Déjà Vu ~ Times II: Star of Islam? or Ishtar? or ... ?

Saturday, May 4, 2024

Star of Islam? or Ishtar? or ... ?

It appears that several states have decided to redesign their state flags to include an 8-pointed star.¹ Some are calling it a symbol of Islam,² but in reality, it is far older than Islam. Some have asked: Why should all these flag designers happen upon the 8-pointed star at nearly the same time? Most of us don’t know why, but perhaps the goddess Ishtar / Inanna does since this goddess, in her many manifestations, has now returned to the world, front and center; and the eight-pointed star is historically hers.³

Even Utah considered using the 8-pointed star, allegedly, to represent its Tribal Nations,⁴ but opted for a single, 5-pointed star⁵ in its new flag, though one can find several instances of the 8-pointed version being offered for sale or flying in a virtual Utah breeze.⁶

The flag reform activists and design “experts” all insist that “symbols should mean something,” but the question is: Can we knowingly choose a symbol and ignore its historical meaning? What new meanings are designers ascribing to an old symbol and how do officials convey that new meaning to the many who will only see the symbol and never hear verbal or textual explanations? Yes, we have the 1978 case of new meaning assigned to the rainbow symbol, but then again, the rainbow was also co-opted long ago by Ishtar / Innana⁷ — the goddess of “ancient gender-bending parades.”⁸ Can we not see parallels to the old idolatry that caused such grief to the prophets of old? Yes, we need compassion for the genuine dysphorics, but this present obsession with affirming self-idolatry and cancel-contraries is to become like a pagan god, is it not? What is the message we give to knowingly display or affirm any symbol of pagan gods? To reclaim a co-opted symbol takes knowledge, exposure, public education, transparency, and persistence.

The controversies when re-designing flags will always be with us in this multicultural world, as will self-obsessed diva / divo (SOD) activists and Balak/Balac-types⁹ pursuing disruption and destruction; so let us each ponder our own individual standing: How will I answer accusations of compromise and idolatry? Where is my membership within the NT Revelation churches¹⁰?

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1. New Flags Being Unveiled Across America Raising Concerns
(One America News Network | Apr 25, 2024 | Time 3:28 min) at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P12HUYw9ENk
NOTE: Their (OANN) display of the new Utah flag shows one of the proposed flags with the 8-pointed star and not the final approved version with the 5-pointed star.
• 8 pointed Star Meaning, The Symbolism And Origins Of The Octagram (Symbols And Meanings | Jul 20, 2021 | Time 1:29 min.) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X-Sqa8ZCg
2. However, from my observation, Arabic and Islamic countries most frequently use the five-pointed star.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_flag
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbols_of_Islam
3. Cahn, Jonathan. The Return of the Gods. Charisma House. Kindle Edition.
• https://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.com/2023/05/choose-you-this-day.html
“The Star of Ishtar or Star of Inanna is a Mesopotamian symbol of the ancient Sumerian goddess Inanna and her East Semitic counterpart Ishtar. The owl was also one of Ishtar's primary symbols. Ishtar is mostly associated with the planet Venus, which is also known as the morning star.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_of_Ishtar
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Eight-pointed_stars
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Flags_with_one_eight-pointed_star_(centered)
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Star_of_Shamash
• Excerpt from https://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.com/2024/03/isaiahs-lamentations.html
“Let us take time to ponder: How much social-consensus and self-centrism is manifest in our thoughts and behaviours? Have we any awareness of how our society has initiated and embraced the return of the old world gods Baal, Moloch, and Ishtar3 — the gods that caused so much prophetic lamentation in the past? How many of us naively participate in or affirm the rites, rituals, fashions, philosophies, and parades of the revived gods? And if we have somehow avoided the lure of Babylon and her resurgent gods, are we content with the praise of our goodness? the preaching of a 180 gospel of love and mercy almost completely ignoring justice and judgment, except for our judgments of the transparently wicked world? “
4. • Eight Tribal Nations: https://flag.utah.gov/final-flag-designs/
• Utah Beehive Flag: https://flag.utah.gov/symbolism/
5. A five-pointed star (☆), geometrically an equilateral concave decagon, is a common ideogram in modern culture. Comparatively rare in classical heraldry, it was notably introduced for the flag of the United States in the Flag Act of 1777 and since has become widely used in flags.
It has also become a symbol of fame or "stardom" in Western culture, among other uses.”
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five-pointed_star
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagram
• https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Five-pointed_stars
6. • Salt Lake Tribune: https://www.sltrib.com/artsliving/2022/11/10/see-new-design-that-may-replace/
• https://www.ebay.com/itm/155978367502?itmmeta=01HWXGCD1P24XRBAMHXJP5KD2C&hash=item245109020e:g:sL0AAOSwmqVlj1v1&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4P9lyXZMJeQYkgLtCJG9dk11oTE6GbWP3%2FXDZi6aOyZtANWxxMy7spJWyuyKxuLUAfORTasX2DL4jbDZSP3kDjvcgwsvKJHMOWxhZQzR5jt4hV9lhIXNQL0ck3zMnN7ivYJOJ6ICw88uMkVDR7iqThs1djtZgzLJ6oyuaN79J3veq1hLP9FNJBQ%2FADak2ldVaJVCCaKjopFVa1pjHMyfCi1iKNtdvlNbR4W6fA6X5iLQZIHtKsXYEKKQKt%2FWpW0lnR%2BQqlWOHUpFF9m9D2H29XlibR3iSwAgp%2BkJwYZTCVZg%7Ctkp%3ABFBMktGxsOdj
7. The Sign: The Rainbow Banner -
Cahn, Jonathan. The Return of the Gods (p. 181-184). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.
“There is an ancient Elamite inscription that reads “Manzat Ishtar.” There is debate over whether the name Ishtar is to be taken just as it appears or as a generic noun. Nevertheless, the inscription translates to the name Rainbow Ishtar.” Cahn, Jonathan. The Return of the Gods (p. 183). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_flag_(LGBT)
8. • “as they marched in the goddess’s ancient gender-bending parades,”
Cahn, Jonathan. The Return of the Gods (p. 172). Charisma House. Kindle Edition.
9. New Testament | Revelation 2:14
14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (See also: Old Testament | Numbers 22-24; 31:16; New Testament | 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11)
https://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.com/2022/11/deja-vu-doctrine-of-balaam-doctrine-of.html
10. https://dejavu-timestwo.blogspot.com/2011/08/which-church.html

