Ninurta 'Lord Plough' in Sumerian and Akkadian mythology was the god of Nippur, identified with Ningirsu with whom he may always have been identical. In older transcriptions the name is rendered Ninib and in older commentary he is sometimes seen as a solar deity. In Nippur Ninurta was worshipped as part of a triad of deities including his father Enlil and his mother Ninlil. Ninurta often appears holding a bow and arrow and a mace named Sharur to which he speaks when attacking the monster Imdugud, and ...

Including:

• Ninurta - Cultus

Read more here: » Ninurta: Encyclopedia - Ninurta

Ninib (Babylonian) A Chaldean deity originally with solar attributes, especially prominent at Shirgulla, where he was closely associated with Bel and regarded as his son. In hymns he is described as a healing god who releases men from illness. But he was also classed as a god of war, and represented as armed for the chase. The aspect stressed was the sun at the morning and the springtime season, showering beneficence upon mankind.

Theogonically, Ninib was regent of the planet Saturn, and the animal symbol connected with him was the swine.

(See also: Ninib, Mysticism, Mysticism Dictionary)

The Bible says very little about cosmology, such as the position of the earth in the universe, the nature of the fixed stars and planets, seeing as its main emphasis was on the history of God’s dealings with man. Skeptics argue that the bible is written from a flat earth perspective[1] although this is not made explicit in any of the canonical books of the bible. Biblical cosmology - Background. Much of what the Bible says concerning cosmology is couched in terminology whose definitions are uncerta ...

Including:

• Biblical cosmology - Background
• Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars
• Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven
• Biblical cosmology - Planets
• Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang
• Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia - Biblical cosmology

From the inscriptions found at Telloh, it appears that Lagash was a city of great importance in the Sumerian period, some time probably in the 4th millennium BC. It was at that time ruled by independent kings, Ur-Nina (24th century BC) and his successors, who were engaged in contests with the Elamites on the east and the kings of "Kengi" and Kish on the north. With the Semitic conquest, it lost its independence, its rulers or patesis becoming vassals of Sargon of Akkad and his successors; but it remained Sumerian, continuing to be a c ...

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Lagash, Lagash - Excavations, Lagash - The site, Lagash - History, Lagash - First dynasty of Lagash, Lagash - Second dynasty of Lagash

Read more here: » Lagash: Encyclopedia II - Lagash - History

A main theme of the book is the struggle between good and evil. The principal forces of good and evil are the "Elder Gods" and the "Ancient Ones", respectively. These two sides are populated with authentic Mesopotamian gods and monsters as well as fictitious ones. The Ancient Ones are older and represent primeval chaos. Chief among them is Tiamat. The Elder Gods are younger entities, children of the ...

See also:

Simon Necronomicon, Simon Necronomicon - Simon's Introduction, Simon Necronomicon - The Testimony of the Mad Arab, Simon Necronomicon - Good versus Evil, Simon Necronomicon - Elder Gods, Simon Necronomicon - Ancient Ones, Simon Necronomicon - Magic, Simon Necronomicon - Influences on music, Simon Necronomicon - Related links

Read more here: » Simon Necronomicon: Encyclopedia II - Simon Necronomicon - Good versus Evil

Several Biblical passages refer to “hosts” around God and in the heights above. This phrase is commonly taken to refer to angels or other creatures, but an alternate interpretation takes it to mean the stars. Under this interpretation, the stars were supposed to be living creatures. If the difficult passage (Judges 5:20) may be regarded as other than a poetical figure, the stars "walk on the way"; they "come out" in the morning, and "go in" at night. By a miracle, sun and moon are made to stand suddenly still (Josh. 10:12). They fight fr ...

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Biblical cosmology, Biblical cosmology - Background, Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars, Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven, Biblical cosmology - Planets, Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang, Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia II - Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven

History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins. The history of western astrology can now be traced back to ancient Babylonia, and indeed to the earliest phases of Babylonian history, i.e. to about 3000 B.C. In Babylonia as well as in Assyria as a direct offshoot of Babylonian culture (or as we might also term it "Euphratean" culture), astrology takes its place in the official cult as one of the two chief means at the disposal of the priests (who were called bare or "inspectors") for ascertaining the will and intention of the gods, the other being through the inspection of ...

See also:

History of astrology, History of astrology - Overview, History of astrology - History, History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins, History of astrology - The spread of astrology from Babylonia, History of astrology - Greek and Egyptian contributions to astrology, History of astrology - Medieval and Renaissance astrology, History of astrology - Astrology's 20th century expansion, History of astrology - Astrology in the Jewish community, History of astrology - Noted predictions, History of astrology - Historical proponents of astrology, History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology, History of astrology - Other miscellany

Read more here: » History of astrology: Encyclopedia II - History of astrology - History

The sky, the abode of the stars, is described as a "raqiya'" (rakia, Hebrew for a plate); that is, a rigid, broad, solid plate possessing a certain thickness. According to Genesis 1:14, this raqiya' was set in the midst of the waters, and it divided the waters above from those beneath. According to some readings, God made it of matter already existing at the time of Creation; that is, God did not "create" it at that time. The raqiya' representing the sky in Ezek. 1:22 resembled ice; therefore it is quite possible that the author of Genesis, ...

