The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2004 as the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition. The purpose of the commemoration was to emphasize the consequences of slavery, to recognize the struggle for liberation from slavery, and to prevent new forms of slavery around the world. I presented this article back then in honor of those people, past and present, who have been caught in the misery and hopelessness of slavery. Alas, not much has happened since 2004 in the way of stopping all forms of slavery in the world, except public awareness is increasing. I am reposting this article as my small contribution to the cause.
Therefore, I ask you, could YOU become a slave?
Slavery developed as one of human nature's ultimate acts of control. In turn, it has been known as "the scourge of mankind," and "man's greatest inhumanity to man."
At its core, human nature appears strange. It instinctively interprets power as the ability to control and manipulate. This seed manifests itself even in the cradle when a child wraps a parent around its little finger. When a child remains untrained and undisciplined, this seed grows into an adult's selfish quest. Slavery--as an unbridled quest for power--turned some men into the infamous despots of history. Slave labor was the oil that greased many a king's empire.
Slavery existed even in prehistoric times, appearing on every continent. During the many millennia since, slavery's rises and falls if plotted on a graph would demonstrate its ebb and flow. One peak, in ancient times, would parallel slavery's rampant rise in concert with the growing Grecian States and Roman Empire. Another peak would show slavery's comparative pattern in the United States from 1619 through 1865. Would it astound you to know another peak is developing, right now, in the world today?
In this modern world, most of us find it hard to imagine being owned by another human being. Yet slavery still exists and remains a potential threat. Think about it: No rights. No freedom of decision. No freedom of movement. And worse.
Though the armies of the civilized world no longer include the taking of slaves in their strategies of war, they do take prisoners of war. Still, this imprisonment compares not at all with the sad lot of those captured during the violent days when the taking of slaves, both male and female, remained a primary focus of conquering enemies. The classic scenario, then, meant killing the men and enslaving the women and children.
Historians calculate that, by 1502, European slave traders shipped approximately 11 to 16 million slaves to the Americas, including 500,000 to the United States. Prior to that time, American Indians comprised the majority of slaves in the U.S. By 1700, slavery existed in every territory colonized by Europeans.
The British Empire officially abolished slavery in 1833. The United States did the same in 1865 by ratifying the 13th Amendment. This Amendment states: " Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."
It shocks many to learn all slavery was not abolished by this amendment. Notice the exception, "except as a punishment for a crime." After 1865, this exception allowed anyone convicted of a crime to be used as forced labor in businesses, farm fields, lumber camps, railroads and mines. People by the tens of thousands (predominantly African Americans) became ensnared in this cruel legal form of slavery called "convict leasing." This system put to work children as young as six years old. And it did not take much to become convicted, especially when quotas had to be met. Until 1930, Alabama continued to provide convict leasing.
During the 1880's, in England, White Slavery (trafficking in women) caused a public uproar. The trade expanded rapidly. I remember, when still a little girl, every time someone vanished, whispers of White Slavery filled the air. White Slavery, meaning "the abduction of young girls for sale as sex slaves," also continues to this day. Authorities claim well-organized criminal organizations now operate this as a world-wide, underground syndicate.
In 1910, Chicago's U. S. Attorney first held an international crime ring responsible for abducting young girls in Europe and forcing them to work in Chicago brothels. As a result, Illinois Congressman James Mann introduced the White Slave Traffic Act, or "Mann Act." This law forbade the transportation of minors across state lines for criminal purposes.
The concept of White Slavery is shrouded by mystery, rumor and questionable aspects. Check it out at: "Was there really such a thing as white slavery?" and "The Shanghaied Bride."
Human trafficking, well concealed, still takes place in virtually every country, affecting every race. A friend of mine, while in the U. S. Military, visited Agadez, Niger, West Africa, during 1963-68. One day, he and a friend stumbled upon a slave auction while touring the ancient quarter. More than three hundred Tuareg nomads crowded the market area, elbow to elbow, about a city block in size. On a central, raised platform stood a frightened, 12-year-old Arab girl, ready to be sold. She was but one among some 20 slaves for sale.
