SCORPION

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     The main holiday for inhabitants of ancient Babylon was New Year. It was a holiday of belief. In New Year days people gathered in temples. All together inhabitants of Ancient Babylon took part in continuing 12 days New Year's action. Basis of action was the Sacred Book - Enuma Elish. It was read by priests for 4 day of the holiday. In this the book it was told about how that was in «First Time». The world has been created. Gods are born. And then in «First Time» is Tiamat, or a Chaos. This Chaos threatens the existence of Gods. Young God Marduk has fought with Chaos. And - has won...

   You may ask: what sense is in all this? I shall answer. The New Year's Holiday began with alarm.
With approach of winter the order on the Earth weakened. That order which was symbolized for inhabitants of Babylon with solar beams warming the ground. What was the reason to that? The chaos  has gained strength and has returned. He returned to people. Hidden in houses from November rains, babylonians felt approach of Chaos extremely, as the force menacing the existence of mankind. Extremely depending on agriculture, they believed with a fright, that the spring, and solar heat, and spring flood of Euphrates can never come back. Was there an opportunity of solving of the problem? Yes. To have the order stronger here, on the Earth, it was necessary to strengthen the order there, in «First Time». For this purpose on the fourth day of the holiday epos Enuma Elish was read. But it was insufficiently. To defend Chaos here, it was necessary to help Marduk to overcome Chaos there. And – the twelfth day of the New Year's holiday was devoted to struggle against Chaos. On the twelfth day at midnight in all temples of Babylon there was a dramatized action: struggle of the priest personifying Marduk with dark figure of Chaos. Here everybody empathized, and this huge spiritual message of deeply believing people was carried away to «First Time», helping Marduk, struggling with Chaos there. The ancient actor in the guise of a dragon escaped cowardly, - and this victory was supported by everybody, the victory of priest here meant also victory of Marduk there. In «First Time». And that victory - there - was enough to make that the Chaos – here. With triumph the Babylonians met the first day of New Year. They knew, that now would be good. The warmth will return. Euphrates and the Tiger with the arrival of spring would become deep again, promising a new crop and a new life. Till new autumn …
   
    If to take beliefs after Babylon … Gods changed. The course of creation of the world changed. The appearance of Chaos changed. But in the basis of all beliefs there was a main thing: the sacred book with «First Time» inside. There was an opportunity: empathizing a victory over Chaos - there – to help oneself in the struggle against their variant of Chaos – here. I make bold to declare: this, primary, sense is incorporated inevitably in any sacred book of any people. Moreover: in any ideal formation.

  It seems to you to be far-fetched and, for certain, false? Let's imagine the schoolboy reading Hemingway story « the Old man and the Sea » in the train. This schoolboy has the problems not really solved at present. We shall tell, its the small Chaos: attacks from a stronger pupil, causing sneer small growth…  But our schoolboy plunges in «First Time» of the Hemingway novel.  «First Time», based on the primary order of the sea and movement of stars.  There - the Old man also is God Marduk. And the greater fish is Chaos. Struggle of the old man against a fish in a the soul of our schoolboy, - and his soul is the same Temple, at also is struggle of Marduk against Chaos. Our schoolboy helps the old man in his struggle. with his soul. In fact there is victory in the story « the Old man and the sea». This victory over a seeming defeat remained with the force of the old man. The ancient actor in an guise of a dragon is doomed to escape. And the miracle happens: our schoolboy who has ideally helped the victory there, in «First Time»  stories, has ideally solved also the problems at present. He is sure to hit back the offender. He – internally has already become taller. Not able to win really he by means of the victory of the old man has won ideally.

     Yes. Religion is tried to be replaced by art. As for replacement – all is disputable, but the help to the person through art is not the worst variant. All we, poets and writers, artists, musicians are united in one: our purpose is to create the ideal reality to help people. The question is only in implementation or a failure of the variant «First Time». Also there is no alternative. In fact our readers need from our books, and paintings, and musical compositions the same, that was necessary for inhabitants of Ancient Babylon from epos Enuma Elish: read, see, believe, support by soul, and – all together – to win. To believe…