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For other uses, see Goddess (disambiguation).

A goddess is a female deity. Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells See also List of deities A deity is a Postulated Preternatural or Supernatural Being, who is always Many cultures have goddesses. Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate" generally refers to patterns of human activity and the symbolic Most often these goddesses are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities. Polytheism is belief in or worship of multiple Gods (usually assembled in a pantheon) together with associated Mythology and Rituals Pantheons in various cultures can include both goddesses and gods, and in some cases also intersex deities. A pantheon (from Greek Πάνθειον - pantheion, literally "a temple of all gods " neut Intersexuality is the state of a living thing of a gonochoristic species whose Sex chromosomes, Genitalia, and/or Secondary sex characteristics

In both ancient and modern cultures, the symbolism of gendered deities is open to a wide variety of interpretations. The primacy of a monotheistic or near-monotheistic goddess is advocated by some modern matriarchists and pantheists as a female version of, or analogue to, the Abrahamic god. Pantheism ( Greek: πάν ( 'pan') = all and θεός ( 'theos') = God it literally means " God is All In some feminist circles the Abrahamic god is perceived as being rooted in the patriarchal concept of dominance — to the exclusion of feminine concepts. Feminism is a discourse that involves various movements theories, and Philosophies which are concerned with the issue of Gender difference, advocate [1]

Among some duotheists, such as Wiccans, the primary deities are one goddess and one god, who are seen as together making up a larger whole that is both the transcendent divine and the substance of all creation. Dualism denotes a state of two parts The word's origin is the Latin duo, "two".

Contents

Indo-European religions

See also: Proto-Indo-European religion

Dharmic religions

Hinduism

Main articles: Devi and Shakti

See also: Hindu views on God and gender, List of Hindu goddesses, Mahavidya, Ashta Lakshmi, Navadurga

The Hindu warrior goddess Durga killing the buffalo-demon Mahishasura.
The Hindu warrior goddess Durga killing the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. The existence of similarities among the deities and religious practices of the Indo-European (IE peoples allows glimpses of a common Proto-Indo-European Devi ( Devanagari: देवी) is the Sanskrit word for Goddess, used mostly in Hinduism. Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred In Hinduism there are diverse approaches to the understanding of God and gender. Mahavidyas ( Great Wisdoms) are aspects of Devi in Hinduism. The Ten Mahavidyas are known as Wisdom Goddesses Ashta Lakshmi, also spelled as Ashtalakshmi (Sanskrit sa अष्टलक्ष्मीAṣṭalakṣmī lit Navadurga ( Devanagari: नवदुर्गा which literally means nine Durgas, constitute according to Hindu mythology, the manifestation of In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess In Hindu mythology, Mahishasura was an Asura. Mahishasur's father Rambha was king of the Asura, and he once fell in love with a water buffalo

Hinduism is a complex of various belief systems that sees many gods and goddesses as being representative of and/or emanative from a single source, Brahman, understood either as a formless, infinite, impersonal monad in the Advaita tradition or as a dual god in the form of Lakshmi-Vishnu, Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Shakti in Dvaita traditions. Brahman ( bráhman-, Nominative bráhma sa ब्रह्म is a concept of Hinduism. Advaita Vedanta ( IAST Advaita Vedānta; Sanskrit अद्वैत वेदान्त əd̪vait̪ə veːd̪ɑːnt̪ə is a sub-school of the Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi (pronunciation; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी lakṣmī) is the Hindu Goddess of Wealth For other meanings see Vishnu (disambiguation. Vishnu ( IAST viṣṇu Devanagari विष्णु (honorific For Radha the mother of Karna from Mahabharata see Radha (Mahabharata Radha (Devanagari राधा IAST Rādhā is the principal Krishna (कृष्ण in Devanagari kṛṣṇa in IAST, ˈkr̩ʂɳə in classical Sanskrit is a deity worshiped across many traditions of Hinduism Shiva:(pronunciation; Sanskrit: शिव Śiva, lit "Auspicious one" One of the Trimurtis Shiva is the supreme God in the Shaiva Shakti, meaning sacred force, power, or energy, is the Hindu concept or personification of the divine feminine aspect sometimes referred Dvaita ( Kannada: ದ್ವೈತ Devanagari:द्बैत is a dualist school of Vedanta Hindu philosophy. Shaktas, worshippers of the Goddess, equate this god with Devi, the mother goddess. Shaktism ( Sanskrit: Śāktaṃ sa शाक्तं lit "doctrine of power" or "doctrine of the Goddess") is a denomination of Such aspects of one god as male god (Shaktiman) and female energy (Shakti), working as a pair are often envisioned as male gods and their wives or consorts and provide many analogues between passive male ground and dynamic female energy. In Hinduism: Shaktiman (literally possessor of Shakti, the female aspect of God) is a term used for the male aspect of God
For example, Brahma pairs with Sarasvati. Brahma is the Hindu god ( deva) of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. Saraswati (pronounced as; Sanskrit: sa सरस्वती sarasvatī; Malay: Saraswati Thai: สุรัสวดี is the Shiva likewise pairs with Parvati who later is represented through a number of avatars (incarnations): Sati and the warrior figures, Durga and Kali. Parvati ( Sanskrit: Pārvatī sa [[wiktपार्वती पार्वती]] sometimes spelled Parvathi or Parvathy, is a Hindu Avatar or Avatara (अवतार IAST Avatāra) is often inaccurately translated into English as incarnation Satī (Devanagari सती the feminine of sat "true" or Dākshāyani is a Hindu goddess of marital felicity and longevity she is worshipped particularly In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess Kali redirects here See Kali (disambiguation for other uses Not to be confused with Kali (demon, the personification of Kali Yuga All goddesses in Hinduism are sometimes grouped together as the great goddess, Devi.

