Babylonian Mysteries Pt 3

Priesthood

1) Celibacy - Priests of Semiramis were celibate. Not all pagan religions require celibacy, but Rome in its worship of Cybele did. However, the sexual excesses of these priests were even too much for the Roman Senate (there's irony for you), who wanted to expel them from Rome.

2) 1 Tim. 4:1-3 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry; and commanding to abstain from meats……….” We have seen this verse before in regards to not eating meat. Celibacy is also something God does not ordain. Paul in 1 Corinthians says that he wishes people were like him (celibate) as they could so much more easily concentrate on the work of the Lord, but he does say that while that is his personal preference, not everybody can do it and thus it is better to marry.

Confession

1) Secret confession to a priest was required before initiation into the mysteries. This was a practice in Babylon, Medo-Persia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and is still a practice today with pagan and occult groups, as well as some Christian groups. 1 Tim. 2:5 says “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” We need only confess our sins to God. We are not required to do penance that some other human has decided upon. God will punish us as needed, should it be required.

Priest-King

1) The Babylonian mysteries had at its head a priest-king. This idea found its way down through the pagan religions to the Roman religion. The head was known as the Supreme Pontiff or Pontifex Maximus. The office came to the Roman emperors as guardians of the mysteries in 74 B.C. with Julius Caesar. The Roman emperors (including Constantine) held this office until 376 A.D. when Gratian refused it for Christian reasons. The Bishop of Rome (who was bishop due to political appointment by the emperor, not by his Christian faith and calling by God) at this time had political power and prestige and consequently was elected Pontifex Maximus - the high priest of the mysteries. This title has been passed on to every Pope since. The title is found inscribed throughout the Vatican. Constantine had begun the process of mixing Christianity and paganism for political reasons. (The use of the cross, worship of Mary instead of goddesses, saints instead of gods, changing pagan holidays to Christian holy days (such as Dec. 25, Nov. 1, etc.). Now it was important to reconcile the offices of Supreme Pontiff and Bishop of the church. Other similarities for purposes of compromise with the mysteries were found in the following areas:

2) The Supreme Pontiff of the mysteries held the Chaldean title “peter” which meant interpreter of the mysteries. This was easy to associate with Peter the apostle. The catch was to associate Peter with Rome. Thus the legend of Peter being the first bishop of Rome was born and taught, which allowed for the Supreme Pontiff to be in the line of succession from Peter, thus Christianizing this paganism.

3) The pagan gods of Rome and Mithraism such as Janus and Cybele held the mystic “keys” which were a symbol of the authority of the gods. The Supreme Pontiff (of the Babylonian mysteries) was the keeper of these keys. This became Christianized into the keys of Peter by the use of Matt. 16:19, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven.”

4) The cock which was associated with Janus was also considered sacred. Here was another association with Peter. John 18:27 “Peter then denied again, and immediately the cock crew.”

5) Mithraism was almost the only faith in the Roman Empire at one point. The head priest was called Pater Patrum - Father of Fathers. The title Pope likewise means Father and the Pope is the Father of the Fathers.

6) It was the practice of ancient cultures to carry the priest-king. The Egyptians would have twelve men carry the priest-king. A flabellum or large fan made of feathers known as the mystic fan of Bacchus would be part of the mobile throne. The Pope is sometimes carried in such a conveyance with a large fan of feathers.

Priestly Garments and Accoutrements

1) The priests of Baal dressed in black. (God does not use black in his priest’s garments - check the Pentateuch). Both Catholic and Protestant priests dress in black today. Also look at your orthodox Jews. They love black.

2) The princes of Babylon dressed in red garments. In ancient times (B.C.) the cardinals were the chief clergy of Rome. They were a council of priests for the god Janus - the god of door and hinges (okay it is funny, go ahead and laugh). Cardo is the Latin word for hinge. The priests of the hinge (or cardinals) wore red and were the servants of the Pontifex Maximus. Those cardinals were also called Flamens (they tended the sacred fire) and were divided into three groups. It is interesting that the Catholic cardinals also wear red, serve the Pope or Supreme Pontiff, and are divided into three categories: bishops, priests, and deacons.

3) A pallium was worn by the pagan clergy of Greece and Rome before the Christian era. Today it is worn by the Pope.

4) The fish-god Dagon was worshiped by the Babylonians and Philistines. He was originally portrayed as half-fish and half-man. Later he was portrayed as a man wearing a fish as a cloak. The head was a mitre and the body a cloak. Then the body was left off and the head remained as a mitre shaped like the head of a fish. St. Ambrose was painted by Moretto wearing a mitre shaped like the head of a fish. The Pope’s mitre is in this same shape.

5) Along with the mitre, the Pope wears the fisherman’s ring with the title Pontifex Maximus inscribed in it. This is associated to Peter by the fact that Peter was a fisherman. It is really a symbol of Dagon.

6) The Pope sits on a throne claimed to be the chair from which Peter ruled. It is covered with animals of mythology and the “labors of Hercules”. It is obviously left over from some previous pagan religious temple.

7) The tonsure - the shaving of the head (as monks used to do) was practiced by Buddhists, Egyptians, priests of Bacchus, and priests of Mithra. Mithraism (in Rome) used the round tonsure - shaving the top of the head only, leaving a round of hair in imitation of a solar disk (for the sun god). While Buddhists still shave their heads completely, priests in the church no longer practice this. The laws given to Moses regarding this with the priests were - Lev. 21:5 “They shall not make baldness upon their head, neither shall they shave off the corner of their beard, nor make any cuttings in their flesh.”

8) Skullcaps were worn by pagan priests. Today we see Jews wearing yarmulkes and priests wearing skullcaps. They both got it from the same place.

Virgins

1) The Babylonians as well as other pagan religions dedicated virgins to the gods. Today there are several religions that still practice this by having virgin nuns.

2) Many times these virgins had to tend fires for the gods. As mentioned before St. Bridget's shrine is tended by nuns today in that same way.