Incas collected “work” or “Labor” taxes. Men and women were drafted. as an honor and a reward. Being drafted to do Imperial Inca construction was an incentive to be worked for. This could include building terraces and opening new fields, building roads, buildings, etc. and for the women preparation of the meals and chicha for the workers. Since the work was “special” the workers also were much better fed than usual, and had Chicha as a special treat. But in return they were expected to work harder for shorter hours than usual to accomplish a “day’s work” with time enough to have a fiesta in the evening, and then sleep it off (after sex) by the next morning, when they returned to the job at hand. The religion was much less sanguine than the Mayas, but sacrifice and in extreme duress, human sacrifices, were made. The ritual killing of white Llamas or Cui (guinea pigs) for festivals, and sharing of the meat was part of their normal culture.
The Incas started ca 1200 AD to conquer a series of prior civilizations, and by the contact with Pizaro in 1534 had established an empire which assimilated perhaps 20 other ethnic groups. The conquered people were not required, in general to give up their old Gods and customs. The Incas simply tolerated and assimilated these other Gods as part of their pantheon, so long as Inti was supreme. Most of the groups had worshiped the Sun in any case, perhaps under a different name, so the amalgamation was relatively painless to all concerned. The superlative organizational skills of the Incas tended to allow distribution of food to places which had crop failures, and thus the empire as a whole was far better off under the Incas than they had been alone. The best leaders who would accept the new system also were simply assimilated as Incas, so they also lost nothing. For example the Wari culture, going back at least 500 years prior to the Incas, had had a series of major disasters because of drought caused by a climatic shift. The Incas just moved the population to areas with adequate water. The first moves were forced, but after a trial period, and discovery that this WAS better, this was communicated back the the relatives left behind, and they more or less fled the city for the “better life”. The Wari stone masons were far superior to the Inca masons, so the Incas just assimilated them into the Inca class, and the extremely precise and fine Inca stone work in the next two to three centuries is directly traceable to the techniques further developed from the earlier Wari culture. When the Incas were conquered by the Spanish, ca 1534 they did not really change the system, but they simply displaced the upper Inca class and became hereditary “Rancheros” ruling over relatively vast areas in places for centuries. That system was not really terminated until ca 1970, when an attempted land reform divided the huge land estates and and gave it to the Campasinos who had been working it under share cropper provisions. However, the best (most) of the rancheros had also been providing invaluable management services and returning most of their “share” to the campasinos anyway. When a road needed to be repaired, or an irrigation canal needed to be cleaned, they would select a supervisor, and crew of workers to do the job and they would be paid “wages” from the collected shares. Thus when the newly “free” campasinos started out they felt that they could plant 40-50% less, since they did not have to share it. And most of them went hungry and a few starved to death because of the lack of direction which they had had for centuries, and could not do without, unless they were first given education they had not had. Thus the tyrannical abuses of the few bad Rancheros, were replaced by total freedom, and self responsibility including the freedom to starve, for which they had not been prepared. The nominal Catholic religion in Peru/ Bolivia, Ecuador today is mixed with many remnants from the Inca period. The Quetchua people (who speak Quetchua language) are still a distinct majority (65%) but they have their own “herbal” doctors, and psychic, occult practitioners, as well as having grafted much of the worship of Sol / Inti into the other Church rituals. For example the currency of Peru is in Intis, and there is a distinct revival of other 400 year old practices.
