Kingdom Come

Pagan accounts of their gods’ earliest involvement validate the biblical and apocryphal accounts of the direct pre-flood contact between humanity and fallen angels / materialized spirit sons of God. Paganism adapted to the absence of the gods’ material presence by worshipping evil spirit empowered humans, or employing idols to house the gods’ spirits, with priests as mediums to intercede between the spirits and humanity.

In both pre- and post-flood paganism, the god is lord (belu) and man is servant or slave (ardu). In order to access the power promised by the spirits, humans must serve the gods. Pagan morality is not a concept of absolute right and wrong or how to treat other humans. It is simply staying on good terms with the god, who is more often than not capricious, just like any human tyrant ruler.

Sin is rebellion against the gods’ will, sometimes with the idea that sin is man’s wishing to “live on his own terms“.

The human king was the primary god’s human interface, the leader (enu or šangū) of society in every domain body, soul and spirit, and as such exercised a large number of duties within the temple, with a large number of specialists whose task was to mediate between men and gods. Note the contrast monotheism’s “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man YHVH’s Anointed Savior / Christ Jesus; Who gave himself” (I Timothy 2:5-6)

1. supervising or “watchman” priest (šešgallu),
2. priests for individual purification against demons and magicians (āšipu),
3. priests for the purification of the temple (mašmašu),
4. priests to appease the wrath of the gods with song and music (kalū), as well as
5. female singers (nāru),
6. male singers (zammeru),
7. craftsmen (mārē ummāni),
8. swordbearers (nāš paṭri),
9. masters of divination (bārû),
10. masters of penitents (šā’ilu), and others

Divination was employed by private individuals, with the assumption that the gods have already determined the destinies of men and these destinies could be ascertained through observing omens and through rituals such as

1. observing oil dropped into a cup of water (lecanomancy),
2. observing the entrails of sacrificial animals (extispicy),
3. observation of the behavior of birds (augury) 
4. observing celestial and meteorological phenomena (astrology), a
5. interpretation of dreams.

Often interpretation of these phenomena required the need for two classes of priests: askers (sa’ilu) and observer (baru), and also sometimes a lower class of ecstatic seer (mahhu) that was also associated with witchcraft.

Each Mesopotamian city was home to a human-indwelt deity / ruler. All temples were located in cities, which by definition were walled, not only for defense but to corral human herds of workers to service the god/king.

This kingly role is a clear parallel to Satan’s defiance on God’s judgment on his clone father Lucifer. 

“Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God…upon the holy mountain of God…I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God:” (Ezekiel 28:13-16)

Each temple contained an image of the god which, in the absence of demigods, served as mediums for the presence of the deity to interface with material humanity. This is evident from the poem How Erra Wrecked the World, in which Erra deceived the demi-god Marduk into leaving his cult statue.

The temple’s outer courtyard was equipped with a basin and water for visitors to respectfully clean up before approaching the deity/image.

Generally, the god’s well-being was maintained through service, or work (dullu). The image was dressed and served banquets twice a day. It is not known how the god was thought to consume the food, but a curtain was drawn before the table while he or she “ate”, just as the king himself was not allowed to be seen by the masses while he ate. Occasionally, the king shared in these meals, and the priests may have had some share in the offerings as well.

Sacrificial meals were also set out regularly, with a sacrificial animal seen as a replacement (pūhu) or substitute (dinānu) for a man, and it was considered that the anger of the gods or demons was then directed towards the sacrificial animal. Additionally, certain days required extra sacrifices and ceremonies for certain gods, and every day was sacred to a particular god.

The images were also entertained in order to encourage the deity to maintain its presence. 

Nocturnal rituals were performed where the idols were given “life”, and their mouth “was opened” (pet pi) and washed (mis pi) so they could see and eat. 

Contemporary Reasons for Idol Worship in Hinduism.

An idol or an image is a living embodiment, not a lifeless form. Life is poured into [therefore out of someone else according to the physics law of Conservation of Energy] when it is reverentially worshipped with devotion. Devotion has such power.

By overcoming the duality of the subject and the object you can experience oneness with the divinity. Idol worship is a transformative practice. Before a devotee worships an idol he has to ritually install it and breathe life (prana) into it – called prana pratishta. It is your life energy which, at the end of the ritual, returns to you, purified and elevated. Inside your body, it purifies you further. . In idol worship the true worshipper becomes God who is present in him as his hidden Self…and attains immortal life through knowledge.

According to the Bible, burning incense with intent of communicating with a spirit being is indeed effective, as reported by pagans.

The Purpose of Incense In meditation., consciousness turns its control over to the subconscious and provides an opportunity for Divine Spirit connection and communication. For this reason, incense can be a valuable tool for any spiritual practitioner. Incense is used for giving thanks and honoring spirits.

Honoring as in obeying and carrying out their will.

As the population exploded and spread to separating continents, the “gods” began to “seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before” outside the urban temples into the common man with whom the human developed a close, personal relationship, maintained through prayer and maintenance of his god’s statue.

A number of written prayers have survived from ancient Mesopotamia. One’s place and success in society was thought to depend on his personal deity, including the development of his god’s certain talents.

When a man neglected his god, his god stopped protecting him from demons, thought to be countless in number, or to be attacked by spirits of the dead, (etimmu).

Narcissistic mirroring is a strategic maneuver designed to deceive. This calculated approach starkly contrasts with healthy mirroring, which is rooted in a legitimate desire to understand and relate to another person.

Biologically, demonic possession is defined as a symbiotic relationship between two species.

Symbiosis Definition

interaction or close living relationship between organisms from different species, usually with benefits to one or both of the individuals involved.

• Obligate is when each of the organisms is unable to survive without the other.
• Facultative is when the two species engage by choice, and can survive individually.
• Endosymbiosis is when one of the symbiotic partners lives within the body of the other.
  • Intercellular is within the cells, like HIV viruses.
  • Extracellular is outside the cells, like parasites in the bloodstream
• Ectosymbiosis is when one organism lives on the body surface of the host,
  • including the lining of the digestive tract which is open to the exterior from beginning to end,
  • or mucus or sweat glands.
• Mutualism is when both symbiotic partners benefit from the interaction, often resulting in a significant fitness gain for either one or both parties. Mutualisms can take the form of resource-resource relationships, service-resource relationships, or service-service relationships.
• Parasitism is when one of the organisms benefits at the expense of the other.
  • Unlike predation, parasitism does not necessarily result in the death of the host and it is often imperative to the life of the parasite to keep its host alive. May involve
    • direct infiltration of the host body to feed off tissue,
    • influencing behaviors that benefit the parasite,
    • or kleptoparasitism, in which the parasite steals food or other resources from a host, such as energy. Malaria is a prime example of debilitation caused by a parasite.
  • Ectoparasites, such as fleas, may act as a carrier or vector, transmitting intercellular endoparasites such as bacteria and viruses to the host, often causing significant damage or death.

Psychologically, demonic possession is a form of narcissism. One of the earliest signs of narcissism is love bombing: the narcissist showers you with excessive admiration and affection, creating a false sense of closeness to make you more vulnerable. They tend to agree with you excessively, creating an illusion of harmony and shared perspectives. 

As they gain control, their relationship morphs into manipulative and domination tactics, making the victims feel incapable of functioning or make decisions independently. Victims of narcissistic partners become emotionally, mentally, and physically drained by the narcissist. Setting clear boundaries only invites persecution. The only way to break free from a narcissist is to find a higher power than the self that fell victim.