Atlantis and the Garden of Eden: A Contemporary View of Revelation
The Apology
Though this letter may be considered by some to be a diatribe, it strives earnestly to expose common ground between science, myth, and religious writings, in an endeavor to present a logical and reasonable interpretation of presumably prehistoric events, their impact on the world’s current state of affairs, and to provide a means to achieve peace by dispelling false understanding thereof.
Before I finished my undergraduate training at university in the geosciences, I was acutely aware of a general disdain and distrust of science and scientists, especially, but not exclusively, by Abrahamic religious radicals and extremists, whose unrelenting principals, whether in Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, attempt to maintain control of their largely unknowing adherents through fomentation of fear of us and our work.
While I don’t venture to speak for all scientists, we are certainly a very small population compared to the Abrahamic religion’s combined numbers in the billions, I openly wonder what it is about us, and the scientific methods we employ to comprehend our shared existence, that is causing extremists to stoke such palpable loathing toward us. Perhaps it’s our search for measureable understanding of our world, our planet, our universe, and our willingness to accept we can be wrong in our assumptions that threatens religious hegemony, which itself relies on unsubstantiated faith and faith alone; or, perhaps, they feel we threaten their faith all together. I hope this letter demonstrates science and religion can exist in harmony.
Sadly, in our increasingly hostile and dangerous world, even typically loving granny and grandad, mum and dad, sister and brother, have so easily, quickly, and seemingly gleefully, abandoned the peaceful teachings of their chosen prophets, ostensibly emotionally moved by claims of their religion’s superiority, in favor of a false image of a jealous, angry, and violent god. Indeed, they appear to have recently followed the Pied Piper, mesmerized by the tweeting of his magic trumpet, a cacophonous sound, embracing his dreaded fear, hatred, and xenophobia; thoughts barely controlled, and held so tenuously at bay, by human love. Of course, this condition isn’t only germane to events of the present, as the historical record reveals, abandonment of the prophets began long ago, with persecution of anyone who dare question the eminence of religious ideation. We must learn from our mistakes in the past to avoid repeating them.
Persecution
Throughout the centuries since Socrates, it can be accurately said, there have been countless martyrs, some searching for scientific understanding, who were senselessly murdered by the faithful followers of a god whose false image as angry, jealous and retributive, can be found integral and powerfully influential in their beliefs still today. To be sure, some measure of change has occurred since the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment; but, astonishingly for me, worshippers of the same false image control even allegedly secular governments in our time.
So I write this brief letter in fond tribute to the martyrs of science, like Giordano Bruno, who was bound to a stake and burned to death at the behest of religious authority, in a blatant attempt to sully his brilliance, and to send a clear message to their necessarily subservient subjects, even while the hierarchy themselves were surely cognizant the ordered action was an execrable, heinous, and indubitably blasphemous affront to the teachings of their lord Jesus. Perhaps a new interpretation of the old theme, as detailed in these few words, can open minds to avoid such double-standards and ensure unwarranted persecution and prosecution is a thing of the past, while uniting all of us in a peaceful future. Are you still with me?
Logic, Reason, and Rational Thought
I’m fond of saying, ‘logic, reason, and rational thought are free’ to everyone, not requisite of higher learning. But we have to keep in mind that ‘reason and logic’ were concepts seemingly first proffered by early Greek philosophers. Although many of us in the West, and in the Middle East, have forgotten Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, if we bothered to even know them at all, I submit the historical Jesus must have known of them, and so too may have Muhammad, thereby possibly influencing their teachings.
Moses, however, lived as much as 1,000 years earlier and was raised in Pharaonic Egypt, according to tradition, so he wouldn’t have reaped the benefits this type of thought could sow. Instead, he was undoubtedly influenced by Egyptian cosmology, their pantheon, and their attempts to comprehend and understand what it means to be human, in a time when explanations for inexplicable natural tragedies were attributed to angry gods. So, it’s no wonder we see a mix of peaceful teachings and violent retribution in his works. For that reason, let’s take a closer look at ancient writings from Egyptian, Greek, and Biblical sources, in search of syncretic commonalities, precepts, and scientifically measureable concepts that can meld these ideas together.
Plato
You may be impatiently thinking, ‘Enough, already! What does this have to do with Atlantis, Armageddon and the Apocalypse?’ Well, part of my geoscience research work over the years has focused on gleaning all discernable geographic and geologic references from Plato’s Critias and Timaeus dialogues, the only extant Western sources, per se, detailing the legend of Atlantis, and at his written insistence, on exacting the same parallel references from their original Egyptian sources.