Witchcraft, Neo-paganism:: (Wiccia = craft of the wise), In the centuries past accused witches were drowned (tied up and thrown into the water as a test of guilt - if they floated, then the water rejected their baptism and they were guilty and otherwise killed, usually horribly; if they sank, then they were innocent, and the baptism was accepted “into the arms of Jesus” - catch 22 - dead or dead) , burned at the stake (for their own good, naturally, as the cleansing fire drove out the “evil” spirits) , or hung (30+ at Salem Mass ca 1692 a “Puritan” form of “Christianity”). For that reason up until quite recently this practice was quite secretive. The witches were perceived to be a threat to the “organized church” (Christian) since they were in competition with them for “souls”, and just incidentally for tithes, and power. There are numerous factions with variations on practice in almost every detail possible, and the one prime characteristic of neo-paganism is a lack of organized central authority. The general emphasis is on Wiccian “Goddess” worship (Intuitive, and psychic, “Drawing Down the Moon”, i.e. female), a direct inverse reaction to the male dominated Christian beliefs. There is an emphasis on observation of “natural” cycles, and “nature worship.” Most groups are organized into covens typically with traditional 13 members, but there are probably as many solitary practicing witches as those in groups. Because it is female goddess centered it is more attractive to women than men, but relatively balanced. The initiation of a man is usually done by a woman and a woman by a man The rituals are “bipolar”, sexual, and the necessary male/female balance is usually kept and recognized, (male, God, Drawing Down the Sun is too forceful, logical, impersonal, and much less used). The initial new wave of public witchcraft was started ca 1940 by Gerald Gardner, Gardnerian tradition, with later split into the Alexanderian tradition and with later proliferation of covens which happened as soon as the anti-witchcraft laws were repealed in Britain. The rituals allegedly have come down secretly person to person for millennia, but no coherent proof of this can be provided. In fact Gardner’s “Book of Shadows”, which is hand copied from one person to the next, had “filled in gaps” and then later removed some material from numerous sources trying to re-establish complete or coherent rituals matching earlier ritual. Each person is free to establish their own rituals. Similar practices are recorded in Europe going back for well over 1000 years. The witch hunters and persecutors in the period 1400-1750 listed the things to look for to uncover this practice, so it is rather well documented from those sources. The one major ethical tenant is “An it harm none, Do as ye will.”,- self responsible freedom of choice. A major fraction of white wiccians refuse money for services, but accept “in kind” services. The major annual holidays include Vernal Equinox (March 22), Bealtaine (Spring - May Day or the night of 30 April), Midsummer’s Eve (June 21), Lughnasadh (31 July/ 1 Aug), Autumnal Equinox (21 Sep), Samhaim (Halloween 31 Oct), Yule (Winter solstice), Imbolg (2 Feb mid winter) and monthly with each dark of the moon (variation full of moon) also being a time for worship . The classical coven meets “sky clad” (without clothing, others wear robes) in a “circle” that is closed with a ritual black handled knife/dagger or Athame, (a male-fire symbol). The other tools include white handled knife and or sword (optional); wand (male, air), cup (female water), Censer (air), Pentacle(earth disk with pentagram on it female-formerly of wax so it could be melted), Cords (red blue and white), Broom (male), Cauldron (fem), Necklaces (which women wear in circle), Garter (both male and female)
There is music and dancing, usually drink - wine being popular, singing, and chanting in most circles. Sex is frequently shared, and is part of the “Third Level” initiation, but in most conservative groups it is with a spousal relationship, with one to whom they have had a “hand-fastening” marriage. Children are given a name “wiccaning” and there are also remembrances for the dead. The burning of a candle (fire) is part of the circle and otherwise common, and the ceremony (ring) is dedicated to the four elements, air, fire, water and earth, {E, N, W and S} {color blue, red, green (also clear or white), and brown} There is an immense amount of detail, including herbal use, emphasis on nature, and good mental health, which are very effective, as well as astrology, crystal use, numerology, and other symbology and fortune telling practices which are dubious or not of proven efficacy. The problem is one of weeding out the effective practices, from the clutter of other detail. There is a belief in “power” or “energy” which is not an exact equivalent to the Physics definition and can neither be seen nor otherwise measured, but which is claimed to be effective. Since it has the effect of helping with mental health it is an useful concept, but needs a new word, which has been suggested perhaps as Kinergy - to differentiate from the physics force times a distance energy. The Pentagram (Star) is a symbol of good white magic with the one point up, and with two points up becomes the symbol of black magic/satanism/bad (also second degree). The 8 ways of making magic are 1{Meditation or concentration}, 2{Chants, spells, incantations, invoking the Goddess (or powers)}, 3Astral Body Projections/ out of body experiences, 4{Sensory release. incense, wine, mushrooms, etc. any potion which releases the spirit}, 5Dancing, 6Blood Control (cords), 7the Scourge (whip), and 8“The Great Rite” (Sexual release). There are three degrees- levels of member- the initiate, who is bound hands behind back and blindfolded, given two pass words {Perfect Love and Perfect Trust}, and introduced into the circle {pushed from behind with the third pass word “A kiss”} and then scourged (3,6,9,21) after taking vows is the first degree; the second level in which the Initiate demonstrates use all tools, and initiates the person instructing them, and is made a High Priest (Priestess); and finally the third degree which initiation involves “The Great Rite”, sexual intercourse (symbolic or more usually real). High Priestess who have a coven split off add a buckle to their garter, and with three buckles become a “queen”. Almost all Wiccians believe in reincarnation, & a form of transcendentalism. They also believe that they must go through both male and female states so as to experience both. The universe is divided into Astral mental and spiritual planes, with a belief in psychic powers that manipulate these levels. The general impression I personally have had is that the wiccians tend to be a bit irresponsible. They have no compelling reason to practice good ethics, since there is no major penalty “in the afterlife” or no judgment which would restrain bad ethical practice. The general injunction to harm no one else fails to provide motivational incentive to obey that ethical rule. Further the religion is mostly attractive for “rebels” who are looking for “something for nothing”, psychic information without paying for it in mental effort being the main goal.
