The history of sun worship, so seemingly foreign to the Western mind has, in fact, manifested itself into Christianity in many ways as the story of Jesus in the Gospels. So little was known about the life of Jesus, any and all writing styles from Midrash (searching past scriptures for "hints" of how they might apply to the present) to discerning the story of the Zodiac and it's constellations were used to fill in what was clearly missing in the literal record.
Consider our "modern" terms, Horizon and Sun Set. These terms belie their ancient history. Horus-sun (Horizon) was sunrise as Horus was the Egyptian god of light and the day light portion of the 24 hour cycle. Set, was the god of darkness and night. He came on the scene at "Sun Set" and is the Jackal headed god of the Egyptian underworld. When we say "what a beautiful Sun Set," we don't realize we are speaking as one might in ancient Egypt. Darkness was the time of Set, god of darkness. Night time was not a good time in most ancient mythologies. This is why many a priest stood every morning acting as if by incantation and arm waving, he could bring back the Sun/Son from the Underworld of darkness and fear. The sun descending into hell is something it did every Sun-Set. There was relief every morning when the sun/son was reborn.
Set murdered Osiris and in turn, Horus, son of Osiris, killed Set. Sunrise on the Horus-Sun defeats the night which began at Sun Set. Pretty cool huh? Jesus struggles with Satan (Set or Sata) in just the same way Horus battles with Set. It's all dualism. It's Light and Dark, good and evil, God and Satan.
"Set kills Osiris and scatters his body, then claims the throne of the gods for his own. He is later struck down by Horus, the son of Osiris, who restores order to the world and sets up the pharaohs as the guardians of Maat. Set and Horus continue to battle for control of the world, setting up an epic conflict of good versus evil." (Light and Dark) David C. Scott Website. Gods and Mythology of Egypt.
Consider the fact that Jesus is surrounded by 12 disciples and the events of Jesus life are like the Sun of God surrounded by the 12 signs of the Zodiac that make up the way of the sun across the heavens in one year. Just as the 12 sons of Jacob and the 12 tribes of Israel are astro-theology personified and are in fact references to the zodiac and the story it tells. We might not watch the heavens anymore, and we know precious little about the zodiac, the characters and the revolving story they tell, but our ancestors read the heavens as we read books today.
For instance, many of the world's crucified god men have their traditional birthday on December 25th ("Christmas"). This was a basic understanding we had in WCG and was not off the mark. Today, there is many times more material to show this connection.
This is because the ancients recognized that (from an earthcentric perspective) the sun makes an annual descent southward until December 21st or 22nd, the winter solstice, when it stops moving southerly for three days and then starts to move northward again. During this time, the ancients declared that "God's sun" had "died" for three days and was "born again" on December 25th. So Xmas really is the Birthday of the SUN/SON in every way.
The ancients realized quite abundantly that they needed the sun to return every day and that they would be in big trouble if the sun continued to move southward and did not stop and reverse its direction. Thus, these many different cultures celebrated the "sun of God's" birthday on December 25th.
In reality, the sun "dies" for three days on December 22nd, the winter solstice, when it stops in its movement south, to be born again or resurrected on December 25th, when it resumes its movement north. For those three days it might be said the Sun is in the grave.
In December, the Virgin, the constellation Virgo precedes sunrise and thus, "Behold, a Virgin shall bring forth the sun/son," would be part of the story in the heavens. Matthew literalized the story in his reacing back into Isaiah for a story about a young woman that had virtually nothing to with prophecy of a literal virgin birth or Jesus himself.
Remember the alternative explanation of Isa. 14 and "how thou art fallen, oh Lucifer, (light Bringer-Venus precedes sunrise), thou bright and morning star," (Venus). Remember how Venus appears to rise and then descends back into the earth and how this IS the origin of the story of Satan's fall for trying to ascend to God's Throne, which is astro-theologically NOON. Everyone sees "Satan fall as lightening from heaven" at one time or another during the year if you know what Venus looks like just before Sun rise on the Horus-sun, or even shortly after Sun-Set.
Something that bright got humanity's attention and the stories of it's apparent motion followed and then were literalized by the theologically ignorant. Venus always was and always will be a planet on the inside orbit between earth and the sun. It behaves as it does because it is as it is. Whole theologies have grown up around that which could not then be explained but now can be easily explained. Once you have the true explanation, you can drop the false one.
The Jesus story in the gospels may also be the story of the Sun/Son of God.
The sun is the "Light of the World." Just as Jesus.
The sun "cometh on clouds, and every eye shall see him." Just as Jesus.
The sun rising in the morning is the "Savior of mankind." Just as Jesus.
The sun wears a corona, "crown of thorns" or halo. Just as Jesus.
The sun "walks on water." Just as Jesus.
The sun can turn water (rain) into wine (grapes) Just as Jesus.
The sun's "followers," "helpers" or "disciples" are the 12 months and the 12 signs of the zodiac or constellations, through which the sun must pass. Just as Jesus.
The sun at 12 noon is in the house or temple of the "Most High"; thus, "he" begins "his Father's work" at "age" 12. Just as Jesus.
The sun enters into each sign of the zodiac at 30°; (30x12=360 degrees) hence, the "Sun of God" begins his ministry at "age" 30. Just as Jesus.
The sun is hung on a cross or "crucified," which represents its passing through the equinoxes, the vernal equinox being Easter, at which time it is then resurrected. Just as Jesus.
(Archarya S.-- Suns of God/The Christ Conspiracy)
Consider the following.
The rejection of Cain's grain offering (Agricultural Goddess and fertility recognition of the religions surrounding Israel) and the acceptance of Abel's (roasted meat) offering was a symbol of the change to come in Israel from Matriarchy and female based religion, to Patriarchy, Priesthood and cultic temple worship and sacrifices. The story is not true, the message was clear! Women are now property and men own them, no matter what the "pagan" nations around practice or respect in the mysteries of the feminine and fertility. (sex if you must know!)
Little has changed in the Christian Patriarchy since which is why for years I allowed myself to say the words, "who gives this woman..." in marriage ceremonies. I stopped including that in the wedding ceremony at the end. The Father always formally transferred his property to the qualified and selected male and I had to be the priest in the middle negotiating the transaction! Men have had way too much time to screw up the planet and it's time perhaps to let the feminine spirit restore the right side of the brain in humans! It's time to act as the one we really all are inspite of that which divides us.
The physical sun has always fascinated human beings. It "rises" in the east to bring it's warmth, light, and "sets" in the West, plunging the world into darkness with all the associated insecurites and dangers. It was truly a miracle and a most welcomed relief when every morning, the Sun rose from the land of the dead to bring it's light and protection for yet another day. It's cycles and apparent motion through the constellations has told the story of mankind for thousands of years, with all our hopes and fears. The physical Sun has been much of the inspiration of the spiritual son mythologies.
We're all still sun/son worshippers at heart.
