Religion (continued)
Besides the Romans, many other societies held celebrations around the
winter solstice. The Norse, from Scandinavia celebrated a holiday they
called Yule from December 21st, which is the winter solstice through
January. Fredya the Norse goddess was known to present gifts to her
followers. Their ceremonies were in celebration of the sun and the
return of the light. In Egypt, extravagant parties were held to
celebrate the rebirth of Horus. Their calendar was one that had twelve
months all revolving around Horus. To honor Horus, they held a
twelve-day celebration, with ceremonies welcoming the sun and praising
the light. When the Babylonians became aware of this celebration, they
held one of their own, honoring their own creator/sun god; Marduk. They
called this celebration Zagmak and they believed that Marduk was the
creator who made the world one of peace, order and
beauty.
In Germany, people honored the pagan god Oden during the mid-winter
holiday. Oden flew through the sky to judge people and many people
chose to stay inside to avoid his wrath.
And what does Santa the white bearded old guy have to do with the Birth of Yeshua? in one word- nothing!
Although Santa Claus is originally based upon St. Nicholas, a
4th-century Christian bishop from Lycia (now in Turkey), the figure is
also strongly influenced by early Norse religion. Saint Nicholas was
known for giving gifts to the poor. In one notable story, he met a pious
but impoverished man who had three daughters. He presented the with
dowries to save them from a life of prostitution. In most European
countries, St. Nicholas is still portrayed as a bearded bishop, wearing
clerical robes. He became a patron saint of many groups, particularly
children, the poor, and prostitutes.
Odin and His Mighty Horse:
Among early Germanic tribes, one of the major deities was
Odin, the ruler of Asgard.
A number of similarities exist between some of Odin's escapades and
those of the figure who would become Santa Claus. Odin was often
depicted as leading a hunting party through the skies, during which he
rode his eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. In the 13th-century Poetic Edda,
Sleipnir is described as being able to leap great distances, which some
scholars have compared to the legends of Santa's reindeer. Odin was
typically portrayed as an old man with a long, white beard -- much like
St. Nicholas himself.
Treats for the Tots:
During the winter,
children placed their boots near the chimney, filling them with carrots
or straw as a gift for Sleipnir. When Odin flew by, he rewarded the
little ones by leaving gifts in their boots. In several Germanic
countries, this practice survived despite the adoption of Christianity.
As a result, the gift-giving became associated with St. Nicholas -- only
nowadays, we hang stockings rather than leaving boots by the chimney!
Santa Comes to today's World:
When
Dutch settlers arrived in New Amsterdam, they brought with them their
practice of leaving shoes out for St. Nicholas to fill with gifts. They
also brought the name Sinterklaas, which later morphed into Santa Claus.
Although a the Dutch version of St. Nicholas was written about by
author Washington Irving around 1809, it was about 15 years later that
the figure of Santa as we know it today was introduced. This came in the
form of a narrative poem by a man named Clement C. Moore.
As you progress through the Christian liturgical year, the other
significant holiday is Easter, during which the death and
resurrection of Yeshua Ha Mashiach is celebrated. The forty days prior to this holiday is
called Lent. In 519 AD, Lent gained acceptance by the Catholic Church.
A writer of that time, John Cassian explains that the church didn't
observe Lent. But as believers started to decline from their devotion,
priests had called for a period of fasting to recall them to their
original
fervor.
Many other regions, practiced a forty-day periods of fasting. In
the Andes and in Mexico pagan followers practiced a solemn fast of forty
days to honor the
sun.
The Egyptians also observed a fast of forty days to honor Adonis or
Osiris, the mediatorial god. Among the Pagans, Lent seems to be a fast
to prepare for the annual festival in commemoration of the "death and
resurrection of Tammuz which was celebrated by alternate weeping and
rejoicing...being observed in Palestine and Assyria in June, therefore
called the "month of
Tammuz"
Once again correlations can be found between the Christian Lent and
practices of fasting in preparation for a great event or occasion. This
event for most of the pagan religions appears to be the preparation for
the coming of spring and the "rebirth" of the land. This can be
compared to the Christian belief that even though Yeshua had died, that
He was "reborn" in his resurrection and that the followers need to
prepare themselves for the anniversary of this event by the practice of
fasting.
This period of Lent for Christians culminates in the celebration of
Easter. For most Christians it is the celebration of the resurrection of Yeshua of Nazareth. But the very name of this holiday shows pagan origin.
