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Revealing Parables

Written by Joshua Adams

"I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."

The word occult comes from Latin word occultus, meaning "hidden, concealed, secret." Therefore, occult knowledge is secret or hidden knowledge. Parables can perform as a written or spoken device to reveal very deep, very spiritual knowledge and wisdom by their allegorical mechanism, that is, their symbolical narrative function which allows for many people to comprehend deeper truth.

Integral and intrinsic elements or concepts relating to the nature of humanity, the soul, and creation are often received according to a framework that they have associated that thing or things with previously, a superficial recognition. For spiritual elements, this is often a framework built up since childhood and in accordance with familial beliefs or customs, or specific religious practices one might have been raised up around. A parable has the potential to deliver new understanding, perspective, and knowledge. It bypasses preconceived notions and learned biases a person may have. Below is a narrative parable reflecting organized religion, their treatment of the people, and the historical mishandling of truth.

- The Lying Tiger 2020©

There was once a scattering of villages mingled throughout a mighty forest. A predominantly benign region this forest did have it’s dangerous side. Villagers were aware of the old tiger that lived within the forest. The old yet large tiger would appear among the villages to give warning or to tell them fascinating things. Villages even built statues of the old tiger in hopes of gaining its blessing. Most of the villagers had seen the old tiger, and some villagers had even been blessed to speak with it. The large cat knew many languages and often would converse with the elders or those who offered gifts.

This old tiger was known for answering questions regarding the ancient scrolls with which the village wise men often wrestled to understand. Indeed, it was in fact very wise and had shown foreknowledge of certain things which were yet to come. This is why the people referred to the tiger of the forest as the ‘Talking Tiger.’ Despite the adoration, the villagers were aware that the tiger of the forest was at least part of a dangerous sort. Which was smart on their part as this tiger practiced the methods of deception, at times telling of future tragedies that were to befall certain villages of the forest. Tragedies, the tiger had warned of only to then actively play a role in bringing about those events.

How awful, to be warned of pending tragedy, only to have some of their smallest children taken, never to be seen or heard from again. Despite their general apprehensions, this wild creature was accepted as a part of the forest life. Through familiarity with the ancient scrolls the old tiger eventually deciphered the prophesies of the scrolls. Selfishly choosing to guard this hidden knowledge, revealing only vagaries to the people. From the ancient scrolls the wicked feline deciphered by it’s intelligence and guile a great prophecy.

This was the prophecy of the Prince of the Age. Named among the ancient scrolls and more obscure texts as the ‘Hunter.’ It told of a prince with fierce countenance that was sent by the creator God to exact judgment upon the deceitful and duplicitous, the wicked and domineering beings among the mighty forest. The tiger was keen to be concerned as it had long ago identified itself as being of the wicked, the domineering, and deceitful elements of the forest. In fact the tiger knew of none other worse in these ways than itself. With cunning the tiger schemed to sow confusion among the people of the villages and perhaps hinder this Hunter whenever he finally arrived to the mighty forest. The tiger went about the forest visiting the villages. At first alarmed at his appearance fearing a dark omen or a portent of tragedy the tiger implored to the villagers that a great evil was in fact coming.

A dark prince called the Hunter, then the tiger laid all the suffering any soul may incur or experience at the feet of this prince foretold. The people knew that the tiger knew secret things. They also knew that the tiger often warned of tragedies that eventually came to pass, specifically the vanishing of small children. Disappearances for which neither the tiger nor the wise men of the villages were ever able to adequately explain nor give prescription against occurring.

The tiger was asked repeatedly why does the Hunter come, what is his purpose?

The tiger repeated broad assurances that the Hunter was a persecutor and only desired to torment the people and bring tragedy to the villages. Occasionally a villager would reply that they had already suffered tragedy having lost one of their children in the late evening; prompting the tiger to casually change the subject before slinking off into the forest as he would do. Fate had ordained that the simple people living in their villages would be forced to endure a great tribulation before peace would be established across the mighty forest.

The Hunter came at last, and sought to slay the tiger.

However the villagers were coerced by the deceitful forest feline, to hide it and feed it. The burden of this weighed heavy upon the simple people. With the wicked tiger in hiding and being fed by the villagers he hid among, one of those small children that could very well have met a tragic end by the silent terrorizing of the old tiger grew up to be a learned young man. Deciphering the texts and ancient scrolls for himself he discovered the truth of the Hunter. The truth was rather straightforward and made much more sense than the ravings of the old, bitter tiger who hid in fear. The Hunter never came to the villages, and the Hunter had never bothered a single villager since his arrival. And the fact noticed by everyone, since the tiger had went into constant hiding, none of the villages small children had vanished.

The old tiger became enraged! Claiming betrayal and vengeance that it would deliver to all who defied its preaching and demands. When suddenly the Hunter swooped in. Having heard the tiger railing and ranting, came into to the village and slayed the lying tiger. And then, there was peace mingled throughout the mighty forest.