Thus the claims. and false claims of psychic phenomena allow perpetuation of frauds since no one will admit that THEY alone are not receiving psychic help and everyone else is. There is a great deal of unprovable nonsense involved in the rituals. These may emotionally benefit the people who take part, but the real world effects totally lack “skeptical” proof, thus must be rejected until or unless there is evidence which can be reproduced and or documented. Many wiccians also practice tree worship to some extent like the Druids below. DRUID- Neo Druid, (Knowing the Oak Tree), From the ancient Celts, in the time of Julius Caesar, studied astronomy, ancient verse, natural philosophy, and lore of the Gods to become leaders of the clans. They served as leaders and judges, and worshiped the Sacred Doar (Oak Tree), having made animal and even human sacrifices to obtain favors form the Gods. They believed in immortality and reincarnation. and were the “Indo European” priest class in Europe equivalent to the Indian Brahmans. They were repressed by Romans, and had a high quality trade civilization from ca 1000 BC to about 30 BC.
A list of comparison of characteristics of The Roman Catholic Church and Wiccia may be interesting. CATHOLIC WICCIA Centralized Decentralized Dogmatic, absolute Variable, even contradictory Monolithic control Diffuse no formal organization Discourages diversity Diverse, variety encouraged Authoritarian, Tyrannical Individual-Self responsible and Anti- Authoritarian Militant- coercion Opposes use of force Static Dynamic, changing Lacks curiosity Investigative, curiosity APOLLIAN DIONYSIAN Dogma controlled from above Uncontrolled (and how!) Limits exploration/ knowledge Open to anything almost Hierarchy Small unit, minimal bureaucracy Large groups, millions, collective Individuals, small groups (13) Collective mentality Cooperative mentality Enslaved,. domination Freedom, individualistic Asexual, celibate Sexual, families, Puritanical Sensual, Joyful Monotheistic Polytheistic Male/masculine domination Balance-(female Goddess emphasis) Grandiose, bombastic simple, undemonstrative Big buildings none Fancy clothing/ “uniforms” none (!!!) Fear, guilt, sin motivation Hope, innocence, optimism Paralysis, inaction negative motivation Does things, positive motivation Paid priesthood (fed, housed parasitic) Unpaid, (net loss, pay for) Repetitious rituals Variable ceremony, changing
SHAMANISM:: The Shaman is “he who knows” , a “medicine man” or spirit priest. His most important function in all cultures is to heal. To do this the shaman as a rule deals with spirits, both demonic (bad) and beneficial (good) as well as the spirit of the person being healed and his own spirit. He usually has at call several beneficial spirits, one or more of which he allows to use his body in possession, as well as using ritual, smoke, talismen, and other magical means to drive off bad or unwanted spirits. He also may be involved in trying to put back a spirit that has wandered, leaving the body sick. One key element usually used is out of body experiences, and spirit voyages, with other world experiences. Usually there is a initiation involving many trials, and usually must receive special instructions or secrets from “masters.” In many cultures the position is inherited, in others it is elective, or self imposed. Some of the rituals and cures involve real curative herbs, and thus the shaman frequently is the local “doctor” To the extent that the shaman cares and spends time with his patients, or “clients” he is helping them cure themselves by “placebo” effect if nothing else. He says “we DO care so that the person wants to get well, and thus provides the will to cure themselves. VOODOO:: This particular form of Shamanism, is found in Hati, and has the peculiar characteristic of belief in “walking dead” zombies, and use of dolls to inflict by simulacrum pain or harm on victims. The rituals include dancing and a particularly hypnotic drum beat mixed with alcohol and other drugs, to enhance “out of body” hallucinations. MAGIC: This word has been used and misused to mean many things. It can be a “Magic show” where an illusionist performs many “tricks” in which our mind is tricked into making false assumptions which were not really input by our senses, particularly our eyes, and we are fooled into believing impossible things happened. This is really entertainment at its best as it can (should at least) make us think skeptically about what we did and did not really observe. The usual bad assumption is that what had been shown continued to be the same in the absence of continued observation, or confusion of perception where we assume we have been shown two different things.and really have been shown one thing twice, or optical illusions in three dimensions. A second meaning can be results which we do not understand. “One man’s science is another man’s magic.” Thus magic can be ways of getting results which are not scientifically understood yet. Most of the common medical remedies have a history that goes back into herbal “magic.” Aspirin is named for the bark of the Aspen tree. People with toothaches, headaches etc. chewed that bark for millennia. Eventually Dr Bayer in Germany learned to make the pure compound chemically, and package it as a pill. This pill was more easily given, more effective and easier to control. It also tasted better.