The term "Easter" has been said to be derived from Estre or Eostre, the
Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and dawn. The festival for Eostre was
celebrated on the day of the Vernal Equinox, the first day of spring.
This was a celebration of the renewal of life in spring from the death
of winter. In Europe and Asia spring festivals were also held to
re-enact regeneration myths and to celebrate the awakening of the earth.
In Babylonia, there was belief in the death and resurrection of their
gods as well. In Easter It's Story and Meaning the story of Tammuz/Ra/Horus is
told. Upon the death of Tammuz his wife and beloved Inanna or Ishtar,
was so stricken with grief that she followed him to the underworld.
Since she was the goddess of spring rains that bring forth the fruit of
life, the land was barren and desolate without her presence. Ea, their
god of water and wisdom was moved to send a messenger to rescue Ishtar.
Eresh-Kigl allowed the messenger to sprinkle the water of life on
Ishtar and Tammuz, which gave them the power to return to the world for
six months of the year. The remaining part of the year, Tammuz must
return to the underworld, forcing Ishtar to follow him and also forcing
Ea to give the water of life. This explained to their culture the
miracle of resurrection and spring that occurred every year. Over the
centuries the story and the yearly rites connected with Tammuz, moved
westward to Phoenicia and Syria. Here Tammuz's name was changed to Adon
or Adonia and the name of Inanna/Ishtar to Astarte. The belief
traveled further to Greece where the names were changed to Adonis and
Aphrodite.
Even though the mythos and names changed as it moved from region to
region the theme was the same, the resurrection of the god or goddess as
a symbol of the coming of spring and the return of fertility to the
land.
There's no story in the Bible about a long-eared, cotton-tailed
creature known as the Easter Bunny. Neither is there a passage about
young children painting eggs or hunting for baskets overflowing with
scrumptious Easter goodies.
And real rabbits certainly don't lay eggs.
Why are these traditions so ingrained in Easter Sunday? And what do they have to do with the resurrection of
YESHUA
Well, to be frank, nothing.
Bunnies, eggs, Easter gifts and fluffy, yellow chicks in gardening
hats all stem from pagan roots. These tropes were incorporated into the
celebration of Easter separately from the Christian tradition of
honoring the day Yeshua the Christ rose from the dead.
The origin of the celebration -- and the origin
of the Easter Bunny -- can be traced back to 13th-century, pre-Christian
Germany, to Eostra who was worshipped as the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were
held in her honor on the Vernal Equinox. Her symbol was the rabbit
because of the animal’s high reproduction rate.
Spring also symbolized new life and rebirth; eggs were an ancient
symbol of fertility.
According to History.com, Easter eggs represent Yeshua's' resurrection. However, this association came much later when
Roman Catholicism became the dominant religion in Germany in the 15th
century and merged with already ingrained pagan beliefs.
The first Easter Bunny legend was documented in the 1500s. By 1680,
the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden
was published. These legends introduced to the United States in the
1700s, when German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania Dutch country,
according to the Center for Children's Literature and Culture.
The tradition of making nests for the rabbit to lay its eggs in soon
followed. Eventually, nests became decorated baskets and colorful eggs
were swapped for candy, treats and other small gifts.
Even some of
the Christian ceremonies are very closely related with sunrise
celebrations similar to those held by Pagan followers.
Christ was crucified during the Jewish high holiday of pass over not over Easter and he when he was born exactly is not clear. Some place his birth in September and others in March but one thing that is clear is that He was not born on the winter solstice (northern hemisphere) that is 25 December.
Paganism in Judaism
Babylon is the very symbol of moral filth in the whole
Old Testament. But those who call themselves “People of the Book” exalt it in
every way. Pharisaism today lives by the Babylonian calendar, keeps the
Babylonian festivals and Fast of Tammuz, and enshrines its anti-Biblical
immorality, including sodomy and burning children to Molech, necromancy, and
other execrable practices.
The Talmud cites as the word of “the Masters” that, “All countries are like
dough [inferior] toward the Land of Israel, and the Land of Israel is like dough toward
Babylon.” Continuing: “We have a tradition that
Babel [Babylon] will not witness the suffering that will precede the coming of the Messiah.” A
footnote states that a more correct reading of this is that the “suffering” frequent in
modern Christian books is fictitious. These are the throes of mother Zion which is in labor to bring
forth the Messiah — without metaphor the Jewish people.”
