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Mithraic Values

The Mithraic Man

The Mithraic Man is the man with aristocratic values. He has escaped the harness of the domesticated and the slave. He has the stength and independence of mind to do what he wants to do. However he knows the best thing to do, once he has developed the capability, is to serve the greater good. He doesn't serve another's will because he has been tricked or bullied or bribed into doing so. Rather he serves the needs of others, and the general good functioning of the whole, because that is the most worthy thing to do.

The Mithraic Man needs various things. He needs a desire to seek the Good, to bring order, to produce value, to help others. He needs the clarity of mind to see how the world works and what he needs to do to achieve this outcome. He needs the personality, the character of soul that is capable of acting productively. He need the strength, the might, the skill, the capability to act and make an impact on the world, even against resistance from others. On top of this the Mithraic Man needs the ability to form alliances with others, of similar character, to form a larger and more powerful body of people who together can create the life that is worth living for themselves and those around them.

The Good Society

A feature of Mithraism is a particular concern for the good functioning of society as a whole, as opposed to a more typically Christian concern to help the poor and needy individual. Mithras is concerned for good relations between people, for good laws and customs, for the common health and strength, so that people can gain the good life and flourish in interaction with each other.

Mightiness

The Mithraic Path values Magtas or 'Mightiness' especially. This is not just about being stronger than other people in a fight, though that is a part of it, rather it is about having the capability to do things. That requires clear thinking and good character of soul, as well as the skills needed for all sorts of tasks.

Of course Mightiness must be combined with Righteousness. But a desire to do good, without the capability to do so, is of limited use. So on the Mithraic Path the emphasis is on developing this 'mightiness' or capability to do things.

Mithraists look to various sources for inspiration. This may be to the memory of pre-Christian pagan peoples for whom health and strength were prime values. We may look to the writings of Nietzsche who emphasized the value of Mightiness, a quality he felt his Christian tradition tended to devalue. Also useful are the work of more modern philosopher. One such is Jordan Peterson who calls for modern men to re-awaken their memory of ancient myths and become heroes who strive to battle dragons and bring good order out of chaos.

July 4026 HE