See also:

Biblical cosmology, Biblical cosmology - Background, Biblical cosmology - Sky, sun, moon and stars, Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven, Biblical cosmology - Planets, Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang, Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia II - Biblical cosmology - Sky, sun, moon and stars

This temple had been razed and a fortress built upon its ruins, in the Greek or Seleucid period, some of the bricks found bearing the inscription in Aramaic and Greek of a certain Hadad-nadin-akhe, king of a small Babylonian kingdom. It was beneath this fortress that numerous statues of Gudea were found, constituting the prize of the Babylonian collections at the Louvre. These had been decapitated and otherwise mutilated, and thrown into the foundations of the new fortress. From this stratum also came various fragments of bas reliefs of high ...

See also:

Lagash, Lagash - Excavations, Lagash - The site, Lagash - History, Lagash - First dynasty of Lagash, Lagash - Second dynasty of Lagash

Read more here: » Lagash: Encyclopedia II - Lagash - The site

Lagash ruins were discovered in 1877 by Ernest de Sarzec, at that time French consul at Basra, who was allowed, by the Montefich chief, Nasir Pasha, the first Wali-Pasha or governor-general of Basra, to excavate at his pleasure in the territories subject to that official. At the outset on his own, and later as a representative of the French government, under a Turkish firman, de Sarzec continued excavations at this site, with various intermissions, until his death in 1901, when the work was continued under the supervision of Gaston Cr ...

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Lagash, Lagash - Excavations, Lagash - The site, Lagash - History, Lagash - First dynasty of Lagash, Lagash - Second dynasty of Lagash

Read more here: » Lagash: Encyclopedia II - Lagash - Excavations

Much of what the Bible says concerning cosmology is couched in terminology whose definitions are uncertain and disputed by Hebrew scholars. Another difficulty in recognizing Biblical cosmology is that at times the Bible condemns as apostasy beliefs such as the worship of the sun, moon, planets and stars, cosmology derived from other religions and not from the Bible. Some scholars claim that what is often taught as “Biblical Cosmology” is actually medieval cosmology, which was a bastardized mixture of Hebrew terminology and Greek philosophy. An example of that is the reference to the four elements li ...

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Biblical cosmology, Biblical cosmology - Background, Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars, Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven, Biblical cosmology - Planets, Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang, Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia II - Biblical cosmology - Background

Current scientific views of the Big Bang basically say that the universe had a specific beginning, starting incredibly small and massively expanding incredibily fast, then the fast expansion stopped but the universe continues to expand because space itself stretches. Below are similar quotes from the Bible. Note that they indicate two separate steps: First the heavens are created, then they are stretched out. Job 9:8 He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea. ...

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Biblical cosmology, Biblical cosmology - Background, Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars, Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven, Biblical cosmology - Planets, Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang, Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia II - Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang

The Testimony is in two parts, comprising a prologue and an epilogue to the core Necronomicon. It is supposedly written by a "Mad Arab". The name Abdul Alhazred does not appear in this text, however; the author remains nameless. The first part tells how the Mad Arab first came to know of the existence of the dark secrets he is writing down (by accidentally witnessing an arcane ritual performed by a cult of the Ancient Ones). In second part, the Mad Arab is haunted by demons and monsters. He fears that his gods have foresaken hi ...

See also:

Simon Necronomicon, Simon Necronomicon - Simon's Introduction, Simon Necronomicon - The Testimony of the Mad Arab, Simon Necronomicon - Good versus Evil, Simon Necronomicon - Elder Gods, Simon Necronomicon - Ancient Ones, Simon Necronomicon - Magic, Simon Necronomicon - Influences on music, Simon Necronomicon - Related links

Read more here: » Simon Necronomicon: Encyclopedia II - Simon Necronomicon - The Testimony of the Mad Arab

Much of the book is a guide to magic. Many magical incantations, seals and rituals are described. Most of these are used to ward off evil or to invoke the Elder Gods to one's aid. Some of them are curses to be used against one's enemies. The incantations are written in a mix of English and something that is supposedly ancient Sumerian. According to Kalyn Tranquilson, this "abracadabra" is total nonsense. The many magical seals in the book usually pertain to a particular god or demon and are used when in invoking the entity. In some ca ...

See also:

Simon Necronomicon, Simon Necronomicon - Simon's Introduction, Simon Necronomicon - The Testimony of the Mad Arab, Simon Necronomicon - Good versus Evil, Simon Necronomicon - Elder Gods, Simon Necronomicon - Ancient Ones, Simon Necronomicon - Magic, Simon Necronomicon - Influences on music, Simon Necronomicon - Related links

Read more here: » Simon Necronomicon: Encyclopedia II - Simon Necronomicon - Magic

To astrological politics we owe the theory of heaven-sent rulers, instruments in the hands of Providence, and saviours of society. Napoleon, as well as Wallenstein, believed in his star. Many passages in the older English poets are unintelligible without some knowledge of astrology. Chaucer wrote a treatise on the astrolabe; Milton constantly refers to planetary influences; in Shakespeare's King Lear, Gloucester and ...