Talmudic Jewish Months Are Babylonian
The lunar Babylonian calendar was adopted by the Judaites from the time of the deportation to
Babylon of the Judah Kingdom (586 B.C.). Pharisaic Talmudists to this day have adopted the
Babylonian calendar and the pagan names of the months, with rites to match. These month names
coincide roughly with the signs of the Zodiac as follows: Nisan (Babylonian month) corresponds with
Aries; Iyyar with Taurus; Siwan with Gemini; Tammuz with Cancer; Ab with Leo; Elul with Virgo;
Tishri with Libra; Heshwan with Scorpio; Kislev with Sagitarius; Tebet with Capricorn; Shebat with
Aquarius; Adar with Pisces.
Tree worshiping
Tree worship, one of the oldest forms of paganism, is based on the belief that trees are
inhabited by spirits of fecundity.
Another of the regular Babylonian Talmudic synagogue festivals today is “New Year for
Trees.” Its Talmudic name is “Hamishshah-‘asar bi-shevat,” under which title
it is listed in the Babylonian, or synagogue calendar, given in the American Jewish Year Books. It
fell, for example, on the 15th of Shevat, 1964, which in our calendar was January 29th.
In his work,
The Golden Bough —
A Study in Magic and Religion, Sir James George
Frazer devotes much space, even in the abridged edition (MacMillan, 1951), to “Tree
Worship,” which he traces through different countries as a pagan observance. He says of
Buddhist monks who, believing that trees have souls, “will not break a branch of a tree
‘as they will not break the arm of an innocent person.’ These monks are Buddhists. But
Buddhist animism is not a philosophical theory. It is simply a common savage dogma incorporated in
the system of an historical religion. To suppose, with Benfrey and others, that the theories of
animism and transmigration current among rude peoples of Asia are derived from Buddhism, is to
reverse the facts.”
What Frazer writes about the animistic, transmigration
doctrines of Buddhism applies with equal force to so-called “Judaism,” which is
poles apart from basic Bible beliefs.
Looking upon the individual tree as a soul, or merely
the abode of a soul, says Frazer, marks the line between animism, the simplest
nature-worship, and Polytheism, or tribute to many gods. He says: “When a tree
comes to be viewed, no longer as the body of the Tree-Spirit, but simply as its
abode which it can quit at pleasure, an important advance has been made in
religious thought. Animism is passing into Polytheism. In other words, instead
of regarding each tree as a living and conscious being, man now sees in it
merely a lifeless, inert mass, tenanted for a longer or shorter time by a
supernatural being … [who] enjoys a certain right of possession or lordship
over the trees, and, ceasing to be a tree-soul, becomes a forest ‘god.’ “(pp.
129, 135)
The Christian reader may be perplexed at Biblical
excoriations against trees. The fact was that owing to the fertility myth,
individual and mass harlotry was carried on under trees, and these were planted
for that purpose in groves.
Two kings of Judah, Hezekiah and Josiah, were commended because they “cut
down the groves.” (
II Kings
18:4 and
23:14)
God promised Moses He would bless the people he was leading into Palestine providing
they drove out the pagan abominators, the Canaanites, saying:
“Take heed lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants whither thou
goest, lest it be for a snare … But ye shall destroy their altars … and cut
down their groves.” (
Exodus
34:12-13) “Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations
which ye shall possess served their gods … under every green tree. And ye shall
… burn their groves with fire.” (
Deut. 12:2-3)
Deuteronomy
7:5, etc., repeat the same command. This was about 1450 B.C.
Tammuz
Each year the old Babylonian Fast of Tammuz is celebrated by Jews from the 17th of Tammuz to the
9th of Ab. The Fast of Tammuz fell in 1963, for example, on July 9
th and the 9th of Ab
(or “Av”) on July 30th.
To cite again
The Golden Bough —
A Study in Magic and Religion, by Sir James
George Frazer:
“The worship of Adonis was practiced by the Semitic peoples of Babylonia
and Syria, and the Greeks borrowed it from them as early as the 7th Century before Christ. The true
name of the deity was Tammuz [Adonis was merely the Semitic word for “lord”].”
… [I]n the religious literature of Babylonia Tammuz appears as the youthful spouse or lover of
Ishtar, the great mother goddess, the embodiment of the reproductive energies of nature … every
year Tammuz was believed to die … every year his divine mistress journeyed in quest of him
… During her absence the passion of love ceased to operate; men and beasts alike forgot to
reproduce their kinds: all life was threatened with extinction . . His death appears to have been
annually mourned . . by men and women about midsummer in the month named after him, the month of
Tammuz.
