Before we get all into the nitty-gritty of money theology, lets have a little fun.
What is Mammon? I imagine something like this picture on the left. This man hasn't been storing up his treasure in heaven.
Originally, the word Mammon came from the ancient Chaldeans (remember Ur of the Chaldees where Abraham came from) and actually has its roots in the word 'confidence.' Interesting.
At its most basic level, the word meant 'riches' or 'wealth,' but it connoted an idea of personified wealth gained with avarice. It often took on a deified nature.
During New Testament times, the word "Mammon" continued to have this personified understanding of worldly and material wealth, with a focus on the evil influence that money could have. Much more on this later.....
In the Middle Ages, Mammon gained the full-on Demon status. Many local bishops and feudal lords benefited from the fear and trembling that peasants felt about gaining worldly wealth.
After the Enlightenment, Mammon was still a concern. English oil painter George Frederick Watts interpreted Mammon in this grotesque and miserable way (see the picture of the oil painting on the left above.) .jpg)
In 1800's France, Collin de Plancy's Dictionnaire Infernal depicted all of the demons that afflict the world. Mammon appears this way (see drawing on the right):
Rather wimpy looking.
If you think that Mammon is now only mentioned in church theology discussions, the exact opposite is true.
Mammon is very much alive in the Dungeons and Dragons game. Mammon has become the "arch-devil" that rules over one of the nine layers of Hell in this kid's game. Wikipedia says: "In keeping with the traditional use of the name in literature, he is portrayed as a personification of greed and lust. He also has a well-earned reputation for duplicity."
Not so wimpy looking.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
What (or Who) is Mammon?
Labels:
bible,
Mammon,
Money,
new testament,
Wealth
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34 comments:
I think your blog is really great, i really liked this entry. Please keep it up.
I'VE READ THE BIBLE FOR YEARS AND I DO BELIEVE IN THE MESSAGES FROM GOD THROUGH MAN, BUT I NEVER KNEW WHAT MAMMON REALLY MENT UNTIL NOW.
IF THE WORLD DID NOT HAVE SO MANY PEAOLE OF GREED WORSHOPING MAMMON WE COULD END WORLD HUNGER WAR, AND POVERTY. THESE SO CALLE BIG WHEELS ARE GRINDING DOWN THIER OWN SOULS.
Yah, i agree with you. The world would be a much different place if we didn't worship mammon, but actually followed Jesus' words instead. Thanks for the comment!
Mammon or the Satan is not all evil. Is family of God. Good angels are 100% soldiers of God, bad angels are still the soldiers but not the 100% obedient angels. Bad is not 100% bad, good is all good.
WWW.GODHEALING.ORG
Mammon or the Satan is not all evil. Is family of God. Good angels are 100% soldiers of God, bad angels are still the soldiers but not the 100% obedient angels. Bad is not 100% bad, good is all good.
To Anonymous, Just so you'll know, Satan 'IS' all bad. There is nothing, not a SINGLE thing good about him. He has an amazingly energetic, and unfortunately, effective, propaganda machine. Which works on multiple levels.
First, he works to convince us that he 'doesn't exist'. If we don't fall for that one, then he tries to convince us that he's 'entirely harmless'thefore not at fault for what happens. Then, if we don't fall for that, then he tries to convince us that 'he's really working for God'. That all the crazy, destructive, and merciless things he's done is because God told him to do it. Then, if you won't fall for THAT lie, then he tries intimidation,ie, 'he's so powerful' yada, yada, yada. And/ or from that point then he tries to draw pople either into the occult (witchcraft, necromancy, table tipping, palm reading, tarot, etc, choose your poison). And finally, for those hearty souls who have a fractured sense of adventure--Satan worship.
So, there is truly "nothing" good about him, nor the crew of fallen angels that decided to follow him in his folly..
If he were a human, he would be declared Criminally Insane and convicted and executed for mass murder. (Where do you think Hitler and every single serial killer since Richard Speck got their ideas from? Unfortunately like father, like son...
This is a really cool site. I've done a bit of research on the entity and concept of Mammon and I found that much of the information was consistent with what I just read on your blog. My wife and I were so intrigued by our discoveries that Mammon became a central character in our new novel TRIDUANUS (www.workhorsepressonline.com). Thanks for putting up your blog, the world benefits from this knowledge.
Ok now that all you have had your time to talk... here is my point of view...
SATAN is bad. he is NOT good. and i am going to take you a little farther into the rabbit hole.