A further step was taken by the idea of the Shaktis. Their ideology based mainly on tantras sees Shakti as the principle of energy through which all divinity functions, thus showing the masculine to be dependent on the feminine. Tantra ( Sanskrit: तन्त्र; " Weave " denoting continuity) tantricism or tantrism is any of several esoteric Indeed, in the great shakta scripture known as the Devi Mahatmya, all the goddesses are shown to be aspects of one presiding female force, one in truth and many in expression, giving the world and the cosmos the galvanic energy for motion. The Devi Mahatmya ( Sanskrit: devīmāhātmyam, sa देवीमाहात्म्यम् or "Glory of the Goddess " is a Hindu It is expressed through both philosophical tracts and metaphor that the potentiality of masculine being is given actuation by the feminine divine. Local deities of different village regions in India were often identified with "mainstream" Hindu deities, a process that has been called "Sanskritization". India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Others attribute it to the influence of monism or Advaita which discounts polytheist or monotheist categorization. Monism is the metaphysical and Theological view that all is one that all reality is subsumed under the most fundamental category of being or existence

While the monist forces have led to a fusion between some of the goddesses (108 names are common for many goddesses), centrifugal forces have also resulted in new goddesses and rituals gaining ascendance among the laity in different parts of Hindu world. Thus, the immensely popular goddess Durga was a pre-Vedic goddess who was later fused with Parvati, a process that can be traced through texts such as Kalika Purana (10th century), Durgabhaktitarangini (Vidyapati 15th century), Chandimangal (16th century) etc. In Hinduism, Durga ("the inaccessible" or "the invincible" or Maa Durga (Mother Durga is a form of Devi, the supreme Goddess Vidyapati Thakur (1352? - 1448? also known by the sobriquet Maithil Kavi Kokil (the poet Cuckoo of Maithili) was a Maithili poet and a

Sikhism

The fundamental belief of Sikhism is that God exists as a real entity, but does not have gender. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century God is the principal or sole Deity in Religions and other belief systems that worship one deity. The Sikh Scriptures refer to God as Father and Mother thus:

God is my Protector, my Mother and Father. The principal Sikh scripture is the Adi Granth (First Scripture) more commonly called the Guru Granth Sahib. Meditating in remembrance on Him, I do not suffer in sorrow. (1)

– Guru Granth Sahib page 1183

So the concept of a goddess, although not normally referred to by Sikhs, is in keeping with the holy text of the religion and adheres to the overall concept of God. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji (ਗੁਰੂ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਸਾਹਿਬ gurū granth sāhib) or Guru Granth Sahib, is the eleventh and eternal Guru of the Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism.