A Babylonian dirge of lament for Tammuz is quoted (pp.1179-80), one line after another starting
with the words:
[page 41] “Her lament is for …
[Reproductive proclivity is the object. Unnatural as well as “Sacred Prostitution” acts
were part of the tribute to Tammuz.] So intimately bound up with the goddess were the sexual
functions of the whole animal kingdom that without her presence they could not be discharged …
His death appears to have been annually mourned, to the shrill music of flutes, by men and women
about midsummer in the month named after him, the month of Tammuz. The dirges were seemingly changed
over the effigy of the dead god.”
(The Golden Bough, Frazer, pages 378-9).
Harvest time in Palestine is in the Summer, not the
Fall. Frazer treats of the Tammuz rites in connection with the cutting of the
harvest as symbolical of the wounding of the procreative god (by a wild boar,
in one place), and the insuring of the harvests to come, by wailing over his
demise. To quote him:
“Nowhere, apparently, have
these rites been more widely and solemnly celebrated than in the lands which
border the Eastern Mediterranean. Under the names of Osiris, Tammuz, Adonis, Attis, the peoples of Egypt and
Western Asia represented the yearly decay of life, especially of vegetable
life … The supposed death and resurrection of this oriental deity, a god
of many names but of essentially one nature … We begin with Tammuz or
Adonis.”
“Is it a light thing
to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?
“Go in, and behold the
wicked abominations that they do here … Then he brought me to the door of
the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the North and behold, there sat
women weeping for Tammuz … And he brought me into the inner court of the
Lord’s house, and behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord … were
about five and twenty men … their faces toward the East and they worshipped
the sun toward the East. Then he said unto me; Hast thou seen this, 0 son of
man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the
abominations which they commit here? For they filled the land with violence,
and have returned to provoke me with anger.”
(
Ezekiel 8:9-17;
9:14-17)
Female Procreative Goddess
“Istar,” or Astarte, writes another authority, was
“the principal goddess of Mesopotamia and perhaps the most popular deity in the
Babylonian pantheon … [she] so it was related in Nineveh and Babylon, had
chosen Tammuz, ‘son of light’ (Dumuzu in Sumeria), to be the lover of her youth
… He is wounded by a wild boar and
she goes to the nether world in search of him. “In the meantime the world of
the living is wearing mourning on account of Istar’s death. In the absence of
the goddess the rites of love are no longer performed.”
(Man and His Gods, H.W.
Smith, page 84).
This mourning and the cessation of intercourse, the
whole doctrine is right here today in honor of the procreative powers to which
so much adoration is devoted in the Talmud. Explanations are profuse, and
silly. In what is represented to Gentiles to be a “monotheistic” religion,
there can be no reason to wail and mourn and keep a Fast of Tammuz today, or
was there ever, for that matter.
Today’s “Wailings for Tammuz”
In “The Code of Jewish Law” (Shulhan Aruch) we find,
under “Laws Concerning the Interval Between the Seventeenth of Tammuz and the
Ninth of Ab, Chapter CXXII:”
“… One should not cut his hair during these days,
paring of the nails is forbidden only during the week in which the ninth of Ab
occurs; … concerning the goblet of wine for Habdallah on the conclusion of the
Sabbath, if there be a child who is able to drink the greater part of the goblet it
should be given him …; it is permissible to have [new garments] made by a
non-Jewish workman, but not by an Israelite; … it is the custom to call up to
Maftir the Rabbi who knows how to lament …”
“Laws Concerning the Ninth of Ab … all enter the
synagogue and take off their boots … but one light is lit in front of the Reader
… prayers are said in a low voice, with a weeping intonation, mourning like
… All should be seated on the ground … Lamentations and the special
lamentations should be prolonged until close to noon … Bathing
[page 42]
is forbidden, whether in hot or in cold water, even to put one’s finger in
water is forbidden … one may wash his hands in the morning, but should be
careful not to wash more than the fingers, for this is what constitutes the main
morning wash as an evil spirit rests on the fingers in the morning.
“Cohabitation is forbidden… It is proper not to have conjugal
intercourse on the night of the tenth day, unless it be the night of the ritual
immersion, or if he is about to go on a journey, or has come back from a
journey.” (End of chapter CXXIV)
The “Sacred” Star of David
Non-Jews have been drenched with propaganda that the six-pointed “Star of
David” is a sacred symbol of Jewry, dating from David and Solomon, in Biblical
times, and signifying the pure “monotheism” of the Jewish religion.
