Ancient extinct Gnostic Persian religion founded in the 3rd century AD
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12 episodes with manicheism
6 episodes with manicheism
2 episodes with manicheism
2 episodes with manicheism
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
Send us comments, suggestions and ideas here! This week's episode sees us dust off the old VHS copy of the late 90s gnostic science fiction classic “Dark City,” written and directed by Alex Proyas. This is what your mom was talking about when you told her you wanted to see ‘The Matrix' but she said “No, we have it at home,” with some scenes almost matching shot for shot visually. Perhaps more remarkably is how Dark City tackles similar themes on loan from ancient gnostic philosophy but does so in a way faithful to its science fiction roots in German expressionism where it finds inspiration in the fertile imaginations of Fritz Lang and Albin Grau, the creators of Metropolis and Nosferatu respectively. The result is a film which beneath its slick, noir surface is a thoughtful meditation on the dark side of spirituality, evolution and the destiny of the human soul. In the first half of the show we discuss some of the occult roots of the science fiction genre itself and what it has to do with the Aeon of Horus championed by Aleister Crowley before cutting into the dense symbolism in the film's opening using the Tarot as our guide. In the extended show we visit the abode of Netzach and go deeper into Greek and even Hindu mythology to unpack some of the symbolism used in the film before discussing the overlap between The Strangers and their shadowy, real-life counterparts who manipulate our destiny from the circles beyond time. We hope you brought your Kabbalah glasses because we'll be talking shop in this one. Thank you and enjoy the show! In this week's episode we discuss:The Occult Roots of Science FictionImmanentizing the Eschaton German ExpressionismThe Black BrotherhoodThe Allegory of the Cave The Hotel, MalkuthMannequins of Hod The Automat Scene Mercury / Hermes Gematria In the extended show available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go quite a bit further and discuss: Maia, Eldest Sister of the PleiadesVenus PudicaThe Sacred DeerThe Scales of LibraEmma AphroditeAdonism and Luciferianism The StrangersBrotherhood of Saturn and FOGCThe Tepaphon and GOTOSMen in BlackGanymede and AquariusPrometheus and Icarus The Hand of GodThe Wheel Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitX: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitOrder Stickers: https://www.stickermule.com/thewholerabbitOther Merchandise: https://thewholerabbit.myspreadshop.com/Music By Spirit Travel Plaza:https://open.spotify.com/artist/30dW3WB1sYofnow7y3V0YoSources:Tepaphon:https://josephmax.wordpress.com/2010/09/05/tepaphone-the-magickal-death-ray/Steven Flowers, Fraternitas Saturni:https://www.amazon.com/Fraternitas-Saturni-History-Doctrine-Brotherhood/dp/Support the show
Send us comments, suggestions and ideas here! In this week's episode we plunge deep into the Gospel of Judas, a gnostic manuscript which was lost for centuries, only to be recovered just a short time ago. While it's true meaning is still argued over by scholars, we take on the challenge from an occult perspective and analyze the parts within using wisdom from both the Bible and ancient Egyptian religion. In the free section of the show we discuss the Kabbalistic symbolism behind the thirty pieces of silver that Judas received to sell Jesus out, tell the harrowing tale of how the missing codex was hidden from the public until only recently and the controversial heresies contained within the gospel. In the extended version of the episode we continue our analysis of the text and see where it lines up with the wisdom in the Gospel of Thomas and begin to unpack the contents as they pertain to Jewish mysticism, gnostic cosmology and even a hint of modern day conspiracy theory. What exactly does it mean when Jesus elevates Judas above the other disciples and does that mean Judas really gets a happy ending to his story or not? Stay tuned in to find out, thank you and enjoy the show! In this week's episode we discuss:The Favorite DiscipleHistory of the TextZecharia and the 30 Pieces of SilverIrenaeus: Against Heresies The Gospel of MaryReading the Text Jewish and Egyptian Bread Rituals…The Disciples Become AngryAgainst MartyrdomThe Barbello The Holy Generation?In the extended episode available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go much further and discuss:The Description of the End Times No Rituals! No Sacrifice!The Star of JudasThe Demiurge: Saklas / Yaldabaoth Ancient Egyptian Wisdom The Gospels of ThomasGnostic CosmologyAnatomy of the SoulThe Thirteenth Demon!Hollywood and the Illuminati?Silent Hill Each host is responsible for writing and creating the content they present. Heka wrote and prepared purple sections, Luke was red and Mari presented blue sections. Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitTwitter: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitOrder Stickers: https://www.stickermule.com/thewholerabbitOther Merchandise: https://thewholerabbit.myspreadshop.com/Music By Spirit Travel Plaza:https://open.spotify.com/artist/30dW3WB1sYofnow7y3V0YoSources:Academic New Translation and Commentary by David Brakkehttps://dokumen.pub/the-gospel-of-judas-a-new-translation-with-introduction-and-commentary-9780300264876.htmlGospel of Judas, Elain Pagels https://a.co/d/dNpJwAOGospels of Thomas:http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.htmlSupport the show
On this week's episode we're joined by Iskandar, known widely on the internet as Alawite Anon, the same fellow who's anonymous post on 4chan went viral a few weeks ago and found itself as the topic of discussion for our episode dubiously labeled “Interview with a Gnostic Muslim.” As fate would have it, he tracked us down and instead of punching us in the nose (which was probably warranted) he offered himself as a subject of interview about his ancient faith and the occult tenants contained therein. In the free section of the show we ask Iskandar about the origins of his people and faith, the esoteric aspects of his practice, the initiatory ordeals and structure of the inner order, its little known connection to the Knights Templar, the rejection of holiness, what occult materials they study and if women may participate or not. While this covers quite a mountain of interesting information, we go quite a bit deeper in the extended episode as we talk about the magickal mother letters AMS, advanced astral travel, the anatomy of the human soul, the origin of the demiurge, if gods can die, the highest principle, how to deal with demons, the Tree of Life, the archons or Sultans of this reality, the earth gates where they reside as guardians, the adversary or shadow entity, LUCIFER and finally, what cosmically horrific thing happens when we die. Thank you everybody and enjoy the show!On this week's episode we interview Alawite Anon (Iskandar) about:The Origins of His People and ReligionThe Secret Alawite Inner Order, The Najm. Overlaps with Gnosticism (Yaldabaoth and Sophia) WTF is a Yaqin? Hiding In Plain SightConnections to the Knights Templar / FreemasonryA Look Behind the Curtain of InitiationThe Original Red Pill Rejecting HolinessThe Silsilat TaalimOccult Texts Of the Alawite Religion In the EXTENDED LENGTH edition of this episode available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go way further down the rabbit hole and discuss: The AMS Formulae Magickal Practice How to Night Travel Egyptian Cosmological Overlap Anatomy of the Soul Anatomy of the Astral Realm Working With Demons and Curses What is Pnuema? The Demiurge, Yaoim Lucifer, Helel Ben ShaharThe Ultimate GodThe Qabalistic Tree of Life The Archontic SultansDimensional Gates on EarthThe Previous DemiurgeThe Truth about Aliens and UFOS?The Shadow, Adversary or Al DudWhat Happens When We Die? Each host is responsible for writing and creating the content they present. In the notes: red sections are written by Luke Madrid, green sections by Malachor 5, purple written by Heka Astra and blue by Mari Sama.Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitTwitter: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitMusic By Spirit Travel Plaza: https://open.spotify.com/artist/30dW3WB1sYofnow7y3V0YoSupport the show
In this week's episode we discuss the gnostic and occult themes found throughout the 90s blockbuster classic; The Truman Show. In the 25 years since the film's theatrical release, The Truman Show has continued to draw new interest and inspired numerous fans to dig through its seemingly never ending list of clever details and hidden content. While much has been said about the film over the years we focus on the occult symbolism and religious motifs which make the Truman Show perhaps the best gnostic themed film ever made. We begin by unraveling the etymology of character names and quickly move into the gnostic, Kabbalistic and Tarot symbolism hiding in plain sight. We discuss Adam Kadmon, The Scarlet Woman and of course The Black Iron Prison. In the extended show we go even deeper into the machinery of Truman's world and find ourselves treading Tarot paths on the Moon, exploring the Canis Major, the lunar-womb-Matrix and how Truman uses the principles of Hermetic Magick to Cross the Abyss, confront God himself and complete The Great Work. Fair warning: we go pretty heavy on the Gnostic, Tarot and Kabbalistic symbolism in this episode. We highly suggest listening to our previous episode if you'd like a crash course on gnosticism, our WTF is Kabbalah episode for that and googling a diagram of the Tree of Life may be helpful in one or two instances. Thank you and enjoy the show!Image of The Kabbalistic Tree of LifeAbout GnosticismWTF is Kabbalah? In this free section of the show we discuss:Is the Truman Show Gnostic?Truman Burbank's Name EtymologyThe Sun of Tiphareth Nike, Goddess of VictoryGnostic EveSabaothKristoff, The DemiurgeThe Moon MatrixMarlon, The ChariotIn the extended version of the show available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go further down the rabbit hole and discuss:The Moon and the Path of QophThe UnconsciousThe Path of GimelThe Beast 666Sirius, Canis MajorSopdet Anubis and WepwawetTruman Does Ceremonial Magick?The Risen ChristEpsissimusEgyptian Deity QuebesenefPsalms 139Choronzon, Dweller of the Abyss Each host is responsible for writing and creating the content they present. In the notes: red sections are written by Luke Madrid, green sections by Malachor 5, purple written by Heka Astra and blue by Mari Sama…Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitTwitter: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitMusic By Spirit Travel Plaza: https://open.spotify.com/artist/30dW3WB1sYofnow7y3V0YoSources:Hidden Easter Eggshttps://www.demilked.com/hidden-details-in-the-truman-show/Tarot: The Moon attributionshttps://www.webofqabalah.com/id54.htmlSupport the show
