Damn...these internets...

I was just out surfing a little of what's going on in "The Real World" (re: what's not so cool in Fjordland...which, I shudder to say, is just about everything.)

And I came to the spot where I just have to go. "Dude, re-lax...you're getting bent outta shape over NOTHIN'!"

I was just hunting thru the archives of a great web-site called Laputan Logic fulla' all sorts of useless "history" crap. And found this little gem.

"If Christianity had been checked in its growth by some
deadly disease, the world would have become Mithraic."

Mithras...as what I know about the little Godling, was the entity that evolved (comin' from my Pa'- who happens to be one of them "ordained" ministers - so it's a reasonably reputable source) into the modern day Santa-Claus. Now, I know you're askin' yourself..."Sure you know about some god-damned heathen, eternal-livin'-in-hell-gods Tsunami. But what's that got to do with livin' a good upright Christian life in the good 'old, "In-'God-We Trust U.S.A.??"

Well, the web-site I'm a'quotin' says, "If Christianity had been checked in its growth by some deadly disease, the world would have become Mithraic."

"But it wasn't, ya-gjoddamn guy named after a tidal-wave!!!...Christ was sent from heaven as the Sjon of Gjod, and got fuckin' crucified for his troubles!!!!

-Yeah, the poor bastard. Just like, oh, I dunno, like 800,000 other criminals during the course of the Roman Empire's judicial watch. Quick question for you X-tian gang out there...what were the names of the two thieves Jesus was crucified WITH??!! Were they also victims? Were they really guilty? What if Jesus was just a petty crook...a pick-pocket who just happened to have better P.R. than those other two. One ended up the Son of God, the other two...ummm, a couple of unnamed corpses about to become raven-fjood. Wow, I'm getting off topic here.

Mithras.
If Christianity had been checked in its growth by some
deadly disease, the world would have become Mithraic.

Here's where the story get's a little more complex - than even my fingers can make...

"The widespread popularity and appeal of Mithraism as the final and most refined form of pre-Christian paganism was discussed by the Greek historian Herodotus, the Greek biographer Plutarch, the neoplatonic philosopher Porphyry, the Gnostic heretic origin, and St. Jerome the church Father. Mithraism was quite often noted by many historians for its many astonishing similarities to Christianity.

The faithful referred to Mithras as "the Light of the World", symbol of truth, justice, and loyalty. He was mediator between heaven and earth and was a member of a Holy Trinity. According to Persian mythology, Mithras was born of a virgin given the title 'Mother of God'. The god remained celibate throughout his life, and valued self-control, renunciation and resistance to sensuality among his worshippers. Mithras represented a system of ethics in which brotherhood was encouraged in order to unify against the forces of evil.

The worshippers of Mithras held strong beliefs in a celestial heaven and an infernal hell. They believed that the benevolent powers of the god would sympathize with their suffering and grant them the final justice of immortality and eternal salvation in the world to come. They looked forward to a final day of judgment in which the dead would resurrect, and to a final conflict that would destroy the existing order of all things to bring about the triumph of light over darkness.

Purification through a ritualistic baptism was required of the faithful, who also took part in a ceremony in which they drank wine and ate bread to symbolize the body and blood of the god. Sundays were held sacred, and the birth of the god was celebrated annually on December the 25th. After the earthly mission of this god had been accomplished, he took part in a Last Supper with his companions before ascending to heaven, to forever protect the faithful from above."

+++++++++

Gang, I respect anyone who grabs the reins of their own faith and follows it thru. It's a big deal to have convictions that surpass the current bride-to-be of Tom Cruise, or the status of Lohan's Boobs. And I'm talking as a person who's much more interested in the latter...

But there is something to having Faith, and something to having an open mind to other possibilities. Like, you might think that Barb Wire is an awesome flick...but you'd feel like a rube if you were spouting off about it, and didn't know it was a ripoff of Casablanca.

Don't make me bust out the Sumerian Myths...you'd be shocked at how many you know...and from only 1000 years or so before Romulus and Remus were sucking on some she-wolf's tit. And if you got no idea, don't even make me bring in Aeneas...cause you'd be way outta' your league. Odds are the "trujth" of your belief, is just something recycled from ages before. And that's a good thing. The great stories shouldn't die. They should be re-done with modern, handsome and hot actors/actresses, with better special effects. But they shouldn't trample people who are like us, trying to live the best they can.

Damn, I hope that didn't come off as "preachy."