| Western Mithraism - July 4017 |
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WESTERN ZOROASTRIAN MITHRAISM Western Zoroastrian Mithraism is an experimental new religious movement aimed especially at those modern Europeans who have rejected their traditional Christianity and are searching for an alternative. MITHRA Western Zoroastrian Mithraism considers its cultural roots to be in the ancient Indo-Irano-European polytheistic world of around 4000 years ago. At this time Mithra - the most beloved god of Mithraism - emerges into the historic record among the Indo-Iranian peoples. Known as a god of covenant and friendship he was seen as the guarantor of the well-ordered society, of peace and well-being. ZARATHUSTRA Perhaps living 3000 years ago Zarathustra lived in an age of turmoil, of plunder and deceit, where the strong and rapacious ruined the lives of the settled productive people. He blamed the problems on the corrupted religion of the day and sought a radical reformation to align peoples' religious thinking with the deepest rational philosophy. DIVINE TRINITY The Divine Trinity consists of: 1) ZURVAN - the ultimate source or cause of ANGUM or existence. Zurvan is Lord of Time and Space. 2) MAZDA - cosmic wisdom - is intelligence at work in the world to order things with respect to natural law so that they may produce BIOTHALIA or the flourishing of life. 3) MITHRA is the personification of the best human ideal to work in alignment with the cosmic wisdom. Mithra has male and female aspects: MITHRAS and MITHRANA. MITHRAS KRESTUS-ARISTUS Mithras is titled Mithras Krestus-Aristus - Mithras the Good and the Best. Mithras is KRESTUS because he has the will to be Useful and serve the well-being of all and Mithras is ARISTUS because he is the Best in all his capabilities and virtues. HEROIC TRINITY The Heroic Trinity are three human genii or character-generating spirits which we venerate as they exemplify the virtues of Mithras. These genii are considered the spirits of historical persons which they are named after. 1) ZARTUS SAPIENS - Zoroaster the Wise (Zarathustra the Wise). Zartus Sapiens is master of philosopy and supremely wise as to the nature of the world in its entirety. 2) JESUS GNOSTICUS - Jesus the Knowing Jesus Gnosticus is supremely sensitive to the movement of the spirit in the mental or psychospiritual realm. In other words Jesus Gnosticus is supremely discerning and respectful of what is the real truth of our lives - our feelings and emotions. 3) GEORGIUS FORTIS - George the Brave Georgius Fortis is courageous and strong. Georgius Fortis will fight to defend the existence and work of Zartus and Jesus and the Mithraic religion even unto death. Thus Georgius defends the powers that can shape the world wisely with respect for the real nature and state of people so that the greatest flourishing and happiness can be achieved. CHALIPA The Chalipa is the symbol of Western Zoroastrian Mithraism. Chalipa means 'cross' in Persian. The chalipa symbol is made up of a sun-cross (equilateral cross potent) with four planets (free-floating solid circles) in the diagonal positions and all enclosed by a circle. The central cross stands for the one single power that rightly directs the flow of energy into the world. The planets represent the multiple different kinds of powers that shape the world. The surrounding circle represents the boundary of the cosmos within which there is energy and life. MITHRAIC MOVEMENTS We recognise the value within a particular society of having both a single ORTHODOX religion which can help bind the society and support the public governance, and also of having multiple HETERODOX religious movements which are freer of the need to keep everybody together and can thus pursue particular religious ideas and practices in a more single-minded way. We also recognise that there is value in different societies shaping their form of religion to suit themselves - the nature of their people and their cultural history. In this light we explicitly recognise four 'senior' branches of Mithraism. These are Western Mithraism, Iranian Mithraism, Indian Mithraism and Mithraic Buddhism. We hope that this work on Western Zoroastrian Mithraism will be useful for a future Orthodox Western Mithraism, and that Mithraism as a whole will flourish throughout Europe and the World and be a force for good. Marcus Zartianus July 4017 ME |