blimey taw, you've lead an interesting life

"interesting" isn't necessarily how I would describe it. Stupid would be better. And it wasn't Marrakesh, it was Rabat, now I think about it.

Edited by - Tawakalna on 1/7/2004 6:31:42 AM

I've always felt that classical Greek theology (after all... to them it was religion) had as its base of power the fact that the Gods were supremely human in nature. Zeus in all of his philandering exemplified a very basic human trait. I believe that it helped to inspire the classical Hellenes and help them to look at things heroically more often than not. I also think that it spawned the philosophical sophistication of that culture. How else to try to explain the Gods and to understand man's failings, accomplishments, passions, intellect and vices?

Anyway, the Greeks certainly made a huge impression in the Eastern Mediterranean, including the culture and ways of the Hebrews.

Zoroastrianism is fascinating. The way the Christmas story was taught to me, pretty much I was led to understand that the three wise men were Persians. That this was to bring into the frame the fact that monotheism, while the true faith, was not a monopoly of Judaism or Christianity and that Christianity was, in effect, the most "pure" form of it... hence the tribute given by the Persians. OK.. This last part is dogmatic but that's what I was taught.

I always thought that the most flexible "mythology," if you will, actually is Hinduism. It is both monotheistic and polytheistic depending upon the level that the congregant is able to grasp or chooses to observe.

actually the purest form of monotheism is Islam. Judaism still has traces of it's animistic origins, even though it's been reformed many times. Christianity is a hodge-podge of many different strands of the Romano-Hellenistic-Judaic philosophical and spiritual traditions and has always been an "adoptive" religion. Islam is a late and very sophisticated example of a process that had been ongoing for centuries, and even Islam doesn't entirely rid itself of it's roots in Arabian paganism, despite what zealous Moslems would have you beleive. But it satisfied the needs of a desert people stuck between two antagonistic and proselytising powers, the Christian Eastern Roman Empire and Zoroastrian Persia.

The Arabs overcame vastly superior forces of both sides at two separate battles, the Battle of the Yarmuk, where a sandstorm blew up in the faces of the Roman (Byzantine) Army, and at Umm-Quadaiyysa, the Battle of the Chains, where they smashed the Persians for good. Not really anything to do with mythology except that according to legend Allah sent the Angel Gabriel to aid the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) and his armies. Islam has a really fascinating mythology all of its own.

here's an example of just how monotheistic and dogmatic Islam could be. When the Caliph Omar took Alexandria from the Byzantines, he ordered that the Geat Library there be burnt to the ground. It was a repository of knowledge going back hundreds of years, possibly thousands, but when some of officers objected to his orders, he said it either repeated what was in the Qu'ran, in which case it wasn't necessary, or contradicted it, in which case it was blasphemy. So the Great Library was lost.

wanna talk about the Ark of the Covenant now?

@kimk, i'd still stick to space pictures if I were you!




Edited by - Tawakalna on 1/7/2004 9:35:54 AM

Was it Muhammad or Ali at the Battle of the Chains?

Abu Bakr* was Caliph but the Arab army was commanded by Khalid ibn al Walid, iirc. or it might have been Muthanna. They were both involved.

*Mohammed's father-in-law.

Edited by - Tawakalna on 1/7/2004 10:37:55 AM

Abu Bakr? As in the one of the originaters of the Shi'a?

only in the sense that his choice as successor to himself as Kalifa (Caliph) sparked the division that became Sunni/Shia by choosing Umar (Omar) in preference to the popular choice, Ali. Sunni believe that the legitimate choice stems from the Will of Allah as manifest in the Kalifa, whereas Shia believe that it is the bloodline of the Prophet (pbuh) that confers Kalifat. Hence why there was a Kalifat for hundreds of years, instead of dying out with the deaths of Ali and Usayn.

Unfortunately the Prophet (pbuh) failed to leave clear instructions as to the succession, believeing that Allah would deal with the matter. Actually his closest companion Abu Bakr was the one who dealt with it, during his lifetime his own friendship and intimacy with Mohammed (pbuh) was sufficient to quell dissent, but after his death the succession issue rose up again and again. Lacking the legitimacy of the Prophet's written sanction (pbuh) the issue was eventually settled by force resulting in the tragic but romantic death of Ali which all Shia reverence.

I love Greek mythology! My last name is Greek, so as a kid, I spent alot of time reading about the Greek gods and goddesses.

It's one of the few things I really enjoy reading about.

Life: No one gets out alive.

First of all: Religion is subject to man

Second of all: For all the info about Mythology AND folklore see Mythologies and Folklore
it is a marvelous site with all the possible information you want.

My Favorite Mythology is by far the Nordic and the Egyptian.
The Nordic for the Rawness and the concept of warrior Honour, And the egyptian for the sense of Justice.

-SubNote-
And Last, 27/02/2003 - 07/01/2004 1000th Post.


__________________________________________________________
Oh, dear, How sad, Never mind!!-Battery Sergeant Major Williams
Plus the newest addition!!-

Edited by - Locutus on 1/7/2004 1:30:03 PM

it's Mithra and Zoroastrianism for me, combines both. and it's still a living religion, Mithra is even a lucky spirit in Chinese folklore! Unf. I can't actually become a Zoroastrian, because you have to be born a Zoroastrian to qualify as one that's why there are so few of them now

@Esquilax
Here is some basic info on the Maori Gods:

The Supreme God is Io or (Iomatua)

Ranginui is the sky,Papatuanuku, the earth.
Their offspring are:
Tawhirimatea, god of winds,
Tane, god of forests,
Tangaroa, god of the seas,
Rongomatane, god of the cultivated crops,
Haumira, god of fernroot and wild herbs and berries,
Tumatauenga, god of war and precursor of man,
and Ruaumoko god of earthquakes and volcanoes.

thats about it.

Mythology, eh? MY favourites are the Iliad and the Odyssey. Great books, those two, though unlike most people ,I tend to like the Iliad better. I guess I'm the violent type

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@ Taw,

I learned about Zoroastrianism in my history class. Back in the days of Ancient Greece and Persia.

It's a fun religion. One of my faviorts.

Life: No one gets out alive.