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The Spirit of Babylon (Part One)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeIn the ancient writings of the Babylonian poet Enheduanna, a high priestess and influential figure in the religion of Mesopotamia, we encounter the goddess Inanna, known also as Ishtar, Astarte, Ashtoreth, Isis, and later Venus. Inanna embodies wild abandon and willfulness, a spirit of unrestrained freedom that resonates in modern culture. Enheduanna, who lived in Ur around the same time as Abraham, penned devotional works to Inanna, portraying her as a deity of war and erotic love. In her poems, Enheduanna describes a place called Ebih, the Babylonian version of Eden, depicted as a remote paradise of harmony with lush trees, abundant fruit, and peaceful coexistence among animals. Unlike the divine perspective, the Babylonians viewed Ebih as inferior, a place of dependence on the Creator to be rejected and overcome for personal growth and self-determination. Inanna emerges as the force that conquers Ebih, asserting her independence and absolute right to define her own conduct. Enheduanna praises Inanna's innate authority to destroy, build, lift up, and put down, claiming these powers as hers without reference to any higher divine will. Further, Inanna is celebrated for overturning natural and social orders, with Enheduanna attributing to her the ability to turn man into woman and woman into man, challenging the established divine creation of humanity as male and female. Inanna's worship involved temple prostitution and was particularly associated with asexual, hermaphroditic individuals and effeminate men, marking her as a champion of disrupting traditional norms. Through Inanna, the spirit of Babylon asserts a relentless drive for autonomy, opposing any constraint and seeking to dominate the divine order represented by Ebih.
The Spirit of Babylon (Part Three)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeThe ancient Babylonian goddess Inanna, also known under names like Ashtoreth and Ishtar, has profoundly influenced spiritual and moral decay across history. Her worship infiltrated the Israelites shortly after Joshua's death, as they began to honor Ashtoreth, a manifestation of Inanna. Solomon's wives led him to follow this goddess, granting her worship royal sanction. King Asa's grandmother, Maachah, possessed an Asherah image, a crude element of this cult. Jeremiah mentions the people venerating the queen of heaven, another title for Inanna, while Ezekiel notes women weeping for Tammuz, her husband. This pervasive influence reflects a demonic spirit that ensnared the hearts of Israel and Judah long before their physical captivity in Mesopotamia. Inanna's spirit parallels the depiction of Babylon in prophetic writings. As the patroness of prostitutes, Inanna mirrors Babylon, described as the mother of harlots. Her imagery, adorned with a prostitute's necklace of pearls, aligns with Babylon's portrayal. Like her follower Jezebel, who killed God's prophets, Babylon is depicted as drunk on the blood of saints. Inanna's influence spread across the earth, just as Babylon dominates multitudes of peoples, nations, and languages. Babylon's self-glorification and declarations of being a queen, unwidowed and sorrow-free, echo Inanna's attitude and the defiant spirit of those under her sway. This same spirit is evident in the daughter of Babylon, who claims self-sufficiency and appropriates the divine title of the Most High God, asserting unmatched supremacy.
The Spirit of Babylon
Sermonette by David C. GrabbeThe Spirit of Babylon is couched in brazen outlook of the goddess Inanna/Ishtar, the femme fatale who asserted her free will to overcome the influence of Eden.
The Spirit of Babylon (Part Two)
CGG Weekly by David C. GrabbeEnheduanna, a Babylonian priestess, ascribed to her goddess Inanna the power to transform men into women and women into men, reflecting ancient ideas of gender fluidity. Despite the myth portraying Inanna as married to the god Dumuzi, she took lovers freely, rejecting the divine order of marriage. Inanna, also known as Ashtoreth in one of her iterations, was associated with Asherah poles or images, which were phallic symbols deemed abominable in God's sight, mocking the order established in Eden. A later version of Inanna appears as the goddess Venus, embodying sex without boundaries, from whose name the term venereal disease is derived.
The Cross: Christian Banner or Pagan Relic?
Article by Earl L. HennLong before the coming of Christ, pagans used the cross as a religious symbol, and among the ancient variations, the worship of Tammuz in Babylonian mystery religions holds a significant connection. According to historian Alexander Hislop, Tammuz was closely linked to the worship of Nimrod, Semiramis, and her illegitimate son, Horus. The original form of the Babylonian letter T, representing Tammuz, was identical to the crosses used today in this world's Christianity. This sign of Tammuz became a notable emblem in pagan practices, reflecting a deep-rooted tradition of using such symbols in worship far preceding Christian times.