Graeco-Roman religion

Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture
Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture
Main articles: Greek religion and Roman religion

Celtic religion

Main article: Celtic polytheism

Germanic paganism

"Freja" (1901) by Anders Zorn.
"Freja" (1901) by Anders Zorn. A statue is a Sculpture in the round representing a person or persons an animal or an event normally full-length as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Ancient Roman religion encompasses the collection of Beliefs and Rituals practised in Ancient Rome in the form of Cult practices The Eleusinian Mysteries (Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone In Greek mythology, Persephone ( Kore or Cora) was the embodiment of the Earth's fertility at the same time that she was the Queen of the Underworld Demeter (dɨˈmiːtɚ Greek:, possibly "distribution-mother" from the noun of the Indo-European mother-earth * dheghom * mater Baubo (Βαυβώ is an old woman in Greek mythology who jested with Demeter when she was mourning the loss of her daughter Persephone. In Greek mythology, Artemis language|Greek] ( Nominative), ( Genitive))] was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister ATHENA was an Antimatter research project that took place at the AD Ring at CERN. Originally a Hittite and Phrygian Goddess, Cybele (Κυβέλη was a deification of the Earth Mother and was worshipped in In the Olympian pantheon of classical Greek Mythology, Hera (ˈhɪərə or /ˈhɛrə/ Greek) or Here ( in Ionic and Homer In Greek mythology, Nike ( Greek Νίκη níːkɛː meaning Victory) was a Goddess who personified Triumph Potnia Theron ("Mistress of the Animals" is an ancient title of the Minoan Goddess an aspect of her power that was assumed by Artemis among others in the In Greek mythology, Selene (Σελήνη " Moon " English sɛˈliːniː was an archaic Lunar deity and the daughter of the Titans Celtic polytheism refers to the religious beliefs and practices of ancient Celts, prior to the Christianization of the Celtic-speaking lands *Agronā is the reconstructed Proto-Celtic name for the River Aeron in Wales. This article refers to the Pagan Goddess Brigid For the Catholic/Orthodox Saint of that name see Saint Brigid. In Celtic mythology, Dea Matrona ("divine mother goddess" was the Goddess of the river Marne in Gaul. The Morrígan ("terror" or "phantom queen" or Mórrígan ("great queen" (also known as Morrígu, Morríghan, Mor-Ríoghain In localised Celtic polytheism practiced in Britain Sul or Sulis was the deification of the thermal spring-water of Bath Somerset, where she was worshipped Anders Leonard Zorn ( February 18, 1860 – August 22, 1920) was a Swedish painter sculptor and Printmaker in Etching
Main article: Germanic paganism

Surviving accounts of Germanic mythology and later Norse mythology contain numerous tales and mentions of female goddesses, female giantesses, and divine female figures. Germanic paganism refers to the religious beliefs of the Germanic peoples preceding Christianization. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland A jötunn, sometimes anglicized as jotun (pronounced yotun is a giant in Norse mythology, a member of a race of nature spirits with superhuman strength