In actuality, the six-pointed star, called “David’s Shield,” or
“Mogen David,” was only adopted as a Jewish device in 1873, by the
American Jewish Publication Society, is not even being mentioned in rabbinical
literature.
However, the six-pointed star has been used for centuries for magic amulets and
cabalistic sorcery.
Judaism — Star Worship
Under “Star Worship” the Jewish Encyclopedia states:
“Star Worship … is
perhaps the oldest form of idolatry practiced by the ancients. The observation
of the stars in the East very early led the people to regard the planets and
the fixed stars as gods. The religion of the ancient Egyptians is known to have
consisted preeminently of Sun-worship. Moses sternly warned the Israelites
against worshipping the Sun, Moon, stars, and all the hosts of heaven
(Deuteronomy 4:19; 17:3) … The Israelites fell into this kind of idolatry
and as early as the time of Amos they had the images of Siccuth and Chium, ‘the
stars of their god’ (Amos 5:26); the latter name is generally supposed to
denote the planet Saturn. That the Kingdom of Israel fell earlier than that of
Judah is stated (II Kings 17:16) to have been due, among other causes, to its
worshipping the host of heaven. But the Kingdom of Judah in its later period
seems to have outdone the Northern Kingdom [Israel] in star-worship.” Of
Manasseh it is related that he built altars to all the hosts of heaven in the
two courts of the house of YHWY, and it seems it was the practice of even Kings
before him to appoint priests who offered sacrifices to the Sun, the Moon, the
planets, and all the hosts of heaven. Altars for star-worship were built on the
roofs of the houses, and horses and chariots were dedicated to the worship of
the Sun. (II Kings 21:5; 23:4-5, 11-12) Star-worship continued in Judah until
the 18th year of Josiah’s reign (621 B.C.) when the King took measures to
abolish all kinds of idolatry. But although star-worship was then abolished as
a public cult, it was practiced privately by individuals who worshipped the
heavenly bodies, and poured out libations to them on the roofs of their houses
(Zephaniah 1:5; Jeremiah 8:2; 19:13) … Jeremiah, who prophesied in the
sixth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin (591 B.C.) describes the worship of
the Sun as practiced in the court of the Temple (Ezekiel 8:16) and that even
after the destruction of the Temple the women insisted on continuing to worship
the Queen of Heaven …
“The ancient Hebrews, being nomads like the Arabs, favored the Moon, while the
Babylonians, who were an agricultural nation, preferred the Sun. But, as appears from Ezekiel 20:7-8 the
Moon-worship of the Israelites, even while they were still in Egypt was combined with Sun-worship.”
Stars in Talmudic Idolatry
The Zodiac is “an imaginary broad belt in the heavens, containing twelve
constellations or signs which the Sun traverses annually.” And a
“constellation” is a group or cluster of fixed stars designated by some
name … (Webster)
According to the Jewish Encyclopedia (“Zodiac”) the findings of the
ancient astronomer Hipparchus (160-125 B.C.) concerning the position of the
constellations, in the cases of “those which bore the same name, coincided
approximately with the signs according to Talmudic tradition.” In the case of
the “choice of symbolic signs … All may be traced to Assyrian mythology
and influence. The Jews during the Babylonian exile adopted … Assyrian names of
the months and constellations.”
To continue this Jewish Encyclopedia account:
“Since each of the planets was supposed to rule a certain
hour of the day, while every constellation governed a certain month of the year, the
fate of an infant was predicted according to the heavenly bodies that presided over
the hour and the month of its birth. The conjunction of the planets and
constellations was accordingly manipulated to determine the fortunes of the person
whose horoscope was thus drawn. A ‘good’ planet might synchronize with a
‘bad’ constellation to some extent. Both planets and constellations
indicated certain characteristics in the person born at that time, and care had
likewise to be taken to marry only such a mate as had been born under a harmonizing
planet and constellation, since otherwise the marriage would be a failure.”
Supposedly, the sun enters the section called: Aries about March 21; Taurus, about
April 21; Gemini, about May 22; Cancer, about June 22; Leo, about July 23; Virgo,
about August 24; Libra, about September 24, Scorpio, about October 24, Sagitarius,
about November 23; Capricorn, about December 22, Aquarius about January 20; Pices,
about February 19.
