Examples Of Axis Mundi

The "axis mundi" is a line that starts at the top of the heavens/cosmos/universe and descends to the depths of hell/cosmos/universe into oblivion and forever. However, axis mundi is only the verbal symbol for this idea. One cannot touch, see, feel, hear, or taste this phenomena....believers simply have faith in the existence of it. The axis mundi can be represented by many physical, man-made and natural structures. For example: The ancient Egyptian culture built pyramids which slowly evolved throughout the decades and was conceived by the people as a step ladder that would eventually carry their souls to Osiris (main God of worship) after death. Mountains are probably the most recognizable symbols of the axis mundi but in the end, people recognize a vast number of structures to represent this. These are shown below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9TGj2jrJk8   "Stairway to Heaven" By: Led Zeppelin

Confusion of Realities

In Frye's chapter on the mountain, the first page states that the Christian "faith it calls for must be able to accept divergences from historical fact as one of its conditions" (Frye 144). When I read this, the first thoughts that came to mind were: true believers of this, unquestionably, have a confusion of realities. Lets take a present day student/believer...this student has been taught history, astronomy, biology, and literature by the time they have reached 16. All of these subjects teachings (assuming the student was at least some what conscious during class to take in this knowledge) would feel confused because of so many contradictions. That is, assuming this student is devout toward the calling of this faith. How can one truly accept the absence of historical events for the replacement of Biblical myths? Apparently one has to "accept the divergences". If I was a believer of this teaching, I would feel as if I was on a permanent acid trip...not knowing which reality; past or present was true. Delving into the Bible like this has allowed me to be satisfied and relieved with the fact that I was never raised on any Biblical or Christian precepts....See you in hell?

Since the Fall...

According to the earliest believers of the Christian centuries, "man has been born into but does not really belong to" the level of physical nature (Frye). Reading this triggered something in my brain...I read and re-read this phrase until I concluded that this belief signifies guilt and weakness within the devout believer. I understand christian believers are 'supposed' to give themselves to God while also having to sacrifice if need be, but this statement, in my opinion is wrong and de-humanizing. This practice of truly believing man is not on the same level of physical nature and is on a "fallen world of alienation"(Frye) is debilitating to mankind. If this is true, then our current society's teachings, especially those directed towards the youth, is completely contradictory. There isn't a learning facility anywhere that would ever promote the preaching to students that mankind does not belong in this world. First of all, I feel this is an extreme personal belief...one that should never be advertised as a form of good faith. The second reason is the theme that results: Believing this, one is accepting that man is in a muddy, sticky pit that he is unwillingly trapped in. I've always believed I could do anything I wanted...metaphysical or not, I feel in this lifetime or the next I will have the opportunity to do anything I desire. This narrow-minded belief of man having a ceiling or some other type of physical barrier entrapping him is negative and crude. Because of this, individuals doubt themselves rather than dream.

Below are the levels Frye states on pg. 169:

1st Level: "Heaven, in the sense of the place of the presence of God, usually symbolized by the physical heaven or sky."
2nd Level: "The earthly paradise, the natural and original home of man, represented in the Biblical story by the Garden of Eden, which has disappeared as a place but is to a degree recoverable as a state of mind."
3rd Level: "The physical environment we are born in, theologically a fallen world of alienation."
4th Level: "The demonic world of death and hell and sin below nature."