The Perversion of Astarte

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Catamite
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Astarte was an ancient goddess of beauty. She was worshipped by people of the Middle East and is a prime example of one of three major ancient religions corrupting and pillaging the religions of others and perversing the entities and guides they once worshipped with the label of "Demon" Astarte was given the name "Ashteroth" by the Jews and if you haven't wondered why her name might sound familiar well.. ever heard of "Astoroth" a supposed demon of lust. That's her my friends. Astarte's story goes in the same way in which Jesus' does if I am to be honest with you... She decsended into the underworld and came back. I've forgotten the specific details and so much more even though I wish to fill this out with facts about her but I just wanted to post this to give you truth behind the demon "Ashteroth" or "Astoroth" this was the goddess of beauty and fertility and she was corrupted. Her people were pillaged and her name was slandered... She was set amongst the things in which these cultures feared and in which they taught the current majority to fear as well.. to shun her. To fear her. To put her under such a disgusting connotation... It's things like this that sadden me... All else I can tell you about Astarte is that her name can be found in a common Wiccan hymn: "Isis Astarte Diana Hecate Demeter Kali Inana." But anyways... I hope you enjoyed this and if anyone can provide Any additional information feel free to. Thank you for reading...
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Marosey
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Cat is she an aspect of Isis or different Goddess?
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Marosey wrote:Cat is she an aspect of Isis or different Goddess?
I think maybe she is another interpretation rather than aspect... Then again they could be two completely different things ya know?
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Actually Marasay you are close. the Epic is called the Descent of Inanna, the Sumerian goddess of love and war, and predates the transition to Astarte.
Astarte is the Hellenized (or masculine) form of Inanna. If you look throughout antiquity you can see how gods and goddesses were absorbed into the conquering culture, assuming new names and possibly personalities. Inanna has been very closely aligned with Isis as well so your thought are correctl.

Those that work with each of the gods and goddesses say that really isn't the case, that they are indeed separate, but honestly I would be inclined to state that they could be both. Marduk can be aligned with Ra and on and on. the jury and always will be out as to whether these gods and goddesses are one and the same.

I have worked with Marduk way more than Ra but their energies are worlds apart. Could be the same being showing a different side or could be an entirely separate individual.
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I'm sorry but Wiccan ideology annoys the piss out of me.
None of those goddesses have anything to do with each other. Aset =/= Astarte
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Forgive my blunt style. I double-checked to see how my memory served me, and Astarte was worshipped separately in Egypt starting in the 18th Dynasty, though sometimes given the same associations as Aset.
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@Lok, Yes you are correct, but she was also worshipped in Babylon and by the Akkadians until they were conquered and wiped out.

It has also been shown where conquering cultures did absorb some of the deities into their own and renamed them. I wouldn't really say that was a Wiccan thing, it is something that happened prior to that movement but I take your point. I wonder if it is more about the gods and goddesses, also demons, sharing currents and traits. They moved on the same planes so were often poorly associated with each other, all becoming one sort of thing due to them having similar external feelings.

This of all topics has always fascinated me because since the beginning of time cultures have wiped each other out, this isn't a new anglo saxon sort of thing. So when a culture wipes another culture out they take the things they like and leave the rest.

So what if they looked at the deities and gods they worshipped and thought, I like her and I like him, but I don't like blonde hair as we are all dark haired and I don't like that she is a seductress but I like that she fights. Let's take those traits and combine it with our similar goddess and call her X.

All the while we are actually talking about two different beings that have been combined for convenience and culture comfort.

At that point does this god or goddess take on those traits because humans impose them? Do they absorb thoughts and intents the way a thought form or Tulpa would. Or are these cultures actually working with two different entities and don't' know it, does the deity act in accord to remain relevant and worshipped?

Does the original god or goddess start to fade away pull further and further back because they are no longer regarded? Part of me feels very strongly that this could be the case, and I back that up with my workings within the Necronomicon. The gods of the Nec are so far way, they haven't been worked with in centuries, The rituals to invoke them and work with them take time and dedication. They travel far to reach us and while they are documented as our protectors, we don't remember them and they don't remember us. Or so it has been written. I can say from the three years I have worked with them that it rings pretty true.

Interesting thread this has become.
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Hah it was like midnight and I usually only talk about Egypt. Lol
Yeah I know about Ishatar, Innana, etc. and wasn't going to address her other areas of worship.
I just had to have my Sheldon moment and say "she's not Isis" lol.
Right, I know there is a lot of overlap between cultures, and assimilation, and changes to how we relate to them over time ... Good question if it's "us or them" that changes ... seeing how limited our minds are to comprehend, or our own culture changes, becomes more global and inclusive, and the gods can respond accordingly.
After I posted I thought to myself, why am I such a stick in the mud, why does it matter ... I guess I like to know them culture by culture, individual by individual first. I think Wiccans sort of skip this step and don't really understand their history fully, know what I mean Vern?
Interesting thought about those we don't remember. But there seems to be this growing awareness through archaeology, spirituality, metaphysics, etc. to try to give them homage or at least respect again.
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@Lok I believe we are in complete alignment. I do agree with what you are saying and totally understand the frustrations of Wicca. I have many of them myself, but only because some of them sit on their soapbox and talk down to others.

Agreed, i don't think Inanna is the same as Isis but I can see the parallels.

When it comes to the word Ishtar in ancient Cuniform writings it was a title, not the actual name of the goddess. When the Sumerians addressed their goddesses they addressed them as Ishtar Inanna, Ishtar Erishkigal, Ishtar Sarpanit, so on etc.


In modern day it is now the name of Inanna, but that isn't the actual origin.
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