| Mithras
Mithraism
The secondary sky god of the pre-Zoroastrian Persian religion whose name means "Friend". His mystery cult rivaled early Christianity and nearly triumphed over it through his promises of prosperity in this world and everlasting life in the next, a theme that later sneaked into world-denying Christianity within the vehicle of the Protestant Work Ethic. Mithras also appeared as a terrifying war god who heaped death and pestilence upon the enemies of Ahura Mazda. Verethragina, his huge war boar, trampled the backbones of the unjust, converting the flesh, brains, bone, blood, and hair into mud. His followers saw this aspect as a necessary evil for it was by the evil he created that the existence of good was protected. He was especially popular among Roman soldiers.
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