P1081:4, 98:4.1
The majority of people in the Greco-Roman world, having lost their primitive
family and state religions and being unable or unwilling to grasp the meaning
of Greek philosophy, turned their attention to the spectacular and emotional
mystery cults from Egypt and the Levant. The common people craved promises
of salvation -- religious consolation for today and assurances of hope for
immortality after death.
P1081:5, 98:4.2
The three mystery cults which became most popular were:
P1081:9, 98:4.3
The Phrygian and Egyptian mysteries taught that the divine son (respectively
Attis and Osiris) had experienced death and had been resurrected by divine
power, and further that all who were properly initiated into the mystery,
and who reverently celebrated the anniversary of the god's death and resurrection,
would thereby become partakers of his divine nature and his immortality.
P1081:10, 98:4.4
The Phrygian ceremonies were imposing but degrading; their bloody festivals
indicate how degraded and primitive these Levantine mysteries became. The
most holy day was Black Friday, the "day of blood,"
commemorating
the
self-inflicted death of Attis. After three days of the celebration of
the sacrifice and death of Attis the festival was turned to joy in honor of
his resurrection.
P1082:1, 98:4.5
The rituals of the worship of Isis and Osiris were more refined and impressive
than were those of the Phrygian cult. This Egyptian ritual was built around
the legend of the Nile god of old, a god who died and was resurrected, which
concept was derived from the observation of the annually recurring stoppage
of vegetation growth followed by the springtime restoration of all living
plants. The frenzy of the observance of these mystery cults and the
orgies
of their ceremonials, which were supposed to lead up to the "enthusiasm"
of the realization of divinity, were sometimes most revolting.
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