Abrahamic religions

Monotheist cultures, which recognise only one central deity, generally do characterize that deity as male, implicitly already grammatically by using masculine gender, but also explicitly by terms such as "Father" or "Lord". Näcken och Ägirs döttrar (Nils Blommérjpg|right|thumb|250px| Nils Blommér 's painting makes the Nix of Scandinavian folklore meet Ægir's daughters In Norse mythology, the dísir ("ladies" are fate goddesses who can be both benevolent and antagonistic towards mortal people and they include the Norns Eir ("help" or "mercy" in Old Norse is in Norse mythology, a Goddess of the Æsir who is called 'best of physicians' in the Edda ags Ēostre is the name of an Anglo-Saxon goddess attested by the eighth-century Benedictine monk Bede 's De temporum ratione Freyja (sometimes anglicized as Freya) is a major goddess in Norse Paganism, a subset of Germanic Paganism. Frigg (or Frigga) is a major goddess in Norse paganism, a subset of Germanic paganism. Fulla or Fylla is in Norse mythology, an ásynja. Her name is related to the adjective fullr, meaning "full In Norse mythology, Gersemi ( Old Norse: gersemi meaning smasher) is the daughter of Freyja and Óðr, and sister of gna redirects here see also GNA Gná is in Norse mythology, one of the three handmaids of Frigg, together with In Norse mythology, Gullveig ( Old Norse, potentially " Gold drink" or "gold might" is a mysterious figure who appears solely in the See also Death in Norse paganism In Norse mythology, Hel (sometimes Anglicized or Latinized as Hela) is the ruler of Hel, the Norse In Norse mythology, Hlín is one of the three handmaids of Frigg, together with Fulla and Gná. Hretha is a goddess in Anglo-Saxon paganism. Hretha is attested solely by Bede in his 8th century work De temporum ratione, chapter XV In Norse mythology, Óðr ( Old Norse "Frenzy" or Óð, sometimes angliziced as Odr, is a figure associated with the major goddess Iðunn (possibly meaning "ever young" or "rejuvenator" is a goddess in Norse mythology. Lofn is one of the Ásynjur in Norse mythology. She is mentioned briefly in Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda. In Norse mythology, Heimdall is said to have nine mothers Snorri Sturluson relates in the Edda ( Gylfaginning, 27 Nanna is a Goddess in Norse mythology, the daughter of Nepr and wife of Baldr (Balder Nerthus is a Goddess in Germanic paganism associated with fertility. The Norns ( Old Norse: norn, plural nornir) are a kind of Dísir, numerous female beings who rule the fates of the various races of Norse Skuld (possibly "debt" or "future" is a Norn in Norse mythology. Wyrd is a concept in Old English and Old Norse culture roughly corresponding to fate or Karma. In Norse mythology, Nótt ( Old Norse "night" is Night personified In Norse mythology, Rán ( Old Norse "theft robbery" is a sea goddess. In Norse mythology, Sága or Saga is a goddess of the Æsir and maybe another name for Frigg. Sif ("In-law-relationship" is a goddess in Norse mythology. Sjöfn is one of the Ásynjur in Norse mythology. She is mentioned briefly in Snorri Sturluson 's Prose Edda. According to the Prose Edda, Snotra is one of the Ásynjur. Her name is clearly derived from the adjective snotr meaning "wise" or "graceful" In Norse mythology, Syn is an Ásynja, or goddess who according to Gylfaginning "guards the doors of the hall and shuts them against those Þrúðr ( Old Norse "strength"sometimes anglicized as Thrúd or Thrud, is a daughter of the major god Thor in Norse Vár (probably from Old Norse várar: "pledges" is a goddess in Norse Mythology. For the Celtic Frost album see Monotheist (album In Theology, monotheism (from Greek grc [[wiktμόνος μόνος]] In Linguistics, grammatical genders, sometimes also called Noun classes are classes of nouns reflected in the behavior of associated words every noun must belong In all monotheist religions, however, there are mystic undercurrents which emphasize the feminine aspects of the godhead, e. g. the Collyridians in the time of early Christianity, who viewed Mary as a Goddess, the medieval visionary Julian of Norwich, the Judaic Shekinah and the Gnostic Sophia traditions. Collyridianism was an obscure early Christian heretical movement whose adherents apparently worshipped Mary the mother of Jesus, as a Goddess Julian of Norwich (c November 8, 1342 – c 1416 is considered one of the greatest English mystics Little is known of her life aside Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut Shekhinah (- alternative transliterations Shekinah, Shechinah, Shekina, Shechina, Schechinah, שכינה) is the English Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism,

Judaism

In Judaism, God (and souls, angels and other spiritual objects) has no gender. However, the word 'God' is grammatically male since Ancient Hebrew, like Modern Hebrew, had no neuter gender, only masculine and feminine. Although Judaism uses masculine words to describe God more than feminine words, Judaism maintains that God has no gender. In Judaism, the name of God is more than a distinguishing title While God is frequently referred to using masculine formations (because of the grammatical gender of the words generally used to describe God), the majority of objects related to worship in Judaism such as the Torah are grammatically feminine. Judaism (from the Greek Ioudaïsmos, derived from the Hebrew יהודה Yehudah, " Judah " in Hebrew יַהֲדוּת Yahedut term " Torah " ( Hebrew: תּוֹרָה "teaching" or "instruction" sometimes translated as "Law" most commonly refers to

Christianity

In Christianity, belief in a feminine deity was deemed characteristic of heresy, but veneration for Mary, the mother of Jesus, as an especially privileged human being, though not as a deity, has continued since the beginning of the Christian faith. Jesus of Nazareth (7–2 BC / BCE —26–36 AD / CE) A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth

Since the 1980s Christian feminists have challenged this traditional view; some such as Mary Daly no longer consider themselves Christian, but others continue to seek room within their traditions for the Divine Feminine and to press for female spiritual leadership. Mary Daly (born October 16, 1928 in Schenectady, New York) is a radical feminist (See thealogy. Thealogy is a Neologism translating to "study of the Goddess " (based on Greek θεά thea, "goddess" + -λόγία )

However, while the term "goddess" was rejected in what is usually considered orthodox Christianity, some Christians believe that God transcends sex, whether masculine or feminine.

