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Anthony Testa - The Key of the Abyss.pdf

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egards to wine and all arts <strong>of</strong> love and is ano<strong>the</strong>r clue to <strong>the</strong> identity<br />

<strong>of</strong> Babalon. <strong>The</strong> Encyclopedia Britannica describes Astarte:<br />

also spelled Athtart or Ashtart great goddess <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ancient Middle<br />

East and chief deity <strong>of</strong> Tyre, Sidon, and Elat, important Mediterranean<br />

seaports. Hebrew scholars now feel that <strong>the</strong> goddess Ashtoreth<br />

mentioned so <strong>of</strong>ten in <strong>the</strong> Bible is a deliberate conflation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Greek<br />

name Astarte and <strong>the</strong> Hebrew word boshet, "shame," indicating <strong>the</strong><br />

Hebrews' contempt for her cult. 209<br />

Raphael Patai has written an excellent examination <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> role – as<br />

well as erasure – <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Goddess in <strong>the</strong> religion that evolved into<br />

Judaism in his book <strong>The</strong> Hebrew Goddess. An analysis that draws in<br />

part on Patai tells us:<br />

Astarte's name also occurs in <strong>the</strong> Hebrew Bible as part <strong>of</strong> a place<br />

name, Ashteroth Karnaim, karnaim meaning "<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two horns"<br />

(Genesis 14:5). Ashteroth Karnaim, perhaps <strong>the</strong> "full old name <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

city," (Patai 1990:57), was probably a temple center where Astarte<br />

was worshipped as a two-horned deity. 210 Ashtaroth was reviled by <strong>the</strong><br />

Yahwists, as <strong>the</strong> “common” people clearly preferred her to <strong>the</strong><br />

Monarchical YHVH. Biblical references include And <strong>the</strong>y forsook <strong>the</strong><br />

LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. 211 as well as And <strong>the</strong> children<br />

<strong>of</strong> Israel did evil again in <strong>the</strong> sight <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> LORD, and served Baalim,<br />

and Ashtaroth, and <strong>the</strong> gods <strong>of</strong> Syria, and <strong>the</strong> gods <strong>of</strong> Zidon, and <strong>the</strong><br />

gods <strong>of</strong> Moab, and <strong>the</strong> gods <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> children <strong>of</strong> Ammon, and <strong>the</strong> gods <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> Philistines, and forsook <strong>the</strong> LORD, and served not him. 212<br />

Additionally, Astarte may be related to <strong>the</strong> Queen <strong>of</strong> Heaven<br />

mentioned in <strong>the</strong> Hebrew Scriptures:<br />

Two passages in <strong>the</strong> Book <strong>of</strong> Jeremiah (7.17-18 and 44.15-19) refer to<br />

ancient Israelite worship <strong>of</strong> a "Queen <strong>of</strong> Heaven." <strong>The</strong>se passages<br />

provide a very rare glimpse into ritual practices <strong>of</strong> Judahite popular<br />

religion. Around <strong>the</strong> turn <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> seventh century BCE, Jeremiah<br />

preaches to Israelite exiles in Egypt. To his horror whole families,<br />

209<br />

http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9009962/Astarte<br />

210<br />

http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB04/spotlight.htm<br />

211<br />

Judges 2 : 13<br />

212<br />

Judges 10 : 6<br />

141

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