Showing posts with label mythology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mythology. Show all posts
Friday, February 10, 2012
My guest blog post is up!
A week or so ago I mentioned that I had done a guest blog post for the author Renee Pawlish. Today when I checked my e-mail I found that she had published my guest post over at her blog. So head on over there and check it out!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Unexpected twists and werewolves
Life it seems is constantly throwing unexpected twists at me recently. Sort of annoying because they were not totally unexpected, but I couldn't really do much about them. First off I was demoted at work, while kind of negative thing in the career world, it's sort of a relief because I'm not as stressed now, plus my pay won't be cut to bad. Most annoying however is that my power supply on my desktop decided to kick the bucket, so I'm writing this from my wife's laptop which I have issues with (likes to trick me with it's keyboard). Worst part is that do to a freak accident with gamma radiation, I turn into frothing werewolf when it pisses me off...
Ok...so I'm not really some Incredible Hulk werewolf, but between seeing Twilight New Moon with my wife recently and also Monsterquest's most recent episode (about werewolves as well), I've formulated an idea about paranormal creatures. It's sort of a play on the idea of thoughtforms (physical manifestations of thoughts), or Tulpas (for those more familiar with that term).
This isn't really an original idea, but the theory that Fortean objects or phenomenon, be it animals or UFOs are physical manifestations of thought is actually quite common (heck some believe the world/universe is basically a gigantic thoughtform). However I found myself wondering how many paranormal creatures exist because of a community belief in them, not just from an individual's. Basically the communities themselves believe these to be real, so they become real.
Sadly this post is almost a repeat of one I wrote around year or more ago about gods existing because of belief. Actually it somewhat makes sense. Both the Bible and Koran make it a point to try and make one's beliefs in other gods (besides Allah/Jehovah) falter or be flat out eliminated. It's almost as if the writers of those ancient texts knew that the existence of these gods depended on the amount of belief in them, sort of like in Neil Gaiman's novel American Gods in a way.
Anyways expect more on this idea the near future. Also if things fall into place expect to hear about a crazy plan of mine soon as well...something involving a road trip and of course...strangeness...
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Gilgamesh Flood Story Part 2: Similarities
There are many obvious similarities between the flood story in the Epic of Gilgamesh, and the story of Noah's flood. This of course brings up the question of whether one was inspired by the other, particularly the story of Noah being inspired by Gilgamesh, which is the older flood account.
So to start, let's look at some of the similarities:
1. God (Genesis) and the Anunnaki (Gilgamesh and related stories, i.e: Atra-hasis) decide man must be wiped out by a flood.
2. An individual (Noah and Utnapishtim) deemed worthy to live by God or one of the Anunnaki is given warning of the eminent deluge and ordered to build a boat to save their family and chosen animals.
3. Both Noah and Utnapishtim send out birds to see if the flooding is going away.
4. Each makes sacrifices to God or gods once settled on dry land.
Those are just the most similar connections, however here is a link that gives a bit more in depth similarity studies side by side.
As I said earlier, the question is, was one inspired by the other, and if so what does that mean. Clearly there are many who take the Bible literally and feel that the story of Gilgamesh just lends more truth to the story of Noah's Flood. And while it does indeed do that, it is really a double edged sword. The fact that the Gilgamesh account was recorded before the book of Genesis was written tends to lead many to the assumption that perhaps the story of Noah was inspired by that of Utnapishtim. Unfortunately there is no proof either way, excepting a small bit of evidence that might prove the existence of a couple kings mentioned in the Gilgamesh epic which wouldn't do much to support the Noah believers.
Also if Noah's story was inspired by the tale of Utnapishtim in Gilgamesh, who is to say that perhaps that story wasn't inspired by an earlier tale as well? Most of our knowledge of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia is fragmented at best and much more is probably waiting to be found there. Who knows what the future holds.
Sources and further reading:
The flood story from the epic
Gilgamesh Flood Myth - Wikipedia
Is the Biblical Account of the Flood Modified from the Epic of Gilgamesh?
So to start, let's look at some of the similarities:
1. God (Genesis) and the Anunnaki (Gilgamesh and related stories, i.e: Atra-hasis) decide man must be wiped out by a flood.
2. An individual (Noah and Utnapishtim) deemed worthy to live by God or one of the Anunnaki is given warning of the eminent deluge and ordered to build a boat to save their family and chosen animals.
3. Both Noah and Utnapishtim send out birds to see if the flooding is going away.
4. Each makes sacrifices to God or gods once settled on dry land.
Those are just the most similar connections, however here is a link that gives a bit more in depth similarity studies side by side.