Some people believe that the example of Jesus and the tradition of centuries has Christians refer to and address God as "Father", not "Mother". However, this is not the real meaning of the words Jesus used to describe the deity. The original words have a meaning of both mother and father. They believe that in Jesus, who was male, God became incarnate. Male (♂ refers to the sex of an organism or part of an organism which produces small mobile Gametes called spermatozoa. Pronouns that grammatically are of feminine gender (not pronouns that refer to the female sex, such as the English "she") are used to refer to the Holy Spirit in languages, such as Hebrew, where the word for "spirit" is of feminine grammatical gender. In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance In Greek, where the word for "spirit" is of neuter grammatical gender, the pronoun that refers to it is of neuter gender. In Latin, the pronoun is of masculine gender, referring to the grammatically masculine word "spiritus". However, while in English, a language without grammatical gender, the normal pronoun to refer to a spirit would be "it", the Holy Spirit is customarily referred to as "he", perhaps partly due to the influence of Latin and of the other Germanic languages, in which the word for spirit is of masculine grammatical gender.

Professedly Christian members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) believe in, but do not worship, a Heavenly Mother, the wife and female counterpart and equal of the Heavenly Father. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known [2]

Sarah, also known as Sarai, is sometimes translated (incorrectly) as 'goddess'. It actually means Princess.

Virgin Sophia design on a Harmony Society doorway in Harmony, Pennsylvania, carved by Frederick Reichert Rapp (1775-1834).
Virgin Sophia design on a Harmony Society doorway in Harmony, Pennsylvania, carved by Frederick Reichert Rapp (1775-1834). Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, The Harmony Society was a Christian theosophy and pietist society founded in Iptingen, Germany, in 1785 Harmony is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States.

In some Christian traditions (like the Orthodox tradition), Sophia is the personification of either divine wisdom (or of an archangel) which takes female form. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, She is mentioned in the first chapter of the Book of Proverbs. The Book of Proverbs is one of the books of the Ketuvim of the Tanakh, and thus also one of the books of the Old Testament.

In Christian mysticism, Gnosticism, as well as some Hellenistic religions, there is a female spirit or Goddess named Sophia that is said to embody wisdom and whom is sometimes described as a virgin. Christian Mysticism is traditionally practised through the disciplines of Prayer (including oratio meditation and Contemplation Gnosticism (γνώσις gnōsis, Knowledge) refers to a diverse Syncretistic Religious movement consisting of various Belief systems Hellenistic religion comprises any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of the peoples who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic Female (♀ is the Sex of an Organism, or a part of an organism which produces ova (egg cells The English word " spirit " comes from the Latin " spiritus " (breath Sophia (Σoφíα Greek for " Wisdom " is a central term in Hellenistic philosophy and religion, Platonism, Wisdom is a concept of personal gaining of Knowledge, Understanding, Experience, discretion and intuitive understanding, along with a capacity In Roman Catholic mysticism, Hildegard of Bingen celebrated Sophia as a cosmic figure both in her writing and art. Christian Mysticism is traditionally practised through the disciplines of Prayer (including oratio meditation and Contemplation Hildegard of Bingen (Hildegard von Bingen Hildegardis Bingensis 1098 – 17 September 1179) also known as Blessed Hildegard and Saint Hildegard Within the Protestant tradition in England, 17th Century Christian Mystic, Universalist and founder of the Philadelphian Society Jane Leade wrote copious descriptions of her visions and dialogues with the "Virgin Sophia" who, she said, revealed to her the spiritual workings of the Universe. Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland Christian Mysticism is traditionally practised through the disciplines of Prayer (including oratio meditation and Contemplation Universal reconciliation, also called universal salvation or sometimes simply universalism, is the Christian doctrine or belief that all will receive Salvation Jane Leade ( 1624 – 1704) was a Christian mystic born in Norfolk, England. Leade was hugely influenced by the theosophical writings of 16th Century German Christian mystic Jakob Böhme, who also speaks of the Sophia in works such as The Way to Christ[1]. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Jakob Böhme (probably April 24 1575 &ndash November 17 1624) was a German Christian mystic and Theologian Jakob Böhme was very influential to a number of Christian mystics and religious leaders, including George Rapp and the Harmony Society. Christian Mysticism is traditionally practised through the disciplines of Prayer (including oratio meditation and Contemplation Johann Georg Rapp ( November 1, 1757 in Iptingen, Germany – August 7, 1847 in Economy Pennsylvania) was the The Harmony Society was a Christian theosophy and pietist society founded in Iptingen, Germany, in 1785

