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All Rights Reserved: (c)2004, Raja Choudhury,USA
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Sunday, July 3
Today in Mythology: The dog days of summer and the Rosa Mundi
Today is the start of the “dog days of summer”, in which the Sun moves directly opposite the position of the Dog Star Sirius, marking the hottest day of the year. Historically, many cultures have attached special significance to Sirius. Sirius was worshipped in the valley of the Nile long before Rome was founded, and many ancient Egyptian temples were constructed oriented so that light from the star could penetrate to their inner altars. The Egyptians based their calendar on the heliacal rising of Sirius, which occurred just before the annual flooding of the Nile and the Summer solstice. In Greek mythology, Orion's dog became Sirius. The Greeks also associated Sirius with the heat of summer: the name Sirius is derived from Seirios meaning "the scorcher". This also explains the phrase "dog days of summer" - see the full definition at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirius.
Today is also Rosa Mundi - Rose of the World - day in the Palestinian Christian Calendar. This day has its roots in Rosicrucian - http://www.rosicrucian.org/ - mythology (a 17th century secret society rooted in Christian mysticism that has influenced many aspects of modern life including Freemasonry. See the definition of Rosicrucianism at the Wikipedia site - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosicrucian .) Esoterically, the Rose is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge with the Rose of the World as a synonym for Pax Cultura, peace through culture. Daniil Andreev, the Russian mystic and poet, saw Rose of the World as a sign of the future age of Mother of the World, a New spiritual and idealized Age of Aquarius. So now, when you look at a red rose you can see it as a meditation on an ideal new age to come and the dream of world peace and a new awakening.
Saturday, July 2
July rolls in
Welcome to July.
The Romans called this month September ("seventh") until it was renamed in honor of Julius Caesar -- creator of the Western solar calendar -- by his adoptive son Octavian, who would claim the title Augustus and rename the eighth month for himself, thereby pushing September to its present position as the ninth month. The Romans also believed that if it rained on the first day of July, the entire month would be rainy as well.
In our time July starts this month with Live 8 and the G8 summit. Today, millions of people will gather around the world to end poverty, particularly in Africa, where 30,000 die needlessly every day (go to http://www.live8live.com. Today Venus Williams will win Wimbledon after a gruesome battle against Lindsay Davenport and this weekend America prepares to celebrate its independence and freedom from the British.
Friday, July 1
Hi-Tech Stone Age Site Found
Thought you might find this interesting:
2.34-million-year-old Hi-Tech tool manufacturing site found
A 2.34-million-year-old tool manufacturing site in East Africa may have been the Stone Age's center for high tech, according to French archaeologists who studied more than 2,600 artifacts excavated there.
The archaeologists believe relics at the site in Kenya, called Lokalalei 2C, display a level of tool-making sophistication among its dwellers that was unique to the Late Pliocene, which occurred between 2.6 and 2.0 million years ago.
Read more...<http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20050627/stoneagetool.html>
Paul: the greatest evangelist
Today is the Feast of St. Paul, the first and most successful evangelist in the history of Christianity, and, if 1 Corinthians 13 and his famous speech on the Areopagus to the skeptical citizens of Athens (Acts 17) are anything to go by, one of the most gifted poets of his time. Christianity would not have become the religion it is today without his faith and evangelical zeal. Here are some of the most beautiful words ever written about faith, hope and charity:
1 Corinthians 13
(from the King James Bible)
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
America and its religions
"Man is a Religious Animal. He is the only Religious Animal. He is the only animal that has the True Religion--several of them. He is the only animal that loves his neighbor as himself and cuts his throat if his theology isn't straight."
~ Mark Twain
In addition to being the wealthiest, most militaristic and the most armed (citizenry) country in the world today, America turns out to be the most religious as well. There are estimated to be around 250 religions in America, of which over 200 have their origins in Protestant Christianity. According to the recent American Religious Identification Survey, 77% of Americans consider themselves Christian (159 million in over 200 denominations), 13% secular (scientific/humanist/non-religious), 1.3% Jewish, 0.5% Moslem, 0.5% Buddhist, 0.5% agnostic, 0.4% atheist, ).4% Hindu, 0.3% Unitarian Universalist, 0.1% Pagan and the rest a mix Baha’i, Sikh, New Age, Native American, Scientology and Deist. According to the survey the fastest growing religions (in percentage terms from 1990 onwards) in America are (in descending magnitude): Deism, Sikhism, Hinduism, New Age and Baha’i. One of the most interesting findings is that while the Christian population has increased by 9 million since 1990, the number of people that have become non-religious or secular has doubled to over 28 million – that’s a lot of people dropping out of organized religion. What is it about religiosity that makes us so violent, I wonder?
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