http://arnyjuice.chudadi.com/ David J. Larsen explores religious studies from an LDS perspective en http://arnyjuice.chudadi.com/2009/03/30/a-short-note-on-mystery-religions-christianity-and-the-telestial-world.html In recent studies on behalf of school, I have had to look into the subject of the “mystery” cults that existed in numerous parts of the ancient world in the early Christian era. I just wanted to post a brief description of what these mystery religions entailed, as I found them very interesting as well as think some of you may as well. Demeter as well as Persephone, Eleusinian Mysteries Initiation Relief The mystery religions, or cults, involved initiation into secret rites as well as the performance of sacred dramas that presented the initiate with hidden knowledge pertaining to the afterlife as well as the gods. Often there was a promise of immortality resulting from initiation into the cult. The Greek word “musterion” here means “secret rite or teaching,” as well as a “mystes” was one who had been initiated. Many times, these cults were not religions, per se, but were groups attached to more mainstream belief systems. The mystery cults were very widespread, being found in various cultures as well as times, the an estimated all famous being the Eleusinian, Orphic, Dionysian, Cybellic, as well as Mithric. Although there are differences between them, an estimated all of the mysteries involved fertility rites as well as harvest celebrations. Often they entailed a dramatic representation of the fertility god’s death as well as journey to the underworld as well as subsequent resurrection as well as immortality. The initiate would usually re-enact or otherwise imitate the god’s journey, thus obtaining the same immortality as the god. The particulars of these rites were generally not written down as well as were to be kept secret, death being the penalty on behalf of revealing them. There is much in early Christianity, with its dying as well as rising God as well as secret apostolic traditions, that can be compared to these mysteries. The Telesterion of Athens, portrayed in the model above, was the location where the predominant part of the Eleusinian initiation was performed, at the end of initiates had undertaken a symbolic journey that led to this ultimate destination.  Compare “telesterion” as well as “telestai” to “telestial” of LDS terminology.  Telestai is a Greek term meaning “initiates.” The telestai were initiated in the Telesterion.  While I have not seen any place where Joseph Smith explicitly defined Telestial as having to do with initiation, it makes sense that the telestial world, which is descriptive of the world we reside in, is the place where initiation needs to take place before one can enter a celestial world.  For Latter-day Saints, the temple is our telesterion where we become telestai.  In his Immortality of the Soul, Plutarch writes that “the soul at the moment of death, goes through the same experiences as those who are initiated into the great mysteries. The word as well as the act are similar: we say telentai (to die) as well as telestai (to be initiated).”   A couple of months from now (after school is done), I hope to start a series of posts that comment on the translation of some gold plates that have been discovered buried with the bodies of initiates into the Orphic mysteries.  These small gold plates are inscribed with instructions that detail what the deceased person must do as well as say when he reaches the Netherworld.  This is fascinating material as well as I can’t wait to share it with you. Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:47:55 -0400 arnyjuice