God is all powerful. but does he have to be huge and have ripped arms and abs? Do you remember a little saying Knowledge is Power. Ok.. If God does but have Absolute Knowledge... he is all powerful and controls me and you and everything on this Earth.
But How can he do that? "I have FREE WILL. I do whatever i want." yes your right! but does God KNOW what you want? Yes!
he does and God knows What can make your WILL change from one thing to the next. Which will also affect your next Choices in life. NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if he knows all the bad stuff. all the pain before it happens and lets it happen. How can he be a Good, Righteous and loving God?
IF a man drives drunk and crashes and kills a little baby. it is a tragady. and i am not saying that it is a good thing but when the undertaker feeds his five children for one more day so that they can live... because of that death, life continued. and if nothing bad happened there would be no good.
Look at all the things that God made... a water cycle, a food chain, a rock cycle, a LIFE CYCLE. Good and Bad have a cycle. and a balance.
Understand that all things have a cycle and not to try and change what you dont know. God surely knows the things you dont. there is a reason for everything.
Read Revelation 22:11 KJV
it says, "HE that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still."
God doesnt kill or steal or destroy. Satan Temps us and we give in. Mammon is man made. satan temps us with the LOVE OF MONEY and RICHES and those Mammon is the HUMAN LOVE FOR THE WRONG THINGS.
I Believe that when you love something such as money or drugs or women or men, so much that you live your life by those things and only those things, they become your god. and in EXODUS Chapter 20, Verse 3. God's First Commandment says," Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
I am NO Jesus Christ! I am judging NO ONE! I am but 17 and these are my views as a Christian. Feel free to give your input but explain your reasoning and use resources and logic. I DID.
First off: David, some of what Anonymous was saying is true. Satan can only do what God allows him to do. He is very limited and it is us who gives him the powers that he has. However, it was when Christ kicked him out of heaven and cast him down on us that he finally had some say to his own Trouble-Making. If you truly want to know fact from fiction, go to http?//en.wikipedia.org or just type in Demonology on your search bar and it will take you to many sites. The fact is, Nothing is done seperate from God - NOTHING. There are too many mistakes in our bible that has misled us and you can find this out as well by typing in Errors made by King James or Errors in the King James Version Bible. There are over 500.
I began a research into fact from fiction and that brought me to this page. MAMMON was suppose to be Satan's son. In word it is but only because Satan personifies greed and wealth, it is his lifeforce. It is his main trickery to mankind to deceive us. So in essence, it is his son but not made flesh, just his way and now all of ours.
dixiesmystery
I think what the bible is trying to say is we can't worship two gods (higher beings) in my opinon and hundres of thousands more like me, meaning grey aliens (the watchers unknown origin maybe from atlantian origin) and annanuki (from the nibiru galaxy within our own galaxy) which are going to be witness very soon. also don't let that new movie about 2012 fool you it wont be that drastic but it will be more tragic. prepare please! for all our sakes.
Anonymous,
Slow down and please rephrase your statement. I have heard these theories but have not yet explored the possibilities. I do not dispute nor discourage them. However, there is way too much stock being put into the year 2012. The Myan calendar was simply not finished and people feel as though it has some bearing on this year. On the contrary; we can expect that, like the year 2000, it will be a real dud. Every year is doomsday and every year it still remains. Nostidomis predicted several things that did not come to light, Hitler was one. You see, he did not say Hitler, he said Hisler. Hisler is a river or was and he predicted that it would overflow the world. ON the contrary, it dried up like an old prune. God's since of humor, "I'll show you type thing". So, do not put too much stock in what is being predicted. Remember, the end will be like a thief in the night....WE WON'T KNOW IT'S COMING UNTIL IT HITS US IN THE FACE. We should always be prepared.
dixiesmystery
I started out like everyone else, as a baby. My parents taught me some things, and for a time I believed those things. I tried living by what I believed and the results were not entirely what I wanted. Now at age 54 I have to start again. Starting at page one in the bible, I am reading and evaluating the WORD on the basis of my experience. It is amazing how much different a book can be depending on the knowledge and attitude you have when you read it. I previously thought that I knew the difference between good and evil. Many decades later I have found that while I understood some black and white examples of good and evil, it was the grays that caused me the grief and trouble in my life. Now I am reading the bible again, but this time I am praying for understanding, and coming to it as one who knows the imperfection and limitations of man. Only now am I ready to hear what is really being said. If only I had come to this place as a youth, how much more could the LORD have done with my life? I have become a fundamental Christian because when I try to assert that I understand the big picture and can make judgements for myself, I find that I have gone astray and that there is a bigger picture than I thought. Now I just pray that the LORD shows me as much as he wills me to know. The knowledge of good and evil, or rather the ego to say you can authoritatively discern one from the other in all cases, is for God. What seems wisest for me today is to pray for guidance and to stay on the path. My best friends are the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. And my strongest tool is the bible. Oh and my Logos Bible Software for the Mac.
