Dragons? Satan? Really Now?

In the bible Satan is likend to a Dragon. 

And in reading the Revelation book, i can clearly remember images of a big red dragon being cast to earh

What i want to know, is if there were never any bones or evidence found that dragons existed, how the hell did the people of old know what the bible was talking about if they didnt know what a dragon was?

And is it just me... or is dragons a pagan thing... (like its used in china etc...)

(Or did dragons actualy exist but we just didnt descover them yet) -- I doubt that though....

I saw a show on fossils in Europe. Older civiizations along a specific track would find the remnants of prehihstoric animals. They thought they were contemporaries. Most of the legend of one eyed peope, wooly mammoth, dragons come from this section of earth. It is a wide swatch across Europe and into Asia. Greece has one of the heaviest cocncentrations. I believe it had to do with climate. The carccase were buried particularly close to the surface.

Dragons are noble. What wouldl ife be like (sterile) without the Medieval exploits of dragons. Unicorns played an important part of European lore, too. Without Darwin, it must have been difficult to explain these creatures. The Witnesses must have a similar world view b/c evolution is not allowed.

I want dragons, giants, unicorns in my life. They existed in people's minds and culture. Imagine the Rockkefeller Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters without the unicorns. A poorer society.

We had a program at our Natural History Museum that showed how ancient people interpreted fossils.  This is along the lines of what BOTR is saying.  I am a member, so one of the employees told me about it ahead of time.  She took me to a mammoth skull--it has a huge hole in the middle.  She asked me what that hole was for.  It took me a minute, but I realized it was the sinus cavity.  She said, now imagine not knowing what this was, and you find the skull.  You hold it upright, what do you see now?  An eye I told her.  Exactly.   A giant, one-eyed beast.  A cyclops.

So my point is, the people filled in ignorance with mythology.  It's quite understandable and logical.  The question is this:  Even if the people didn't know, their god should have known.  So why the dragon?  What sense does that make?

NC

No no....  We had a co explain it all....   He said in genisis satan was a mere serpant..  In revelation he was a mighty dragon!  *que ooooh's and ahhhh's, while EE wretches in his seat*

So---snakes are---uhm---evolving into....into....dragons?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fr8DIg3oHFI&feature=fvst

I remember questioning this when I was 'in'. The final analysis was that 'dragon' is another word for 'snake' or comes from its roots, whatever.

Loz x

Thats right NC!   I know its true....  Cause i heard it from the platform !!!

I think it's a safe assumption that evidence of dinosaurs existed for ancient man, of all cultures around the world. I imagine that if I were the hunter/gatherer type and came across some fossil of a truly monstrous creature, I'd think "there be dragons here". Or somewhere beyond the horizon of the unknown. Thus a myth is born.

Hell, I might be inclined to name a constellation after one, even.

Or did dragons actualy exist but we just didnt descover them yet) -- I doubt that though....

Yes.

NightOwl

Job 41:18-21 speaks of a fire-breathing dragon

It's actually pretty simple:  Ancient people were just plain superstitious and ignorant.

Or in other words: they were very stupid.

• They believed that "sacrafice would please god.. (maybe make it rain?)" Can you imagine your zerglings pulling this shit?  I'd delete them immediately for being so freaking wasteful and stupid!  (Apparently stupid people thought god had a nose sniffing around on earth and he "liked the smell" of burning flesh.  Pretty weird stuff.)
• They believed in "dragons"-  becuase they were ignorant and stupid.
• They believed in a "chosen one" - again, because they were ignorant and stupid.

It's fun, really.  Imagine playing Age of Empires and your empire is the ancient Jews....  Everytime you get a shipment of food, they burn half of it to keep you happy and the dragon away!  Wouldn't that make you happy?

- Lime

So that means The Bible likens satan to some mith, or something people thought up out of their ignorance... That cant be right to do that can it.....

So that means to liken satan to a dragon in todays times, doesnt mean anything to us... And For it to mean anything you would have to have an understanding of other miths and stuff??

It's fun, really.  Imagine playing Age of Empires and your empire is the ancient Jews....  Everytime you get a shipment of food, they burn half of it to keep you happy and the dragon away!  Wouldn't that make you happy?

They believed that "sacrafice would please god.. (maybe make it rain?)" Can you imagine your zerglings pulling this shit?  I'd delete them immediately for being so freaking wasteful and stupid! 

Awesome references! I can remember the squishy noise the zerglings make now.  (Must go and play starcraft now!)

Funny I was just remembering a buddy of mine that had a dragon.  It's name was Puff, and it was a magic dragon.  They lived down by the sea and they used to frolic in the ocean mist........

Dragon Bones in China, Zhoukoudian district. Used in medicines for centuries.

This is slightly profane, so NSFW but it illustrates the points about the dragons quite nicely.

'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwMyjKQ725E'

Okay Diest, that video made me choke on my lunch!  Gotta send it to my brother.

NC

What i want to know, is if there were never any bones or evidence found that dragons existed,

It was never meant to be a real being....Where's your imagination? it is like the Balrog in Lord of The Rings.....a fearsome fiction intended to represent evil.

Hintoflime......These "stupid" ancient peoples built The pyramids and constructed Empires.....

Why hasn't Ziddina commented on this thread yet? I would have thought this subject is right up her street!

Cedars

You're right!  The dragon of revelation may very well have been based on THAT she-devil.