Gnostic Demiurge

Manicheism

Here is a doodle I made. I need to find out more about Manicheism which is an Iranian/Persian version of a Draco-Gnostic mythos. I just made up the term "Draco-Gnostics" to refer to Gnostic sects that hold the snake in high esteem; the Ophites, like I've mention, used the snake in a Eucharist ceremony and the Manicheism believed Jesus to be the incarnation of the Great Serpent (aka God) and were heavily inspired by Persian mythos. The Manicheans were also very Dualistic, on par with other Gnostic sects and Zoroasterism.

Also I'd like to explore how the Bacchus Cult influenced the Ophites because their Snake Eucharist was similar to a Baccuhusian ritual.

Also apparently the first mention of an Oracal ever in recorded history was by Virgil in the Aneaid where he mentions a priestess of Ob (or Aub) in the Canaan. Aeneid. Virgil. p. 46, &c, Worship. Dean. p 89 &c. Deane argues that אוב, in Leviticus chapter 20 verse 27, which is typically translated as "hath a familar spirit" or as a "ventriloquist" is most correctly translated as a "Priest/Priestess of Ob". I still need to go through some various Bible translations and check this out and cross check it with some Biblical commentary. Rashi would be the easiest to look up.

Also Manichism was influeneced heavily by Buddhist ideology and it is said that Mani reached Parinarvania but when used in the Manichaean it has a different context than with the Buddhist ideas.

And that's all I have for now.

Snake Worship and the Bible

I'm putting this stuff in this blog so I can refer to it later as a springboard of ideas.


"Worship of the Servent" chapter 1: http://www.sacred-texts.com/etc/wos/wos04.htm#fr_143

Things to look up and cross source:

HIVITES - Canaanite serpent worshipers (May have influenced story in Second Kings about Nehustan). Mentioned in Genesis chapter 10 in the Table of Nations. Also mentioned in Deuteronomy chapter 7 "the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nation". Also mentioned countless other times especially in Joshua.

Baalim - term for Israelites that secretly praticed Serpent Worship. May term "baalim" is plural form of either Baal or Bel which are both Canaanite gods.
Ophites- Οφῖται - This is just the greek term for a snake worshipper but refers to a couple different specific groups when used in context. Epiphanius uses this term when he describes a sect of Heritical Christian Sect.

""the Ophites sprung out of the Nicolaitans and Gnostics, and were so called from the serpent which they worshipped... The Ophites attribute all wisdom to the serpent of paradise, and say that he was the author of knowledge to men... They keep a live serpent in a chest; and at the time of the mysteries entice him out by placing bread before him upon a table. Opening his door he comes out, and having ascended the table, folds himself about the bread. This they call a perfect sacrifice. They not only break and distribute this among the votaries, but whosoever will, may kiss the serpent. This the wretched people call THE EUCHARIST. They conclude the mysteries by singing an hymn THROUGH HIM to the supreme Father. " Epiph. lib. i. tom. 3. p. 268, &c.

Hezakiah and Nehustan

Thought this would be an interesting topic of discussion. How in Exodus chapter 32 while Moses is getting the Decalogue, or Ten Commandments, the Israelites are activly turning their jewelery into a gold calf and worshipping it, breaking the first two commandments. Of course, as most of know and have seen the reinactment by Charlston Heston, Moses angerly throws down the tablets, has a fit, destroys the calf, grinds it to powder, throws it in a river and forces the Israelites to drink it.

However after God tells him not to make any idols, not even of God, he tells Moses to make a snake staff to heal snake bites in Numbers chapter 21. But as we learn from 2 Kings chapter 18, Hezakiah broke the snake staff because people were starting to burn incents for it and called it Nehustan, as if it were a god. It became an idol. (in my imagination I can't help but imagine Hezakiah grinding it up and throwing it into a river like Moses had done)


Even more ironically is that God tells Moses to put golden cherubims on the Ark of the tabernacle. And despirte the popular version of "Cherubs" we have today which are little chubby angels:

Some scholars think that cherubim, as understood by the original audience, would of more likely resembled a wingled lion or bull with a human head:



which makes chapter 32 seem even more ironic. What exactly is the Bible's stance towards graven images? I'm defintly not sure but I do collect Batmobile minitures.

Is there a lesson to be learned from all this? Probably but you'll need to find somebody that cites their sources if you're looking for something with that deep of a meaning.