Upon seeing the two Americans, the Tuaregs began drawing their swords. Only the quick action of an accompanying native official, who worked for the current president, saved their lives. Telling the surround of hostile Tuaregs, "The stupid Americans do not understand either the language or what is going on," he hustled them away. His additional claim, "They know nothing of these things," managed to defuse the situation. The Tauregs let go of their swords and allowed the visitors to depart unscathed. If they had drawn their swords from their scabbards, their custom demanded they must "take blood." My friend and his companion narrowly escaped death, as well as being sliced to bits and disposed of in some unmarked grave.
My friend had wanted to purchase the young girl and free her. But the official told him, "You can't do that! She would be back up on that platform before the day is over. And, just think how your purchase would look in the world newspapers--'American buys young African girl.' Why that would create an International Incident!"
On two other occasions in Upper Volta, various sheiks offered my friend slaves to keep as his own. Only by the grace of God and the assistance of the same official did he manage to escape those situations as well, and without offending his hosts or getting killed in the process.
Recently, a U. S. State Department report stated, "human trafficking has reached staggering proportions, affecting more than 700,000 people a year." The report estimated slave masters traffic 45,000 to 50,000 people, annually, through the United States alone, using the USA as a transit rather than a destination point. Most countries are working to end the problem. Twenty-three, however, are failing to do so. These include Greece, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and South Korea. Compare these statistics with the 500,000 Africans that were brought to this country as slaves prior to 1865. It is obvious we still have a problem of greater significance than ever imagined.
I, therefore, ask again: Could you, or someone you know and love, become a slave? In view of the current levels of world-wide human trafficking for prostitution and forced labor . . . and the fact this is one of the fastest growing areas of international criminal activity . . . the answer to that question must be a resounding "Yes!" Slavery is alive and well on planet earth.
Visit these sites to learn more:
HumanTrafficking.com
Anti-Slavery
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
A Day in the Life of an Angel
Right away, I'm in trouble using this title for the post. Of course, angels are not subject to time such as day or night. They are immortal beings. But these ones figure into our mortal days and nights throughout history.
Thousands of angels are named in folklore and literature. They are included in the beliefs of every religion on earth and are primarily categorized as either holy or evil. Even though vast numbers of angels are said to be all around us, we humans do not have the faculties to see them unless they choose to make themselves known. What might these ones be doing right now behind the scenes? What is on their schedules for us today? What do we know about them and where did that information come from?
Angels are invisible, supernatural, created beings who can take on different forms. They can visibly appear as humans, animals, or beings of light, fire or lightning. Sometimes they have wings and sometimes, not. Their primary purpose is to be an intermediary or messenger between God and mankind. They give guidance, inflict judgment, and protect. Their characteristic trait is stealth in their encounters with mankind. They do not attempt to draw attention to themselves, and an angel's motivation (at least a holy angel) is to pass any glory they might receive to God and never be worshipped themselves. An angelic visitation is a brief glimpse into the invisible spiritual world.
In Hebrew, the word for angel is "malakh," meaning messenger, and messenger in the Greek is "angelos." In Persian, it is "angaros," meaning courier. The Western concept of angels comes primarily from the mythologies of Babylonia and Persia.
Angels are key figures throughout the Christian Bible, yet only two angels are named, Michael and Gabriel. Raphael is named in the apocryphal Book of Tobit, so the Catholic Church forbids the use of names other than these three. Other works in the Apochrypha and Pseudepigrapha give names to many, many other angels.
For Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, Assyrians, Essenes and Gnostics, the proper names of angels held great mystical and magical powers. They believed the vibrations of spoken words released this power. Angelic names were used in prayers, incantations and on amulets in order to access the powers represented by the angel's name. The power of their names was determined by the use of gematria, which is where numerical values are assigned to each letter of the alphabet. The sum of the values of each letter in a particular name is given meaning by comparing it with the same numerical value of other words. Gematria was also used to interpret scripture. For example, early Christians viewed the dove as the symbol of Jesus because the Greek word for dove adds up to 801, the same as the sum of the letters in the Greek words for alpha and omega, representing the Beginning and the End. The possible first use of gematria was by the Babylonian King Sargon II in the 8th century B.C. He built a wall, the length of which corresponded to the numerical value of his name.
Along with names, angels are ranked into groups. The Bible names the groups as angels, archangels, principalities, powers, dominions, virtues, thrones, cherubim and seraphim. Throughout history, theologians, philosophers and artists have built upon these groupings and established hierarchies based upon what they interpreted as angelic duties. Those who wrote about these hierarchies include Pseudo-Dionysius, St. Ignatius Martyr, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose and Gregory the Great. The best-known hierarchy is an arrangement by Pseudo-Dionysius of nine choirs in three tiers. The term "choir" also means "an organized group" as well as referring to singers; therefore, it is not limited to the idea of singing. Following is a brief breakdown of his ideas about each choir of angel and their duties:
* Seraphim - Are closest to God. "Seraphim" means "fire makers," "carriers of warmth" or "ardor." They are the only angels above the throne of God, and they constantly glorify Him, saying "holy, holy, holy." They can appear in a form with four heads and six wings-two for flying, two to cover their faces and two to cover their feet.
* Cherubim - From the Hebrew "kerub," meaning "fullness of knowledge" or "one who intercedes." Cherubim are thought to be the voice of divine wisdom and possessing insight into God's secrets, which they pass on to lower levels of angels. Ezekiel described Cherubim as having four faces-a cherub, a man, a lion and an eagle. In Revelation, they are the living beasts, having many eyes and six wings.
* Thrones - These are the chariots of God which are driven by the Cherubs. God himself rests upon them and they are depicted as wheels with many eyes.
* Dominions - Angels who regulate the duties of other angels and make known God's commandments.
* Virtues - Angels who carry out the orders of Dominions. They are in charge of miracles and provide courage, grace and valor.
* Powers - Angels who fight against evil spirits, protect divine plans initiated by Dominions and carried out by Virtues.
* Principalities - Angels who watch over and govern the visible world of nations and cities and are the protectors of religion.
* Archangels - Angels who are in charge of Heaven's armies and are the supervisors of guardian angels. The Archangel Michael is the only one specifically named as an archangel in the Bible. However, the seven angels spoken of in Revelation 8:2 are thought to be archangels.
* Angels - Angels who are closest to the earth. They go between realms, delivering prayers to God and God's answers and other messages to mankind.
Much difference of opinion exists about the question of whether people have a specific angel attached to them as a guardian angel. Cultures other than Judeo-Christian believe in guardian spirits and spirit guides as well. Guardian angels are not specifically named in the Bible, but the Church fathers agreed on the existence of personal angels even though they disagreed on various aspects of those attachments.
While the ministry of a guardian angel is carried out unbeknownst to us, many have experienced the appearance of a mysterious stranger, who appears out of nowhere, interacts in the current problem, and then disappears into thin air. There is nothing that differentiates these mysterious strangers from the average Joe or Jane on the street. Only their appearance and disappearance after solving the problem at hand creates that sense of awe, of entertaining an angel unaware, after the hair on the back of your neck settles down!
I have often wondered why God created angels. He is all-powerful. Why would he need angels to do anything? But I can see that rather than God needing angels, perhaps he created them because people need them. God only knows how many times his angels have kept us from horrible accidents or ministered peace to us in the dark hour of the night. Even though some angels decided not to keep the place where God placed them, far more angels are committed to staying right there. May we not worship these magnificent beings but work together with them in the accomplishment of God's purposes.
Sources:
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen (1996). Encyclopedia of Angels. New York: Facts On File, Inc.
