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Babylon and Iraq: What would it take for this culture to be great again? |
Im a novice when it comes to Babylon and Sumer and Im even less knowledgeable when it comes to everything present day in the Middle East. I know probably more then your average person but my heart bleeds to read it all: what is becoming of those people? And why are so many of them so persecuted? And is that somehow our (American's) future (Christian Theocracy)? But someones post made me think on this.
Their post stated how the Bible had something to say about Babylon in the end times and apparently something to do with its rebuilding. They claimed the Americans were rebuilding Iraq and the old Babylon sites and that this for surely was a sign the end was near. We can all believe what we like but that end is near crap always makes me think of the Da Vinci Code when the Grandmother said that was Just wishful thinking. But that whole post just infuriated me: nothing could have been further from the truth.
Sumer was the world's first civilization to our knowledge. At a time when most future civilizations were cave dwellers they had organized cities and buisinesses. Babylon came after them (with the immigration of the Semites) and then the Assyrians. War has always ravaged that region and the modern world didnt know if those cultures of the Bible really existed or not tell the late 1700s and for surely the 1800s. No one remembered Sumer tell the late 1800s when the tablets telling their history was found and translated.
That area at the time was still in turmoil and it really wasnt tell after WW1 and WW2 is was even half stable. Then Saddam and well we all know that story.
The sad thing of it is no research has barely been done in the area since the 70s and the ancient sites havent been researched let alone restored. Such websites as:
http://www.liebreich.com/LDC/HTML/Opinion/Iraq/IraqHeritage.html
http://oi.uchicago.edu/OI/IRAQ/iraq.html
Document how the area and American army are destroying them. Looters are rampatant and tanks run over the ancient sites. Soldiers steal bricks from the old temples and gold things are constantly stolen. Some of the greatest treasures that were KNOWN have been lost let alone the tablets and other treasures the are for surely under the soil.
The fanatical Islam doesnt help. Those sites mean nothing to the masses. And to the Christians Babylon is just that 'evil' civilization of the Bible. True and not true.
Babylon became after Sumer when their culture (no one knows their ethnic origins for sure) and the Semites melded together. Kind of like the hispanic and anglo cultures of the US. Sumerian became an official documents language and the religious and arts language but most spoke Akkadian. These people were as most ancient Pagans were: they were a great theocracy (goverment and daily life were blended with religion) and they were great warriors. They constantly warred with neighboring cities and states either winning or loosing. Back then if you won your religion and ways of life became the religion and ways of life to the people you conquered while their ways were surpressed. The people who were conquered were either taken as slaves or became subjects of your kingdom whether they liked it or not. As easily as it could be done to other people it could be done to them as well. Check out the Lamenants of the Cities at for more examples:
http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=c.2.2*&charenc=j
So the Jews got enslaved in Babylon. They werent happy about it obviously. And them being the first writers of the Bible they took all the happiness they could in slandering Babylon, its people, and their ways. Anything sacred to them (sex, prostitutes, eating ham) became taboo to the Jews and later Christians. This is probably the first in history the monotheistic religions slandered the Pagans but it certainly wasnt the last (The Romans for one...)
As easy as it is just to listen to the winners of history Babylon did have a beautiful culture and though they built on what the Sumerian's did they did create and improve a lot of firsts in history. They had gorgeous architecture, neat fashions, amazing pottery, poets, scribes, they even had recipes and music (the world's first music notation is from there but so far it hasnt been deciphered.)
Once Assyria came into being they were much war like and women were more oppressed (first instance of the head scarf...except by prostitutes.) Then the Muslims. From there it depends what country is what. By this time in history its been illegal since the 70s to listen to music in Iran and most of the stricter Middle Eastern countries wont let you listen to any music or if you are it has to be classical and religious. In Saddam's Iraq it could take months to get your music approved for release: it was scrutinized for any political messages.
Fashion has obviously become non existant, and though some art exist theres not much a need for it with such other great concerns in their worlds.
So what would it take to make the now Iraqi culture great again? First up Christianity and Islam would pretty much have to cease to exist or be highly unpopular. In that area both would be too strict to enjoy anything where freedom could flourish and spill over into the great arts and culture. I really doubt Iraq can be restored in my lifetime or be 'restored for good'. And even if the modern culture is restored I doubt the ancient culture could be so soon. For that to happen war would have to cease in the area to make it safe to dig and laws would have to be enforced to protect the treasures (sadly that hasnt been seen since the British occupied Iraq after WW1.)
For more information on Babylon and Sumer in relation to Christianity see:
http://myusm.com/usm444722.html |
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| Alias | Date | Reply |
| Princess)i(light |
3/7/2006 9:34:00 AM |
Interesting post Kaja; I read a book called "The Epic of Gilgamesh" and it is one of the oldest known writings found from that area you should check it out I think you would enjoy the book. Your post made me think and although I don't know what it would take to restore that area; but just some food for thought for both of us... which I thought was interesting... in the end times there will be peace in the middle east which will be brought by the antichrist and there will be deception and rebuidling of a great empire and then he will break the treaty of peace and reveal himself. Made me think when you said peace would need to be present for this to occur. Just made me think and this was a good read, thanks for posting. |
| Miss Kaja |
3/7/2006 1:37:00 PM |
LOL well my personal belief (mind you PERSONAL) is that when Christians say end times it actually is the end of Christianity...and according to Christians Im right but they still think its that whole 'Pagans will go to hell' type thing which I dont share that belief. What you mentioned was interesting though...sounds like BUSH! The Epic of Gilgamesh is an awesome story if you can find it in its 'purest' forms (not all mucked up by modern authors) and even then its still pretty good. |
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