Mandaeans are the remnants of a 100CE gnostic mystery cult. They were probably a group of gnostic Xians that evolved over time. They don't have a "founder" per say, but like all good Theists they do have their version of a cult of personality - it doesn't revolve around a Zarathustra, Siddhārtha Gautama, Mosses, Jesus, Mohammed, Bahá'u'lláh, Joseph Smith Jr. or John Frum (HaaHaaa! John Frum! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! ... sorry about that Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!) they put John the Baptist at the center of their belief - so the deviation from the norm is not all that much .. .. .. .. .. Kind of cute little theistic belief really.. .. .. good people those Mandaens, many migrated to AU. Though not as open as Bahai' who also migrated here to escape Muslims that take their Qur'anic faith just a little too seriously. I think they are like Zoroastrians in that regard.. . ... Anyway, and the most important thing is that, many of the Mandaeans' collection of ancient religous texts are unknown to the outside world. Finally some of them are currently being translated and will soon be available on the net. Lets hope this occurs before their Muslim cousins kill them off or burn their historically significant millennial old manuscripts. Michael
Strange how so many of the world's oldest religions: The Coptic Church, the Sabeans, the Zoroastrians and other sects are only surviving due to having been in the Middle East, that place of violence and intolerance.Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
As you well know, Coptics, Mandaeans and Zoroastrians are tolerated within the discriminatory confines of Islam as people of the Book - even though their belief is thought to be inferior. But ask yourself: What of the polytheistic Arabs that inhabited the entire penisula? What about the huge Jewish communitees that used to live there? The Xian monasteries? Where are they? It's post-hoc to say "Oh look, here we have a couple of Coptics and a few Mandeans .. gee isn't Islam accommodating. Do you really believe that? No one knows just how many other beliefs were obliterated long ago.. .. .. .. That said, Xianities history of subjecting people in the name of the One True God is much worse - no one is arguing that point. I've often said, Islam and Xianity are as two peas in a pod, Michael II
Whom do you think have destroyed more indigenous peoples, cultures and religions? Christians in the name of Jesus or Muslims in the name of Mohammad?
Give it some time the Muslims will be gaining soon! Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
SamCDKey: Didn't they all have to leave the Middle East? Zoroastrians fled to India. Copts are leaving Egypt.
Actually, it seems Muslims are killing more Muslims than any other Religion. But yeah, it sucks if you are a minority in a very Religious country - regardless. Then again, the Aboriginals (or Abo's as some Aussies like to call them) don't seem to be fairing so well around these parts.... Not to mention the many Koreans I know who grew up in Japan and are now stuck in mental-limbo (thus they end up here in AU). Never Japanese because of their last name and not quite Korean enough because of their thick Japanese accent. Sux for them. So, really, maybe this sort of behavior is human at it's more instinctual autonomic level? Michael Haaa... did you see this one ---> :spank: too funny!
Perhaps it's time you dig your head out of your (!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz-bTNxpApU&mode=related&search=