On this week's episode we discuss an alternative version of Biblical Genesis outlined in the gnostic manuscript, Hypostasis of the Archons found within the Nag Hammadi library in 1945. The original “red pill,” Hypostasis of the Archons outlines the creation of the tyrannical, abortive demiurge, his squad of malicious, thirsty archons and the truth of what really went down in the Garden of Eden. In the free section of the show we discuss some gnostic history, its place in the early Christian movement, the true identity of the demiurge, The Sophia, the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, the creation of Adam, the serpent loving Eve, Thunder, Perfect Mind and the difference between the spirit and soul from different traditions. In the extended show we also discuss Cain, Abel and their lesser known little brother and sister, Seth and the heroic, fire-breathing Norea who burns down Noah's ark. Even the demons of the Zohar make an appearance before moving on to discuss the flood, the ascension of the redeemed archon Sabaoth and the prophecy of humanity's final victory over the oppressive archons and their evil system of spiritual exploitation.In the free section of the show we discuss:Gnosticism and Early ChristianityCreation of The Demiurge; YaldabaothWho is Samael?The SophiaCreation of the ArchonsThe Kabbalistic Tree of LifeThe Creation of AdamThe Creation of EveSpirit vs. SoulTree of Knowledge of Good and EvilEve and the SerpentIn the extended show available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go further to discuss:The Sacred Grove of HathorCain and AbelSethNoreaNaamah and LilithSabaothThe Great FloodGnostic Spirit PowersAngel ElelethZoe, Daughter of SophiaThe Good News!Each host is responsible for writing and creating the content they present. In the notes: red sections are written by Luke Madrid, green sections by Malachor 5, purple written by Heka Astra and blue by Mari Sama…Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitTwitter: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitMusic By Spirit Travel Plaza: https://open.spotify.com/artist/30dW3WB1sYofnow7y3V0YoSources:Hypostasis of the Archons (source text)http://gnosis.org/naghamm/hypostas.htmlValentinian Trinityhttps://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/valentinus-b.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priority_of_the_Gospel_of_MarcionSupport the show
On this week's episode we overcome the temptation to take a week off recording and discuss the fascinating claims outlined in a post made to an Anonymous image board by someone claiming to be an initiate of the inner, esoteric core of the Alawite religion which abounds in Syria, originates as an occult off-shoot of 9th Shia Islam and resembles in its hidden teachings the wisdom of the early Christian Gnostics. In the free section of the show we explore a unique vision of the tyrannical gnostic demiurge, the obscure occult traditions which informed Freemasonry, the anatomy of the astral dimensions, reincarnation, the origin of the Jinn and what the archons have to do with aliens. In the extended show we discuss the metaphysical origins of the demiurge, the Al-Dud or shadow of the soul, spirit gates upon the Earth, Alawite holy books, a simple edible recipe to induce lucid dreaming, Kabbalistic worlds, assassin Jesus, the gnostic Sophia and of course methods on how to visit the mind of God. Thank you and enjoy the show!In this week's episode we discuss:Origins of the Alawite ReligionTraditions of the Inner OrderThe Gnostic DemiurgeThe Dark GatesAnatomy of the Astral RealmHow to ManifestTemplar RitualsHow to Travel through the AstralSecrets of CreationReincarnation as Women and Insects?In the extended show available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go further to discuss:Shape of the Human SoulThe World of The FormsEscaping The SimulationThe “Lion” / YaldabaothThe ShadowFallen Angels and JinnVampiric GodsHomemade Lucid Dreaming Potion RecipeThoth / TehutiKing Solomon's PowerEach host is responsible for writing and creating the content they present. In the notes: red sections are written by Luke Madrid, green sections by Malachor 5, purple written by Heka Astra and blue by Mari Sama…Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitTwitter: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitMusic By Spirit Travel Plaza: https://open.spotify.com/artist/30dW3WB1sYofnow7y3V0YoSources:Original posts archived can be found here:1. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/369312222. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/369761683. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/370232684. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/370935155. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/371341966. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/372373927. https://archive.4plebs.org/x/thread/37333243Support the show
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
La Porta | Renungan Harian Katolik - Daily Meditation according to Catholic Church liturgy
Delivered by Arjun Bordeos and Leni Priska from Saint Peter's School in Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Romans 15: 14-21; Rs psalm 98: 1.2-3ab.3cd-4; Luke 16: 1-8 INITIATIVE IN FAITH Our meditation today has the theme: Initiative in Faith. Today, November 10, the Republic of Indonesia celebrates the National Heroes' Day, which among the heroes of the nation, there is a number of those who were Christians and members of the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church also celebrates today a hero of holiness and defence of the Church, namely Saint Leo the Great, the Pope and doctor of the Church. Born to a family of Italian aristocrats, Leo had a broad chance to study to become a bible scholar, theologian, writer and great preacher. He called the Council of Chalcedon to strengthen the Church and fight the heresies such as Nestorians, Manicheism and Pelagianism. What made by Pope Leo in calling the council is actually a Church initiative to face challenges and threats to her. The word initiative comes from the Latin word ‘itiare' or ‘initium' means to start or initiate. For a job or action, the initiative is to take or make the first step and make a breakthrough. In the story of the Gospel that we have just heard, the Lord Jesus describes that the rich master praised his clever employee, even though he did not being honest for manipulating the debt data of his master's debtors. Smart is interpreted as the ability to take into account the future. The employee represents people of this world, including us, who are often worried about tomorrow. There are people who save a lot in the bank. There are other investments in the form of land, home or job ownership. Or others want to guarantee the future by sending their children and grandchildren to the best schools as they can. All these acts are understood as the initiative. People can just take the initiative in a dishonest way like that employee in the parable of the Gospel or vice versa the right and honest way. We will be praised by God for being able to take into account the future, so that life in the future will not be difficult for us. An initiative in the journey of faith must have the same importance like any initiative made in the world. This takes into account the future of our spiritual life. Saint Paul described his future by following the light of Jesus Christ to evangelize other nations, especially the Romans. They were promised a brilliant future to be enjoyed by them as the children of light where there will be perfect happiness in the kingdom of God. The initiative of faith requires us to take the first step to be the light for those who are confused, restless, hopeless and lost direction of life. To become a peacemaker in the midst of hatred and anger. To become the promotor of justice rather than the ghost of injustice. To be a bearer of truth rather than the spread of lies. And many more good deeds we can do. All of this is a guarantee for the salvation of our souls in the future. Let's pray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus Christ, brighten always our minds and hearts that lead us to become reformers and bearers of goodness and truth in the world. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In the name of the Father ... --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/media-la-porta/message
In this podcast episode, we explore the profound influence of ancient Persian philosophies on Western tradition, the diversity of philosophical perspectives in Iranian history, and the unique contributions of Persian philosophers. We look at Zarathustra, Manicheism, Mazdakism, Illumination School, Transcendent Philosophy, Zurvanism, Avicennism, and the contributions of various Persian philosophers. Tune in to learn more about the rich tapestry of Iranian philosophy! source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iranian_philosophy
On this week's episode we're joined by the heroically wise Tim Hacker, creator of the Cryptic Chronicles podcast who collaborated with us to answer a question we get asked all too often; “WTF is Gnosticism?” In the free show we discuss Yaldabaoth, the blind, ignorant God who created the material universe and the oppressive cast of middle managers in the fourth dimension known as the archons. We explore their appearance in the Nag Hammadi library discovered in 1945, their descriptions in the gnostic texts and why we find slivers of Gnosticism throughout mainstream religion. In the extended show we discuss Sabaoth, the son of the Demiurge, The Gnostic Sophia, her place on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, Alien Overlords, The Hypostasis of the Archons and why the world is secretly an Escape Room. If you enjoyed listening to Tim make sure to check out his great content at CrypticChronicles.com, Thank you and enjoy the show!On this week's episode we discuss:The Nag Hammadi LibraryThe Babalon WorkingYaldabaoth, The DemiurgeEtymologyPlato's Timaeus (yes, seriously)The Names of the Grand ArchonsThe PleromaAncient Egyptian ChnoubusIn the extended show available at www.patreon.com/TheWholeRabbit we go further down the rabbit hole and discuss:MachicheismThe Hypostasis of the ArchonsSabaoth, Son of the DemiurgeThe SophiaSerpent MessiahThe Qabalistic Tree of LifeThe Alien ThreatReality is an Escape Room?The Books of JeuThe Gospels of ThomasEach host is responsible for writing and creating the content they present.Where to find The Whole Rabbit:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0AnJZhmPzaby04afmEWOAVInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_whole_rabbitTwitter: https://twitter.com/1WholeRabbitSources:www.CrypticChronicles.comHypostasis of the Archons:http://gnosis.org/naghamm/hypostas.htmlGospels of Thomas:https://www.marquette.edu/maqom/Gospel%20of%20Thomas%20Lambdin.pdfSupport the show
Some people mistakenly call Wokeness "cultural Marxism" because it organizes the world into a binary. But that binary isn't Marxian at all. It is far more like the Kingdom of Peace/Kingdom of War Islamic idea or, closer to the mark, Manicheism's Sons of Light/Sons of Darkness.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
This lecture discusses key ideas from the early medieval philosopher and theologian, Augustine of Hippo's work, The Confessions. It focuses specifically on his engagement with the Gnostic religion of Manichaeism, his dissatisfaction with the answers to important philosophical questions that they provided, and his disappointed hopes in their bishop Faustus To support my ongoing work, go to my Patreon site - www.patreon.com/sadler If you'd like to make a direct contribution, you can do so here - www.paypal.me/ReasonIO - or at BuyMeACoffee - www.buymeacoffee.com/A4quYdWoM You can find over 2000 philosophy videos in my main YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/user/gbisadler Purchase Augustine's Confessions - https://amzn.to/3NQ7diK
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