As I said earlier, the question is, was one inspired by the other, and if so what does that mean. Clearly there are many who take the Bible literally and feel that the story of Gilgamesh just lends more truth to the story of Noah's Flood. And while it does indeed do that, it is really a double edged sword. The fact that the Gilgamesh account was recorded before the book of Genesis was written tends to lead many to the assumption that perhaps the story of Noah was inspired by that of Utnapishtim. Unfortunately there is no proof either way, excepting a small bit of evidence that might prove the existence of a couple kings mentioned in the Gilgamesh epic which wouldn't do much to support the Noah believers.
Also if Noah's story was inspired by the tale of Utnapishtim in Gilgamesh, who is to say that perhaps that story wasn't inspired by an earlier tale as well? Most of our knowledge of the early civilizations of Mesopotamia is fragmented at best and much more is probably waiting to be found there. Who knows what the future holds.
Sources and further reading:
The flood story from the epic
Gilgamesh Flood Myth - Wikipedia
Is the Biblical Account of the Flood Modified from the Epic of Gilgamesh?
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Was there a giant cephalopod in Devil's Lake?
I've always wondered why Devil's Lake in Lincoln City, Oregon was called Devil's Lake and now thanks to the book Spooky Oregon by Se Schlosser I now know. It would seem that in the lake there may have been, at least according to Native American legend, a tentacled monstrosity. To verify this legend, I did a search and sure enough it's a real one, and seems to share similarities with tale about a Devil's Lake in Wisconsin.
The short story as for as the Oregon one goes is that the Siletz Indian tribe centuries ago used to really like of the area of Devil's Lake. Then one night when a group of warriors was dispatched across the lake, massive tentacles burst forth from the waters destroying the canoes. The warriors where then flung around, beaten against the water and debris, and died from drowning or injury. From then on the lake was called Devil's Lake.
The lake itself was formed around 14,000 BC, but remains connected to the ocean via a 120ft river. At it's deepest goes down about 22ft. The lake's salinity I'd assume is freshwater since it has fresh water fish living there. However given that there is such a short river (shortest in the world apparently) connecting the ocean to the lake, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's somewhere between fresh and brackish...who knows. Anyways cephalopods (squids, octopi, and nautiluses) are not supposed to be able to survive in freshwater (excepting a species of squid that is able to survive in brackish water) and yet those are the only things with tentacles that I think would match the description of the offending monster. Reports have circulated around the world however of chance encounters with cephalopods that appear to be living in freshwater, some apparently have even attacked people.
Assuming that by some chance the legend indeed tells of an encounter with some unidentified cephalopod what type could it be? I think the giant and colossal squids are dead in the water in this case (no pun intended) due to the lake's depth being to shallow for creatures of their size. Perhaps it was some other semi-largish squid, yet I don't feel a squid could attack the way the one in the story given their body shape in general. That leaves us with the octopus (because nautiluses are totally out of the question since they don't get really large at all) which I think could attack in such a manner much easier then a squid.
Now the Giant Pacific Octopus is the largest known octopus and actually lives here in the Pacific Northwest. It can survive in a variety of depths, but does not the reach a size in which it can trash canoes, excepting of course it wound up in one. So maybe it was an unknown octopus of large size capable of surviving in semi-fresh water despite the fact cephalopods generally can't. Or perhaps the more likely scenario is that it was an fluke accident that the octopus grew to such large size to begin with, with conditions in Devil's Lake being just right for it to thrive in spite of what we know about cephalopods. Either way, it's all fun conjecture until all this talk about tentacled beasties gets someone eaten by a Cthulhu spawn.
Modified from a picture originally taken by someone from NOAA.
Sources and Further Reading:
History & Legend
Welcome to Lincoln City, Oregon
Also be sure to check the links throughout the post, especially the book I mention in the beginning!
The short story as for as the Oregon one goes is that the Siletz Indian tribe centuries ago used to really like of the area of Devil's Lake. Then one night when a group of warriors was dispatched across the lake, massive tentacles burst forth from the waters destroying the canoes. The warriors where then flung around, beaten against the water and debris, and died from drowning or injury. From then on the lake was called Devil's Lake.
The lake itself was formed around 14,000 BC, but remains connected to the ocean via a 120ft river. At it's deepest goes down about 22ft. The lake's salinity I'd assume is freshwater since it has fresh water fish living there. However given that there is such a short river (shortest in the world apparently) connecting the ocean to the lake, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's somewhere between fresh and brackish...who knows. Anyways cephalopods (squids, octopi, and nautiluses) are not supposed to be able to survive in freshwater (excepting a species of squid that is able to survive in brackish water) and yet those are the only things with tentacles that I think would match the description of the offending monster. Reports have circulated around the world however of chance encounters with cephalopods that appear to be living in freshwater, some apparently have even attacked people.