Plato didn’t specify to which Egyptian myths or legends he was referring, and admittedly there are many variations, yet the most tangible points of equivalent reference appear to be in the Book of the Heavenly Cow and its legend of the Golden Age. In accepting Plato at his word, his writings suggest the large island of Atlantis, whose capital ‘city’ bears the same name, has a reasonable connection with mythical city Bakhu in Egyptian lore. While analyzing the Greek and Egyptian place-names, Atlantis-Bakhu, along with descriptions of their methods of construction, I remembered bible studies from my youth, having been raised in a Judeo-Christian culture, about another ancient city recorded by the scribes of Moses with remarkably similar points of interest.
For reasons which should be readily apparent, until now I’ve been respectfully quiet and cautious about exemplifying the possible connection these Greek and Egyptian stories have with writings of supporters of the religions of Abraham. But, with aggressive political and religious winds howling through the halls of Academe, which mindfully and willfully subjugate measureable truth for ideology and esotericism, I’m inclined, even though a non-theist, to come to the defense of the ‘god of love’ rightfully worshipped by the meek, yet subordinated by an astonishing majority of self-described so-called believers, whose actions beg to differ with their words. Have I lost you? It’s all here, read on.
Atum, Atom, and Adam
That being stated, if we accept Moses’ Egyptian rearing and education as traditionally forwarded in the Book of Exodus, which is accepted wholly by Christianity and Islam, then it seems a reasonable syncretic assumption that the Egyptian mythical city Bakhu was Moses’ source material for the city with a rather similar description recorded in Genesis and the Book of Enoch; specifically, the stone city named after Enoch, son of Cain, and grandson of Adam (incidentally, I’m not the first to suggest the Book of Enoch is connected with Atlantis, and therefore, per my own work, with Bakhu).
Consequently, we must consider adding this biblical name to the lush garden islands’ mystical ‘city’ identified in the Greek and Egyptian stories, establishing Atlantis-Bakhu-Enoch. And, moreover, acknowledging aforehand we must take precious care when using phonetic observations from differing languages, especially when vowels are absent in some of the ancient writings, one can still present a defensible argument that the names of the protagonists of the three island narratives, Atum (Egyptian), Atom (Greek: as first born, Atlas was most indivisible heir to Poseidon’s throne, hence atom), and Adam (Biblical), are phonetically nearly identical, suggesting a common origin.
The Garden of Eden
If we can accept the assumption that there exists an Egyptian-Greek-Biblical connection, and since we can test a comprehensive hypothetical argument of mine based on plausible scientific evidence which posits the huge Island of Atlantis, or the Island of Atum, has been found (www.wrl-inc.org) in northwest Africa on the Saharan-Atlas desert steppe of modern Algeria along with the ‘city’ of Atlantis-Bakhu, then it follows, as mentioned above, Enoch’s ‘city’ constructed by Cain, son of Adam, is located there, too. And, since the mythic legends describe gardens planted with sacred trees adjacent the habitation of the gods, then their vestiges will be undoubtedly located there as well, including the Djed of Osiris, as well as the gardens of Poseidon (or Posis-da: lord of the garden earth), Eden (Moses), and even Edin (Sumerian). Not surprisingly, translations offered by scholars studying these writings suggest the gardens will be found at a once fertile and irrigated area near a small mountain, on a harsh desert steppe, adjacent an encompassing canal. Whew, this is complicated. See image above.
The Apocalypse
Okay, now that I’ve shown a plausible explanation for how Atlantis is connected with Enoch and the location of the Garden of Eden, let’s quickly examine the definition of apocalypse (or revelation as translated in Latin). Admittedly, the imagery in the Book of Revelation is horrific (see below), but without the popularized sensational accompaniments added by many influential speculative Christian authors, and the assumed mission of the radical Muslim extremist group ISIL, the definition is actually quite inert: to uncover or reveal hidden truth aiding the good in their struggle with evil.
Evil, in this instance, must necessarily include those who are endeavoring to forward and emulate the false image of a violent, jealous, and vengeful god. In personal Discordance with many in positions of religious and political power today, whether elected, usurped, or dictatorial, a most apropos time-worn saying comes to mind originally uttered by Jesus, according to his apostle John, ‘and you will know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’ Clearly, we must cast-off the emplaced chains of a secretive and selfish god, release Prometheus, as it were, and stand united against such tyranny. There’s more.
Armageddon
Lastly, what does Armageddon refer to in connection with the apocalypse, or the uncovering revelation of truth? Not surprisingly, if initially stripped of frightful religious implication, the translation of Armageddon (or har-meggido) simply refers to a slight hill in Israel that has historical and archaeological significance, called Megiddo. Strategically situated near the very narrow Aruna Pass, at the southern foot of Mount Carmel, Megiddo has had an often battle-filled history on the adjacent Esdraelon plains, which forced its residents, often under siege, to dig a deep well in an effort to access water when trapped by invading armies.
