I could just weep at the thought of all that destroyed knowledge. Guess that's one way to eliminate the competition, heartbreakingly stupid though it was. I've been Pagan since the age of 14, turned to Taoism in my 50's, which, if I understand it correctly, accepts everything and nothing. In my mid sixties, still Taoist. A lot of pagans really haven't done anything new, just put Jesus/God in a dress and called him "Goddess". "The Goddess will get you if you are bad". One of my favorite lines attributed to Lao Tzu (paraphased) is "too much religion turns a person's brain into mush". I have found that to be a truism. I like to think I have a philosophy, not any particular religion.
Interesting in the Xtian Bible, it's stated, "Thou shalt hold no gods before me". Never said there weren't any others. That omission always amused me.
True paganism is animism. Which is walking with the Divine in all things. It is not a religion. And is rather, the very opposite. It was Christians who labeled Paganism as a religion. So as to create a binary to be destroyed.
The tenor and tone of this presentation is much more cogent, and necessary for the organic understanding of some of the more lineal presentations of finance, and strategic vectors.
All religions are the Babylonian mystery religion. Cultural and linguistic deviations mask the commonalities, but it’s all a continuation of the worship of deified men (and women) going back to the antediluvian narrative documented in the book of Enoch and other extra-canonical texts. Within any religion you have the exoteric (public knowledge) and esoteric (secret knowledge) belief systems. The adepts of the esoteric system use the hidden knowledge to manipulate, control and enslave the profane (uninitiated and deceived masses). It’s a big club and we ain’t in it…
However, I think it is of great import to separate Christ himself, and his teachings, from Christianity, and "Christianization".
Christ presented us with a set of tools: a framework for epistemological war. The dichotomy of Law, and Life (i.e. living in The Spirit), are at it's core. When we go back and substitute the correct meanings from the original Greek (and in some cases Aramaic or Hebrew) sources, the story we're told is very different from what we are told by those seeking to lead according to religious doctrine.
Allow me to also recommend 'Shadow of the Third Century' by Alvin Boyd Kuhn.
From the book, "Christianity was not in the remotest sense a move of more knowing people away from or in opposition to any form of Pagan religion, but on the contrary was just slightly new, if new at all, alignment, combination or expression of Pagan culture itself. It was composed of nothing that Paganism had not already furnished, except an infinitely more impossible mis-comprehension of Paganism's material." pg 205
Great points. I find it interesting to note that 'Christianity' morphed from being Christ followers who simply lived the example of Jesus (something akin to 'walking with the Divine' as E.M. does) into a religion largely begun by a guy (Paul) who never met Jesus and who the Apostles didn't trust. Oh, but Paul's vision. Muhammad had a vision, too. Why should any thinking person accept the word of one man who claims to have had a vision? A study, Century by Century, of the development of Christianity into a world religion convinced me that it was simply about control and wealth accumulation.
As a former pastor and apostate, I now follow The Old Ways of my pre-Christian German ancestors. I appreciate E.M.'s writing and share it as widely as I can. He's one of the rare sages who 'gets it' in my humble opinion.
I could just weep at the thought of all that destroyed knowledge. Guess that's one way to eliminate the competition, heartbreakingly stupid though it was. I've been Pagan since the age of 14, turned to Taoism in my 50's, which, if I understand it correctly, accepts everything and nothing. In my mid sixties, still Taoist. A lot of pagans really haven't done anything new, just put Jesus/God in a dress and called him "Goddess". "The Goddess will get you if you are bad". One of my favorite lines attributed to Lao Tzu (paraphased) is "too much religion turns a person's brain into mush". I have found that to be a truism. I like to think I have a philosophy, not any particular religion.
Interesting in the Xtian Bible, it's stated, "Thou shalt hold no gods before me". Never said there weren't any others. That omission always amused me.
True paganism is animism. Which is walking with the Divine in all things. It is not a religion. And is rather, the very opposite. It was Christians who labeled Paganism as a religion. So as to create a binary to be destroyed.
I suppose so. But modern Paganism HAS become a religion.
Not to those of the old ways. To those who go to out of opposition to the Abrahamic religious regimes. Or for the fashion of it.
And here I have spouted the "creed" for +50 years and didn't know what TF I was even saying!
Man are we trapped!!! Thanks for your insights!!!
It is so interesting to see one's conditioning. The walls are an illusion, they are sliding doors, when you push them they move out of your way.
Another great essay and kickoff to a new deep dive into history.
Awesome stuff as always E.M.
What an amazing piece of literature. Thank you, EM, for the efforts you put in to all your writing.
Excellent essay.
The tenor and tone of this presentation is much more cogent, and necessary for the organic understanding of some of the more lineal presentations of finance, and strategic vectors.
All religions are the Babylonian mystery religion. Cultural and linguistic deviations mask the commonalities, but it’s all a continuation of the worship of deified men (and women) going back to the antediluvian narrative documented in the book of Enoch and other extra-canonical texts. Within any religion you have the exoteric (public knowledge) and esoteric (secret knowledge) belief systems. The adepts of the esoteric system use the hidden knowledge to manipulate, control and enslave the profane (uninitiated and deceived masses). It’s a big club and we ain’t in it…
I’m a pagan, in the old Norse ways. No religion. Just walking with the Divine in all things, always, and everywhere.
The honest, true Seeker can only be a pagan. Anything else he enters the binary world
Excellent article. Enjoyed the read.
However, I think it is of great import to separate Christ himself, and his teachings, from Christianity, and "Christianization".
Christ presented us with a set of tools: a framework for epistemological war. The dichotomy of Law, and Life (i.e. living in The Spirit), are at it's core. When we go back and substitute the correct meanings from the original Greek (and in some cases Aramaic or Hebrew) sources, the story we're told is very different from what we are told by those seeking to lead according to religious doctrine.
Peter Duke wrote some excellent articles on this topic (e.g. https://thedukereport.substack.com/p/in-the-beginning-was-the-operating?utm_source=publication-search#footnote-4)
As stated in the piece, first three centuries of Christianity are vastly different than what’s taught. See the book The Religion of the Apostles.
Allow me to also recommend 'Shadow of the Third Century' by Alvin Boyd Kuhn.
From the book, "Christianity was not in the remotest sense a move of more knowing people away from or in opposition to any form of Pagan religion, but on the contrary was just slightly new, if new at all, alignment, combination or expression of Pagan culture itself. It was composed of nothing that Paganism had not already furnished, except an infinitely more impossible mis-comprehension of Paganism's material." pg 205
I have some reading to do.
Great points. I find it interesting to note that 'Christianity' morphed from being Christ followers who simply lived the example of Jesus (something akin to 'walking with the Divine' as E.M. does) into a religion largely begun by a guy (Paul) who never met Jesus and who the Apostles didn't trust. Oh, but Paul's vision. Muhammad had a vision, too. Why should any thinking person accept the word of one man who claims to have had a vision? A study, Century by Century, of the development of Christianity into a world religion convinced me that it was simply about control and wealth accumulation.
As a former pastor and apostate, I now follow The Old Ways of my pre-Christian German ancestors. I appreciate E.M.'s writing and share it as widely as I can. He's one of the rare sages who 'gets it' in my humble opinion.
I find the history around Christ to be problematic and find it revealing that it should be so ... vague.