A History of Angels in Western Thought
The Straight Dope: What's the deal with angels?
Ministering Spirits: Terms and Descriptions of Angels
Thousands of angels are named in folklore and literature. They are included in the beliefs of every religion on earth and are primarily categorized as either holy or evil. Even though vast numbers of angels are said to be all around us, we humans do not have the faculties to see them unless they choose to make themselves known. What might these ones be doing right now behind the scenes? What is on their schedules for us today? What do we know about them and where did that information come from?
Angels are invisible, supernatural, created beings who can take on different forms. They can visibly appear as humans, animals, or beings of light, fire or lightning. Sometimes they have wings and sometimes, not. Their primary purpose is to be an intermediary or messenger between God and mankind. They give guidance, inflict judgment, and protect. Their characteristic trait is stealth in their encounters with mankind. They do not attempt to draw attention to themselves, and an angel's motivation (at least a holy angel) is to pass any glory they might receive to God and never be worshipped themselves. An angelic visitation is a brief glimpse into the invisible spiritual world.
In Hebrew, the word for angel is "malakh," meaning messenger, and messenger in the Greek is "angelos." In Persian, it is "angaros," meaning courier. The Western concept of angels comes primarily from the mythologies of Babylonia and Persia.
Angels are key figures throughout the Christian Bible, yet only two angels are named, Michael and Gabriel. Raphael is named in the apocryphal Book of Tobit, so the Catholic Church forbids the use of names other than these three. Other works in the Apochrypha and Pseudepigrapha give names to many, many other angels.
For Egyptians, Greeks, Hebrews, Assyrians, Essenes and Gnostics, the proper names of angels held great mystical and magical powers. They believed the vibrations of spoken words released this power. Angelic names were used in prayers, incantations and on amulets in order to access the powers represented by the angel's name. The power of their names was determined by the use of gematria, which is where numerical values are assigned to each letter of the alphabet. The sum of the values of each letter in a particular name is given meaning by comparing it with the same numerical value of other words. Gematria was also used to interpret scripture. For example, early Christians viewed the dove as the symbol of Jesus because the Greek word for dove adds up to 801, the same as the sum of the letters in the Greek words for alpha and omega, representing the Beginning and the End. The possible first use of gematria was by the Babylonian King Sargon II in the 8th century B.C. He built a wall, the length of which corresponded to the numerical value of his name.
Along with names, angels are ranked into groups. The Bible names the groups as angels, archangels, principalities, powers, dominions, virtues, thrones, cherubim and seraphim. Throughout history, theologians, philosophers and artists have built upon these groupings and established hierarchies based upon what they interpreted as angelic duties. Those who wrote about these hierarchies include Pseudo-Dionysius, St. Ignatius Martyr, St. Jerome, St. Ambrose and Gregory the Great. The best-known hierarchy is an arrangement by Pseudo-Dionysius of nine choirs in three tiers. The term "choir" also means "an organized group" as well as referring to singers; therefore, it is not limited to the idea of singing. Following is a brief breakdown of his ideas about each choir of angel and their duties:
* Seraphim - Are closest to God. "Seraphim" means "fire makers," "carriers of warmth" or "ardor." They are the only angels above the throne of God, and they constantly glorify Him, saying "holy, holy, holy." They can appear in a form with four heads and six wings-two for flying, two to cover their faces and two to cover their feet.
* Cherubim - From the Hebrew "kerub," meaning "fullness of knowledge" or "one who intercedes." Cherubim are thought to be the voice of divine wisdom and possessing insight into God's secrets, which they pass on to lower levels of angels. Ezekiel described Cherubim as having four faces-a cherub, a man, a lion and an eagle. In Revelation, they are the living beasts, having many eyes and six wings.
* Thrones - These are the chariots of God which are driven by the Cherubs. God himself rests upon them and they are depicted as wheels with many eyes.
* Dominions - Angels who regulate the duties of other angels and make known God's commandments.