Pre-Islamic Arabia and Islam

In pre-Islamic Mecca the goddesses Uzza, al-Manāt and al-Lāt were known as "the daughters of god". Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored Mentioned in the Qur'an ( Sura 53:19 al-‘Uzzá "the Mightiest One" or "the strong" (derived from the root ʕzz) was a pre- Mentioned in the Qur'an ( Sura 53:20 al-Lāt (Arabic اللَّات was a pre- Islamic Arabian Goddess who was one of the three Uzzā was worshipped by the Nabataeans, who equated her with the Graeco-Roman goddesses Aphrodite, Urania, Venus and Caelestis. The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan In Greek mythology, Urania (Οὐρανία jʊˈreɪnɪə in English which means "heavenly" was the Muse of Astronomy and Astrology Venus was a major Roman Goddess principally associated with Love, Beauty and fertility, the equivalent of the Greek goddess Each of the three goddesses had a separate shrine near Mecca. Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored Uzzā, was called upon for protection by the pre-Islamic Quraysh. Quraish is also the name of a Surah in the Qur'an. Quraysh or Quraish (Arabic ar قريش "In 624 at the battle called "Uhud", the war cry of the Qurayshites was, "O people of Uzzā, people of Hubal!" (Tawil 1993). Mt Uhud is a mountain near Medina. It is 142 meters high It was the site of the second battle between "Hubal" was also the pseudonym of Henryk Dobrzanski, a Polish partisan from World War II Hubal (هبل

According to Ibn Ishaq's controversial account of the Satanic Verses (q. TemplateInfobox Muslim scholars --> Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar (محمد بن إسحاق بن يسار or simply Ibn Satanic Verses is an expression coined by the historian Sir William Muir in reference to a few verses delivered by Muhammad as part of the Qur'an v. ), these verses had previously endorsed them as intercessors for Muslims, but were abrogated. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Most Muslim scholars have regarded the story as historically implausible, while opinion is divided among western scholars such as Leone Caetani and John Burton, who argue against, and William Muir and William Montgomery Watt, who for its plausibility. Leone Caetani ( September 12 1869 – December 25[[ 935]] Duke of Sermoneta (also known as Prince Caetani) was an Italian scholar Sir William Muir, KCSI ( 27 April 1819 – 11 July 1905) was a Scottish Orientalist. William Montgomery Watt ( 14 March 1909 – 24 October 2006) was an Emeritus Professor in Arabic and Islamic

In Islam, God (Allah), although referred to with masculine pronouns, is specifically identified in the Koran as genderless. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Allah ( Arabic: الله, ʔalˤːɑːh) is the standard Arabic word for '

New religious movements

Religious feminism

Main article: Feminist theology

At least since first-wave feminism in the United States, there has been interest in analyzing religion to see if and how doctrines and practices treat women unfairly, as in Elizabeth Cady Stanton's The Woman's Bible. Feminist Theology is a movement generally in Christianity, Judaism and New Thought, to reconsider the traditions practices Scriptures First-wave feminism refers to a period of Feminist activity during the nineteenth and early Twentieth century in the United Kingdom and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (November 12 1815 &ndash October 26 1902 was an American social activist and leading figure of the early woman's movement. Again in second-wave feminism in the U. Second-wave feminism refers to a period of Feminist activity which began during the 1960s and lasted through the late 1970s S. , as well as in many European and other countries, religion became the focus of some feminist analysis in Judaism, Christianity, and other religions, and some women turned to ancient goddess religions as an alternative to Abrahamic religions (Womanspirit Rising 1979; Weaving the Visions 1989). Today both women and men continue to be involved in the Goddess movement (Christ 1997). The Goddess movement is a loose grouping of social and religious phenomena growing out of Second-wave feminism, predominantly in North America Western Europe Australia and New Zealand The popularity of organizations such as the Fellowship of Isis attest to the continuing growth of the religion of the Goddess throughout the world. The Fellowship of Isis (FOI is a modern religious organization devoted to the worship of the Egyptian goddess Isis.

While much of the attempt at gender equity in mainstream Christianity (Judaism never recognized any gender for God) is aimed at reinterpreting scripture and degenderizing language used to name and describe the divine (Ruether, 1984; Plaskow, 1991), there are a growing number of people who identify as Christians or Jews who are trying to integrate Goddess imagery into their religions (Kien, 2000; Kidd 1996,"Goddess Christians Yahoogroup").

