Monday, June 29, 2009
Dung deal
"Theology is the study of God and his ways. For all we know, dung beetles may study man and his ways and call it humanology. If so, we would probably be more touched and amused than irritated. One hopes that God feels likewise."-- Frederick Buechner
Photo from Wikipedia
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"For all we know, dung beetles may study man and his ways..."
Of course they are.
Scarabs have been part of the worship by man for as much as 6000 years for their symbolic resurrection power from Atum the creator.
"Millions of amulets and stamp seals of stone or faience were fashioned in Egypt depicted the scarab beetle.
Meaning: It seemed to the ancient Egyptians that the young scarab beetles emerged spontaneously from the burrow were they were born. Therefore they were worshipped as "Khepera", which means "he was came forth." This creative aspect of the scarab was associated with the creator god Atum.
The ray-like antenna on the beetle's head and its practice of dung-rolling caused the beetle to also carry solar symbolism. The scarab-beetle god Khepera was believed to push the (rising_ sun along the sky in the same manner as the beetle with his ball of dung. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky.
During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. These "heart scarabs" ... were meant to be weighed against the feather of truth during the final judgement. The amulets were often inscribed with a spell from the Book of the Dead which entreated the heart to, "do not stand as a witness against me."
Ain't religion fun?
Of course they are.
Scarabs have been part of the worship by man for as much as 6000 years for their symbolic resurrection power from Atum the creator.
"Millions of amulets and stamp seals of stone or faience were fashioned in Egypt depicted the scarab beetle.
Meaning: It seemed to the ancient Egyptians that the young scarab beetles emerged spontaneously from the burrow were they were born. Therefore they were worshipped as "Khepera", which means "he was came forth." This creative aspect of the scarab was associated with the creator god Atum.
The ray-like antenna on the beetle's head and its practice of dung-rolling caused the beetle to also carry solar symbolism. The scarab-beetle god Khepera was believed to push the (rising_ sun along the sky in the same manner as the beetle with his ball of dung. In many artifacts, the scarab is depicted pushing the sun along its course in the sky.
During and following the New Kingdom, scarab amulets were often placed over the heart of the mummified deceased. These "heart scarabs" ... were meant to be weighed against the feather of truth during the final judgement. The amulets were often inscribed with a spell from the Book of the Dead which entreated the heart to, "do not stand as a witness against me."
Ain't religion fun?
Too much theology resembles the ball the scarab is rolling. And we don't even make good use of it, as they do.
Word verification is "semeolit" - which could mean anything, or nothing. How fitting.
Word verification is "semeolit" - which could mean anything, or nothing. How fitting.
I'm not sure I'd call Barth, Moltmann, Tillich, and von Balthasar "bad". Or even Volf and Gilkey.
Yes, in recovery, from the pretense that what we say makes a dime's worth of difference. Called to love, not to think.
I think drlobojo is rubbing off on me, feeling curmudgeonly at an early age.
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Yes, in recovery, from the pretense that what we say makes a dime's worth of difference. Called to love, not to think.
I think drlobojo is rubbing off on me, feeling curmudgeonly at an early age.
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