Was Ashtaroth A Watcher? Options

Now here's a theory I was considering (another weird one). The watchers are known to have taught mankind all sorts of things, many of them bad (prostitution,sodomy, and bestiality were a few). Within this framework it would be consistent in viewing Ashtaroth as a demon who identifies himself as female (ie: he is homosexual, as were many of the watchers in the book of Enoch). It is my belief that the editors of the Key of Solomon and other Goetic texts knew full well who Ashtaroth claimed to be, but that they (rightly) placed him as male for the skilled magician to discern. Your thoughts?

This post has been edited by r9999: Nov 25 2006, 07:08 PM

Well, scriptures do say many of the watchers were homosexual (in fact they taught human beings homosexuality, also many other things, some relatively benign- makeup for women, agricultural basics,etc. and some malign- how to make weapons for war,etc.) I was considering that Ashtaroth might have some relationship with them because he is clearly homosexual (ie: appears as a Godess when he is male, even the Key of Solomon says so) but that is irrelevant. Devils love deceit so it is in their nature to pretend to be things they are not. The hexagram is a symbol of reconciliation indeed- of the upper realm (upper triangle) with the lower (lower triangle) interposed and bound by the lines of Lucifer, master of heaven and hell ( why sometimes you put a little "G' in the middle of the hexagram- to emphasize he is the great architect). There are many other interpretations- of it being the union of the microcosm of man and macrocosm of the divine universe, of the union of feminine and masculine opposites,etc. but that is my personal favorite, and since the Hexagram was used for pagan Gods now in the Goetia (a book for summoning devils) I can confidently say my interpretation is right.

Look at this:

http://www.coranix.com/102/baphomet.jpg

look at the hands.

also at the breasts (my other interpretation is there)
also at the dark moon and the light one (light and darkness, heaven and Hell).

of course this is Levi, but Baphomet has been found in places carved up throughout the middle ages.

This post has been edited by r9999: Nov 29 2006, 07:28 PM

Well, scriptures do say many of the watchers were homosexual (in fact they taught human beings homosexuality, also many other things, some relatively benign- makeup for women, agricultural basics,etc. and some malign- how to make weapons for war,etc.) I was considering that Ashtaroth might have some relationship with them because he is clearly homosexual (ie: appears as a Godess when he is male, even the Key of Solomon says so) but that is irrelevant. Devils love deceit so it is in their nature to pretend to be things they are not. The hexagram is a symbol of reconciliation indeed- of the upper realm (upper triangle) with the lower (lower triangle) interposed and bound by the lines of Lucifer, master of heaven and hell ( why sometimes you put a little "G' in the middle of the hexagram- to emphasize he is the great architect). There are many other interpretations- of it being the union of the microcosm of man and macrocosm of the divine universe, of the union of feminine and masculine opposites,etc. but that is my personal favorite, and since the Hexagram was used for pagan Gods now in the Goetia (a book for summoning devils) I can confidently say my interpretation is right.

Look at this:

http://www.coranix.com/102/baphomet.jpg

look at the hands.

also at the breasts (my other interpretation is there)

That is a drawing of Baphomet made by Eliphas Levi... it is something like a symbol as it is not meant to represent any real entity but rather a concept of initiation and illumination. This has become the standard "Hollywood" portrayal of the Devil but really has nothing to do with evil. Let me explain a few things:

1. The breast do not indicate homosexuality, but rather is and indicator of androgyny. This has nothing to do with sexual preferences but rather is symbolic of both male and female potencies.

2. The arm positions are replicating the shape of the hebrew letter Aleph. THis is the first letter of the hebrew alphabet and is symbolic of breath (since it is aspirated) and associated with Logos (the word).

3. The position of the fingers are indicators of the esoteric path (i.e. illumination through hidden knowledge). This is furthered by the torch atop his head.

4. Your probably wondering about the Goat head... what can be more Satanic right? Well actually if we look at the history of the goat we find some very interesting things. A) the goat is and has always been symbolic of fertility, vitality, and ceaseless energy B) The goats association with sin likely comes from the scapegoat, which was an animal driven off by the Israelites on the day of atonement. The idea is that the sins of the community were transfered onto this animal and by banishing or slaughtering it they expunged their own sins. Today the term "scapegoat" refers to one who is blamed for misfortunes, often as a way of distracting attention from the real causes (def. from wikipedia). In many ways was Christ not the scapegoat of mankind...through his death do we not atone for our sins????

5. The pole with the intertwined serpents is called the cadeceus. This is also a hermetic symbol of knowledge and of both the left hand and right hand paths...often time this is known as the wand of Hermes. It represents spiritual awakening, in many ways akin to the Kundalini serpents of Hindu mysticism.A similar symbol has been adopted by medical professionals (go to your nearest hospital and look around). There is also a biblical parallel to when Moses nailed a serpent to his staff to cure Israel of illness.

6. Finally, I do not see a hexagram anywhere in the image...

I'm not trying to be an A$$ hole, but I just want to point out that sometimes by interpreting light through a pre-filtered lens we becomes afraid of that which is dark because it is not what we are accustomed to.


One more thing, a correction on my post above regarding the hexagram. The hexagram is not really the unification of water-fire but rather water-fire before they were separated (sort of archetypal elements). In fact Kabbalist see this more as the waters of the heaven and the waters of earth which were separated by God to create this world.

This post has been edited by Faustopheles: Nov 29 2006, 08:04 PM