10. Pagan Festivals and the Function of Myth

What were pagan festivals and rituals like?

Regicide

In ancient times, there was a tradition of killing the sacred king. In ancient paganism, the king was considered the living embodiment of a god, so it was problematic if he died. It was also problematic if he grew weak.

Therefore, a tradition emerged where the king would be executed when he grew frail from old age, and a more powerful successor would be installed. It was, in a sense, an update.

The sun always rises from the east even after it sets. Nimrod, who became the first god in human history, could not be resurrected in the end. This is because he was human.

Thus, the setting was established that his son Tammuz was his reincarnation. Kings, too, had to be reincarnated generation after generation. Furthermore, they always had to be powerful. A weak king would affect things like crop harvests.

While searching for a successor, a substitute performed the king's duties. The substitute could enjoy the same pleasures as the king, but was executed once a successor was decided.

The origin of regicide lies in the New Year's festival celebrating the death and resurrection of Marduk, the chief god of Babylon. It is a festival equivalent to the Mesopotamian Zagmuk or Easter (which is literally a resurrection festival).

Zagmuk means "beginning of the year," and since the battle between Marduk and Tiamat lasts for twelve days, the festival also lasts for twelve days.

Zagmuk is also the root of Beltane, a festival for devil worshippers; while that is a planting festival, Samhain, held in October, is a harvest festival. Today, it is called Halloween. What exactly are they "harvesting"?

Enuma Elish and Shonen Manga

On the fourth day of the festival, the Babylonian creation epic, Enuma Elish, is recited. It is a story in which the god Marduk triumphs over chaos and establishes order in the creation of the world.

The Enuma Elish begins with, "When on high the heaven had not been named / And the earth beneath had not been called by name."

Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Verse 4 states, "God saw the light, that it was good," and the creation of heaven and earth proceeds peacefully.

Conversely, the Enuma Elish introduces characters one after another: "Apsu, the first, their begetter / And demiurge Tiamat, she who bore them all." It has the feel of being ready for a massive brawl at any moment.

The Anunnaki gods gather to find a god who can defeat the gods who have rebelled. The Anunnaki are the seven judges of the underworld and the children of the god Anu. They include figures like Inanna.

Incidentally, these Anunnaki are the origin of the giants known as the Anakim who appear in the Great Flood of the Old Testament. They are also recognized as the Titans of Greek mythology.

Marduk responds to the Anunnaki's request and is promised the throne of the chief god. He then goes to battle in a chariot drawn by four horses infused with poison and defeats Tiamat (the motif of a chariot drawn by four horses will also appear many times in the future).

The story is dramatic; like in Hollywood movies or shonen manga, the god is defeated and dies, but is resurrected through a magical ritual and finally defeats Tiamat (the dragon).

When Vegeta and Nappa invaded Earth, Son Goku was literally dead. He was later resurrected and achieved victory.

Hollywood movies also invariably use the template of death and rebirth. This is because it is an element that appeals to the human heart, but in the first place,there is no need to divide into enemies and allies and fight.There was a world, the world simply existed, and it was peaceful all along. This is fine.

Due to the influence of modern myths, manga, movies, and games, the image that humans are beings who fight has become completely established. Therefore, no one finds it strange when war breaks out. People also believe that bullying in schools is just "how things are."

War is profitable. From the perspective of bankers and neocons, manga, movies, and games are a godsend. Of course, battle-themed manga, movies, and games are produced with that intention. Every series in Weekly Shonen Jump ends up being a battle story.

As written earlier, gods appear one after another, and they are often tougher than their fathers or mothers. It is the exact template of Piccolo, Vegeta, and Frieza.

We have mixed up reality with manga, movies, and games. Humanity is in a state of total otaku-ism.

This is because there are entities that wish to continue fighting forever. The manifestation of this is what is called myth.

Sacred Sex

After finishing the recitation of the Enuma Elish, the priest grabs the king by the ears and drags him to the statue of Marduk. The king begs for forgiveness and swears that he has not neglected his royal duties.

The king has his badge of rank removed and is slapped by the priest. If tears fall from the king's eyes, that year will be a year of abundance.

This ritual and festival continued until the Roman Empire era. It may seem good at first glance because the king becomes humble, but in the end, in a ritual known as the "Sacred Marriage," the king pretends to be a god andengages in ritualistic sex with a priestess.This represents the union of a god and a goddess.

When the festival ended, the king was killed.

The Sacred Marriage ritual was carefully prepared. This included the preparation of the temple and sacred space, purification rituals for the participants, and offerings to the gods. The participants in the ritual were the high priestess representing Inanna, the king, and the priests and priestesses assisting the ritual.

However, no matter how much one brings up titles like high priestess and gives plausible reasons such as "it symbolizes the union of a god and a goddess,"sex is sex, and murder is murder.

And murder that is not based on passion is always wrong in any era.

Rebellion Based on Morality

Even when bringing up such ritualistic murders, most people tend to dismiss it by saying, "People in the past lacked morality."

Just as Shem killed Nimrod and cut him into pieces to send warnings to various places,morality, that is, faith in a single God, existed in ancient times as well.

According to Alexander Hislop's 'The Two Babylons,' even the Babylonians "clearly acknowledged that there was one supreme, almighty Creator who ruled over all." "Most other nations were the same."

American author and retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman recounts a Civil War firefight in his book 'On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society'.

Despite firing multiple volleys from less than fifteen paces away,not a single casualty was inflicted.

It is said that only the one to two percent of the population who are psychopaths can kill without compunction. "Normal" people like us fire our muskets into the air, load our guns with multiple charges, or load them "for our comrades." Eventually, we run away.

For this reason, both cult priests and Marine drill sergeants train people to be able to do "bad things." Just like in rituals, they use drugs and extraordinary experiences to push people mentally and physically, and then imprint new information.

Looking at reality, everything is moving for the sake of some people's profit. Not just manga, movies, and games, but sports are also confrontations and wars. Arguments on social media are also wars. All of these methods are based on wisdom that has continued since ancient times.

Because the brainwashing is so intense,the idea that soldiers and cult followers cannot do "bad things" without trainingdoes not easily come to mind. We humans are creatures who feel a sense of guilt by default.

This is because there is one Creator who is good. We are good people, and we do not inherently need to fight.