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lykomancer[See title of entry, otherwise this won't make sense. This is not at all close to being finished or polished or anything like that. It's a teaser to prove that I actually am doing something besides homework. If anyone's interested, I've also started a new, short piece of fanfic. (EnEd, of course; why'd you even ask?)]
"The crucified serpent, which is displayed most prominently on the back of Ed's red coat and which seems to be the marker for those that learned alchemy though the line of Dante (Izumi, who's teacher was Dante, has the symbol tattooed on her chest in red), has roots that stretch back much earlier than Nicholas Flamel. One of the earliest references to this symbol is in the book of Numbers in Hebrew scripture; the wandering children of Israel are attacked by a plague of serpents sent by the Lord to punish them for speaking against Him, and many of them die before they repent (Numbers 21:6-9), and when they finally do repent, God commands Moses to "Make thee a fiery serpent, set it upon a pole." The people who had been bitten looked upon the serpent and were cured.
"This sacrificial offering to save the Israelites bears a striking similarity to Jesus's crucifixion, which was also to save mankind; it might be noted that in Koine Greek (the language of the New Testament), the word used to indicate "salvation" or someone being "saved" is the same word used for "cured" or "healed"-- there is no distinction in the Greek between the curing of a physical ill and the salvation of the immortal soul. John 3:14 states that "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of Man be lifted up", cinching the case on these being analogous, parallel sacrifices. Jesus was to take the place of the bronze burning serpent on the pole, and those that "look" upon him are "cured".
"Furthermore, the Hebrew word for "fiery serpent" used in Numbers 21:8 is seraphim. Traditionally, seraphim are considered, like cherubim, to be one of the types of divine creature and messengers of God; it later evolved to indicate one of the highest choirs of angels-- Lucifer, Gabriel, and the Metatron were all seraphim. This is possibly because of the use of Greek angelos as "divine messengers", though I have no proof of that.
"The serpent or snake is a powerful symbol in many cultures, and has been used to indicate sexual energy/kundalini, healing and medicine, rebirth, and wisdom ("Be ye wise as serpents"). In South America, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl was worshiped, he whose second coming would bring about a new age of enlightenment, wisdom, and tranquility. The ancient Egyptians donned headpieces with a rearing asp springing from the forehead (which, incidentally, is the area associated with the pineal gland or Third Eye and the ability for far-seeing, visions, and clarity of thought). It is a many-headed serpent that guards the golden apples of Hesperides in the story of the Twelve Labors of Hercules; the great serpent Ningizzida protects the Tree of Immortality in the Epic of Gilgamesh; and it is, of course, a snake that tempts Eve into tasting the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Hebrew story of the Fall.
"It is worth noting that the word "tree" is a synonym for "cross" is ancient texts..."
"The crucified serpent, which is displayed most prominently on the back of Ed's red coat and which seems to be the marker for those that learned alchemy though the line of Dante (Izumi, who's teacher was Dante, has the symbol tattooed on her chest in red), has roots that stretch back much earlier than Nicholas Flamel. One of the earliest references to this symbol is in the book of Numbers in Hebrew scripture; the wandering children of Israel are attacked by a plague of serpents sent by the Lord to punish them for speaking against Him, and many of them die before they repent (Numbers 21:6-9), and when they finally do repent, God commands Moses to "Make thee a fiery serpent, set it upon a pole." The people who had been bitten looked upon the serpent and were cured.
"This sacrificial offering to save the Israelites bears a striking similarity to Jesus's crucifixion, which was also to save mankind; it might be noted that in Koine Greek (the language of the New Testament), the word used to indicate "salvation" or someone being "saved" is the same word used for "cured" or "healed"-- there is no distinction in the Greek between the curing of a physical ill and the salvation of the immortal soul. John 3:14 states that "as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so shall the Son of Man be lifted up", cinching the case on these being analogous, parallel sacrifices. Jesus was to take the place of the bronze burning serpent on the pole, and those that "look" upon him are "cured".
"Furthermore, the Hebrew word for "fiery serpent" used in Numbers 21:8 is seraphim. Traditionally, seraphim are considered, like cherubim, to be one of the types of divine creature and messengers of God; it later evolved to indicate one of the highest choirs of angels-- Lucifer, Gabriel, and the Metatron were all seraphim. This is possibly because of the use of Greek angelos as "divine messengers", though I have no proof of that.
"The serpent or snake is a powerful symbol in many cultures, and has been used to indicate sexual energy/kundalini, healing and medicine, rebirth, and wisdom ("Be ye wise as serpents"). In South America, the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl was worshiped, he whose second coming would bring about a new age of enlightenment, wisdom, and tranquility. The ancient Egyptians donned headpieces with a rearing asp springing from the forehead (which, incidentally, is the area associated with the pineal gland or Third Eye and the ability for far-seeing, visions, and clarity of thought). It is a many-headed serpent that guards the golden apples of Hesperides in the story of the Twelve Labors of Hercules; the great serpent Ningizzida protects the Tree of Immortality in the Epic of Gilgamesh; and it is, of course, a snake that tempts Eve into tasting the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge in the Hebrew story of the Fall.
"It is worth noting that the word "tree" is a synonym for "cross" is ancient texts..."
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Date: 2005-04-12 01:35 pm (UTC)~Ravenmoon~
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Date: 2005-04-12 02:18 pm (UTC)In the manga it's the same, yet in one of the character bibles it's stated that he's forgotten his original gender. I think it's safe to assume he's a he... if he's not I'll be sorely disappointed XD
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Date: 2005-04-12 03:00 pm (UTC)He does indeed speak Japanese in a masculine manner, but then, so do I, and I assure you that I am biologically female, so maybe that's not the best clue. ^_^
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Date: 2005-04-12 03:10 pm (UTC)Herm!Envy? I haven't roleplayed that before.... no.... never XDXDXD
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Date: 2005-04-12 03:11 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 03:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 08:19 pm (UTC)Actually, it's because my pimps (i.e. you people asking for more fics and so forth) have been gettin' rowdy about me not whoring myself out enough for the fandom and instead daring to have a real life with other work that needs to get done.
This is my lj equivalent of cringing and crying and going, "But...but I love you and I really want to turn more tricks for you...!"
Got that!?
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Date: 2005-04-12 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 03:32 pm (UTC)I know that might sound sarcastic in text, but it's not - I really think you did some neat research on that, and it's really cool!
I love how you always relate theology to FMA. <3
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Date: 2005-04-12 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-12 07:51 pm (UTC)I certainly use it enough myself; "The Passion" and "Gesethemene" (sp?? too lazy to look it up...) were both written off of the symbolism I remarked on above... Ed is the second sacrifice, while Envy was the first-- a fallen angel (seraph).
Take and abuse, children, just so long as you don't claim it was all your research and ideas!