* Virtues - Angels who carry out the orders of Dominions. They are in charge of miracles and provide courage, grace and valor.
* Powers - Angels who fight against evil spirits, protect divine plans initiated by Dominions and carried out by Virtues.
* Principalities - Angels who watch over and govern the visible world of nations and cities and are the protectors of religion.
* Archangels - Angels who are in charge of Heaven's armies and are the supervisors of guardian angels. The Archangel Michael is the only one specifically named as an archangel in the Bible. However, the seven angels spoken of in Revelation 8:2 are thought to be archangels.
* Angels - Angels who are closest to the earth. They go between realms, delivering prayers to God and God's answers and other messages to mankind.
Much difference of opinion exists about the question of whether people have a specific angel attached to them as a guardian angel. Cultures other than Judeo-Christian believe in guardian spirits and spirit guides as well. Guardian angels are not specifically named in the Bible, but the Church fathers agreed on the existence of personal angels even though they disagreed on various aspects of those attachments.
While the ministry of a guardian angel is carried out unbeknownst to us, many have experienced the appearance of a mysterious stranger, who appears out of nowhere, interacts in the current problem, and then disappears into thin air. There is nothing that differentiates these mysterious strangers from the average Joe or Jane on the street. Only their appearance and disappearance after solving the problem at hand creates that sense of awe, of entertaining an angel unaware, after the hair on the back of your neck settles down!
I have often wondered why God created angels. He is all-powerful. Why would he need angels to do anything? But I can see that rather than God needing angels, perhaps he created them because people need them. God only knows how many times his angels have kept us from horrible accidents or ministered peace to us in the dark hour of the night. Even though some angels decided not to keep the place where God placed them, far more angels are committed to staying right there. May we not worship these magnificent beings but work together with them in the accomplishment of God's purposes.
Sources:
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen (1996). Encyclopedia of Angels. New York: Facts On File, Inc.
A History of Angels in Western Thought
The Straight Dope: What's the deal with angels?
Ministering Spirits: Terms and Descriptions of Angels
Thursday, April 3, 2008
That Mysterious First Kiss
I watched a documentary on television on the subject of kissing which pointed out that this physical act reduces stress, produces a peaceful feeling of being loved, and even boosts our immune systems. With all the benefits and pleasures of the act of kissing, does history reveal when humanity's first kiss took place?
Years ago, scientists thought that when two lips met during kissing an electric current was generated. They now know that this is completely untrue. Scientific fact is that kissing signals our brains to produce oxytocin which is a hormone that causes a good feeling. One study stated that our brains are equipped to help us find our lover's lips in the dark.
German physicians and psychologists say that those who kiss their spouses each morning before leaving for work miss less work because of illness than those who do not. Those who kiss also have fewer auto accidents on the way to work, earn 20-30 percent more per month and live approximately five years longer.
So who invented kissing? Anthropologists think kissing's origins are to be found in primitive times when mothers chewed food and transferred it directly from their mouths to their babies' mouths, a method of preparing baby food that is still practiced in some cultures today. Another theory comes from the Ziller Valley of Central Europe where pre-chewed tobacco was exchanged between males and females. The man would hold a piece of tobacco between his teeth and invite a girl to grasp it with her teeth which would cause her to press her mouth on his.
Perhaps the origins of kissing came from another source. Indications are from as early as 2000 B.C., various cultures believed that bringing the mouths together signified the joining of two souls.
According to one anthropologist, Vaughn Bryant, Jr., the first erotic kiss was exchanged in about 1500 B.C. in India. Prior to that no clay tablets, cave paintings or written records say anything about kissing.
Kissing is frequently shown in Egyptian art. Scholars believe kissing would have been associated with "giving life" in the ancient Egyptian culture.
