To me, Ashtaroth is/was and always will be a Demon(ess), and she is a "female" in all demonology and hierarchies. The information you seem to have attained seems to be of Mesopotamian origins, though I could be wrong. Ashtaroth is also said to be the Christianized name of a demon, so I would look into more sources on her.
You said that Ashtaroth was a helper of humans? Teacher of them? Well what I understand is that any Demon/Angel/Daemon can be a great helping guide to humans, and they can even be great companians for the spiritual warrior (those I know about).
Those who believe Ashtaroth to be a male, also believe that Astarte (the female), is different from Ashtaroth (the male).
In various demonology, the name is derived from the goddess Astarte with the ending distorted to closely resemble the Hebrew boshet, meaning "shame." Her original name "Astoreth" meant "womb" and she was associated with fertility.
Also note that It is thought that she and the goddess Anath were the same deity in Biblical times.
So in Demonology and Egyptian Mythology, as well as Greek, Astarte and Ashtaroth were the same Goddess/Demoness and she was a female, not male.
Also note that Egyptian and Greek Mythology have nothing to do with the Christian origins of the deities and their names.
Who?
To the Canaanites, she was "Astarte" To the Sumerians, she was "Inanna" To the Babylonians, she was "Ishtar" To the Assyrians and Akkadians, she was "Ashtart/Ashtaroth/Asharah/Astareth" To the Egyptians, she was "Isis/Ashet/Aset" To the Phoenicians, she was "Tanit-Ashtart/Ashtaroth" To the Greeks, she was "Athena"
hmmm... interesting, and do these all have the SAME background? Nope, not at all the same.
Many Theistic Satanists describe Ashtaroth as being female, and also daughter of Nanna and Ningal. She is known as a helper of humanity, and shares the same power as does Beezlebub (Baal/Bael).
Names can be decieving, do you see?
This post has been edited by DeathStalker: Nov 25 2006, 09:37 PM
|