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Pythagoras and his contributions
Pythagoras contributions
Pythagoras and his contribution to the world of mathematics
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Mystery Cults
Mystery cults greatly influenced the development of Pythagoreanism as Pythagoreans adopted many of their traditions, behaviors and beliefs. Pythagoras, the founder of the Pythagoreans, established a school in which he developed and taught these adopted cultural behaviors and beliefs. "The nature of daily living in the school, both its moral and its intellectual disciplines, can perhaps best be understood as an intellectualized development from earlier mystery cults such as the Eleusinian" (Wheelwright 201). The Pythagoreans and the mystery cults were not identical, but they shared many similar beliefs on subjects such as the soul, transmigration and reincarnation, and they practiced many of the traditions of initiation, ritual and secrecy. Pythagoreans combined the mystery cults' views on these subjects with philosophical thought as a foundation to develop their own unique beliefs.
The term "mystery cults" comes from the Greek word musteria and initially only referred to the mysteries of Eleusis and signifies a secret celebration or secret worship that only initiates (mustai) who have become initiated (muein) participate in. "Originally, then, mysteries denotes a specific religious manifestation that is essentially different in character from other, official cultic functions; the mysteries are not open to everyone but require a special initiation" (Encyclopedia of Religion Vol. #10 pg. 230). Contemporary religion historians now use the terms "mystery cults" or "mysteries" to refer to secret cults or ceremonies of initiation. These ancient "secret cults" influenced the development of many religions with their sacred beliefs on the divine, the soul, transmigration and, most importantly, their stressed i...
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...rituals and traditions, they also developed their own in conjunction with the studies of mathematics, astronomy, music and metaphysics. The Pythagoreans also adopted and expanded upon the traditional secrecy policies of the mysteries. The central beliefs of the mystery cults were at the central beliefs of the Pythagoreans, but the Pythagoraeans developed and expanded (making minor changes to) the mystery cults using studies in education and philosophy.
Bibliography:
Bibliography
1) The Encyclopedia of Religion. Mircea Eliade; Macmillan Publishing Company, 1987.
2) Psyche. Erwin Rohde; Routledge & Kegan Paul LTD, 1950.
3) The Presocratics. Phillip Wheelwright; Prentince Hall, 1966.
4) The History of Greek Philosophy. W.K.C. Guthrie; Cambridge University Press, 1962.
5) Greek and Roman Religion. John Ferguson; Noyes Press, 1980.
The reunification of upper and Lower Egypt catalysed the syncretism of prominent sun deities Amun and Re. Consequently, a powerful cult emerged that became the prevailing religious ideology, as well as an important political power base which secured dynastic legitimacy. The importance and impact of the Amun cult is diverse, as it developed social cohesion, shaped the ideology of kingship, facilitated economic and military prosperity, and formed a new power base; the Amun Priesthood.
These beliefs help us make analyses about this ritual, interpretations not strictly bound to earthly or worldly things.
According to dictionaries a cult is 1) a system of religious worship or ritual. 2) A religion or sect considered extremist of false. 3) Obsessive devotion to a person or principle. It is believed that every cult ties into some kind of religion, and religions all have a common basis of “a leap of faith”. Whether this so-called leap of faith is going to heaven or being reincarnated, or moving on to some other planet, depends on the beliefs of the cult itself.
Everyone is in a consumer’s hypnosis, even if you think you are not. When you go to a store and pick one brand over the other, you are now under their spell. The spell/ hypnosis is how companies get you to buy there things over other companies and keep you hooked. Either through commercials or offering something that you think will make your life better by what they tell you. For example, you go to the store and you need to buy water, once you get to the lane and look, there is 10 different types of water you can buy. You go pick one either because the picture is better or you seen the commercial the other day and you want it. During the length of this paper we will talk about two important writers, Kalle Lasn the writer of “The Cult You’re in” and Benoit Denizet-Lewis writer of “ The Man Behind Abercrombie & Fitch”. They both talk about similar topics that go hand and hand with each other, they talk about the consumers “Dream”, how companies recruit the consumers, who cult members really are, how people are forced to wear something they don’t want, and about slackers.
Mithraism was an incredibly mysterious religion that still mystifies people today. It focused on the god Mithras and the myth that created the earth with the sacrifice of the bull. Mithras Slaying the Bull was influential to the worshippers because it created a better understanding of the creation of the earth.
Books such as the peri physeos, which is what the Greeks named it were a great example of teachings being stolen. This was the earliest known book on science and nature. The teachings in this book were said to have been stolen from the I...
With the formation Hellenistic civilization, came new forms of religion. Stoicism, Epicureanism, and Skepticism came into play for those that were considered intellectuals. While those less philosophically inclined, chose to worship fortune, or lean towards the more emotional religions of Oriental origin. The Orphic and Eleusinian mystery cults because more popular than ever before, while the worship of Isis, the Egyptian mother-goddess, seemed for a time to almost become a world religion.