Assuming that by some chance the legend indeed tells of an encounter with some unidentified cephalopod what type could it be? I think the giant and colossal squids are dead in the water in this case (no pun intended) due to the lake's depth being to shallow for creatures of their size. Perhaps it was some other semi-largish squid, yet I don't feel a squid could attack the way the one in the story given their body shape in general. That leaves us with the octopus (because nautiluses are totally out of the question since they don't get really large at all) which I think could attack in such a manner much easier then a squid.
Now the Giant Pacific Octopus is the largest known octopus and actually lives here in the Pacific Northwest. It can survive in a variety of depths, but does not the reach a size in which it can trash canoes, excepting of course it wound up in one. So maybe it was an unknown octopus of large size capable of surviving in semi-fresh water despite the fact cephalopods generally can't. Or perhaps the more likely scenario is that it was an fluke accident that the octopus grew to such large size to begin with, with conditions in Devil's Lake being just right for it to thrive in spite of what we know about cephalopods. Either way, it's all fun conjecture until all this talk about tentacled beasties gets someone eaten by a Cthulhu spawn.
Modified from a picture originally taken by someone from NOAA.
Sources and Further Reading:
History & Legend
Welcome to Lincoln City, Oregon
Also be sure to check the links throughout the post, especially the book I mention in the beginning!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Gilgamesh Flood Story Part 1: Intro
I've been trying to figure out how to introduce this one because it's not quite the same as paraphrasing something from the Bible. The other problem is the fact it really is so similar to the story of Noah's flood that I swear at times I was reading the same thing with different names. So the best to start I think is to give you all a link to the flood story from the Epic of Gilgamesh: The Great Flood: Gilgamesh (I really suggest reading it because you'll probably be a tad lost later if you don't)
One thing I want to note is that the flood story from this epic is not about Gilgamesh himself, rather it is told to Gilgamesh by the flood survivor named Utnapishtim (I've actually seen TV documentaries get that bit wrong), who is the story's version of Noah. Utnapishtim even builds an equivalent to the Ark which he takes animals on as well (it's not as apparent while reading it, but that is the case), although it is a giant cube apparently with all sides being the same.
Besides the name there are a couple other key differences to this story. For instance there are multiple gods, in particular the Anunnaki whom you should all know from my adventures into the works of Zecharia Sitchin. In fact it is the Anunnaki named Enlil who apparently rashly decides to destroy humanity with a large flood because they have angered him and many of the other Anunnaki.
The other primary difference is that the flooding process itself lasts only 7 days and 6 nights as opposed to the 40 days of Noah's flood. There is also a really cool description process here telling about gods drawing back gates and releasing water, burning the human settlement, and much more. It's almost like reading about a Viking or pirate raid, only the Vikings and pirates are replaced by gods.
Anyways over the coming days I will get more into detail about these differences, as well the similarities, between this and Noah's flood. Like I said, I swear I was reading the same story at times...truly fascinating.
One thing I want to note is that the flood story from this epic is not about Gilgamesh himself, rather it is told to Gilgamesh by the flood survivor named Utnapishtim (I've actually seen TV documentaries get that bit wrong), who is the story's version of Noah. Utnapishtim even builds an equivalent to the Ark which he takes animals on as well (it's not as apparent while reading it, but that is the case), although it is a giant cube apparently with all sides being the same.
Besides the name there are a couple other key differences to this story. For instance there are multiple gods, in particular the Anunnaki whom you should all know from my adventures into the works of Zecharia Sitchin. In fact it is the Anunnaki named Enlil who apparently rashly decides to destroy humanity with a large flood because they have angered him and many of the other Anunnaki.
The other primary difference is that the flooding process itself lasts only 7 days and 6 nights as opposed to the 40 days of Noah's flood. There is also a really cool description process here telling about gods drawing back gates and releasing water, burning the human settlement, and much more. It's almost like reading about a Viking or pirate raid, only the Vikings and pirates are replaced by gods.
Anyways over the coming days I will get more into detail about these differences, as well the similarities, between this and Noah's flood. Like I said, I swear I was reading the same story at times...truly fascinating.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Some thoughts on God and the Annunaki
Recent image captured by NASAthat resembles a giant hand in space.
I've been pondering what I've learned from reading "The 12th Planet", related items from the web, and my general knowledge of Christianity and related religions a lot recently. Mainly on how it all seems to interconnect, almost confusingly, but does.
It would seem to me that somewhere along the line there was a beginning mythology that led to what the Sumerians believed. This later evolved into the various mythologies of the Mid East, only to be reinterpreted into what would become Judaism, by Abraham, who restructured the multiple Gods into the one God and his angels.