The mouldy bread poultice applied to an infection indeed would help if the
bread mould was a specially selected strain kept and cultured for generations
by the local “hex” (witch) doctor. We eventually learned to grow penicillin
and extract it to pill form. Up until then no one could explain why it
worked, but it did - -- The most common laxative is still a bark from a tree, the raw materiel from which birth control pills are made comes from a special yam, the medicine of choice from Gout was found in “sea onions” used in bouillabaisse stew. The list is virtually endless, and even more to the point, the list of herbal remedies which have NOT been added to the practicing urban witch doctor’s approved pharmacy list is greater than the list that have been added and “approved” by “authority”. . Unfortunately Magic has a third darker meaning of a series of rituals which are claimed to be “secret” or “special powers” pre-science as above, which the owner claims will give results, but which are just frauds. People who make discoveries often keep them secret to gain an advantage of power or wealth over other people. I would estimate; however, that at least 95% of all “secrets” thus claimed are illusion, “smoke and mirrors” which belong in the illusionist category, and are the subject of numerous police fraud investigations. Those who do not get caught obtain unearned wealth -i.e. are successful practicing thieves. At least half of the fortune tellers are just fortune takers, peddling a smooth sales pitch with larceny in their heart. This is where separation of “religion” and “business” must come into play. It also is the reason that the majority of practicing wiccians will not take money for psychic services, and at most will allow the beneficiary to make “payment” by returning some similar favor for their favor. This is a sharp contrast in ethical motivation to the fortune takers who are not motivated by “love” but by greed. Claims about the entire range of psychic powers (ESP) are being exploited by unscrupulous people to bilk unsuspecting victims who are credulous enough to pay others for use of those powers which they themselves do not possess. For this reason I am a great “do it myself” addict I also never charge for anything “psychic” -I paid nothing so I charge nothing, and it may be worth every cent paid. The large quantity of fraud does not totally negate the existence of real psychic abilities. They apparently can not be commanded and used at will. You must just happily take what ever bonus psychic results come your way. Trying to force them just creates a “signal to noise ratio” which overwhelms the real signal. While I have no proof to offer that they exist, I also have no proof they do NOT exist either. I have obtained enough results that I believe in them. I am trying to maintain a skeptical open mind, willing to listen to evidence, but also horribly cautious since I am also aware of the majority of provable lies and other negative results. I strongly advocate seeking new and better ways. That is the way we make progress. I use subconscious ‘tricks” which work for me and do not disparage tricks which do not work for me but which seem to work for others. I try to recognize and discard quackery of all sorts, “scientific” as well as psychic. Yet hope demands that I keep trying. Sooner or later we may have a machine that reads our thoughts and creates actions via mind control. Or that sends mind to mind messages. “Magic” for today, but only science tomorrow.
Animism Animism involves a belief that all living things have a spirit part as well as the physical bodies we observe. Thus one would talk about the spirit of a cat or dog or even an ant or worm. This can be extended to include a spirit for every thing- rocks, trees, and even clouds or rainbows. The key fallacy is the belief in both the real physical world, and an unseen spirit world. This dualism also can extend to the religions of Bali for example, where the demons and spirits of the spirit world are perhaps more important to them than the observed real world. This animism also can easily be extend to machines - perhaps why a ship is usually a “she” and the “tin Lizzie” Ford model T was endowed with the temperamental nature of a woman, anthropomorphism. Since all children tend to go through an animism stage, and many “children” -up to age 80- never outgrow it, we may conclude that it a part of the natural progression of religions. Yet it also flies in the face of careful observations, and with maturity we also may conclude that it is an over generalization. We learn about living things, and form a generalization of what is “living” and then mis apply the generalization to cases where it does not or should not apply. Thus by understanding the source of the problem we can also perhaps discard it.