By way of introduction, I thought you might appreciate, "Are You Worried Yet? Where Is Money Taking Us?" Chapter 17, "The Ultimate Money Changer."
The Book website is: areyouworriedyet.comhavilah1
Guys, there is NOTHING good about the devil! He is a liar, he is a murderer, he is a cheat, he is a perverter, theres no truth in him, he comes to steal, kill, rob, and destroy. He is enemy #1 to every Christian but praise God, JESUS stripped him of all his power and made a show of him openly in all three worlds. Just remember that whenever he shows up- he is comming to steal, kill, or destroy something in YOUR LIFE! Do NOT LET HIM DO IT! Submit to God, resist the devil, and he'll flee.
Hello all;
It has been a while since I have visited but I needed to reflect on Annonymous' comment. True, Satan was struck of powers in essence that he was cast out of Heaven by Jesus. However, to say he is completely without his own purity is a sin in itself.
Satan was an arch angel before he allowed his temptation to take him away from God. He was above all angels but wanted the praise God received. This was his sin and so he waged war on God.
In order to do this, he repeatedly TEMPTED mankind. He has no power over us. He can only lead us to temptation and attempt to take our love from God through his half truths. Yes, satan tells truths mixed with lies.
However, for us to blame all of our misgivings on him or on the biggest lie - Satan made me do it. This is a sad attempt at blame. Christ told us to hold fast and deny this lie. We are responsible for our own choices in life. You can either listen to Satan's little whispers or deny them. Satan does not MAKE us do anything; we make the choice as did he when he sinned against God himself. The difference is that we want to be forgiven and Satan just WANTS. He is not evil, persay, but he is a deceiver (thats what Satan means: DECEIVER). This was the name God, Himself, gave to him when he took his leave and deceived Adam and Eve. God named him Satan (deceiver) and Devil (liar), so are we, ourselves, devils - yes. Simply because we are liars and this is why it is one of God's greatest petpieves. Read Revelation and it tells you that a LIAR cannot enter into heaven. This is why, because Satan is the first of liars. DO NOT BELIEVE HIS LIES. The devil didn't make you do it, it is the devil in you that made you do it.
we all need to remember that satan was lucifer, the beautifull angel, chief of worship,he is not a big soldier or batlle general like michael, so the way we can win his battle is through adoration, worship to the almigthy, and most high GOD!!
satan is such a lier that people believe he is a Big boss in battle,
he is just a singer that thinks is a super star,...
Guys i think you re all missing the point really. If you believe in things like virgin birth, talking snakes, and that God talks to people through a burning bush, then there's nothing moral about what you do. its just stupid. How can you be so sure about all this and about what happens when you die? Thats my question. If you believe that you have a long term relationship with an unforgiving, unjust, misogynistic, space daddy, who's a single parent and he has a son who's also him and the holy spirit got in there somehow and Joe and Marry, do you honestly think that you re getting closer to God just because you believe that Jonah lived in the whale and Noah got those animals to fuck on a boat? I dont know if there is a God or not but that certitude about things that cant be known can only lead in terrible results, i mean really terrible results like blowing people up and fucking kids. Even I sometimes find myself trying to believe in God (i guess its natural to look for something bigger than you) but i cant understand how could anyone who's study even a little about religions, how they came to be, and what they've done to come so far, still believe in a Christian God. I mean the Jesus story has been disproved for centuries now but we just dont wanna accept it. We tell ourselves that if we do so then the devil wins. The devil wins.. Can anything sound more terrible and frightening? The devil wins.. I mean its like the boogieman stories. Personally i think its all a bunch of crap, a cunning trick that the at the time "rulers" of this world came up with to help control and divide the masses. Just like sexual preferences, jobs, nationality, income etc. I guess its too much for us to just accept our differences and move the fuck on with our lives. Shit its not that difficult. You wake up, go to work, have 3 meals, 3 bowl movements and then start all over again. If try to find meaning where there is none you end up living your whole life based on a lie and since we only live once its safe to say that it aint worth it. At last you can believe in God as much as you want but please quit acting like you know who He is and what He wants from you. You have NO fucking idea, and neither do I. I hope i didnt offend anyone i just tried to keep a positive tone with the comment.