The question however remains as to whether the Gods of old were real beings who created us. If the Annunaki, who if according to Zecharia Sitchin's interpretation of Sumerian myth, came from another planet in our solar system is accurate, then things as pertaining to God, are truly odd. Mainly in the fact that we were created as slaves by beings that for the most part are mere mortals like ourselves, just with longer life spans. Secondly in the fact that, from what I've gathered from various things I've read on the web, it would seem that the Annunaki believed in a creator as well, which means there is indeed some sort of God, or at least both the Annunaki and many of us humans believe there to be.
Well before I get anyone lost, what I'm trying to say is that I think the relationships between ancient myth, modern Abrahamic religions, and the concept of Gods and God in general, may be far more complicated then we can imagine. Plus, if you really want to go hardcore into the whole thing, it's my belief that nothing should exist period.
I feel that the mere fact anything, be it the stars, space, Earth, and life in general exists, is definitive proof that there is some sort of creator. Really there should only be a big black void of well...nothing...and it's down right confusing to me to assume that all that we see around us and in the heavens just appeared one day out of nothingness.
As for the creator, I feel he/she/it would had to have come from somewhere as well, but where and how will probably be way beyond our current understanding of time, space, quantum physics, and what have you...simply put, the whole situation is mind boggling.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Sumerian myth, the Bible, and Aliens?
The farther I've gotten into "The 12th Planet" by Zecharia Sitchin, the more I find myself interested in the connections between Sumerian myth and the events of the Old Testament of the Bible. Partly because I've always been fascinated by religion and also because I've wanted to know origins of Judaic beliefs, which as most everyone knows is the source for three of today's major relgions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).
Yesterday while browsing The Debris Field (which is one of the best places to find the latest and greatest esoteric news by the way) I came across a link to an interesting post over at The Book of Thoth, which is one of the many esoteric/paranormal hubs on the web.
In the post, the author, who goes by the name Anuatlantian, has put together the many connections between Sumerian myth and the Old Testament, side by side (more like above and below, well you'll see what I mean.) and really brought out the similarities. Interestingly, if this guy is right, events in both Sumerian myth and the Old Testament and almost exactly the same, other then some name differences (which seem to translate over).
Of course if these connections are correct, it brings up the question of who the Anunnaki (the deities) of Sumerian myth are, because they are the ones who equal out to being God and the angels of the Bible. Well, the connections are between the Anunnaki, God, and angels aren't really the question as much as, what were they. Were/are they merely a product of myth, or are they possibly extra-terrestrial in origin as Zecharia Sitchin proposes the Anunnaki are in "The 12th Planet" and the rest of his books.
If the E.T. connection is real, then we were all placed here by aliens, but seeing as Zecharia's interpretation of Sumerian language, and translations of other languages have been questioned (although I think he may be at least partly right), I'm really not sure what to think. Doesn't help that I know squat about foreign languages, and that I'm no mythology scholar, but by the time I'm done reading into this stuff, I might be...well depending on how much I read into it.
Anywho, I intend on picking up the books listed as sources by Anuatlantian, excluding the Bible (I already own a couple variants of said tome) and exploring the subject for myself, which I think will prove to be in the word of the great Spock "Fascinating".
Yesterday while browsing The Debris Field (which is one of the best places to find the latest and greatest esoteric news by the way) I came across a link to an interesting post over at The Book of Thoth, which is one of the many esoteric/paranormal hubs on the web.
In the post, the author, who goes by the name Anuatlantian, has put together the many connections between Sumerian myth and the Old Testament, side by side (more like above and below, well you'll see what I mean.) and really brought out the similarities. Interestingly, if this guy is right, events in both Sumerian myth and the Old Testament and almost exactly the same, other then some name differences (which seem to translate over).
Of course if these connections are correct, it brings up the question of who the Anunnaki (the deities) of Sumerian myth are, because they are the ones who equal out to being God and the angels of the Bible. Well, the connections are between the Anunnaki, God, and angels aren't really the question as much as, what were they. Were/are they merely a product of myth, or are they possibly extra-terrestrial in origin as Zecharia Sitchin proposes the Anunnaki are in "The 12th Planet" and the rest of his books.
If the E.T. connection is real, then we were all placed here by aliens, but seeing as Zecharia's interpretation of Sumerian language, and translations of other languages have been questioned (although I think he may be at least partly right), I'm really not sure what to think. Doesn't help that I know squat about foreign languages, and that I'm no mythology scholar, but by the time I'm done reading into this stuff, I might be...well depending on how much I read into it.
Anywho, I intend on picking up the books listed as sources by Anuatlantian, excluding the Bible (I already own a couple variants of said tome) and exploring the subject for myself, which I think will prove to be in the word of the great Spock "Fascinating".
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