In the most recent Solar Temple incident, Didier Queze, 39, a baker, his wife Chantale Goupillot, 41, her mother and two others of the faithful exploded themselves into oblivion in St.-Casimir, Quebec; they had attempted to take their three teenaged children with them, but at the last minute the three drugged teens dragged themselves out of the explosive-rigged house and hid in a storage shed. Members of the Solar Temple cult believe that the explosions that cause the fragmentation of their earthly bodies will propel them to Sirius, a star in the constellation Canus Major (Lacayo 44). And, of course, most recently thirty-nine people in matching clothes, members of the Heaven’s Gate cult in Rancho Santa Fe, California, were found lying peacefully in their beds at their rented hillside mansion, hands at their sides, dead. Cult members had taken their own lives on the weeken... ... middle of paper ... ...
For years, there have been problems surrounding the definition of the term 'cult'. The literal and traditional meanings of the word cult, which are more fully explored at the entry Cult (religion), come from the Latin cultus, meaning "care" or "adoration," as "a system of religious belief or ritual; or: the body of adherents to same." In French or Spanish, culte or culto simply means "worship" or "religious attendance"; therefore an association cultuelle is an association whose goal is to organize religious worship and practices. The word for "cult" in the popular English meaning is secte (French) or secta (Spanish). In formal English use, and in non-English European terms, the cognates of the English word "cult" are neutral, and refer mainly to divisions within a single faith, a case where English speakers might use the word "sect". Hence Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism are cults within Christianity. However, in common usage, "cult" has a very negative connotation, and is generally applied to a group in order to criticize it. Understandably, most groups, if not all, that are called "cults" deny this term. Some groups called "cults" by some critics may consider themselves not to be "cults", but may consider some other groups to be "cults". Although anti-cult activists and scholars did not agree on precise criteria that new religions should meet to be considered "cults," two of the definitions formulated by anti-cult activists are: Cults are groups that often exploit members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making members comply with leadership's demands through certain types of psychological manipulation, popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of d...
Mystery cults in the ancient world have an air of secrecy to them. According to some scholars, these religious cults existed so that people could perform birth and death rituals.
Ancient Egyptians tried to understand their place in the universe. This is why their mythology is centered on nature such as the earth, sky, moon, sun, stars, and the Nile River. There are many Egyptian myths of creation, but the Heliopolitan Tradition, Hermopolitan Ogdoad, and the Memphite Theology are the most commonly used. They all have some common elements and gods. For example, many of t...
Scientology is a religion that was created in 1952 by L. Ron Hubbard. Scientology teaches that people are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature, and aims to bring humans back to that nature. (What is scientology, 4) This religion aims to give you tools and ways to find out more about who you are as an individual. Scientology has since grown into a world wide organization/religion. Due to the fact that it is a newer religion they do not have any branches (Scientology.org, Official Church of Scientology: Beliefs & Practices) so this paper will discuss scientology as a whole. One of the most interesting things about this very complex religion is that you can be both Scientologists and another religion. Scientoligest can often relate most to the ideas of Budidsum but are open to you being any religion that you choose. (Kuchman, May 14)
What makes a person join a cult? What happens in a person's life to make them completely change they way they used to talk and act? Many are puzzled about the mysterious happenings in a cult member's life. They wonder how one could become involved in such a group. The forces that draw individuals into cults can be explained by psychological doctrine. Many in the psychology field have sought to provide answers to the various questions that society has.
Cults have become a phenomenon in our world today. Each year "hundreds of Canadians join some of the 3,000 unorthodox religions of one type or another" (Fernell, Branswell, 189) all across North America. Like every organization, club or even in the common work place there is usually a person who is a figure of authority or other wise know as a "leader" and with every leader there are always rules and objectives that each and every member has to do and follow. The common psychological profile and objective of a cult leader is usually based upon power, control, domination and subjugation. Many cult leaders use forms of mind control such as thought-reform, brainwashing and hypnosis. The effects of these mind controlling techniques often mentally scar people and it is very hard to re-gain control of what use to be their “normal” personality, way of thinking and life.
...o discover the truth. Theosophists hoped that the tenets of their beliefs would be taken on by humanity, with the expectation that a ‘brotherhood of man’ spirit, would fill the void that science had left religious believers with. Theosophy had elements of evolution within its doctrine that may have tempted those who wanted to ‘move with the scientific ideas of the day and at the same time retain a belief in life after death. With a cursorary eye, it would be easy to view mesmerism, spiritualism, the actions of the SPR and Theosophy as completely different pursuits. But on closer inspection, one can see that there is a sameness that runs through each order. Mesmerism, spiritualism, the SPR and Theosophy all share interchangable traits. The sciences were affected by religion and spirituality questions and the occult pursuits were influenced by the age of science.