THEY'RE REVOLTING: “It's a trap.” Join filmmaker and fellow podcaster Derek Diamond (The Derek Diamond Experience) as we talk The Empire Strikes Back and The Battle of Algiers, two films about a revolutionary forced trying to throw off the yolk of their empire owners. Also, I was a guest on The Derek Diamond Experience and you can find it here among other streaming platforms: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-derek-diamond-experience/id954082680 Isn't always the same. You take over a country or planet. Teach them your ways. Make them civilized. But are they grateful? Do they welcome your world domination and tyranny? No. The thankless peons dare to ask, no demand, their freedom. Unappreciative miscreants…Sounds like it's time for Episode 65 of Pop Art, the podcast where my guest chooses a movie from popular culture, and I'll select a film from the more art/classic/indie side of cinema with a connection to it. This time, I am happy to welcome as my guest, filmmaker and fellow podcaster, Derek Diamond, who has chosen as his film the sequel to the blockbuster Star Wars, the not-so-blockbuster, but perhaps superior, The Empire Strikes Back, while I have chosen the French neo-realist classic The Battle for Algiers, both films about people fighting an empire for their freedom. And in this episode we answer such questions: Does Star Wars have a diversity issue? What is scientifically wrong with the asteroid belt scene? Who is Sartre? Is the director's cut better? What did Harrison Ford say about the screenplay to Lucas? What is unusual about the Oscars and Battle? What warning was attached to screenings of Battle in some countries and why? Why is Alec Guinness in Empire for such a little time? What is Manicheism? Why was Battle banned in France? Who wrote Empire? What line was David Prowse given to say because he tended to leak information? Where do the Black Panthers and the Baader-Meinhof complex come in? Where does the Wilhelm scream come? And don't forget to check out the Derek Diamond Experience https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-derek-diamond-experience/id954082680 And his short film on YouTube, The Parker Syndrome https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKarHgnYs9A Check out my blog at https://howardcasner.wordpress.com/ My books, More Rantings and Ravings of a Screenplay Reader, The Starving Artists and Other Stories and The Five Corporations and One True Religion can be found at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=howard+casner&ref=nb_sb_noss --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/howard-casner/support
The first Pope to be given the title great was Leo. We tell the story why today
One of the most enduring images of the Mongolian Empire is that it was a model of religious tolerance, one where each of the Khan's subjects were free to worship as they pleased. This is not a new belief; in the 18th century, Edward Gibbon presented Chinggis Khan as a forerunner of the enlightenment, and for modern audiences the notion was repopularized with Jack Weatherford's book Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World. Some use the notion to counter the common presentations of Mongol brutality, usually accompanying blanket terms that all religious clergy were exempted from taxation, labour and were respected- or go as far as to present the Mongols as the inspiration for modern liberal religious toleration. While there is an element of truth to be had here, as with so much relating to the Mongols, describing the Chinggisid empire as a state of religious tolerance where all religions east and west lived in harmony fails to capture the reality of the period. Even before the founding of the empire, Chinggis Khan interacted with a variety of religions. During his war to unify Mongolia, Chinggis Khan was supported by men of various religious backgrounds: Mongolian shamanist-animists, Nestorian Christians, Buddhists and Muslims, one of whom, Jafar Khoja, was supposedly a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad, and stood with him at the muddy waters of Lake Baljuna during one of his lowest moments. The most prominent tribes in the Mongolian steppe in the 12th century were Nestorian Christians such as the Kereyid and Naiman, and on the declaration of the Mongol Empire in 1206 Chinggis Khan's army and administration were quite mixed. Chinggis Khan himself was an animist: in Mongolian belief, all things in the world were inhabited by spirits which had to be consulted and placated. It was the job of shamans to intercede with these spirits on the Mongols' behalf. Generally, shamanism is not an exclusive religion; one can consult a shaman and still practice other faiths. The shaman was not like a Christian priest or Islamic imam, but a professional one could consult with regardless of other religious affiliation. The persuasion and power of religion in the Mongol steppe came from the charisma of specific holy men -such as shamans- and their power to convene with spirits and Heaven on the Khan's behalf in order to secure his victory. This seems to have been the guiding principle for how Chinggis Khan, and most of his successors, approached religion. Some Mongols viewed the major religions they encountered -Daoism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam- as all praying to the same God via different methods. This was more or less the statement that in the 1250s, Chinggis' grandson Mongke Khaan provided to the Franciscan friar William of Rubruck during an interview, stating that “We Mongols believe that there is only one God through whom we have life and through whom we die, and towards him we direct our hearts [...] But just as God has given the hand several fingers, so he has given mankind several paths.” Usually for the Khans, it did not matter who was right, as basically all of the major religions were. What mattered was that these religions should pray to God on behalf of the Chinggisids to ensure divine favour for their rule. Heaven's will was manifested through victories and rulership, while it's displeasure manifested in defeats and anarchy. Much like the concept of the Chinese Mandate of Heaven, the right to rule provided by heaven could be rescinded, and thus the Mongols hoped to continually appease Heaven. But the Mongols' views on religion were not static and took years to develop into their political theology- and nor were they inherently tolerant, and favours were allotted more on a personal basis. For example, in 1214 Chinggis Khan, or one of his sons, had an encounter with a Buddhist monk named Haiyun. Haiyun, with his head shaved bare in accordance with his role as a monk, was told by the Khan to grow his hair out and braid it in Mongolian fashion- for at that time, the Mongols were attempting to order the general population of north China to do so as a sign of their political subordination. Religions in China dictated how one should maintain their hair; Buddhist monks had to shave their heads, Daoist monks could keep their hair long, while the general Chinese population, on Confucian teaching, could not cut their hair in adulthood, as it was a gift from the parents, and thus was kept in topknots. Demanding that the general population adopt the unique, partly shaved Mongolian hairstyle, was therefore a decree against all of China's major religions. The Mongols did not succeed in this policy and soon abandoned it's implementation on its sedentary subjects, though other sources indicate it was enforced on nomadic Turkic tribes who entered Mongol service, indicating their submission to the Great Khan. Notably the Manchu would successfully implement such a policy after their conquest of China 400 years later, forcing the population to adopt the long queues at the back of the head. When the Chinese revolted against Manchu rule, the cutting of the queue was one of the clearest signs of rejecting the Qing Dynasty. Back to the Buddhist monk Haiyun, who Chinggis had ordered to grow out his hair in Mongol fashion. Haiyun told Chinggis that he could not adopt the Mongol hairstyle, as growing his hair out violated his duty as a monk. Learning this, Chinggis Khan allowed Haiyun to maintain his baldness, then in time extended this allowance to all Buddhist and Daoist clergy. Even with this first privilege, Haiyun and his master did not receive coveted tax exempt status until 1219, and then on the recommendation of Chinggis' viceroy in North China, Mukhali. This is the earliest indication of Chinggis Khan granting of such a favour, followed soon by the extensive privileges granted to the Daoist master Qiu Chuji. The Daoist had made the journey from North China to meet Chinggis Khan in Afghanistan on the Khan's urging, ordered to bring Chinggis the secret to eternal life, as the Mongols had been told Qiu Chuji was 300 years old. Master Qiu Chuji told Chinggis that not only did he not have such power, but Chinggis should also abstain from hunting and sexual activity. Not surprisingly, Chinggis Khan did not take this advice, but he did grant the man extensive privileges, tax exempt status and authority over all Daoists in China. Importantly, Chinggis' edict was directed personally at Qiu Chuji and his disciples, rather than Daoism as a whole. The value Qiu Chuji had to Chinggis was on his individual religious charisma and ability to intercede with the heavens on the Khan's behalf, as well as his many followers who could be induced to accept Mongol rule. In Chinggis' view, the fact that Qiu Chuji was a Daoist leader did not entitle him to privileges. Neither did the Mongols initially differentiate between Buddhism and Daoism. In part due to the vaguely worded nature of Chinggis' edicts, Qiu Chuji's Daoist followers used these decrees to exert authority over Buddhists as well, seizing Buddhist temples and forcing Buddhist monks to become Daoists, beginning a Buddhist-Daoist conflict that lasted the rest of the 13th century. The point of these anecdotes is to demonstrate that the conquests did not begin with a specific policy of general religious tolerance or support for local religious institutions. Governmental support and privilege was provided on an ad hoc basis, especially when a group or individual was seen as influential with the almighty. Toleration itself was also advertised as a tool; in the Qara-Khitai Empire, in what is now eastern Kazakhstan and northwestern China, an enemy of Chinggis Khan, prince Kuchlug of the Naiman tribe, had fled to Qara-Khitai and eventually usurped power. Originally an Eastern Christian, that is a Nestorian, in Qara-Khitai Kuchlug converted to a violent strang of Buddhism and began to force the Muslim clerics, particularly in the Tarim Basin, to convert to Chrisitanity or Buddhism on pain of death. When Chinggis Khan's forces under Jebe Noyan arrived in 1217 pursuing the prince, they recognized the general resentment against Kuchlug and, in order to undermine his support, declared that anyone who submitted to the Mongols would be free to practice their religion. The announcement worked well, as the empire was quickly and successfully turned over to the Mongols, and the renegade prince Kuchlug cornered and killed. Notably, this announcement did not come with statements of privileges or tax exemptions at large for the Islamic religious leaders. It was a decree spread to deliberately encourage the dissolution of the Qara-Khitai and ease the Mongol conquest- in this region, it was a comparatively peaceful conquest, by Mongol standards. But it was not coming from any specific high-mindedness for the treatment of religion, but an intention to expand into this territory and defeat the fleeing Kuchlug. By the reign of Chinggis' son Ogedai in the early 1230s, the Mongol stance towards religions became more solidified. A major advancement, on the insistence of advisers like the Buddhist Khitan scholar Yelu Chucai, was that privileges were to be granted on religious communities and institutions rather than based on individual charisma, which made them easier to regulate and