EDITORIAL - February 10, 2006

First Man Called Valentine

By: Megs S. Lunn

This article may sounds melancholy. It is the celebration of LOVE soon! We think that too often we forget the real importance and significance of love in our lives and for that reason we think it's great to have a day that celebrates it - forcing us to remember how sweet and rare it is to have.

But who is the original Valentine? What does the name Valentine mean? Let me share with you what I have researched about Valentine.

Valentine comes from the Latin word Valentinus, derived from valens—"to be strong, powerful, mighty." The Bible describes a man with a similar title: "And Cush Begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod, the mighty hunter before the LORD" (Gen. 10:8-9). He was said to have hunted with bow and arrow.

The Romans celebrated Lupercalia to honor the hunter god Lupercus. To the Greeks, from whom the Romans had copied most of their mythology, Lupercus was known as Pan, the god of light. The Phoenicians worshipped the same deity as Baal, the sun god. Baal was one of many names or titles for Nimrod, a mighty hunter, especially of wolves. He was also the founder and first lord of Babel (Gen. 10:10-12). Defying God, Nimrod was the originator of the Babylonian Mystery Religion, whose mythologies have been copied by the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans and a multitude of other ancient peoples. Under different names or titles—Pan, Lupercus, Saturn, Osiris—Nimrod is the strong man and hunter-warrior god of the ancients.
But what does the heart symbol have to do with a day honoring Nimrod/Valentine?

The title Baal means "lord" or "master," and is mentioned throughout the Bible as the god of pagans. God warned His people not to worship or even tolerate the ways of Baal (Nimrod). In ancient Chaldean (the language of the Babylonians), bal, which is similar to Baal, meant, "heart." This is where the Valentine heart symbol originated.

Now notice the name Cupid. It comes from the Latin verb cupere, meaning "to desire." Cupid was the son of Venus, Roman goddess of beauty and love. Also known as Eros in ancient Greece, he was the son of Aphrodite. According to myth, he was responsible for impregnating numerous goddesses and mortals. Cupid was a child-like archer (remember, Nimrod was a skilled archer). Mythology describes Cupid as having both a cruel and happy personality. He would use his invisible arrows, tipped with gold, to strike unsuspecting men and women, causing them to fall madly in love. He did not do this for their benefit, but to drive them crazy with intense passion, to make their lives miserable, and to laugh at the results.

Many of the gods of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Assyrians and others were modeled after one man—Nimrod.

But what does this have to do with us today? Why should we be concerned with what happened in the past?

Whether we celebrate the month of love every Feb. 14 or not, love will always be around to those who welcome it with both hands. As the saying goes, “to loved and be loved is the best thing in life.” So, remember to dance as if no-one was watching, make love as if everyone was watching and love as though you have never been hurt (with apologies to the original author). So, embrace yourself, grab your dates and let’s celebrate love on February 14. Let’s celebrate love everyday! /MPmailto:april_73uk@yahoo.co.uk