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Kadosh is word pagan??
#9
Thanks, guys!

PM Saunders, I'm glad I helped to explain a few things. Semitic languages aren't exactly a walk in the park.

Regarding my sources: The book was entitled 'The Babylonians', by H.W.F Saggs, an ancient historian and lecturer in Semitic languages - specifically Akkadian. The book is quite a good read, and certainly very informative. It explores many aspects of Assyrian and Babylonian culture, and a significant portion of the book is dedicated to religion.

I agree with the need to continue research on this topic. There is a great deal more to learn, and I can quite confidently say that I don't know half of it.

Don't apologise for being demanding, BenEfraym - evidence is crucial. That said, I'm not sure I can provide you with firm archaeological proof to support my previous post, but there is certainly some literary evidence I could bring up.

If you were to read 'The Histories' of Herodotus, for example, you'd find that he discusses a very interesting Assyrian custom in which young girls prostituted themselves at the temple of the love/sex/war goddess Ishtar (or Astarte, with whom Qetesh was associated) prior to marriage. The idea, I think, is that they were paying some sort of due to the goddess by assuming the role of a cult prostitute. Pretty horrific, yes.

Whilst Herodotus' reliability is doubtful (there is not a single piece of archaeological evidence from Babylonia to corroborate these claims, which were considered ridiculous even in ancient times), it is likely that there is a grain of truth to what he wrote. Probably, Herodotus caught wind of the Assyrian/Babylonian practice of sacred prostitution, and created a piece of sensationalist fiction to go along with it. The Greeks, who had a long history of antagonism with the Near East, had a lot of very negative, and at times even cartoonish ideas about the nations of that area. You need look no further than Aeschylus' 'The Persians' to know what I'm talking about. Therefore, it's not hard to imagine them accepting such stories as fact, or at least as rumour.

The Assyrian archaeological record, however, sheds some light on the matter. Notably, Sumerian and Babylonian law stipulated that part of a man's estate be set aside as a dowry or inheritance for his daughter if she was a qadishtu, or priestess. Furthermore, she was entitled to annual support - in the form of money - from each of her brothers. The sum was something like six copper minas. There are Old Assyrian legal records that testify to this.

Further evidence survives in the form of Old Assyrian marriage contracts. One particular contract forbids a man from marrying another woman in his home town, but allows him to 'take' (or 'marry') a qadishtu-woman from the city of Ashur (Saggs). Qadishtu-priestesses were not permitted husbands, but they could enter into temporary sexual relationships for money (i.e. prostitution). This practice shares similarities with Nikah Mut'ah (Temporary Marriage) in Shi'a Islam.

There are also instances of religious festivals where the qadishtu played an important role. These were mainly fertility rites, e.g. the hieros gamos or 'Sacred Marriage', which ensured the flooding of the rivers and an abundant harvest every year.

In a nutshell - yes, the qadishtu were real. The etymological connection is also pretty salient.

So...yeah. I think that's it. Sorry for babbling on about this for so long, but I hope this answers your questions. Again, I hate the fact that I'm discussing idol-worship and paganism on a site dedicated to the everlasting Word of God (I feel especially bad considering it's the Ba'uta d'Ninwaye) but it's only for the purpose of education. I hope God can forgive me!

Regards,

Doublethink.
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Messages In This Thread
Kadosh is word pagan?? - by BenEfraym - 01-30-2012, 10:18 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by PM Saunders - 01-30-2012, 11:22 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Paul Younan - 01-31-2012, 01:18 AM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by PM Saunders - 01-31-2012, 01:39 AM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by BenEfraym - 01-31-2012, 03:24 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Doublethink - 01-31-2012, 06:43 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by PM Saunders - 01-31-2012, 06:48 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by BenEfraym - 01-31-2012, 07:21 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Doublethink - 02-01-2012, 07:30 AM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Alan G77 - 02-02-2012, 10:25 AM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Doublethink - 02-02-2012, 12:04 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by IPOstapyuk - 02-02-2012, 03:39 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Paul Younan - 02-03-2012, 04:00 PM
Re: Kadosh is word pagan?? - by Burning one - 02-04-2012, 04:41 AM

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