New Age and Wicca

In Wicca "the Goddess" is a deity of prime importance, along with her consort the Horned God. Horned gods, with Horns or Antlers appear in various cultures In the earliest Wiccan publications she is described as a tribal goddess of the witch community, neither omnipotent nor universal, and it was recognised that there was a greater "Prime Mover", although the witches did not concern themselves much with this being. The cosmological argument is an Argument for the Existence of God or a " First Cause " [3] Within many forms of Wicca the Goddess has come to be considered as a universal deity, more in line with her description in the Charge of the Goddess, a key Wiccan text. The Charge of the Goddess is a traditional inspirational text sometimes used in Wicca. In this guise she is the "Queen of Heaven", similar to Isis; she also encompasses and conceives all life, much like Gaia. Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and is celebrated in their mythology as the ideal mother and wife patron of nature and magic friend of slaves sinners Gaia (ˈgeɪə or /ˈgaɪə/ (" land " or " Earth " from the Ancient Greek Γαîα also Gæa or Gea Much like Isis and certain late Classical conceptions of Selene,[4] she is held to be the summation of all other goddesses, who represent her different names and aspects across the different cultures. In Greek mythology, Selene (Σελήνη " Moon " English sɛˈliːniː was an archaic Lunar deity and the daughter of the Titans

The Goddess is often portrayed with strong lunar symbolism, drawing on various cultures and deities such as Diana, Hecate and Isis, and is often depicted as the Maiden, Mother and Crone triad popularised by Robert Graves (see Triple Goddess below). In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt, being associated with wild animals and woodland and also of the Moon. Hecate ( Greek: Ἑκάτη, "far-shooting") Hekate ( Hekátê Isis is a goddess in Ancient Egyptian religious beliefs and is celebrated in their mythology as the ideal mother and wife patron of nature and magic friend of slaves sinners Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. Many depictions of her also draw strongly on Celtic goddesses. Celtic mythology is the Mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the Religion of the Iron Age Celts Like other Iron Age

Some Wiccans believe there are many goddesses, and in some forms of Wicca, notably Dianic Wicca, the Goddess alone is worshipped, and the God plays very little part in their worship and ritual. Dianic Wicca, also known as Dianic Witchcraft and Dianic Feminist Witchcraft, is a Goddess-centered woman-centered witchcraft tradition founded by Zsuzsanna Horned gods, with Horns or Antlers appear in various cultures

Triple Goddess

The lunar Triple Goddess symbol.
The lunar Triple Goddess symbol. In ancient Indo-European mythologies various Goddesses or demi-goddesses appear as a triad, either as three separate beings
Main article: Triple Goddess

Goddesses or demi-goddesses appear in sets of three in a number of ancient European pagan mythologies; these include the Greek Erinyes (Furies) and Moirae (Fates); the Norse Norns; Brighid and her two sisters, also called Brighid, from Irish or Keltoi mythology. In ancient Indo-European mythologies various Goddesses or demi-goddesses appear as a triad, either as three separate beings In Greek mythology the Erinyes (Ἐρινύες pl of Ἐρινύς lit The Moirae or Moerae (in Greek – the " apportioners " often called the The Fates) in Greek mythology, were the white-robed The Norns ( Old Norse: norn, plural nornir) are a kind of Dísir, numerous female beings who rule the fates of the various races of Norse This article refers to the Pagan Goddess Brigid For the Catholic/Orthodox Saint of that name see Saint Brigid.

Robert Graves popularised the triad of "Maiden" (or "Virgin"), "Mother" and "Crone", and while this idea did not rest on sound scholarship, his poetic inspiration has gained a tenacious hold. Robert Graves (24 July 1895 &ndash 7 December 1985 was an English Poet, Translator and Novelist. Considerable variation in the precise conceptions of these figures exists, as typically occurs in Neopaganism and indeed in pagan religions in general. Some choose to interpret them as three stages in a woman's life, separated by menarche and menopause. Menarche (American English məˈnɑrki British English mɛˈnɑːki is the first menstrual period, or first menstrual bleeding in the females of Human beings Menopause is the permanent shutting down of the female Reproductive system, a considerable length of time before the end of the lifespan Others find this too biologically based and rigid, and prefer a freer interpretation, with the Maiden as birth (independent, self-centred, seeking), the Mother as giving birth (interrelated, compassionate nurturing, creating), and the Crone as death and renewal (holistic, remote, unknowable) — and all three erotic and wise.