The Celts had no word for kiss. The Romans are attributed with perfecting the kiss as we know it today. They kissed each other hello on the mouth or on the eyes, kissed robes, rings and statues of gods to indicate submission and respect. One Roman emperor ranked a person's importance by the body part he allowed them to kiss. Important nobles kissed his lips, less important ones kissed his hands and the least, kissed his feet. Romans assigned words for different types of kisses: osculum meaning a friendship kiss; basium meaning passionate kiss; and savium meaning deep kiss. Today, some natives of African tribes honor their chief by kissing the ground he walks over.
Kissing became the means by which many a bargain was sealed throughout history. In the feudal system, a vassal would kneel before his overlord, put his hands in those of the lord and declare himself his man. Then the overlord bound himself by kissing the vassal and raising him to his feet. Russians may have been the first to incorporate the kiss into the marriage ceremony.
France was the first to accept kissing in courtship. In the sixth century, dancing was a way to display affection and each dance was sealed with a kiss. Of course, the French are attributed with the invention of the French kiss. According to the Online Encyclopedia, the term, maraichinage, is a prolonged kiss, often lasting for several hours and originates from residents of Pays de Mont in Britanny, the Maraichins, who popularized the practice. It is the likely predecesser of what is now commonly referred to as french kissing. A maraichinage often lasts for several hours, and involves a profound exploration of the mouth of one's partner. French kiss is also known as tongue wrestling and tonsil hockey. In British slang, this type of kissing is commonly known as snogging.
Kissing shows up in religious practice as well. It is recorded throughout the Bible in approximately 46 references in the Old and New Testaments. Jesus was betrayed by a kiss. The Holy Kiss is encouraged in the New Testament between believers. Kissing of relics is practiced by many religions including Islam. The Black Stone housed at Mecca is worn hollow by centuries of veneration and is now held together with a silver band. The act of blowing kisses with the hand comes from old religions where they blew kisses' to the gods.
Nature has its assassin bug, also known as the kissing bug, which bites its victims around the mouth. Mononucleosis is called the kissing disease because it is spread by kissing. The longest kiss in film history was between Jane Wyman and Regis Tommey in the 1941 film, "You're in the Army Now," lasting 3 minutes and 5 seconds. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is thought to originate with the Druids and other early Europeans. Read about that at Mistletoe History.
Probably one of the most famous legends involving kissing is from a small city of Cork, the village of Blarney. It is not completely known how this originated, but one legend has it that an old woman put a spell on one of the stones of the castle of Blarney in an almost inaccessible place near the top that would bestow the gift of eloquence to all who kissed it. In times past, people were hung by their heels over the edge of the parapet to kiss the stone, but this stopped when one person fell to his death. From then on, anyone kissing the blarney stone must lie on their back, grasp two iron rails on each side and be lowered backward into position.
Perhaps one of the most important health aspects about kissing is that mothers transfer beneficial bacteria to their babies by kissing them. Fathers do as well, but scientists have found that babies do not receive as much bacteria as they could from their fathers simply because they do not kiss them very often.
Alas, we may never know when humanity's mysterious first kiss occurred, but hopefully armed with all this information, each of us will keep practicing.
Sources:
Kissing Chronicles
Why Do We Kiss?
Kissing Trivia
see more crazy cat pics
Years ago, scientists thought that when two lips met during kissing an electric current was generated. They now know that this is completely untrue. Scientific fact is that kissing signals our brains to produce oxytocin which is a hormone that causes a good feeling. One study stated that our brains are equipped to help us find our lover's lips in the dark.
German physicians and psychologists say that those who kiss their spouses each morning before leaving for work miss less work because of illness than those who do not. Those who kiss also have fewer auto accidents on the way to work, earn 20-30 percent more per month and live approximately five years longer.
So who invented kissing? Anthropologists think kissing's origins are to be found in primitive times when mothers chewed food and transferred it directly from their mouths to their babies' mouths, a method of preparing baby food that is still practiced in some cultures today. Another theory comes from the Ziller Valley of Central Europe where pre-chewed tobacco was exchanged between males and females. The man would hold a piece of tobacco between his teeth and invite a girl to grasp it with her teeth which would cause her to press her mouth on his.
