Skyscript Astrology Forum

I've been reading books and websites and looking at videos on the subject of Astrotheology. It's premise is that all religions are derived from Astrological/Astronomical/Seasonal symbolism. This is true of even the big ones such as Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, all of which have their roots in early shamanistic, fertility, sky worshiping cults. Indeed, many authors on the subject claim that Jesus and Moses are amalgams of early god/heroes and where never ever real human beings.

Here is a good intro to the topic.
ZEITGEIST, The Movie - Official Release - Part 1 of 3

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=3

Acharya S is another author on the subject.
http://www.truthbeknown.com/
http://www.consciousmedianetwork.com/me ... charya.htm

Here is a site showing that the life of Jesus was just an allegory of the sun's journey through the zodiac.
http://members.cox.net/deleyd/religion/ ... st2002.htm

That's very interesting. Thank you.

Drugs played apart of many religions as well as early Christianity. Ethnogens and Astrological Symbolisms form the bedrock of many/most scriptures.

Check out these cute videos on Jesus the Mushroom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGCXsAAv-fk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khsglevCHjg

A couple of thoughts here. On a quick scan it seems that there's a mixture of interesting stuff, misinformation and speculative leaps here, so as is probably obvious, reader beware. For instance:

- the fact that the story of a particular spiritual figure coincides in its details with pre-existing myths might mean that the figure is a fictionalised embodiment of those myths. It might also mean that the story of the historical figure was subsequently adapted to fit with the existing myths. As one example of this happening, I don't believe there's anything in the Bible to link Jesus' birth to 25th December. This was a part of the story that was added later, presumably to make it easier for the new religion to bed in to new cultures where that festival was already celebrated. So it's just wrong to argue that Mithras's day is 25th Dec, Jesus's is 25th Dec, therefore Jesus = Mithras.

- Whether or not individuals such as Jesus or the Buddha existed, at some point, someone or some group wrote the teachings that are attributed to them, and surely the important thing is whether or not these resonate with the individual and help shed light on the human condition.

I'm no authority here, and would be interested if anyone can recommend properly-researched works that looks at possible explanations of religions along the lines being offered here. I suppose it would be possible to spend the rest of one's life trawling the web in pursuit of the threads here, but in an attempt to balance things out a bit, here's a page which seems to raise some worthwhile points vis a vis Acharya's attempts to connect Mithras with Jesus:

http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/mithra.html

This seems to be a Christian site so of course will have an axe to grind, but the arguments look pretty reasonable, and references are supplied for anyone wanting to pursue them.

http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/mithra.html

This seems to be a Christian site so of course will have an axe to grind, but the arguments look pretty reasonable, and references are supplied for anyone wanting to pursue them.

Acharya S can grind an ax too, with passion. This article includes references to Mr. J. P. Holding of the tektonics.org site.

http://www.truthbeknown.com/holding.htm


Note: I am bringing up this issue on Skyscript because it deal with "Astrotheology". The claim is that the bulk of religious scriptures and rituals are derived from astrological symbolisms, including many of the godmen these religions show reverence to. Indeed, many of the links I am providing claim that the Moses and Jesus where allegories of the Sun's journey through the zodiac, not the lives of any real persons.

Earl Doherty has written about his views that Paul's writings came first, before the gospels. His Christ was never a human being, but a God from the start. That is why his accounts never seem to refer to the virgin birth or the miracles of Jesus. The gospels came latter with the living Christ so as to be more competitive with the other religions, who's gods had never been living men.
http://jesuspuzzle.humanists.net/home.htm
http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Puzzle-Chri ... 547&sr=1-1

Mr. Holding has written about Mr. Doherty too.
http://www.tektonics.org/doherty/dohertytrial.html

I'm no authority here, and would be interested if anyone can recommend properly-researched works that looks at possible explanations of religions along the lines being offered here. I suppose it would be possible to spend the rest of one's life trawling the web in pursuit of the threads here, but in an attempt to balance things out a bit, here's a page which seems to raise some worthwhile points vis a vis Acharya's attempts to connect Mithras with Jesus:

http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/mithra.html

This seems to be a Christian site so of course will have an axe to grind, but the arguments look pretty reasonable, and references are supplied for anyone wanting to pursue them.

I just be looking up information James Patrick Holding. His real name is Robert Turkel and does not look like he is a reliable scholar, putting that mildly.

http://the-anointed-one.com/intro.htm

http://the-anointed-one.com/what.htm

Just a thought but, I've rather noted that anytime one pins the words True to a line of thought or Philosophy, you might want to take any following content with a grain of Salt. One of the first danger signs of a belief system gone wrong... Also part of the Psychology of Rule by fear... Terrorism by any other name, or theocracy, in my opinion one and the same.

Granny

"many of the links I am providing claim that the Moses and Jesus where allegories of the Sun's journey through the zodiac,"

Early Christianity was a break away from Rabbinic Judaism.
Judaism is of the luni-solar calendar. Moon first. And doctrines pertaining to the Moon.

Creationism, & that of the physically manifest = Sun, doctrines of the Sun.