manage. Chucai also impressed upon the Mongols that Buddhism and Daoism were distinct beliefs, though the Mongols seem to have often continually erroneously thought both creeds worshipped a supreme deity a la Christianity and Islam. Buddhist and Daoism became, alongside Christianity and Islam, the four main “foreign religions” which the Mongols would issue edicts regarding privileges. It was not an evenly applied thing. With Islam, for instance, it can be said the Mongols often had the greatest difficulties. For one thing, the rapid annihilation of the Khwarezmian empire, the world's single most powerful islamic state at the time, resulted in the deaths of perhaps millions of Muslims as well as the belief that the Mongols were a punishment sent by God- a belief the Mongols encouraged. The reduction of Islam from “the state religion” to “just another religion of the Khan's subjects,” was a difficult one for many an imam and qadi to accept. For a universalist religion like Islam, subjugation to a pagan entity was a difficult pill to swallow, and the destruction of cities, mosques, agriculture and vast swathes of the population would not have been eased by statements of how tolerant the Mongols supposedly were. Further, it is apparent that the Mongols' rule for the first decade or two of their interaction with the Islamic world was not tolerant. Part of this comes to an inherent conflict between the sharia law of Islam, and the yassa of Chinggis Khan. The yassa and yosun of Chinggis Khan were his laws and customs set out to provide a framework for Mongol life, which regulated interactions for the state, individuals, the environment, the spirits and the heavenly. As a part of this, it was decreed that animals had to be slaughtered in the Mongolian fashion; the animal usually knocked unconscious, turned onto its back, an incision made in the chest and its heart crushed. The intention was to prevent the spilling of the animals' blood needlessly upon the earth, which could beget misfortune. Contravening this was forbidden and punishable by death. The problem was that this is inherently conflicting with halal and kosher slaughter, which entailed slitting the throat and draining the blood. At various times over the thirteenth century, this was used as an excuse to punish and lead reprisals against Muslims. A number of Persian language sources assert that Ogedai Khaan's brother Chagatai was a harsh enforcer of the yassa on the empire's Muslim population. In the 1250s ‘Ala al-Din Juvaini asserted that Muslims in Central Asia were unable to make any halal killings due to Chagatai, and were forced to eat carrion from the side of the road. The Khwarezmian refugee Juzjani meanwhile said Chagatai planned a genocide of the Muslims. While these sources like to depict Chagatai as a foil to Ogedai's more ‘friendly to islam' image, it remains clear that for many Muslims, it was felt that the Mongol government had a particular hatred for them. But Chagatai was not the only one to enforce this. Ogedai himself briefly sought to enforce this rule, and the famous Khubilai Khan grew increasingly unfriendly to religion in his old age, and in the 1280s launched anti-muslim policies, banning halal slaughter and circumcision on pain of death. The incident which apparently set him off was a refusal of Muslim merchants in Khubilai's court to eat meat prepared in the Mongolian manner, though it may also have been an attempt to appease some of the Chinese elite by appearing to reduce Islamic and Central Asian influence in his government, particularly after the assassination of Khubilai's corrupt finance minister Ahmad Fanakati. Even Daoism, favoured early by the Mongols thanks to the meeting of Qiu Chuji and Chinggis Khan, suffered stiff reprisals from the Mongol government. As the conflict between the Daoists and Buddhists escalated, in the 1250s on the behest of his brother Mongke Khaan, prince Khubilai headed a debate between representatives of the two orders. Khubilai, inclined to Buddhism on the influence of his wife and personal conversion, chose the Buddhists as the winners. Declaring a number of Daoist texts forgeries, Khubilai ordered many to be destroyed and banned from circulation, while also reducing their privileges. This failed to abate the tensions, and in the 1280s an older, less patient Khubilai responded with the destruction of all but one Daoist text, Lau Zi's Daodejing, and with murder, mutilation and exile for the offending Daoists. Privileges only extended to religions the Mongols saw as useful, or offered evidence that they had support from heaven. Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Manicheism and Hinduism were usually totally ignored by the Mongols and did not receive the same privileges as the Christian, Buddhist, Daoist and Islamic clergy. Judaism may have received tax exemption status in the Ilkhanate for a brief period in the 1280s and 90s due to the influence of a Jewish vizier, Sa'd al-Dawla, while in the Yuan Dynasty it took until 1330 for Judaism to earn such a status. As these religions lacked states which interacted with the Mongols, the Mongols saw these religions as having no power from heaven, and were therefore useless to them. Without any political clout, and of small representation within the Empire, these groups largely escaped the notice of the Khans. The Mongols were also not above ordering the annihilation of a religion or religious groups when they defied them. The most well known case was a Shi'ite sect, the Nizari Ismailis, better known as the Assassins. Due to their resistance against the Mongol advance, the sect was singled out for destruction not just politically, but religiously, as Mongke Khaan had become convinced of this necessity by his more orthodox Islamic advisers. This task fell to his brother Hulegu, who enacted his brother's will thoroughly. Soon after the destruction of the Ismaili fortresses, which was lauded by Hulegu's Sunni Muslim biographer ‘Ala al-Din Juvaini, Hulegu famously sacked Baghdad and killed the Caliph in 1258. Juvaini's chronicle, perhaps coincidentally, cuts off just before the siege of Baghdad. This attack on Baghdad was not religiously motivated; the Caliph had refused to accept Mongol authority. As a seemingly powerful head of a religion, his independence could not be abided. It was not a specifically anti-Islamic sentiment here, but a political one. Had the Mongols marched on Rome and the Pope also refused their mandate, such a fate would have awaited him as well. The presence of Christians in Hulegu's army, many from the Kingdom of Georgia and Cilician Armenia who partook with great enthusiasm in the slaughter of Muslims on Hulegu's request at Baghdad and in his campaign into Syria, as well as the fact that Hulegu's mother and chief wife were Chrisitans, would not have been lost on many Muslims, as well as the fact that Hulegu himself was a Buddhist. Hulegu after the conquest of Baghdad ordered its rebuilding, but placed a Shi'ite Muslim in charge of this task and sponsored the restoration of Christian churches and monasteries, and other minority religions in his majority sunni-islam territories. When the Mongols did convert to the local religions, they were not above carrying out with zeal assaults on other religious communities in their empire. Such was the case for Khans like Ozbeg in the Golden Horde or Ghazan in the Ilkhanate, who converted to Islam and struck against Christian, Buddhist and shamanic elements in their realms. These were as a rule very brief rounds of zealousness, as the economic usage of these groups and the uneven conversion of their followers to Islam made it politically and economically more useful to abandon these measures. This is not to say of course, that there is no basis for the idea of Mongol religious tolerance, especially when compared to some contemporary states: just that when the favours, privileges and state support were granted, they were usually done to the four main religious groups the Mongols designated: again, Muslims, Christians, Daoists and Buddhists. So entrenched did these groups become as the “favoured religions” that in the Yuan Dynasty by the 14th century it was believed these four groups had been singled out by Chinggis Khan for their favours. This is despite the fact that Chinggis Khan had no recorded interactions with any Christian holymen. But not idly should we dismiss the notion of there being a certain level of religious toleration among the Mongols. Not without reason was Ogedai Khaan portrayed as friendly in many Islamic sources, and he regularly gave the most powerful positions in the administration of North China to Muslims. European travellers among the Mongols, such as John De Plano Carpini, Marco Polo and Simon of St. Quentin, along with Persian bureaucrats like ‘Ala al-Din Juvaini and the Syriac Churchman Bar Hebraeus, generally reported Mongol indifference to what religions were practiced by their subjects, as long as said subjects accepted Mongol command. Sorqaqtani Beki, the mother of Mongke and Khubilai, was a Nestorian Christian famous for patronizing and supporting mosques and madrassas. Mongke Khaan held feasts to mark the end of Ramadan where he would distribute alms and at least one such feast held in Qaraqorum, listened to a qadi deliver a sermon. He show respect to his Muslim cousin Berke, and for him had halal meat at one imperial banquet. If the yassa of Chinggis Khan was upheld thoroughly, then the Khans and all princes present would have been executed. In the four level racial hierarchy Khubilai Khan instituted in China, Muslims and Central Asians were second only to Mongols and nomads, and ranked above all Chinese peoples. Religious men visiting the Khans usually left with the belief that the Khan was about to convert to their religion, so favourably had they been received. Khubilai Khan asked Marco Polo's father and uncle to bring him back 100 Catholic priests and holy oil from Jerusalem, and likely sent the Nestorian Rabban bar Sauma to Jerusalem for similar purposes. Marco Polo then goes on to present Khubilai as a good Christian monarch in all but name. Qaraqorum, the Mongol imperial capital, held Daoist and Buddhist temples across the street from Mosques and Churches. In Khubilai's capital of Dadu and the Ilkhanid capital of Sultaniyya were Catholic archbishoprics by the early 14th century. So there certainly was a level of toleration within the Mongol Empire that contemporaries, with wonder or frustration, could remark truthfully that it was quite different from their own homelands. Such religious syncretism survived well into the century, when claimants to the fragmenting successor Khanates in western Asia, in order to define their legitimacy amongst the largely converted Mongol armies and stand out amongst the many Chinggisids, latched onto Islamic identities. Eager to prove their sincerity, they pushed back violently against even traditional Mongol shamanism. Despite it's early difficulties, in the end Islam largely won amongst the Mongols of the western half of the empire and their descendants, overcoming the brief revitalization Nestorian Christianity and Buddhism had enjoyed thanks to Mongol patronage. Such was the final outcome of the Mongols' religious toleration Our series on the Mongols will continue, so be sure to subscribe to the Kings and Generals podcast to follow. If you enjoyed this, and would like to help us keep bringing you great content, please consider supporting us on patreon at www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals, or sharing this with your friends. This episode was researched and written by our series historian, Jack Wilson. I'm your host David, and we'll catch you on the next one.
