The God-Idea of the Ancients; Or, Sex in Religion — John Shaqi
The God-Idea of the Ancients; Or, Sex in ReligionGamble, Eliza Burt
Religion
The God-Idea of the Ancients; Or, Sex in Religion
Gamble, Eliza Burt
Religion; Sex -- Religious aspects; Women and religion
In the representations of Montfaucon appears the Goddess Isis sitting on
the lotus. Her head, upon which is a globe, is surrounded by a radiant
circle which evidently represents the sun. On the reverse side is Ieu,
the word "which is the usual way of the ecclesiastical authors reading
the Hebrew word Jehovah." Referring to this from Montfaucon, Godfrey
Higgins observes: "Here Isis, whose veil no mortal shall ever
draw aside, the celestial Virgin of the Sphere, is seated on the
self-generating sacred lotus and is called Ieu or Jove."(32) She has
also the mystic number 608 which stands for the Deity. Her breasts show
plainly that it is a female representation, although connected with the
figure appears the male emblem to indicate that within her are contained
both elements, or that the universe is embodied within the female.
32) Anacalypsis, book v., ch. iv.
Higgins thinks there is no subject on which more mistakes have been made
than on that of the Goddess Isis, both by ancients and moderns. He calls
attention to the inconsistency of calling her the moon when in many
countries the moon is masculine. He is quite positive that if Isis is
the moon, Ceres, Proserpine, Venus, and all the other female gods were
the same, which in view of the facts everywhere at hand cannot be true.
It is true, however, that "the planet called the moon was dedicated to
her in judicial astrology, the same as a planet was dedicated to Venus
or Mars. But Venus and Mars were not these planets themselves, though
these planets were sacred to them."(33) Higgins then calls attention to
her temple at Sais in Egypt, and to the inscription which declares that
"she comprehends all that is and was and is to be," that she is "parent
of the sun," and he justly concludes that Isis can not be the moon.
33) Anacalypsis, book vi., ch. ii.
Apuleius makes Isis say:
"I am the parent of all things, the sovereign of the elements, the
primary progeny of time, the most exalted of the deities, the first
of the heavenly gods and goddesses, whose single deity the whole world
venerates in many forms, with various rites and various names. The
Egyptians worship me with proper ceremonies and call me by my true name,
Queen Isis."
Isis, we are told, is called Myrionymus, or goddess with 10,000 names.
She is the Persian Mithra, which is the same as Buddha, Minerva, Venus,
and all the rest.
Faber admits that the female principle was formerly regarded as the Soul
of the World. He says:
"Isis was the same as Neith or Minerva; hence the inscription at Sais
was likewise applied to that goddess. Athenagoras informs us that
Neith or the Athene of the Greeks was supposed to be Wisdom passing and
diffusing itself through all things. Hence it is manifest that she was
thought to be the Soul of the World; for such is precisely the character
sustained by that mythological personage."(34)
34) Pagan Idolatry, book i., p. 170.
The same writer says further:
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