The resurrection of Jesus three days later is cognizant with the passage/phase of the Moon, which in order of the older cosmologies is first body/sphere in order of ascension.

In older cosmologies Moon was considered male (as reflected linguistically in the likes of German etc, latinization resulting in certain inversions) with the phase of the new Moon being his death, after remaining dead for 3 days he rises again to repeat the cycle. Two key points in the annual cycle as relates to earth being the vernal crossing.

Jesus final appearance being reported as 40 days after the resurrection = 40 days after sighting of new moon ... which in sidereal year is approximately in line with Aldebaran (Arch Angel Michael, watcher of the East). East is the direction of light, ascension etc.

This at a time and in a culture where the day commenced with sunset and the Moon was prime to passage of months & days.

The modern western projection is primarily of the solar-terrestrial paradigm, significant being the cult of Sol Invictus & its incorporation of Christianity (the Roman celebration of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, "the birthday of the unconquered sun" on December 25).

Prefaced by the Syrian deity El Gabal of Roman emperor Elagabalus during the Severan dynasty.
Elagabalus was hereditary high priest of Baal - Ba'al being of Northwest Semetic origin. In Carthage and North Africa Ba`al Hammon was especially associated with the ram and was worshiped also as Ba`al Qarnaim ("Lord of Two Horns"). Elagabaulus introduced the festival of December 25, it reaching the height of its popularity under Aurelian (patron of Sol), who promoted it as an empire-wide holiday.

And of course consideration is also due Constantine (ruler of the West) of Council of Nicea fame - which severed/distanced calendrical construct from its Semetic roots and marked the end of early Christianity - with which Gregorian calendrical reform later re-aligned.

Before then, and still today in Eastern Christianity, Jesus' birth was generally celebrated on January 6 .

Solar symbolism was popular with early Christian writers as Jesus was considered to be the "sun of righteousness" .
Exclusive solar symbolism is a polarization, terrestrial amongst other things. Just as exclusively lunar symbolism is also a polarization.

Polarization can lead to radicalization, hence the efforts to maintain a balance between both principals as reflected by the likes of the luni-solar calendar of numerous eastern cultures.

It's important to be aware of how modern western attachment to the solar paradigm can distort interpretations of cosmological doctrines originating in the east (be it Buddhism or other systems). Different orientation.

A cyclic dying-and-rising god motif was prevalent throughout ancient Mesopotamian and classical literature as well as in other climes.

However, the practice of aligning collectives with the perceived cosmic order in no way refutes or denies the existence of individual teachers, prophets, kings who've had an impact through the ages on the beliefs of mankind.
In the older cosmologies man is the microcosm, and in the sublunary sphere (earth) the action starts with the Moon.

By the way, the 3 stars in the belt of Orion were also attributed the 3 'magi' of biblical fame.

On a quick scan it seems that there's a mixture of interesting stuff, misinformation and speculative leaps here, so as is probably obvious, reader beware.

Agreed.

By the way, the 3 stars in the belt of Orion were also attributed the 3 'magi' of biblical fame

.

The other way around. The 3 magi where attributed to the 3 stars in the belt of Orion.

The quote below is from this link.
http://www.usbible.com/Astrology/star_of_bethlehem.htm

The wise men: The wise men are represented by the three stars at the waistline of the constellation Orion.

The wise men came from the east because they saw his star in the east

If the wise men were coming from the east, how can they see his star in the east? On land, the star should be west of them? The answer is that all stars come from the east, but the star of Bethlehem is to the east of Orion. As they drift westerly, the star of Bethlehem remains to the east.

To this day, Jews never accepted Jesus as king. He had no political power. He did not save them. Even worse, his name became a symbol of Jewish persecution.

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him." (Matt. 2:1-2)

Herod sent the wise men to Bethlehem to find out when the star appears. Astronomically, Orion disappears below the horizon for about twelve hours. This could be seen as the time they spent with Herod.

Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;
and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." (Matt. 2:3-8)

3. The wise men see the star of Bethlehem when Orion, with its three belt stars, hangs over Sirius. This is how the star ?rests over the place where the child was?.

When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.
When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy; (Matt. 2:9-10)

Their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh symbolize the whitish to gold colors of the three stars.

and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. (Matt. 2:11)

The wise men did not return to Herod because it is impossible for stars to reverse direction.

And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matt. 2:12)

?Wise? is falsely translated from the Greek magos, which denotes they were magicians. Or in this case, they were astrologers. In those days, astrologers were believed to be wise and learned men.

On December 25 at 3:00 P.M., the three wise men reappear in the east.

The Star of Bethlehem: At 4:00 PM, Sirius emerges above the horizon?astronomy handbooks list Sirius as the brightest star next to the sun. The three stars in Orion align towards Sirius.

However, the practice of aligning collectives with the perceived cosmic order in no way refutes or denies the existence of individual teachers, prophets, kings who've had an impact through the ages on the beliefs of mankind.

If there was an historical Jesus, he relates to the one in the Bible the way the person who inspired Superman relates to the super hero.