God loves sinners and He seeks for them to save them. John Stott shares this truth from the experience of Augustine: ‘He was born in North Africa (in what we now call Algeria) in the middle of the fourth century. Already in his teens he was leading a dissolute, even promiscuous, life, enslaved by his passions. He wrote in his Confessions: “Clouds of muddy carnal concupiscence filled the air. The bubbling impulses of puberty befogged and obscured my heart so that it could not see the difference between love's serenity and lust's darkness. Confusion of the two things boiled within me. It seized hold of my youthful weakness sweeping me through the precipitous rocks of desire to submerge me in a whirlpool of vice.” Even while half-drowned in sin, Augustine also plunged into study, and his studies took him first to Carthage, and then to Rome and to Milan. A great tug of war was going on in his mind between Christianity (which at this time he rejected) and Manicheism (which he had embraced). In this turmoil of moral shame and intellectual confusion he found himself in utter misery. Yet, through his inner restlessness of mind and conscience, as also through the prayers and tears of his saintly mother Monica, and through the kindly admonitions of Bishop Ambrose of Milan, Jesus Christ was surely pursuing him. As with Saul of Tarsus, so with Augustine of Hippo, the climax came suddenly. He went out into the garden attached to his lodgings, accompanied by his friend Alypius. He threw himself down under a tree and let his tears flow freely, as he cried out, ‘How long, O Lord?' As I was saying this and weeping in the bitter agony of my heart, suddenly I heard a voice from the nearby house chanting... Read More Source
What is your advice to someone who feels thrown away? Why is it a sin for me to cut myself but ok for St. Francis to flog himself? What hope can Theology of the Body give for my daughter who struggles with same sex attraction? Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body. Free Word Made Flesh Lenten Sunday Mass Companion! (https://tobinstitute.kartra.com/page/WMFLent) Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and receive ongoing formation? Join our Patron Community (https://tobpatron.com)! Q1: Thank you for all your amazing work on the podcast! I have heard Christopher talk about the dangers of Manicheism and Puritanism. I understand that we should never blame the good things that God created for our misuse of them. Which brings me to my dilemma. I think that my boyfriend broke up with me because he was too attracted to me. He is a devout Catholic and seems to avoid many things that could lead him to the near occasion of sin. Although he cited a different reason for breaking up (not enough time for a relationship), I suspect that he broke up because he could not control his desires around me. We broke our physical boundaries twice during the relationship. What is your advice to someone who feels thrown away? How should I learn from this experience, pray for him, or what else would you suggest? Q2: I’ve been told by a few priests that to cut or self-injure is a sin and even a grave one and reframing the struggle that way has helped me to resist the temptation with more success. But. . . I was wondering if you could speak to why it is a sin for me to cut myself but ok for say St Francis to flog himself? Like, what is the difference and does the Theology of the Body speak to this? Q3: Our 17 year old daughter thinks she may be "gay" and I know the better term is "same sex attraction." She didn't tell me this but told my husband. I am not sure why she thinks that so I don't know if she really has same sex attraction or if she is afraid of getting close to guys because of father wounds. She says "she knows she is a girl" when there is all this talk everywhere about transgender people. She also thinks the Catholic Church doesn't like gay people but I have told her it's not the inclination or the person but the acting on it that is wrong. I have said all of us are called to be chaste. I love the Theology of the Body teachings and try to get her to read the books. I have many fears now for her and I am asking whether there is hope for her and what can you share of the teachings of the Theology of the Body that can give her and me hope? Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com (http://www.askchristopherwest.com). Resources mentioned this week: The Heart of Female Same-Sex Attraction (https://www.ivpress.com/the-heart-of-female-same-sex-attraction) by Janelle Hallman If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org Find Christopher West on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cwestofficial) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/cwestofficial). Discover the Theology of the Body Institute (http://www.tobinstitute.org). If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by writing a review (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-christopher-west/id1448699486). Thanks for listening! Christopher and Wendy hope their advice is helpful to you, but they are not licensed counseling professionals. If you are dealing with serious issues, please consult our list of trusted professionals (https://tobinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/TOBI-Recommended-Psychologists-Updated-6-8-20.pdf). Featuring music by Mike Mangione (https://www.mikemangione.com/).
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
Claims of India's fantastic wealth lead Europeans through the centuries to seek to trade with this fabled land, which existed on the far eastern reaches of known civilization.As far back as the 500s BC, Scylax of Caryanda, a Greek explorer sailed down the length of the Indus in the service of Darius. Later Alexander's troops passed through India, and many troops stayed behind, creating an incredible East-West synthesis. Buddhism came out of this mix, as well as the early Christian heresy Manicheism. Exotic trade. For hundreds of years, Greek speakers could be found in Indian port towns.Such legends inspired Cristopher Columbus to sail west across the Atlantic and reach a direct route, even though other navigators insisted his calculations were terrible and he and his crew would starve at sea. Yet he did reach land and traded with settlers whom he believed the rest of his life to be of India, and the name stuck, as Indians.Today’s episode is about the impact that India had on Western Civilization and how the quest for India led to incredible long-distance travel for traders for over two millennia.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
This week! Uncle Doug bids farewell to a dream cut short with Manicheism, Uncle Dan get's an oyster in your peanut butter with religious food rules, And Uncle Mark concludes his interview with author Jared Yates Sexton.
47 questions answered about Manicheism from Duncan Greenless' translation/interpretation of The Gospel of the Prophet Mani, as found in the preface. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/SacredReadings/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/SacredReadings/support
I’m your host David and welcome to Ages of Conquest: a Kings and Generals Podcast. This is the Mongol conquests. Before we get into all that material you’re expecting for any good series on the Mongols- the conquests, the smoking ruins and the towers of skulls, we must discuss Chinggis Khan’s long and troubled rise to power. But before we can do that, it will help the humble listener immensely if we take the time to introduce what was going on, and who was who, in 12th century Mongolia. In the previous episode we introduced some aspects of Mongolian culture in this period as groundwork: now we will introduce the various tribes who played a role in the rise of the Mongol Empire. Our episode on introducing thirteenth century China provides some important context on the general overview of Mongolian-Chinese relations, and details on the power vacuum following the fall of China’s Tang Dynasty in 907 that I won’t repeat at length here. In short though, parts of northern China and Mongolia came under the rule of the Liao Dynasty, ruled by the nomadic Khitans, a people related to the Mongols, beginning in the 900s. Their rule included garrisons and forts stationed throughout Mongolia, and mainly kept things in order for about two centuries, dealing with sporadic uprisings and resistance. One of the final military victories of the Liao Dynasty was the suppression of an uprising by the Tatar tribes at the beginning of the 1100s. Just over two decades later though, the Liao Dynasty disintegrated under the onslaught of the Jurchen, a Tungusic semi-nomadic people from Manchuria and ancestors of the Manchu. Their newly declared Jin Dynasty seized control of Manchuria, took control of all of China north of the Huai River from the Song Dynasty, and vassalized the Tangut Xi Xia in northwestern China: but, they did not make an attempt to control Mongolia as the Liao had done. With the Khitan garrisons moving west with the general Yelu Dashi to found the Qara-Khitai empire, Mongolia was basically left in a power vacuum, and the local tribes now rose into their own. When we describe the Mongol tribes in the 12th century, we are discussing a large, rather disparate group of clans and tribes, some of whom were speakers of Mongolic languages, some were speakers of Turkic languages, and some were in a sort of milieu, described by historians as Turko-Mongols, tribes perhaps ethnically Turkish but speakers of Mongolian, and vice-versa. By convention, we use ‘Mongol tribes,’ to refer to the various nomadic groups north of China but south of the Siberian forests. However, in this period ‘Mongol’ referred to just a rather distinct and smaller grouping in the northeast, in the region of the Onon and Kerulen Rivers, the tribe to which the young Chinggis Khan belonged. If we were to place a clock face over the whole of Mongolia, they would be situated at about 2 o’clock. The other tribes of the region, who we will be meeting shortly as we go around this clock, such as the Merkit, Kereyit, Tatars and Naiman, did not consider themselves Mongol, and indeed, evidence suggests they would have been rather insulted by it. A recent argument by historian Stephen Pow suggest that ‘Tatar,’ may have been the general endonym used by the steppe tribes. The Liao and Jin Dynasties generally referred to them all as ‘zubu.’ Either way, Mongol was, in the 1100s, a very limited term, and in the following discussion, will refer to the specific tribe and its subclans. The history of the Mongol tribe before the 12th century is not an easy one to trace, and the mentions prior to this period are often controversial. The most commonly agreed upon, (though not a universal agreement, mind you) is that the Mongols’ ancestors were the Meng-wu, mentioned in histories of the Tang Dynasty as a minor branch of the larger Shih-wei ethnic grouping, a grouping which were vassals of the Gokturk Khaganates until their final collapse in the 740s. At this time, they lived in the area south of the Amur river, which is today the border between Russia and Chinese Manchuria, and would have been semi-nomadic, relying on hunting, fishing, agriculture and raising pigs as much as pastoralism. For a refresher on nomadic pastoralism, check out this seasons 2nd episode, on Mongolian nomadism. During the 900s, the Meng-wu moved west to the Arghun River, on the edge of modern Mongolia, becoming subjects of their linguistic cousins, the Khitan Liao Dynasty. They gradually continued west and south, and were likely in the region of the Onon-Kerulen Rivers by the 11th century, by then relying on full pastoralism, as pigs and agriculture are unsuited for the steppe. In the Mongols’ own legendary accounts, preserved in the 13th century Secret History of the Mongols, their people originate from the union of the blue-grey wolf and the fallow deer, Borte Chino and Gua Moral. The entire ancestry from the wolf and deer down to Chinggis Khan is recorded in the Secret History, and we won’t bog you down with it here. A particularly interesting conception occurs at one point, where a ray of light, also translated as yellow man, enters the tent of one of Chinggis’ ancestors, Alan Qo’a and impregnates her, a sort of divine conception. At this section in the Secret History, the most famous Mongolian parable first appears. Alan Qo’a, to prevent her sons from fighting each other, gives them each an arrow, and asks them to break it, which they do easily. Then, tying five arrows together in a bundle, asks them to break it, which they are unable to do. The message was clear: divided and alone, they are easily broken, but united they are unbreakable. It is a famous passage for the Mongols, and for good reason, as its lesson was applicable again and again. The first of Chinggis Khan’s ancestors commonly agreed to exist was Khaidu, who in the Secret History of the Mongols is a great-great-great-grandson of Alan Qo’a, a figure who brought his branch of the Mongols, the Kiyat Borjigon, to some prominence over the other Mongol branches. Khaidu’s great-grandson Khabul, with the fall of the Liao in 1125 creating a power vacuum in Mongolia, was able to organize what seems to have been a sort of military confederation, called by modern authors the Khamag Mongol Khanate, and at the time was known as something like Monggyol ulus, or Mongol state. Little is known