Ouroboros
Dragon – Satan
Snake – Man (Antichrist)
Tree – Life & Knowledge
The ouroboros is an ancient symbol usually expressing what today would be considered the “circle of life”. The depiction expresses the concept that nothing more is needed other than one’s self. The dragon needs nothing other than itself and all within the circle it created it unified with it’s completeness.
Man, within this circle, forms his own circle of completeness expressing his belief that he needs nothing outside of this ouroboros in which he finds himself and that he has access to the requisite knowledge for his own completeness. At the center of the ouroboros I chose is the tree which in this instance represents the knowledge which binds these elements together. The dragon (snake) is a metaphor for the bringer of knowledge, Satan. To understand this view of Satan we must turn again to the Bible for understanding (Ge 4).
The “story” is well known but its understanding is little known. Cain, being raised to believe he was the “chosen one” to release man from the burden of sin is angry when God rejects him in favor of his brother, Abel (the name means “worthless one”). Cain kills the competition and God confronts him. God “marks” Cain so no one will kill him. Cain wanders off to the land of Nod (means “wandering”). It is here that the transformation occurs. Cain builds the first city, Enoch. Now, Genesis condenses the narrative leaving it up to the reader to reconstitute the message. When Cain built the city in the land of wandering inhabited by wanderers, those who had rejected God and those who had chosen to worship Him, he needed a system whereby these mavericks could be directed less they quickly devour each other in their anger (survival of the fittest). Thus, I believe that Cain developed the first government which required laws, morality or values common to the people so they would feel compelled to obey the laws (religion) and politics to define how men would safely compete for power within this urban society. From Lament’s statement we postulate that this society was basically monotheistic and somewhat violent. Nearly all this knowledge was lost due to the Cataclysm (mistranslated as Flood in English bibles). What emerged was something completely different.
When Nimrod built his society we can assume that it was also along these lines but rather than monotheism Nimrod built his kingdom on polytheism with himself as the intercessor god to the gods. The symbolism he chose survived in various forms from the kingdoms that grew up after the dispersion based on differing worldviews. It is this symbolism that comes down to us today, especially the forms of the dragon and snake giving knowledge to man for man’s benefit. In the previous post we discussed the snake images in the Egyptian and Sumerian kingdoms and touched on the Axial Age. Each of the major cultures, religions that grew out of the Axial Age have the dragon or snake as a major motif associated with its significant founder.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism came from what has become known as the Persian region from its prophet, Zarathustra. Less you think that this is only ancient history, Nietzsche developed a body of thought concerning his understanding of the meaning of Zarathustra which had profound effect on the 20th century. It is from Zoroastrianism that the “halo” effect was first seen that became so common in Roman Catholic art forms.
Hinduism
Shiva
Hinduism
The World Contained in the Ouroboros
Taoism
Modern Representation
Medieval Alchemy
Medieval Abby
Circa 1095
Theosophy Society Symbol
The following representations depict the importance of the dragon/snake in the other Axial Age religions. It is important to recognize the symbols to understand the centrality of the symbol to the meaning the religion wishes to transmit to its faithful. The commonality of the snake also denotes commonality of fundamental core beliefs that can be used to bind all these religions together along a common thread of understanding all the while preserving the outward culture forms, “Unity Through Diversity” (as long as the diversity is consistent with this view of unity).
Buddhism
Hinduism – Yoga
Hindu – Hellenistic – Modern Forms
Modern Health – Ancient Beliefs
The knowledge contained in the ancient religions/philosophies has not changed but has morphed into different symbols with different explanations but the same ends, the glory of man, the deceitfulness of God. Even the religion that claims no god has man, and the snake within (Kundalini) as his god. But rather than stare at symbols it is more profitable to listen to their words to understand their goals. In our previous post discussion of Akhenaton there was an article link discussing not only Akhenaton but also the goals of modern polytheism. This article discussed the evils of monotheism and its demanded exclusivism at the expense of other cultures and religions. Non-biblically based monotheisms (Islam, Judaism, Christendom) do demand that one becomes like them, though as second-class believers. True biblical Christianity crosses cultural lines without demanding that one take on a specific culture as a true believer. However, truth is exclusive, be definition. If 2+2=4 then all other answers are excluded. If God is truth then all other religions are excluded from teaching truth.
Here is a quote from one religion that sums up the direction of modern man around the world, “I am happy to see so many who are showing their enthusiasm for the Luciferian philosophy which values free-thought, and spreading the Light of knowledge and understanding above all else. With so many truth-seekers out there my hope for humanity is renewed!” The rhetoric from American political parties, college campuses, other world governments and the United Nations unify in this same understanding. What is most disconcerting is that in the past the common man rejected such absurd notions as valid but due to wide-spread public education in the core values of “enlightened knowledge” (understanding apart from the Bible) all peoples everywhere are taking up this mantra of knowledge and enlightenment. However, the Bible says to beware of false prophets, you shall recognize them by their results (Mt 7:15-20).
The goal of all religions and philosophies and political pundits everywhere is “peace”; yet, all we see is war (Is 57:21; Mt 24:6-12). Now, lest people think that Christ will compromise in order to obtain peace understand that the Truth cannot be compromised for a false hope (Mt 10:34). Yet, He is not the author of violence (Mt 11:28-30). The more people follow the “knowledge of enlightenment”, modern philosophy, and Gnostic goodness inherent in all religions the more violent the world will become. False knowledge only releases or unfetters the sin nature allowing it fuller expression of its desires. The “rage” that Cain put in the box through laws based on religion, is being released by his modern “enlightened” offspring. Though people speak “Peace”, but produce violence. They speak of needing control to protect people, but use “fear” to move people, with their consent, into their camp of deceit (1Jo 3:12; Ju 10-11). They speak of superiority and tolerance but produce only death and destruction.
Satan promised life to the woman but gave her only death. His disciples today promise peace, prosperity and security but give only poverty, deprivation and death. Violence, in the name of freedom and religion, stalks people everywhere. The only source of true peace, peace with God, is rejected as hateful and intolerant. It’s adherents are ridiculed, persecuted and murdered without so much as a murmur by the press who suppress the truth to transmit their own “enlightened knowledge”. This is the truth of the ouroboros, this circle that promises life but gives only death.