In dominantly Hellenic derived religions and in subsequent New Age and Wiccan religions, often three of the four phases of the moon (waxing, full, waning) symbolise the three aspects of the Triple Goddess: put together they appear in a single symbol comprising a circle flanked by two mirrored crescents. Some, however, find the triple incomplete, and prefer to add a fourth aspect. This might be a "Dark Goddess" or "Wisewoman", perhaps as suggested by the missing dark of the moon in the symbolism above, or it might be a specifically erotic goddess standing for a phase of life between Maiden (Virgin) and Mother, or a Warrior between Mother and Crone. According to the Random House Dictionary, the term warrior has two meanings There is a male counterpart of this in the English poem "The Parliament of the Thre Ages".

Discordianism

In Discordianism, Eris or Discordia, is generally venerated as Goddess, as illustrated in the first clause of the Pentabarf:

"There is no Goddess but Goddess and She is Your Goddess. Discordianism is a modern Religion centered on the idea that Chaos is as important as order. Eris ( Greek Ἔρις, "Strife" is the Greek Goddess of strife her name being translated into Latin as Discordia There is no Erisian Movement but The Erisian Movement and it is The Erisian Movement. And every Golden Apple Corps is the beloved home of a Golden Worm. "

She is generally described as a quick-tempered woman who spreads chaos and discord, which are fundamental to life and creativity. However, due to the nature of the religion, this is open to individual interpretation.

Many people liken Eris to a concept or idea, though this may be considered blasphemy by some. The term "concept" is traced back to 1554–60 ( l conceptum - something conceived but what is today termed "the classical theory of concepts" is the theory of Aristotle An idea is a form (such as a Thought) formed by Consciousness (including Mind) through the Process of ideation. Blasphemy is the disrespectful use of the name of one or more gods.

Reconstructionism

Main article: Polytheistic reconstructionism

Polytheistic reconstructionists focus on reconstructing polytheistic religions, including the various goddesses and figures associated with indigenous cultures. Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum Polytheistic reconstructionism, or simply Reconstructionism, is an approach to Neopaganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s and gatherig momentum

Metaphorical reference

The term "goddess" has also been adapted to poetic and secular use as a complimentary description of a non-mythological woman. For example, Shakespeare had several of his male characters address female characters as goddesses, including Demetrius to Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream ("O Helen, goddess, nymph, perfect, divine!"), Berowne to Rosaline in Love's Labour's Lost ("A woman I forswore; but I will prove, Thou being a goddess, I forswore not thee"), and Bertram to Diana in All's Well That Ends Well. William Shakespeare ( baptised Helena, frequently called Helen, is one of the Iconic four young lovers in William Shakespeare 's A Midsummer Night's Dream. A Midsummer Night's Dream is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, suggested by " The Knight's Tale " from Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare 's early comedies believed to have been written in the mid-1590s and first published in 1598 All's Well That Ends Well is a play by William Shakespeare, originally classified as a Comedy, though now often counted as one of his problem plays Pisanio also compares Imogen to a goddess to describe her composure under duress in Cymbeline. This article is about Shakespeare's play For the mythical British king see Cunobelinus. More recently, CBS News correspondent Bob Simon described Aishwarya Rai as "a Greek goddess with an Indian spirit" while interviewing her on 60 Minutes. CBS News is the news division of American Television and Radio network CBS. Bob Simon (born May 29 1941 is a CBS News television correspondent Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan or Aishwarya Bachchan (Birthname Aishwarya Rai; Tulu: ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯಾ ರೈ born 1 November 1973 is an internationally The art of ancient Greece has exercised an enormous influence on the culture of many countries from ancient times until the present particularly in the areas of Sculpture India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Not to be confused with the BBC news magazine program Sixty Minutes (TV series. [5]

See also

References

  1. ^ Eisler, Riane "The Challice and the Blade"
  2. ^ Smith, Joseph F. (1909). Man: Origin and Destiny, pp. 348-355.  
  3. ^ Gardner, Gerald [1959] (1988). Gerald Brousseau Gardner ( June 13 1884 - February 12 1964) was an English civil servant amateur anthropologist The Meaning of Witchcraft. Lakemont, GA US: Copple House Books, pp. 26-27.  
  4. ^ Betz, Hans Dieter (ed. ) (1989). The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation : Including the Demotic Spells : Texts. University of Chicago Press.  
  5. ^ 60 Minutes, January 2, 2005

Bibliography

Dictionary

goddess

-noun

  1. (religion, God) A female god.
  2. A human female honored or adored as physically attractive or of superior charm and intelligence.
  3. A human female revered as divine, as in the case of the Germanic prophetess Veleda of the first century AD.

Goddess

-proper noun

  1. The single goddess of various monotheistic religions.
  2. The single female goddess of various ditheistic religions.
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