thanks for your attention
feel free to add your personal insight to my ideas.
email - logan2403@yahoo.gr
Mammon in today's world is the Social Security Administration created trust identified by its Taxpayer Identification Number or more commonly known as a Social Security Number. Look on the back of the card and you will see that it says, "This card is the property of the SSA and must be returned upon request." People end up serving mammon in ignorance believing that number is them. As a trust the property acquired by it are held in trust for its beneficiary the SSA which is an agency of the United States, a private corporation. Matt. 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Most people have no treasures because they have spent all their energy serving the trust in ignorance of how to lay their treasures up in heaven. Check out www.teamlaw.org and read patriot myth22 and the Seduction.
Do the right things in life and you will have no regret. Stop trying to figure it all out. I believe it is more simple then you think.
J
Do the right things in life and you will have no regret. Stop trying to figure it all out. I believe it is more simple then you think.
J
I have been a student of Jesus' teachings for some time and am not surprised to see that the word mammon has its roots in the word confidence. Jesus stated that one cannot serve God and mammon that one must hate material wealth in order to love God. As well stated that one must love their neighbour as themselves in order to be right with God. It appears to me that one cannot hold more than others and claim to love them as themselves and it was for this reason that Jesus told the rich young ruler that in order to be perfect he needed to sell all that he owned and share it with the poor: so that he could truly love his neighbours as equal as he loved himself. One who holds lands at the expense of others who lack access to land and thereby the necessities of life, does so at the expense of those who must now be forced to either fight to regain access to those necessities or be enslaved by those who are now the land owners: so that they can have access to those necessities; it is in this way that Governments enslave societies: for the benefit of those who are willing to submit to their extortion.
In the end all there is is only light, and more light and infinite light.
When one can completely dissolve themselves into the light of eternity then all that remains is eternity.
Everything before dissolution is a lesson to dissolve into oneness, the union of all.
So ultimately there is no good or bad, this is just a result of our dual perspective of life.
You're all wrong and you're all right. Beyond all this, here and now, there is only bliss, love and infinite light.
mammon is the name of a devil who is set over carnal gains,and is the master of them that love the world.
Große Informationen. Thanks for sharing es.Geburtstagsgeschenk
To all of you that read and study the bible. It was written by man, not god. A god may be infallible but man is not. Humans are limited and thus they do not understand the whole of god, or gods plan. The bible is a great fairy tale, but nothing more. Jesus was the last known descendant of King David, his crucifixion a political issue. He was "the son of man" NOT GOD. If you are going to read the bible, read ALL the scriptures including the Testament Of Solomon. God is angelic Crack, they need his light. the idea that an Angel could rise up against god is preposterous. The only time Lucifer is mentioned in the bible it is NOT in reference to an angel, but a tyrant king, A HUMAN. So do your research and get off your soapbox. BTW, I am an ordained minister, so shut it.
Don't be confused. God is NOT in control, but He IS in charge. If God was in control Eve would not have eaten the fruit, and babies would not have ever been aborted. Too many hyper-Calvinists are confused on what Sovereign means. God is NOT in control...but oh yes, is He ever in charge!
how come there is no scriptural backing for what your just said about mammon
There is way too much focus on Satan and demons. And I believe the Apostle Paul did say not to revile these principalities that you know nothing about. It's very easy to shout and point the fingers of blame, cast Satan into hell, etc., and to make all sorts of noise.
Accept responsibility for your own sins and your own evil. It suddenly gets very quiet when there's no one to point fingers at but yourself.
Money (or Mammon) isn't evil. Rich people do not cause the world's hunger, wars, or poverty. And the Devil never MADE anyone do anything that their own wicked hearts didn't plot to begin with.
The point made is the gospel was a simple one: You cannot serve two masters. Jesus never implied that wealthy people were bad. He was simply telling people not to become a slave to wealth -- or to anything else that steals your focus and has the power to enslave you.
is mammon son of satan?
You people are psycho- but you cannot worship God and Mammon. Greed is evil. Your church evil if it asks for money
You people are psycho- but you cannot worship God and Mammon. Greed is evil. Your church evil if it asks for money
Satan was banished from heaven by the arch angel michael - just saying
@dixiemystery "Satan" does not mean "deceiver". It means "adversary" or "accuser". Time to brush up on the Hebrew.
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