about this early Mongol state, or what sort of suzerainty its Khans exercised. What we do have takes the form of anecdotes. For Khabul, the Jin Dynasty took note of his rise to power, and invited him to the imperial court, intending to make him a vassal. At a feast at the imperial court, Khabul became incredibly drunk, went over and pulled on the Jin Emperor’s beard! The Jin Emperor allowed Khabul to leave with his life, but changed his mind and sent officials to kill him- Khabul ambushed them instead. The Jin Dynastic sources do not, unfortunately, provide direct corroboration for the above events, making it unclear if they were the stuff of legend, though they do remark on the Mongols being a nuisance along the frontier in this period. Khabul was succeeded as Khamag Khan not by any of his sons, but by his cousin Ambaghai, a Mongol of the Taychiud line. Ambaghai, shortly into his reign, was captured by the Tatar tribes of eastern Mongolia, who on our clock of Mongolia, would be located between 2 and 3 o’clock. Turkic tribes, speaking most likely Mongol, the Tatars in this period were in three main divisions, an unruly control of much of eastern Mongolia. Even though Ambaghai had been en route to organize a marriage alliance with them, the Jin Dynasty had gotten to the Tatars first, the Tatars acting as the Jin Dynasty’s ‘men on the ground,’ disrupting local politics to keep the tribes from unifying. The Tatars handed Ambaghai over to the Jin, who nailed him to a wooden donkey. His dying breaths were allegedly urging the Mongols to avenge him- “Until the nails of your five fingers Are ground down, Until your ten fingers are worn away, Strive to avenge me!” So began the decades long rivalry between the Mongols and the Tatars, with the Jin Dynasty as the puppet master behind them. Khabul’s son Qutula (Ku-tu-la) succeeded Ambaghai, and though he was famous among the Mongols for immense physical strength and an appetite to match, over a series of thirteen battles he was unable to defeat the Tatars, and was killed in about 1160, heralding the collapse of the Khamag Mongol confederation. It must be stressed that the Khamag Mongol was much more of a military alliance than a state in the form of the later Mongol Empire. Though it held influence in the steppe, it did not hold domination over the whole of Mongolia, but simply among those branches of the Mongol tribe- Borjigon (Bor-ji-gon), Taychiud (Tay-chi-ood) and the like, in northeastern Mongolia. To quote Volume 6 of the Cambridge History of China, “none of the available evidence even hints at the emergence at this time of any kind of administrative machinery or lines of authority independent of and in competition with the traditional kinship structure. The experience and memory of this brief unity may have contributed to the consolidation of the Mongolian nation, but it bequeathed nothing in the way of institutional foundations on which the later empire of the Great Mongols could build. The preliminary work would have to be done anew.” Over the course of these battles, one of Khabul Khan’s grandchildren, Yesugei, captured a Tatar chief, Temujin-Uge. Upon his return to his own encampment, Yesugei found that one of his wives, Hoelun, had given birth to a boy clutching a blood clot in his fist the size of a knucklebone. The Tatar chief was sacrificed, and the boy was given his name- Temujin, the future Chinggis Khan. But you’ll have to wait until the next episode for more on his story. With this brief history of the Khamag Mongol, we should quickly note the other clans of the Mongol tribe in this period. The two main to know are the Kiyat Borjigon and the Taychiud. The Kiyat Borjigon are the clan to which Khabul, Qutula, Yesugei and Chinggis Khan belonged. Of the Taychiud lineage, Ambaghai was the most notable leader. The switching of the Khamag leadership between these two lineages sowed the seeds for future divisions- Ambaghai’s family held a grudge when the title of Khan when back to the Borjigon, and this was one of the factors which lead to the famous abandoning of Yesugei’s family, which we will explore next episode. Other clans of the Mongols included the Jadaran, to which Temujin’s blood brother Jamukha belonged, the Jurkin, and the Uriyangqat (Uri-yang-kat), to which the famous Subutai belonged. Subutai’s Uriyangqat are not to be confused with the very similar sounding Uriyangkhai, a northern tribe famous for reindeer herding. Continuing clockwise on our clock, if the Mongols were 2 o’clock, the Tatars between 2 and 3 o’clock, then at 3 o’clock we would have the Onggirad, a less warlike grouping which in this period was famous for the beauty of its women. Chinggis Khan’s mother Hoelun, his wife Borte, and numerous wives for the rest of his descendants, came from this tribe or its subgroupings. At 5 o’clock we have the Onggut, close to the border of China proper. The Onggut were what the Jin Dynasty called their juyin, the tribes who made up their border guards. The Onggut were among those whose duty was to man the border defences the Jin erected, particularly in the final years of the 12th century- this included forts and an extensive earthen wall and ditch along the frontier. The Onggut were given a chance to join a coalition against Chinggis Khan, but chose to warn him instead, and their ruler was granted a daughter of the Khan in marriage, and soon submitted to him proper. Contrary to the description that Chinggis Khan simply ‘went around the Great Wall of China,’ we might find it more accurate to describe it as being opened to him by those appointed to man it! At 6 o’clock is the noted Gobi desert, a sparsely populated expanse of gravel and low scrub brush. It was a formidable, but not unpassable, barrier, especially if an army chose to travel during the milder times of year. Connecting to the Alashan desert and the great western loop of the Yellow River, known as the Ordos loop, it served as the divider between the steppe and the Tangut Xi Xia Kingdom. From 6 o’clock, if one was to move towards the centre of our clock face, they would encounter one of the most powerful tribes of 12th century Mongolia, the Kereyit. Centered on the Black Forest of the Tuul River, the Kereyit may have originated as a branch of the Tatars, asserting their independence in the final years of the Liao Dynasty, emerging as a distinct political body in about 1100. Though the Kereyit were likely of Turkic origin, the sources indicate close contact with the Mongols and little trouble conversing between them, suggesting they were bilingual or spoke Mongolian. Much closer to the main trade routes and China proper, the Kereyit were considerably wealthier than their northern cousins, their population was higher, and, perhaps surprisingly, they were Christians, or at least their ruling class were. Specifically, they were Nestorian, or Church of the East, a sect which had gradually made its way east after being deemed heretical at the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431. Several names associated with the Kereit, such as Marqus and Qurjaqus (Kur-jak-us), were Mongolized forms of Marcus and Cyricaus (syr-i-cus). Indeed, Marqus-Buyruq Khan was the Khanate’s founder in about 1100, and Qurjaqus-Buyruq (kur-jak-us booy-ruk) Khan was his descendant and the father of the Khanate’s final ruler, the famous Toghrul-Ong Khan. When Qurjaqus died around the mid 12th-century, his.. potent manhood, shall we say, left him the issue of numerous children, 40 by one account. Toghrul was able to seize control only after killing a number of his brothers, with the military assistance of the Mongol Yesugei, the father of Temujin. Yesugei and Toghrul swore oaths to be blood-brothers, anda, a relationship which would bring Temujin to seek Toghrul’s assistance in due time. At 7 o’clock, to the west of the Tangut and far side of the Gobi, we meet the Uighurs. A mainly sedentary Turkic people, we mentioned them in our episode on North China as an empire based in Mongolia until their defeat in 840 by the Kirghiz. After that, a large number of Uighurs migrated south, into the Gansu corridor and the oases of the Tarim Basin, Turfan Depression and into the Dzunghar Basin, in what is now Xinjiang in China, the far northwest of the country where it meets with Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia. The Gansu Uighurs were conquered by the Tangut Kingdom, but the remainder, in their realm sometimes called ‘Uighuristan,’ retained their independence. Qara-Qocho, or in Chinese, Gaochang, in the Turfan Depression, was their major city. During the days of their empire, they had practiced Manicheism, but in their new homeland largely converted to the Buddhism of the locals in the following centuries, or Christianity in lesser numbers. With the establishment of the Qara-Khitai Empire to their west in the 1130s and 40s, by Khitans fleeing the fall of the Liao Dynasty, the Uighurs became their vassals, though they kept a great deal of autonomy and were an important link in the regional trade routes. Uighurs were able to often find employment as merchants or skilled advisers to the Khanates to their north, a role which would only increase when their script became adopted for the Mongolian language with Chinggis Khan’s expanding empire. Continuing north from the Uighurs, we head to roughly 9 o’clock, where we end up in western Mongolia on the slopes of the Altai Mountains, in the territory of the Naiman. Meaning ‘eight’ in Mongolian, for the number of tribes or lineages making up this turkic Khanate, the Naiman in the 12th century were the most powerful union within Mongolia, nomadic yet relatively centralized, with a distinct ruling dynasty and literacy, making use of the Uighur script and a strong military. A number of the Naiman elite were Nestorian Christians, like the Kereyit, but shamanistic practices are observed multiple times in the sources. Their main competition was with the Kereyit, but were also involved with Central Asia- for several decades they were vassals of the Qara-Khitai. The Naiman maintained their unity until the mid 1190s, with the death of their Khan Inancha-Bilge, when the Khanate was split between his sons, Tayang and Buyruq, weakening it in the face of Mongol aggression. Despite their power, we know very little about the Naiman. Their name, Naiman, is what the Mongols called them. We don’t even know what they called themselves. With the Naiman at 9 o’clock, we have a selection of smaller tribes on the borders of, or within, the great Siberian forest which take us to 12 o’clock. At 10 o’clock, around Khovsgol Lake, were the Oirat, in this period a relatively minor tribe, but the seed of a later union, the Four Oirat, which would dominate Mongolia in the fifteenth century, from which the Dzunghars and the Kalmyks would spring. At 11 to 12 o’clock, on the lower Selenge River to the south of Lake Baikal, a massive body of water in Russia which is the deepest lake in the world, we find the Merkit. Speaking likely a Mongolic language, they were a fragmented collection of tribes, of little danger to the Naiman or Kereyit, but could pose a threat when the Mongols were disunified. On the edge of the steppe, the Merkit practiced a mix of pastoralism, hunting, fishing and even it seems, agriculture. The Merkit would have a long antagonism with the Mongols, dating at least to the late 1150s when Chinggis Khan’s father Yesugei stole Hoelun, Chinggis’ mother, from her Merkit husband. This left a long suffering grudge which led to the capture of Chinggis’ own wife Borte by the Merkit, a captivity which resulted in the birth of Jochi, a child whose uncertain paternity would have major consequences for the Mongol Empire. One chief of the Merkit, Toqto’a Beki, would be a particular thorn in Chinggis Khan’s side, and after his death, his sons fled to the Qipchaq (chip-chak) in the far western steppe, bringing the Mongols eventually into Russia. Aside from the Merkit, there are the smaller tribes of the Siberian forests the Mongols collectively dubbed the hoi-yin irgen, meaning ‘forest peoples.’ This included the aforementioned Oirat, the Kirghiz in the Yenisei valley, controlling one of the most northerly grain producing regions, and the Qori Tumed to the east of Lake Baikal, among others. All of these mentioned come under the authority of the Mongol Empire, but how far north Mongol control went is unclear. Lake Baikal is often seen as a rough estimate for the northern extent of Mongol rule, but there is suggestion their trade networks extended far among the peoples of what is now Yakutia, the Russian far east. This has been a very brief introduction to the various peoples inhabiting the Mongolian steppe, or were in close proximity to it. This is not exhaustive: we didn’t mention every single clan and sub clan and lineage among the Mongols, nor did we go into Manchuria, or discuss in much detail the lands and tribes of the Qara-Khitai. Ideally, this should give you, dear listener, a fine basis for understanding the tribes and politics at play for our next discussion: the birth of Temujin, and his rise to become Chinggis Khan, the conqueror of the World. That’s coming soon, so be sure to hit subscribe to the Kings and Generals podcast and to continue helping us bring you more outstanding content, please visit our patreon at www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. Thank you for listening, I am your host David and we will catch you on the next one!
