EUROPEAN SOUL AND MYSTERY OF EASTER
The one, who's afraid of death will not be resurrected!
- Corneliu Codreanu
Muslims made a lot of efforts in the Middle Ages to turn Europe into Islam. Jews had made probably even more efforts to turn Europe into Judaism through conducting a proselytic policy (for example Khazar Kahanate was populated mostly by non-jewish people). Nevertheless, Europeans have chosen Christianity. Why?
Even a cursory comparison of Christianity with other monotheistic religions will show us fundamental differences between them. Both Islam and Judaism consider God as an abstract superhuman mind , which is beyond the concepts of life and death.
Even a cursory comparison of Christianity with other monotheistic religions will show us fundamental differences between them. Both Islam and Judaism consider God as an abstract superhuman mind , which is beyond the concepts of life and death.
Regarding Christianity, this religion was built around the figure of an incarnated God-Man. Of course, on the first glance this may seem a kind of "humanistic humaneness," and this is a fairly common mistake even among modern Christians. The root of this lay, first of all, in inadequate understanding of some concepts of the Christian philosophy. First and foremost, Christian doctrine states clearly that the adoption of human nature was just a means to reach the goal - salvation of mankind. The goal, which could be achieved only through self-sacrifice - through meeting with death...
Let's remember the meaning of death in culture of the European folks in pre-Christian Europe. In fact, the meaning of death, that we have in modern materialistic world has been rejected by them in those times. For our ancestors belief in posthumous existence was not just a faith, but an axiom. That was something, that did not caused any doubt, like the fact that the sun will rises in the East and sets in the West. However, immortality could be different. If we remember the antique Hades or Hel in the northern tradition, we will see that these places weren't perfect. But, undoubtedly we can't compare the aforementioned places with Hell (in Christian meaning), but they are definitely worser than earthly life.
And there was only one way to avoid such miserable existence in afterlife - to meet with death face to face, which has open the way to immortality of a soul, not just an afterlife, but the transition to a new and higher level of existence.
As an example can be remembered Valhalla in the northern tradition, a heavenly place for heroes, who fell in battle. However, despite the military character of this world, one important point has to be noted - the way to Valhalla. according to the worldview of the Northern European folks, lays not through the win, but through an honest death in battle.
Another way, that promised a victorious and immortal afterlife was a way of secret initiation, such as leusinian Mysteries or Mysteries of Mithras. Here has to be noted that "initiatic death" was an integral part of the initiation and it was more dangerous than usual ritual practices.
In any case, Europeans of pre-Christian era were considering the victory over death not as something, that could help to avoid it; in contrary, they believed that a man has to pass through traumatic experiences on this way.
Moreover, natural (peaceful) death of old age or disease, according to them, wasn't able to give the same effect. Death had to be unnatural and it must had some features of voluntariness. A man had to overcome natural human fear of death, the fear, that has not just physical but mental and even spiritual nature.
THis can be compared with the moment of birth. Man can not be born without having gone through this drama. Embryos are different, but the most important is difference between those who is born and an unborn. Thus, all achieve of an earthly life (even glorious wins) have been regarded as a preparation stage.
Considering this, it is clear, that the European civilisation saw familiar features in a religion, that combined such concepts as the idea of a single overall God and the idea of his voluntary sacrifice, through which he opened the way to immortality for all mankind and the universe as a whole.
The main in the figure of Jesus Christ is not his suffering or good words and deeds, but the fact of overcoming the fear of death and voluntary self sacrifice that was a key to victory. Resurrection was a great miracle for the pre-Christian world and it meant a renewal of cosmic order as a whole.
It is worth noting, that the Christian cult of holy martyrs has nothing to do with strange exaltation of suffering and violent death. All the (the Christian martyrs) were not "innocent victims," but brave people, who deliberately ready to die for their beliefs. They chose death to not betray their faith. Do not forget that many of them have proven their courage not to an executioner, but in a battle with weapons in their hands. As an example could be remembering Merkuriy Smolensky, who died in natural massacre, defending Smolensk from Mongols. St. Merkuriy fell in this battle, but he managed to defend the city from Invaders.
Unfortunately, even many of modern faithful Christians have distorted understanding about the core of the religion they practice, not to mention the materialistically-minded post-Christian society. But, nevertheless, the soul of Europe remains itself despite all attempts to liberalize and envenom minds of Europeans. The key of heroism of "insurmountable white man" (Jack London) lies in its relation to the death, which can be considered as the other side of life or as a treasure, that, everyone is able to get (as C.S. Lewis wrote) if this is about honorable and sacrificial death. And only in the second case it is the way to immortality. To sum it up we can assert, that there is no concept of death at the mental level in the European culture.