Perhaps the origins of kissing came from another source. Indications are from as early as 2000 B.C., various cultures believed that bringing the mouths together signified the joining of two souls.
According to one anthropologist, Vaughn Bryant, Jr., the first erotic kiss was exchanged in about 1500 B.C. in India. Prior to that no clay tablets, cave paintings or written records say anything about kissing.
Kissing is frequently shown in Egyptian art. Scholars believe kissing would have been associated with "giving life" in the ancient Egyptian culture.
The Celts had no word for kiss. The Romans are attributed with perfecting the kiss as we know it today. They kissed each other hello on the mouth or on the eyes, kissed robes, rings and statues of gods to indicate submission and respect. One Roman emperor ranked a person's importance by the body part he allowed them to kiss. Important nobles kissed his lips, less important ones kissed his hands and the least, kissed his feet. Romans assigned words for different types of kisses: osculum meaning a friendship kiss; basium meaning passionate kiss; and savium meaning deep kiss. Today, some natives of African tribes honor their chief by kissing the ground he walks over.
Kissing became the means by which many a bargain was sealed throughout history. In the feudal system, a vassal would kneel before his overlord, put his hands in those of the lord and declare himself his man. Then the overlord bound himself by kissing the vassal and raising him to his feet. Russians may have been the first to incorporate the kiss into the marriage ceremony.
France was the first to accept kissing in courtship. In the sixth century, dancing was a way to display affection and each dance was sealed with a kiss. Of course, the French are attributed with the invention of the French kiss. According to the Online Encyclopedia, the term, maraichinage, is a prolonged kiss, often lasting for several hours and originates from residents of Pays de Mont in Britanny, the Maraichins, who popularized the practice. It is the likely predecesser of what is now commonly referred to as french kissing. A maraichinage often lasts for several hours, and involves a profound exploration of the mouth of one's partner. French kiss is also known as tongue wrestling and tonsil hockey. In British slang, this type of kissing is commonly known as snogging.
Kissing shows up in religious practice as well. It is recorded throughout the Bible in approximately 46 references in the Old and New Testaments. Jesus was betrayed by a kiss. The Holy Kiss is encouraged in the New Testament between believers. Kissing of relics is practiced by many religions including Islam. The Black Stone housed at Mecca is worn hollow by centuries of veneration and is now held together with a silver band. The act of blowing kisses with the hand comes from old religions where they blew kisses' to the gods.
Nature has its assassin bug, also known as the kissing bug, which bites its victims around the mouth. Mononucleosis is called the kissing disease because it is spread by kissing. The longest kiss in film history was between Jane Wyman and Regis Tommey in the 1941 film, "You're in the Army Now," lasting 3 minutes and 5 seconds. The custom of kissing under the mistletoe is thought to originate with the Druids and other early Europeans. Read about that at Mistletoe History.
Probably one of the most famous legends involving kissing is from a small city of Cork, the village of Blarney. It is not completely known how this originated, but one legend has it that an old woman put a spell on one of the stones of the castle of Blarney in an almost inaccessible place near the top that would bestow the gift of eloquence to all who kissed it. In times past, people were hung by their heels over the edge of the parapet to kiss the stone, but this stopped when one person fell to his death. From then on, anyone kissing the blarney stone must lie on their back, grasp two iron rails on each side and be lowered backward into position.
Perhaps one of the most important health aspects about kissing is that mothers transfer beneficial bacteria to their babies by kissing them. Fathers do as well, but scientists have found that babies do not receive as much bacteria as they could from their fathers simply because they do not kiss them very often.
Alas, we may never know when humanity's mysterious first kiss occurred, but hopefully armed with all this information, each of us will keep practicing.
Sources:
Kissing Chronicles
Why Do We Kiss?
Kissing Trivia
see more crazy cat pics
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