Nature Worship The first question which must be answered is “what is nature?”. If nature is synonymous with God, then most people are nature worshipers. The problem comes when one restricts nature to naturally occurring things which do not involve human interference, or actions; and man made constructs are defined as unnatural. Thus a beaver dam for beaver purposes is nature and good, while a man made dam to serve the purposes of man is unnatural and “bad”.. That last is silly. It assumes man is not part of nature. Man can indeed do destructive things. Those are unethical, and bad, but they are bad because they are destructive, not because they were done by man. Thus almost all the natural - unnatural arguments can be reduced to a confusion of good or bad ethics with man’s actions and operations. The nature worshiper all too frequently makes all of man’s actions “bad” and all the actions of all other animals or forces of nature “good” - which is a mental error. The good or bad is a value judgement based upon the utility of the effect to men. Thus the very concept of things beneficial to man being bad is a contradiction in mental terms. If the Universe is God’s work, then everything in it, including mankind, is natural, and nature worship, particularly atheistic worship of existence, can be substituted for worship of God. The worship avoids - or can avoid - any belief at all, and be reduced to skeptical realism. This actually is one philosophical religion which matches my own. I go further to believe in a God a creation without a creator does not make sense to me. I prefer to believe in purpose, and direction not random events going nowhere in particular. Thus my nature worship hinges on directivity, and purpose, as opposed to a total lack of direction. I will concede that the positive entropy nature (increasing disorder) of this universe lend support to the other argument. But then I also have explained that I also believe in a contra terrene, orderly universe as part of the total scheme of things.
ATHEISM: Marx was also the founder or at least a perpetrator of a religious movement, even if it has not been commonly recognized as such. His “official state religion” was atheism, and his goals were not an abstract and ill defined “Heaven” but the establishment of “Communism” for which the follower, the “true believer,” was supposed to work and if need be die. His rewriting of history held that the communism of many millennia past was “ideal” and that it had been corrupted by ownership of land, and later private industry and private control of the means of production (Capitalism), and by commerce, “business”, trade by merchants who moved items from where they were common and of little value to where they were scarce making a major profit in providing what was valued where it was valued most. He also properly condemned slavery, and the exploitation of workers by greedy industrialists etc. The major fallacy in his arguments were two: 1) The ideal he presented was not able to compete with the other mentioned forms, and was not a “fit” social structure since it was displaced by better forms and they in turn by better forms yet, and 2) The ideal actually never existed in the first place, it was a “revisionist history” not what really had happened. Collectivism in general is a symptom of a decaying, sick society. It always takes the form of redistribution of the wealth, i.e.theft. His excuse to steal from the wealthy was the social ills of a repressive uncaring elite living in luxury at the expense of workers who lived in poverty. He did not consider whether the wealthy had actually created their wealth and deserved it, but examined only the 100 fold or more disparity in standard of living to incite the impoverished masses to kill and loot the wealth of the rich class. In so doing he destroyed the control mechanism and the “brains” of the social organism, resulting in tens of millions of deaths, most by starvation, when production virtually totally failed. Some of the wealthy were necessary to the productivity of the workers, and could not be removed without disaster. The “Communist/ Marxist” reflection on past “glories” and their attempt to return to hypothetical better past ethics and social conditions has been typical of many religions. Hitler did the exact same thing with Aryanism tracing it fictitiously to 240,000 BC. Virtually all religions try to trace their basis to some fictitious fabulous past. I propose that we should look forward, recognizing that we are at an overall pinnacle right now, and that past social structure on the average was worse than the present. Those attractive “romantic” moments in the past are offset by overall atrocious conditions one would not wish to endure for the momentary high points. Given a chance I will take antibiotics, the cheap worldwide selection of food in the supermarkets, the ability to travel worldwide in a day or so, a bath tub with hot water, and indoor flush toilets, none of which the Pharaoh of Egypt in all his glory nor his Equivalent in China or Rome had. Well Rome may have had hot baths, but without soap. COMMUNISM:: SOCIALISM:: The communistic goals of Socialism were a religion. It also excluded other religions under the guise of atheism. This helped try to establish a monopoly for the religion. It is a truism that ALL religions seek to eliminate their competitors. The “witch hunts” and the “inquisition” were some of the more blatant and barbaric manifestations of this practice.
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