See also:

History of astrology, History of astrology - Overview, History of astrology - History, History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins, History of astrology - The spread of astrology from Babylonia, History of astrology - Greek and Egyptian contributions to astrology, History of astrology - Medieval and Renaissance astrology, History of astrology - Astrology's 20th century expansion, History of astrology - Astrology in the Jewish community, History of astrology - Noted predictions, History of astrology - Historical proponents of astrology, History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology, History of astrology - Other miscellany

Read more here: » History of astrology: Encyclopedia II - History of astrology - Other miscellany

Astrology is not limited to Western astrology alone, which by itself has dozens of branches and various offshoots. In modern India the ancient Vedic astrology (or Jyotish) is commonly used to this day, and in China Chinese astrology has existed for thousands of years and continues to flourish. The ancient Greeks formed Hellenistic astrology while the Mayans of Central America also developed their own form of astrology. The ancient Egyptians also had another system of astrology. A unique system of astrology eventually emerged in Tibet as well. Other cultures and civilizations around the world also develo ...

See also:

History of astrology, History of astrology - Overview, History of astrology - History, History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins, History of astrology - The spread of astrology from Babylonia, History of astrology - Greek and Egyptian contributions to astrology, History of astrology - Medieval and Renaissance astrology, History of astrology - Astrology's 20th century expansion, History of astrology - Astrology in the Jewish community, History of astrology - Noted predictions, History of astrology - Historical proponents of astrology, History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology, History of astrology - Other miscellany

Read more here: » History of astrology: Encyclopedia II - History of astrology - Overview

The Catholic Church after having rejected scientific cosmological endeavors during the Copernican revolution, has in the last century been ever more increasingly involved with scientific cosmology. A Roman Catholic Priest in the employ of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Georges Lemaître was, in fact, instrumental in the development of the Big Bang theory of the universe. The Catholic Church and many other mainline Christian denominations accepts modern cosmology as acceptably in concord with interpretations of the Bible that are more al ...

See also:

Biblical cosmology, Biblical cosmology - Background, Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars, Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven, Biblical cosmology - Planets, Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang, Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia II - Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Lastly, we may mention a few distinguished men who ran counter to their age in denying stellar influences. Aristarchus of Samos, Martianus Capella (the precursor of Copernicus), Cicero, Favorinus, Sextus Empiricus, Juvenal, and in a later age Savonarola and Pico della Mirandola, and La Fontaine, a contemporary of the neutral La Bruyère, were all pronounced opponents of astrology. ...

See also:

History of astrology, History of astrology - Overview, History of astrology - History, History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins, History of astrology - The spread of astrology from Babylonia, History of astrology - Greek and Egyptian contributions to astrology, History of astrology - Medieval and Renaissance astrology, History of astrology - Astrology's 20th century expansion, History of astrology - Astrology in the Jewish community, History of astrology - Noted predictions, History of astrology - Historical proponents of astrology, History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology, History of astrology - Other miscellany

Read more here: » History of astrology: Encyclopedia II - History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology

The sky, the abode of the stars, is described as a "raqiya'" (rakia, Hebrew for a plate); that is, a rigid, broad, solid plate possessing a certain thickness. According to Genesis 1:14, this raqiya' was set in the midst of the waters, and it divided the waters above from those beneath. According to some readings, God made it of matter already existing at the time of Creation; that is, God did not "create" it at that time. The raqiya' representing the sky in Ezek. 1:22 resembled ice; therefore it is quite possible that the author of Genesis, ...

See also:

Biblical cosmology, Biblical cosmology - Background, Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars, Biblical cosmology - Stars as the Hosts of Heaven, Biblical cosmology - Planets, Biblical cosmology - The Bible and the Big Bang, Biblical cosmology - Modern day biblical cosmologies

Read more here: » Biblical cosmology: Encyclopedia II - Biblical cosmology - Sky sun moon and stars

A few salient facts may be added concerning the astrologers and their predictions, remarkable either for their fulfilment or for the ruin and confusion they brought upon their authors. We may begin with one taken from Bacon's Essay of Prophecies: "When I was in France, I heard from one Dr Pena, that the queen mother, who was given to curious arts, caused the king her husband's nativitie to be calculated, under a false name; and the astrologer gave a judgment, that he should be killed in a duell; at which the queene laughed, thi ...

See also:

History of astrology, History of astrology - Overview, History of astrology - History, History of astrology - Western astrology's Babylonian origins, History of astrology - The spread of astrology from Babylonia, History of astrology - Greek and Egyptian contributions to astrology, History of astrology - Medieval and Renaissance astrology, History of astrology - Astrology's 20th century expansion, History of astrology - Astrology in the Jewish community, History of astrology - Noted predictions, History of astrology - Historical proponents of astrology, History of astrology - Historical opponents of astrology, History of astrology - Other miscellany

Read more here: » History of astrology: Encyclopedia II - History of astrology - Noted predictions