Great Velikden holiday (or "Easter" in Occidental Christian tradition) is an annual reminder of this great truth. It is worth noting, that this holiday remains the most important in the Orthodox Christian countries of Eastern Europe, ie he nations, who have managed to preserve traditional European mentality. According to the latest opinion polls the majority of Ukrainians pointed Velikden as the most important national holiday. Interesting, that the holiday's popularity in Ukraine has grown in the time of existential trials our nation is passing now. Meeting with death always brings thoughts about immortality. Every soul is aware of this, even if mind is overshadowed by materialistic fables. The one, who's afraid of death will not be resurrected...
And there was only one way to avoid such miserable existence in afterlife - to meet with death face to face, which has open the way to immortality of a soul, not just an afterlife, but the transition to a new and higher level of existence.
As an example can be remembered Valhalla in the northern tradition, a heavenly place for heroes, who fell in battle. However, despite the military character of this world, one important point has to be noted - the way to Valhalla. according to the worldview of the Northern European folks, lays not through the win, but through an honest death in battle.
Another way, that promised a victorious and immortal afterlife was a way of secret initiation, such as leusinian Mysteries or Mysteries of Mithras. Here has to be noted that "initiatic death" was an integral part of the initiation and it was more dangerous than usual ritual practices.
In any case, Europeans of pre-Christian era were considering the victory over death not as something, that could help to avoid it; in contrary, they believed that a man has to pass through traumatic experiences on this way.
Moreover, natural (peaceful) death of old age or disease, according to them, wasn't able to give the same effect. Death had to be unnatural and it must had some features of voluntariness. A man had to overcome natural human fear of death, the fear, that has not just physical but mental and even spiritual nature.
THis can be compared with the moment of birth. Man can not be born without having gone through this drama. Embryos are different, but the most important is difference between those who is born and an unborn. Thus, all achieve of an earthly life (even glorious wins) have been regarded as a preparation stage.
Considering this, it is clear, that the European civilisation saw familiar features in a religion, that combined such concepts as the idea of a single overall God and the idea of his voluntary sacrifice, through which he opened the way to immortality for all mankind and the universe as a whole.
The main in the figure of Jesus Christ is not his suffering or good words and deeds, but the fact of overcoming the fear of death and voluntary self sacrifice that was a key to victory. Resurrection was a great miracle for the pre-Christian world and it meant a renewal of cosmic order as a whole.
It is worth noting, that the Christian cult of holy martyrs has nothing to do with strange exaltation of suffering and violent death. All the (the Christian martyrs) were not "innocent victims," but brave people, who deliberately ready to die for their beliefs. They chose death to not betray their faith. Do not forget that many of them have proven their courage not to an executioner, but in a battle with weapons in their hands. As an example could be remembering Merkuriy Smolensky, who died in natural massacre, defending Smolensk from Mongols. St. Merkuriy fell in this battle, but he managed to defend the city from Invaders.
Unfortunately, even many of modern faithful Christians have distorted understanding about the core of the religion they practice, not to mention the materialistically-minded post-Christian society. But, nevertheless, the soul of Europe remains itself despite all attempts to liberalize and envenom minds of Europeans. The key of heroism of "insurmountable white man" (Jack London) lies in its relation to the death, which can be considered as the other side of life or as a treasure, that, everyone is able to get (as C.S. Lewis wrote) if this is about honorable and sacrificial death. And only in the second case it is the way to immortality. To sum it up we can assert, that there is no concept of death at the mental level in the European culture.
Great Velikden holiday (or "Easter" in Occidental Christian tradition) is an annual reminder of this great truth. It is worth noting, that this holiday remains the most important in the Orthodox Christian countries of Eastern Europe, ie he nations, who have managed to preserve traditional European mentality. According to the latest opinion polls the majority of Ukrainians pointed Velikden as the most important national holiday. Interesting, that the holiday's popularity in Ukraine has grown in the time of existential trials our nation is passing now. Meeting with death always brings thoughts about immortality. Every soul is aware of this, even if mind is overshadowed by materialistic fables. The one, who's afraid of death will not be resurrected...
Original article by Eduard Yurchenko, source: Azov Press
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