Star-Worship in the Jewish Calendar
“During the Exile the Babylonian system was adopted, the names of the months
being derived from the common Babylonian calendar … Thus Tammuz is the month
dedicated to the worship of the fertility spirit of that name
[page 43]
[Note: the male sex-god] Elul is the month when he was bewailed [Here,
‘alal’ is given as the Hebrew for ‘wail’].”
But this does not explain why the current Code of Jewish Law (Shulhan Aruch)
suggests lamenters, wailers for the current Fast of Tammuz which is in each yearly
synagogue calendar!
“Tebeth is the month he sank into the Netherworld, and so
forth … The following list gives the names of the Jewish months.
“Tishri (Sept.-Oct.) … The New Moon of Tishri
is not blessed, as are those of other months … The zodiacal sign of Tishri is
the Scales …”
“Marheshwan or Heshvan (Oct.-Nov) …New Moon is
reckoned as two days … . The zodiacal sign is Scorpion …”
“Kislev (Nov -Dec.) … New Moon is irregular, being
either one or two days … The zodiacal sign is the Archer …”
‘‘Tebeth (Dec.-Jan.) … It is customary to
refrain from slaughtering geese during Tebeth … The zodiacal sign is Capricorn
…”
“Shebat (Jan.-Feb.) … Thirty days. New Moon is
reckoned as one day. 15: ‘New Year For Trees.’ It is believed that demons
are abroad in this month. The zodiacal sign is the Waterman (Aquarius) …”
“Adar (Feb-Mar ) …The Zodiacal sign is Pisces
(The Fishes).”
“Second Adar … Occurs only in leap year
…”
“Nisan (March-April) … The entire month is
regarded as a prolonged festival and one in which it is blessed to die. Every
twenty-five years the sun is especially blessed in Nisan. The zodiacal sign is the
Ram …”
“Iyar (April-May) … The zodiacal sign is the
Bull …”
“Sivan (May-June) … The zodiacal sign is the
Twins …”
“Tammuz … New Moon is two days. 17: Fast of
Tammuz.”
Here two fictitious reasons for celebrating this fast are cited, followed by this
admission:
“Actually the fast is a reinterpretation of a Babylonian
festival. The zodiacal sign is the Crab.
“Ab (July-August) … 9: Fast of Ab” (with
a fictitious reason) … The zodiacal sign is the Lion …
“Elul (Aug-Sept.) …The zodiacal sign is the
Virgin …”
(Quotations are from the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia, under
“Months.”)
PAGANISM IN ISLAM
Islamic theology has some of its
roots in various pagan beliefs. Primary
to Islam is it's most holiest shrine:
the Kaba.
THE
KABA
The Kaba is now the most revered
sanctuary of Islam. It is located in
Mecca. Muslims throughout the world direct
their prayers toward the Kaba.
PHYSICAL
SHAPE
The Kaba's shape is somewhat
cubical. Of note in the Kaba's
structure is a black rock built into the wall in its eastern corner. The black rock's diameter is about 12
inches. It is reddish black in color,
and has red and yellow particles. The
black rock is kissed during the perambulation, (the circulation of the Muslims
around the Kaba). The Kaba is about 50
feet high, and the walls are about 40 feet long. The facade contains the door, which starts at 7 feet off the
ground, and faces N.E.. To enter the Kaba, a ladder must be used. Also built in the eastern corner, is another
stone called "lucky". This
stone is only touched, not kissed.
KNOWN
PAGAN HISTORY
Apart from Muslim myths, little is
really known about the history of the Kaba.
About 60 years before Christ, the Roman historian Diodorus Siculus
commented that there was in Arabia a temple greatly revered by the Arabs. It is probable that he had the Kaba in
mind. It was later mentioned to have
existed in the 2nd century; Ptolemy, the geographer mentions it in his work,
calling it the 'macoraba'. The Kaba was
a sanctuary dedicated to one or more pagan deities. The accounts of the campaigns of Abraha note that it was a place
of pagan worship in the 6th century.
Information on the distribution of the offices among the sons of Kusayy
show that the worship of the sanctuary had developed into a regulated cult
several generations before Muhammad.
One historian (Hurgronjes) said that
sacred worship may have developed around the area because the Zamzam spring was
found in this waterless place.
Pre-Islamic history tells us that
many Arabian tribes were stone worshippers.
This is also mentioned in Sahih al-Bukhari, Vol 5, #661. The Old Testament even talks about Mideast
pagan groups that worshipped stones.
Muhammad incorporated the Kaba's paganistic roots into Islam to give the
Muslims a sense of identity, legitimacy, and uniqueness. He also wanted to ease
the Arab's strain of moving from paganism to Islam, by continuing the practices
of their fathers.