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
It's 'Revenge of the Living Cosplayers' for the Buffy Boys in S02E07 'Lie to Me' as an old schoolyard crush from Buffy's LA days arrives in town with a half-baked cult of vampire groupies, six months to live, and a plan. Can too much LARPing kill you? Yes. Key Buffy Bits from this episode include: Meeting imitation with interior life in reconstructing a post-Anne Rice vampire Nitro-burning funny cars Nursery rhymes and scary stories as a rubric to strip back the shell of childhood "Wine" shirts - functional and fashionable Manicheism and the erosion of binaries in the Slayer's Journey "Uh, very good, yes. Uh, um, Buffy... Excuse me. You are not, by any chance, betraying your secret identity just to impress, um, cute boys, are you?" If you enjoyed the episode you can subscribe to us on: http://buffyboys.libsyn.com/rss or by searching “Buffy Boys” in your favourite podcast app. Follow us and let us know what you think: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BuffyBoys/ Twitter https://twitter.com/buffyboys/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/buffy_boys/ Email us at buffyboyscast@gmail.com And if you’re feeling extra kind, leave us a review on your podcast app, it helps a lot! Our theme song is an acoustic cover of the Title Theme to Buffy The Vampire Slayer by Alex Heflin (originally by Nerf Herder). Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/alexheflin Yours in Slaying, The Buffy Boys
Ambrose of Milan played a very important role in Augustine’s conversion. When Augustine met Ambrose, he was in a difficult position: he was no longer intellectually committed to Manicheism but neither had he overcome some of the major philosophical and theological challenges which the movement had posed to him. After listening to a sermon of Ambrose, however, Augustine began to reconsider his disregard for the Catholic faith. Augustine encountered in Ambrose a very eloquent and learned Bishop of the Catholic Church. Join us this week as we provide a brief overview of how Ambrose played a significant role in shaping Augustine’s thinking about the nature of God, the meaning of the Scriptures and the proper interpretation of the Old Testament. To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritageshow.com/episode71 The Catholic Heritage is devoted to helping Catholic Christians better understand the history, teachings and culture of their Catholic faith so that they can better love and serve Christ, the Church and their neighbors. Dr. Erik Estrada is a Catholic scholar who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame and specializes in the history of Christianity and historical theology. He also completed a licentiate (S.T.L) in theology and patristic science at the Augustinianum Patristic Institute in Rome and a S.T.B. at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. If you would like to invite Dr. Estrada to speak at your next event, you can contact him at feedback@catholicheritageshow.com or 1-909-575-8035. iOS or Android App of the CH Show iOS App of CHS Android App of CHS Newsletter Sign-up for the CH Show To sign up for our podcast’s app newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/appnewsletter/ To sign up for our podcast’s community newsletter, please navigate to: https://catholicheritageshow.com/podcastnewsletter/ To place your name on the waiting list for our future learning site, please navigate to: https://catholigheritageinstitute.com Follow the Catholic Heritage Show on Social Media: The Main Catholic Heritage Website: https://catholicheritage.co The Show’s Website: https://catholicheritageshow.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catholic.heritage.show/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catholic-Heritage-Show-202869793834233/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/cathheritagshow YouTube Channel Review our Podcast iTunes (click iTunes > Ratings and Reviews > Write a Review) and Stitcher How to Connect with Us Comment on the show below Ask a Question via Speakpipe Leave a voicemail for the show at 1-909-575-8035 Email via Contact Form in the Footer of the Site (audio files welcome) YouTube How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Old Age of a Book - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IuYpa_DOkg What is the Canon of Scripture - Canon is a List of Books -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV9Uc26oPZM How Were the New Testament Books Chosen? Apostolic Origin of a Book - https://youtu.be/2EARsghZhK8 Criteria for NT Canon Point to Church Authority - https://youtu.be/OYSAemeIiNY Criteria for Determining New Testament Canon Used by Early Church - https://youtu.be/jSI9jponGUk Why is the Canon of Scripture Important? - https://youtu.be/xGhDSpSvnkw # Title 70 - Evaluating the Secondary Sources - How to Study the Catholic Heritage Series - CHS 70 3/8/19 69 - The Life and Work of Cardinal Robert Bellarmine 1542-1621 – Doctors of the Church Series – CHS 69 68 - Identify the Genre of a Document – How to Study the Catholic Heritage Series – CHS - 68 3/3/19 67 – The Problem with Secret Information about Pope Francis and the US Catholic Bishops – CHS 67 3/2/19 66 - My Recent Trip to the Civil Rights Museum in Greensboro North Carolina – CHS 66 2/28/19 65 - Identifying the Commitments of the Author – How to Study the Catholic Heritage Series – CHS 65 2/27/19 64 - What is the Best English Translation of the Bible in 2019? – CHS 64 63 - Did Catholicism Exist before the Emperor Constantine? – CHS 63 2/25/19 62 - The Gnostic Character of Recent Catholic Criticisms of Pope Francis - CHS 62 2/24/19 61 - Expect the Unexpected from the Sources – How to Study the Catholic Heritage Series – CHS 61 2/23/19 60 - How Fair is Media Coverage of Pope Francis’ Words? – CHS 60 2/22/19 59 - Objectives of the Author - How to Study the Catholic Heritage Series - CHS 59 2/21/19 58 - Catholic Disregard for the Second Vatican Council - CHS 58 55 - How Did Augustine’s Writings Survive the Vandal Invasion of North Africa – CHS 55 54 - What Are the Main Objectives When Studying Church History – CHS 54 53 - How to Locate the Primary Sources for the Study of the Catholic Heritage - CHS 53 2/8/19 52 - What Are the Primary Sources? – How to Study the Catholic Heritage Series – CHS 52 2/7/19 51 - Did Philo of Alexandria Reject the Deuterocanonical Books? – CHS 51 2/5/19 50 - Is Doing History an Option? – CHS 50 2/2/19 49 - Was There a Canon of Scripture in North Africa before 393? – CHS 49 1/20/19 48 - Does Quotation Equal Canonicity? Pt 3 – CHS 48 1/20/19 45 - How to Locate Primary Sources of the Catholic Heritage – CHS 45 44 - Does Quotation Equal Canonicity? Pt 1 - CHS 44 1/9/19 43 – What Have I Learned from My 2018 Work on the Catholic Heritage Show? – CHS 43 – 1/4/19 *05 - How Important Is Context for the Study of Catholic History?- CHSae 05 12/27/18 42 - What Does Incarnation Mean in Christianity 12/25/18 41 - The Canon of Scripture and Christian Unity 12/24/18 40 - Some Reflections on the Current Crisis in the Catholic Church 12/21/18 39 - What Does Heresy and Orthodoxy Mean? 12/14/18 38 - Who Were the Heresiologists? 12/11/18 37 - Jesus, the Apostles, the First-Century Church and the Canon 12/9/18 36 - The Canon of Scripture and How Christians Know Anything About Christianity 12/7/18 35 - Examples of Fraternal Correction in Church History 12/6/18 34 - The Principle of Fraternal Correction and Its Biblical Bases 12/5/18 33 - The Study of History and the Current Crisis in the Catholic Church 12/3/18 32 - Anonymity in Ancient Christian Texts 12/4/18 31 - The Muratorian Canon and Its Unique Character 12/ 2/18 30 - Jerome’s Supporters and Opponents 12/1/18 29 - Jerome and the Knowledge of Hebrew in Early Church 11/27/18 28 - Jerome, Scholarship and the Deuterocanonical Books 11/27/18 27 - Augustine, Jerome and Their Use of Each Other’s Writings - 11/23/18 26 - The Bible and the Canon – Similarities and Differences in Terminology - 11/23/18 25 - Jerome and the Old Testament Canon pt 2 – Three Perspectives on Deuterocanonical Books - 10/22/18 24 - Jerome and the Old Testament Canon pt 1 – Life, Context and Work - 10/18/18 23 - Origen’s Life, Writings, Reception and Orthodoxy - 9/25/18 22 - The Old Testament Canon Pt 2 - The Church's Selection of Books - 9/25/18 21 - The Old Testament Canon Pt 1 - Between Jewish Diversity and Gnostic Rejections - 9/17/18 20 - The Papacy and Catholic Identity - 9/13/18 19 - St. Augustine on Sinful Clergy, Donatism and the Spiritual Life - 9/6/8 18 - Church Scandals, the Papacy and Augustine of Hippo - 8/29/18 17 - Gnosticism and the Canon of Scripture - 8/20/18 16 - Conclusion for How the New Testament was Formed pt 10 - 8/14/18 15 - Papal Approval - How the New Testament Was Formed pt 9 - 8/7/18 14 - Ignatius of Loyola and His Impact - 7/31/18 13 - Conciliar Reception - How the New Testament Was Formed - pt. 8 - 7/26/18 12 - Patristic Reception - How the New Testament Was Formed - pt. 7 - 7/17/18 11 - Orthodoxy - How the New Testament Was Formed - pt. 6 - 7/10/18 10 - Reception of Books by the Churches - How the New Testament Was Formed pt. 5 - 7/3/18 9 - Apostolic Transfer of Books - How the New Testament Was Formed - pt 4 - 6/26/18 8 - Antiquity - How the New Testament Was Formed pt 3 - 6/22/18 7 - Apostolic Origin - How the New Testament Was Formed pt 3 - NT Canon Series pt 2 -6/19/18 6 - The Criteria Used by the Early Church to Determine the Canon of the New Testament - My Thesis - Canon of Scripture pt 4 - 6/13/18 5 - Which Criteria Did the Early Church Use to Determine the Canon of the Old Testament - Canon of Scripture pt 3 - 6/5/18 4 - When Was the Canon of the Bible Established? - Canon of Scripture pt 2 - 5/29/18 3 - What is the Canon of Scripture and Why it is Important - Canon of Scripture pt 1 - 5/23/18 2 - Ragheed Aziz Ganni (1972-2007) - Priest, Friend and Martyr - 5/18/18 1 - Introduction to the Catholic Heritage Show and Bio of Dr Erik Estrada - 5/8/18 Music provided by Pond5.