In my view, it’s the geography and geology in the immediate vicinity of Megiddo, and in its well, that may contain hidden artifacts which factor into our attempts to interpret the meaning of fantastic, dreadful imagery recorded in the Egyptian, Greek and Biblical myths, legends, and prophecy, whose origins date deep in prehistoric time, and which all include horrific catastrophe, destruction, and death.
In my humble opinion, Megiddo has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with a contemporary militaristic confrontation between religious ideologies proffered by radicalized Muslim, Christian, and Jewish extremists, who appear to have such a deep held fear and hatred of each other that they are overtly, and covertly, endeavoring to transform the words of their prophets to suit their own quasi-religious ends, and, for many, to exact world domination through violence and terror, leading to internecine war; war scenarios which now, once again, intimate of nuclear holocaust. Verily, beware of the deceivers; beware the Pied Piper. Veiled reference to you know who.
So, pray tell, how do the ideas of a non-theist geoscientist actually come to champion for the maligned ‘god of love,’ reduced by false ascription of anger, jealousy, and violent punitive outburst?
Exorcism of the False Image of God
This part will test your patience, but soldier on through it. It seems to me, the three myths and legends I have been writing about are attempting to explain in retrospect what caused the vast destruction experienced in pre-history in and around the Mediterranean region, and why it happened. All three stories tell similar tales with phonetically similar names of gods (remember my caution above about phonetics and linguistics): The Egyptian Sun god Ra (H-RAH) sent Sekhmet’s scorching fury as vengeance; the Greek goddess Hera (HERA-H) called upon Zeus’ lightning arsenal; and the Biblical YHWH (Yhewah, or YHERAH: remember Elmer Fudd, he couldn’t pronounce his ‘Rs’ either, “Shhh. Be vewy, vewy quiet, I’m hunting wabbits!”; or oddly, even as the earlier goddess AS-HERAH, consort of YHWH) summoned a mighty cherubim, an angel from the heavens with his supernatural flaming sword, to force expulsion of Adam’s descendants from the garden of Eden.
Each of these stories tell us of an assumed human insubordination which is met with an exacting retribution by a jealous and angry god, who violently and without compassion, expelled the guilty and laid waste to paradise. Sad, but true.
As a geoscientist, the imagery offered to us by the scribes of yore can be described as an extremely powerful, hot, and frenzied extraterrestrial solar-bolt of electromagnetic energy that impacted the Earth in recent prehistory, devastating life in and around the Mediterranean region. Shocked, stunned, and bleeding from the ferocity of the assault, governors likely did their very best to define the horrific impressive event for survivors, awe-struck by its magnitude. Given the lack of scientific understanding of our solar system, they erroneously concluded the ‘god of love’ was responsible, acting to punish humanity for its imagined defiance, thereby establishing the false image embraced today, of an angry, jealous and fearfully retributive powerful god. I’m compelled to do something about this error in judgement.
Returning to the area near Megiddo, I do suspect artifactual evidence or remnants of the hypothesized extraterrestrial solar electromagnetic discharging impact may be accessible in the Earth’s crust in this region; perhaps in the walls of the narrow Aruna Pass, or at the base of Mount Carmel, or hidden in the siege well of Megiddo, or in nearby Jordan.
So, yes, I submit it’s possible, even probable, in accord with John’s prophetic testament, Revelation, there will be a grand meeting held near Megiddo; a meeting attended by those who want to see evidence stripping away the violent false image ascribed by ignorant and foolish men, exonerating the ‘god of love’ of responsibility for the catastrophe; a meeting also absolving women of a misogynistic fault for temptation, in the precipitation of a rare but natural occurrence, caused by no human, and no god.
Amen
In general, hypotheses are propositions, investigative works in progress, which inevitably require tweaking as field data is gathered, assessed in the lab, and analyzed. As stated in the beginning of this letter, I could be wrong in my assumptions.
It truly may very well be that the god worshipped by more than half of the human population, the god who allegedly made us in his image, is a reflection of our status as the most violent predator, the most wantonly destructive of precious life on Earth, and most irrespective of fouling our little blue incubator. Are we emulating?
If you personally think this image of god is accurate, then ignore my observations, my testament, continue with the status quo, disseminate your hatred and bigotry, embrace apostasy. Why heed this warning? I alone will not, and cannot stop you.
Undeniably, most will be incredulous of my comforting claim that there exists a means to bring science and religion together to promote peace. For many on both sides of this imaginary separation, my word surely must leave a bitter taste which is rather difficult to swallow.
Why is the truth so unpleasant, so hard, so elusive, when it can truly set us free?
It has been my earnest desire to present for you an alternative interpretation of religious prophecy that is measurable and, at least from my perspective, logical, reasonable, and rational. While my views are those of a single man, I put enormous trust in my greater human family that you all will recognize love, and from it transform hope into action for peaceful coexistence.
Please, looking toward Jerusalem, open the gate of mercy.