PAGAN
GODS AND RITUALS
There were 360 idols around the
Kaba. The pilgrimages to the Kaba were
all pagan pilgrimages, the ritual processions around the Kaba were part of
pagan beliefs and custom, the white robes worn by the pilgrims were from
pagan faiths, the veneration of the Kaba and black stone are derived from pagan
rituals and beliefs. Pagans called out
the names of their pagan gods as they circled the Kaba, today, Muslims call out
Allah's name. Pagans ran between the
nearby hills, Muhammad authorized Muslims to do that in the Quran, and probably
ran between the hills himself.
The chief pagan god worshipped there
was Hubal, who could be called the god of Mecca and of the Kaba. Hubal is not mentioned in the Quran. The
goddesses al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat were also worshipped there and are
mentioned in the Quran.
It is thought that the Kaba was
originally set up for astral worship.
Golden suns and moons are repeatedly mentioned as the votive gifts. Some pagans regarded the Kaba as a temple
devoted to the sun, moon, and 5 planets.
THE
BLACK STONE
The black stone played a prominent
role in pagan worship. The pagans
offered animal sacrifices there. But
the idol of the black stone replaced the alter; on the black stone they smeared
the blood of the sacrificed animals.
QURANIC
MYTHS
Muhammad made up historical
references for the Kaba. Muhammad
claimed that Abraham and Ishmael laid the foundations of the Kaba (Q. 2:127).
Muhammad claimed that God ordained the Kaba as a sacred house (Q. 5:97). Muhammad
also claimed that it was the first temple ever built for mankind (Q. 3:97).
Only Muhammad claimed that it was a
place built by Abraham. In looking in
the O.T., we find no mention of Abraham traveling to Mecca to build a house of
worship.
Further, the late Taha Hussein, one
of the most famous Egyptian professors of Arabic literature said that the
Islamic myth of Abraham building the Kaba came into vogue just before the rise
of Islam. He comments:
"The case of this episode is
very obvious because it is of recent date, and came into vogue just before the
rise of Islam. Islam exploited it for
religious reasons". Quoted in
'Mizar al-Islam' by Anwar al-Jundi. http://answering-islam.org/Silas/pagansources.htm
Mythology in Modern Business
There has been tremendous impact of mythology
on businesses. There are thousands of companies that have used names
from these ancient mythologies. These companies even use illustrations
of characters from ancient mythologies for their logos or sometimes the
names themselves.
Some well-known organizations (mentioned below) use names from ancient mythology:
Aetna: Roman Mythology. A major health insurance company.
Aetna.
Amazon: Race of warrior women. Greek mythology. Huge eCommerce website.
Amazons
Mercury - Roman name for Hermes, the Messenger god;
name of car model produced by the Ford Motor Company; also, an
entertainment records label, Mercury Records
Mercury (aka Hermes)
Nike - Winged goddess of Victory, who can run and fly at great speeds; a famous company that sells sneakers.
Nike
Prometheus - The Titan who stole fire from Olympus
and whom Zeus sentenced to be chained to a rock and daily an eagle would
feast on his liver. Greek Mythology. Prometheus is a very common used
named for various organizations; such as:
Prometheus Company ,
Prometheus Energy,
Prometheus Books , and
Prometheus Real Estate.
Prometheus
lets just list a few including some already mentioned above
Mythology in Business Hundreds of companies take their name, logo, or slogans from mythology. Nike in Mythology Winged Greek goddess of victory, in battle or peaceful competition.
- . Nike in business Billion dollar company Specializing in athletic apparel
- . Olympus in Mythology Highest mountain in Greece Home of the gods and goddesses Formed after the Titans were defeated
- . Olympus in business World-leading camera company since 1919.
- . Amazon in Mythology A race of powerful women warriors trained in archery and combat.
- . Amazon in Business One of the country’s largest booksellers One of the most powerful online retail companies.
- .
Ajax in Mythology Mythological warrior famous for his strength and
power the only character in the epic poem The Illiad who fought in
the Trojan War without help from the gods.
- Ajax in business Household cleaner that uses the slogan “Stronger than Dirt!”
- .
Medusa in Mythology Mythological monster, with snakes for hair. Anyone
who looked directly at her would be turned to stone. Killed by the hero
Perseus
- . Medusa in Business Medusa Corporation One of the oldest cement companies in the United States
- . Midas in Mythology Mythological King who had the power to turn everything he touched to gold.