Flag Reform Extras:
• Flag reform was a mistake
J.J. McCullough | Dec 24, 2023 | Time 16:24 min.) at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRtUiORUh7c
• 🇺🇸 DOES YOUR FLAG FAIL? Grey Grades State Flags!
(CGP Grey | Apr 2, 2023| Time 18:52 min.) at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4w6808wJcU
• DID I DESIGN THE NEW UTAH FLAG? | The Beehive Flag Explained
(Flags for Good | Mar 14, 2023 | Time 12:33 min.) at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0-tpz4iKhM

Revolving Accounts

"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us." (Old Testament Ecclesiastes 1:9-10)

"Dwell in the past and you'll lose an eye. Forget the past and you'll lose both eyes." (Old Russian Proverb)

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This Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog is devoted to my religious / spiritual musings (sometimes political), mainly concerning the recycling of our follies since the world began.

Over time, it will contain:
thoughts
observations
poems
quotes

Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog © 2009 - 2020 by SMSmith (unless otherwise noted). Some Rights Reserved. See Creative Commons License at the end of this column/page.

Déjà Vu ~ Times II blog was established August 17, 2009 while the author was living in Canada helping caregive an aged mother.

“No Comments” Rationale

1) Time & more needful priorities;
2) Problems observed with many open-comment blogs as so bluntly expressed at http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/comment-policy/
3) People are free to post divergent or convergent views on their own blogs;
4) Learning from comments here would be preferable, but— (see 1, 2, & 3).

Brief note to the OFFENDED: Just because allowing "comments" is a blogger's option, it does not mean every blogger must conform to the "expectations" of others. Every soul can consult the Spirit and decide what is best and right in their circumstance. And if one has a blanket policy not to read another's work because there is no opportunity to comment, it seems one has closed oneself off to potential guidance of the Spirit. Besides, in this world of "overwhelm," the guidance of the Spirit is the best resource we have to lead us to things of importance in our unique life. So, if you have found your way here, perhaps there are a few things of import for you here. I try to trust the Spirit to lead me likewise to things of import within my purpose and priorities.

My World / TransWorld View

▪ Truth is knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come; (Doctrine and Covenants Section 93:24)
▪ If we have the truth, it cannot be harmed by investigation. If we have not the truth, it ought to be harmed. (J. Reuben Clark)

▪ Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (New Testament 1 Thessalonians 5:21)

▪ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.(New Testament Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13; 3 Nephi 13:24)
▪ See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.(New Testament 1 Thessalonians 5:15)
▪ For that which ye do send out shall return unto you again, and be restored; ... (Book of Mormon Alma 41:15)
▪ Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend. (Book of Mormon Mosiah 4:9, emphasis added)
▪ ... the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (New Testament 1 Corinthians 1:25)
▪ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Old Testament Isaiah 55:8 - 9)
▪ ... the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true. (Book of Mormon Alma 29:8)
▪ The Bible is true, as far as it is translated correctly. Some things are to be understood literally; others metaphorically or symbolically.
▪ God is neither a Republican nor a Democrat; a Liberal nor a Conservative, just as Christ was neither a Pharisee or Sadducee. [For God doth not walk in crooked paths, neither doth he turn to the right hand nor to the left, neither doth he vary from that which he hath said, therefore his paths are straight, and his course is one eternal round.(Doctrine and Covenants Section 3:2)]
▪ Life is an escalating series of tests.
▪ “...we will be asked again and again to release the parts of our lives that mean the most to us.” (Caroline Myss, Sacred Contracts, p. 76; also preview lives of the prophets and saints.)