Friday 23 January 2015

Selective Ten Commandments

The theft of part of the Mannamán Mac Lir statue (pictured right) that overlooks Lough Foyle near Limavady appears to be a case of selective ten commandments following by religious zealots.

The body of the Celtic sea god was removed with a wooden cross put in its place on which were inscribed the words "Thou shalt have no other gods before me" along with the Greek letters alpha and omega (one of the biblical names for God "the beginning and the end"). Now this is the first commandment as listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5, but no body is making this statue an idol that would defile the second commandment. Of course locally people will refer to Mannamán's anger when Lough Foyle is rough and call seahorses that form on the lough Mannamán's but this is not idolatry but merely placing a representation of a myth in an area that they are associated with.

But this statue was commissioned by Limavady Borough Council at a cost of £10,000 plus was drawing tourists away from the other tourist attractions in the Foyle area such as the City of Derry/Londonderry bringing tourist money into the area for more than just Benone beach down below. Therefore not only have the perpetrators cost local taxpayers £10,000 and whatever the replacement cost might be they are also stealing money from tourism that local businesses may have relied upon. So they have actually broken the 8th commandment.

However, I do have a question for however carried out this theft. From their thinking how to they refer to the days of the week?

  • Monday after all is named for the North Germanic moon god Mani.
  • Tuesday after the Norse one handed god Tyr the god of one handed combat.
  • Wednesday for Norse Wodan or his North Germanic counterpart Odin who was a guide for souls after death.
  • Thursday of course is called for Thor the god of Thunder
  • Friday is after the Anglo-Saxon fertility goddess Frige 
  • Saturday is the only day to retain it Roman god as it origin Saturn the god of wealth, agriculture, liberation and time
  • Even Sunday is named like Monday for the body in the sky. The Sun goddess Sunna in Germanic and Norse mythology
Therefore taking this action to the logical conclusion these poor thieves must have a tough time referring to the days of the week.

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