- .
Midas in Business A car repair company specializing in brake and
muffler repair. Their famous slogan: “Trust the Midas touch”
- . Odyssey in Mythology Epic Greek poem “The Odyssey” Story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca Journey home after the fall of Troy
- Odyssey in business Motor vehicle manufactured by Honda
- Venus in Mythology The Roman name for the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty .
- . Venus in Business A division of Gillette Razor Company, Slogan is “Reveal the goddess in you.”
- .
Mythology in Pop Culture Direct reference : primarily about mythology,
setting is mythological Indirect reference : refers to myths or the
gods, but is not primarily about mythology. Music: band names, song
references Movies: direct and indirect Television: direct and indirect
- . Music: MUSE Muses were said to be responsible for inspiring all artists, poets, and musicians. …also a band
- . Music: Styx The River Styx formed the boundary between the Earth and the underworld. … also a band
- .
TV: Indirect reference The Simpsons make indirect references to
mythology: the show is not ordinarily about mythology After fighting in
the Trojan war, Homer crosses the River Styx, and the rock band “Styx”
plays in the background.
- . TV: Direct reference Xena, Warrior
Princess is a direct reference to mythology, the character interacts
with gods, and goddess, and the show has a basis in mythology
- .
Movies: Indirect Reference In The Little Mermaid, Ariel’s father is
King Triton He is King of the Sea, modeled after Poseidon .
- .
Movies: Indirect Reference In Harry Potter , the story is based around
a supporting system of mythological characters Cerberus : The 3-headed
dog that guards the gates of Hades. Minerva McGonagall : Minerva is the
Roman name for the goddess of wisdom, Athena . Firenze the Centaur :
Centaurs were wise creatures that were half horse, half man..
- .
Movies: Direct reference In Clash of the Titans , Perseus, the son of
Zeus is a hero who attempts to stop the underworld from spreading to
Earth.
- . Mythology in astronomy Hermes/Mercury
Aphrodite/Venus Ares/Mars Titan Kronus Zeus/Jupiter Titan Uranus
Poseidon/Neptune Hades/Pluto Winged messenger god goddess of love god of
war Saturn king of the gods, largest Uranus god of the seas god of
underworld
- Mythology in Names April Diana/Diane Cassandra
Hector Helen/Ellen abbrev. Aphrodite Roman name for Artemis, goddess of
the hunt and moon Trojan princess given the gift of prophecy Trojan
prince killed in the Trojan war Daughter of Zeus, her beauty caused the
Trojan war
It is imperative that as mankind we search for truth so that the foundation of all we do is not false. Only then can we begin to understand the world and the principles that gorvern it regardless of the form in which they present themselves. These ancient pagan roots influence our society and the way we live in its philosophy and spiritualism. And here we learn that the things deemed circular are not without their religious/spiritual origins that seek also to defy the only one true God YHWH and exclude Him from our systems when our world glorifies pagan gods even to the smallest house hold products and so as it was in the past so it is today.
by Mc N o r r i s
small figure of what I deem to be a child, a little boy of about
nine and he is shouting something holding up his little bucket filled with
purified water in five hundred Milli liter plastic containers. I open the
window and his shouts come invading the whole vehicle accompanied by other
eager voices of little kids and adults that have now swamped the car.
"five rand mvura kurikupisa boss, five rand chete mvura yenyu" (five
rand water, it is hot boss, five rand only for your water) Suddenly there are
baskets and plates and little buckets all held up to my face, "five rand
nzungu" (peanuts) goes a tired teenage female voice "dollar, dollar
maApple" another female voice "five rand mabiscuits, dollar
macan" (dollar for soft drink cans) breaks in the adult male voice. I
shake my head and wave, motioning that i am not interested in their merchandise
and close the window whilst I wait for the traffic light set up by the road
construction company to turn green and whilst I do that they quickly rush to a
Zupco bus that has just arrived to tempt its occupants with their goods.
we recruit police
men and women to loiter aimlessly in the streets looking for an opportunity to
stop a motorist or a taxi and ask for a bribe for some documents they do or
don't posses. Yes we train all these professionals by the dozen and release
then into a totally different reality than the theory they frequently
fantasized on when they were yet still in college. Booming
entrepreneurs-clearly not- but a lost generation who by default become vendors
because at the end of the day when the sun goes down necessity demands that
they put food on the table or at least a morsel that will make them survive
until the next day.