"Saint Peter was a humble, devout and peace-loving man, unlike his father, Tsar Symeon the Warrior (d. 927), during whose reign there had been perpetual warfare. By contrast, Peter's long reign was peaceful, and notable for the restoration of good relations with Byzantium and with the West. Peter married Maria, the grand-daughter of the Emperor Romanus Lecapenus, who recognized him as basileus (tsar or king), and he obtained independence from Constantinople for the Bulgarian Church with its own Patriarch. He had a great love for Saint John of Rila (19 Oct.), whom he would often consult, and he kept in touch with renowned ascetics of the time like Saint Paul of Latros (15 Dec.). The King acted energetically against the Bogomil heresy, an offshoot of Manicheism, by which some of his people, lacking sufficient instruction in the faith, were being misled. He called a council in order to condemn the heresy and reassert Christian principles. Nevertheless, the infection was to remain active for many years in Bulgaria. Following the invasion of the north of his Kingdom by Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev in 969, Peter abdicated and became a monk. He died in the following year, having consecrated his final days to God alone." (Synaxarion) A note on the Bogomils: The Bogomils flourished in the Eastern Europe as an organized church from the 10th to the 15th century. In theology they were dualistic, incorporating some Manichean and Gnostic ideas from the Paulicians. They were nationalistic and gained much support through their opposition to Byzantine dominance over the Slavic peoples. They disappeared as an organized body around the fifteenth century, but elements of their beliefs persisted in popular thinking for many centuries afterward.
Who was St. Augustine, one of the most prolific writers and thinkers in the history of Christianity, and one of the four major Doctors of the Western Church? What was his book The Confessions about and why did he write it? We discuss what his life was like growing up, explain what Manicheism was, the group that he belonged to for nearly 10 years before he began reconsidering Christianity, and his time as a skeptic (agnostic). To comment on this show or provide feedback, please navigate to https://catholicheritagespirituality.com/episode4
A major question in scholarly research is the qualification of Gnosticism, based on the study of its texts, as either an inter-religious phenomenon or as an independent religion. Jason @publicAccessamerica-Opinion I want to say in advance of this episode that if you are someone that does not like perspectives on religion this is not a series for you. As a Landmark 400 episode I did want to share with you something of personal importance. I think that a God didn’t make man to stare back up at him seeking approval, but that God created a universe for his creation to understand. Restricting your focus by eliminating other beliefs is to shut out God all together. If there is a single truth, I believe it’s humanity’s duty to find, to collect, to use in our every day lives. So I don’t see Gnosticism as a religion but a way of interrupting a bigger picture. I believe in the end, It will take all views to survive. I think when the time comes every perspective will be validated in the truth of awareness. Wether you believe in God, a God or no god. Man is on this earth to survive. And to thrive. Understanding the world around him is his purpose as a way to survive and thrive. Thank you for listening and supporting Public Access America. Remember that Jason’s is only of view, one belief and even within himself there are a multitude of drivers, perspectives, and influencers, Thank you Gnosticism is a modern name for a variety of ancient religious ideas and systems, originating in Jewish-Christian milieus in the first and second century AD. Based on their readings of the Torah and other Biblical writings.These systems believed that the material world is created by an emanation of the highest God, trapping the Divine spark within the human body. This Divine spark could be liberated by gnosis. The Gnostic ideas and systems flourished in the Mediterranean world in the second century AD, in conjunction with and influenced by the early Christian movements and Middle Platonism. After the Second Century, a decline set in, but Gnosticism persisted throughout the centuries as an undercurrent of western culture, remanifested with the Renaissance as Western esotericism, taking prominence with modern spirituality. In the Persian Empire, Gnosticism spread as far as China with Manicheism, while Mandaeism is still alive in Iraq. Information Sourced From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism Body Sourced From: https://youtu.be/YnTdOiSJc3U Public Access America PublicAccessPod Productions Footage edited by PublicAccessPod producer of Public Access America Podcast Links Review us Stitcher: goo.gl/XpKHWB Review us iTunes: goo.gl/soc7KG Subscribe GooglePlay: goo.gl/gPEDbf join us on YouTube goo.gl/xrKbJb
A major question in scholarly research is the qualification of Gnosticism, based on the study of its texts, as either an inter-religious phenomenon or as an independent religion. Gnosis refers to knowledge based on personal experience or perception. In a religious context, gnosis is mystical or esoteric knowledge based on direct participation with the divine. In most Gnostic systems, the sufficient cause of salvation is this "knowledge of" the divine. It is an inward "knowing," comparable to that encouraged by Plotinus, and differs from Christian proto-orthodox views. Gnostics are those who are oriented toward knowledge and understanding -- or perception and learning -- as a particular modality for living. Gnosticism is a modern name for a variety of ancient religious ideas and systems, originating in Jewish-Christian milieus in the first and second century AD. Based on their readings of the Torah and other Biblical writings.These systems believed that the material world is created by an emanation of the highest God, trapping the Divine spark within the human body. This Divine spark could be liberated by gnosis. The Gnostic ideas and systems flourished in the Mediterranean world in the second century AD, in conjunction with and influenced by the early Christian movements and Middle Platonism. After the Second Century, a decline set in, but Gnosticism persisted throughout the centuries as an undercurrent of western culture, remanifesting with the Renaissance as Western esotericism, taking prominence with modern spirituality. In the Persian Empire, Gnosticism spread as far as China with Manicheism, while Mandaeism is still alive in Iraq. Information Sourced From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism Body Sourced From: https://youtu.be/YnTdOiSJc3U Public Access America PublicAccessPod Productions Footage edited by PublicAccessPod producer of Public Access America Podcast Links Review us Stitcher: goo.gl/XpKHWB Review us iTunes: goo.gl/soc7KG Subscribe GooglePlay: goo.gl/gPEDbf join us on YouTube goo.gl/xrKbJb
Augustine is the only early Church Father who remains an intellectual powerhouse today. He was a genius and a major contributor to western dialogue. He was born in 354 AD and was well educated. His mother had a huge influence on his life and introduced him to the customs of Christianity and Scripture. He became a teacher and rhetorician. He was enamored with philosophy. Augustine’s philosophical background was Manicheism, which taught a radical dualism. It was Gnostic-esque. It taught that Redemption is allowing the divine spark within to become part of the greater Divine essence up above. It is quite different from Irenaeus who believed all creation was to be redeemed. One of the outcomes of Manicheism was a strict aestheticism. It also mocked Christianity for taking the material world seriously. Manicheism was a “hodge-podge” of many long-dead heresies. Augustine, in the end, objected to Manicheism by finding the system incoherent, having outlandish cosmic theories about how the world began, and he did not feel the spirituality promised came true for him. In 384 AD, Augustine traveled from Africa to Milan. His father had died and he wanted to be rid of his mother but eventually was reconciled. There was also maternal pressure to lose his mistress so to elevate his social status. Explore what he states in his Confessions. Augustine was into the world but it was in Milan where Augustine met Ambrose and was introduced to Christianity. Ambrose was an intellectual powerhouse also and is the counter part to Augustine.
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