SPOTLIGHT
THE MAN ON THE MOON
Does your future depend on him?
S
ince time immemorial, man has been
fascinated with the Moon. The concept of
a Moon God has been popular for centuries
- whether it be Tsukiyomi of Japanese folklore,
Khonsu of Egyptian mythology, Soma of
Hinduism, Tecciztecatl of the Aztecs or Máni of
Norse mythology. The sacredness of the Moon is
recognised in many ancient cultures and religions.
One widespread belief is that there is a ‘man on
the Moon’ - a reference to natural geographical
features which form a human profile 1 on the
surface of the Moon. The Moon is also considered
a powerful source of energy and benevolence in
different theological systems such as astrology,
paganism and the New Age movement.
In fact, for the Abrahamic faiths 2 - which are
all monotheistic religions - the Moon has an
important role to play in rituals, celebrations
and even end times prophecies. For example, the
apocalyptic messianic figure in these religions
also has a close link to the Moon - one of his titles,
‘Imam Mehdi,’ means ‘The One of the Moon.’ The
Blood Moons Prophecy made popular by certain
Christian priests suggests that the Moon will be a
signifier in God’s announcement of the end times.
1
See page 12 for more information.
Judaism, Christianity and Islam are known as the three
Abrahamic faiths.
2
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THE TRUE MEHDI • ISSUE 04 • SEPT 2017
SPOTLIGHT
So why is the Moon so crucial in
belief systems across the globe?
If you ask anthropologists, they will attribute it to
the profound effect the lunar cycle had on nature
and, by extension, its effect on the affairs of the
primeval hunting and agricultural societies in
which many enduring schools of thought were
founded. They may say that Moon worship or
personification of the Moon were ways for these
ancient cultures to make sense of what was, at the
time, unexplainable. Certainly, there is no denying
the truthfulness of these remarks - but is there
more to it?
The Moon has been the subject of man’s
admiration beyond its anthropological functions.
Poets often use the Moon as a symbol of love and
sheer beauty. Indeed, it is common in Urdu and
Hindi to say that someone is ‘beautiful like the
Moon.’ The Moon also features heavily in modern
English works - even in famous songs like Talking
to the Moon by Bruno Mars.
What is it that draws us to the Moon? Could
this natural inclination simply be a byproduct of
our biology or is there a divine significance to the
Moon? And if the Moon is divine, how can we reap
its benefits?
This edition of The True Mehdi examines
key beliefs and prophecies about the Moon
in major religions. It is a study of the Moon’s
role in history and how relevant it is in our
lives today.
THE TRUE MEHDI • ISSUE 04 • SEPT 2017
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