Diakonissa Deborah writes:  Although fundies don’t like to hear it,I don’t think there is much doubt that the Song of Songs is adapted fromMiddle Eastern pagan love poetry. The fact that the biblical writers chideSolomon for his lack of constancy to YHVH shows that he was integrating whatGareth Knight calls natural and revealed religion. In this, he was not rebellingagainst YHVH, but reestablishing his partner, the Great Goddess (Hebrewsknow her as Shekinah) at his side.

Understanding ANE poetry helps explain some of the supposed incongruitiesof the story. Most fundies have to do all kinds of permutations to explainthe presence of both the shepherd lover and the king. They’re said to betwo different people. But knowing that ANE poetry uses the shepherd and kingto symbolize the same man makes it all fall into place.

I believe David began to syncretize the “old ways” of Canaan with the Hebrewreligion and Yahwehism. Solomon extended that practice. I also believe, thoughthis is harder to prove, that both David and Solomon received some sort ofarcane knowledge, some of which is being restored to esoteric folks likeus. I think this arcane knowledge is part of the reason why groups like theFreemasons (descended from the Templars) make so many references to Solomon(even though they generally have no idea what they’re doing). Part of thisarcane knowledge is the understanding of the meaning of hieros gamos, andits importance in the restoration of balance in the earth.

–Diakonissa Deborah

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Diakonissa Priestess Guyon writes:

I find it quite intriguing that early Christian church leaders included thisbook (Song of Songs) in the Bible. Since they preached against sex throughoutthe centuries, this particular book must have been very hard to explain aspart of Holy Scripture. This is one of the most erotic writings on earthin my opinion.

I can, however, understand these writings being included in Jewish Scripture.They have a long and varied history and many sects of Judaism embracedneighboring belief systems more easily in different times of their historicaljourney. The fact that they would attribute important writings to Solomonis also not surprising and I believe the same thing happened in the New Testamentfor the same reason–to give it more weight and importance.

“Indeed, the famous ‘Song of Solomon’ itself is a hymn to Astarte, and aninvocation of her:…” This quote actually proves my point above. Solomonwas known to have embraced neighboring religions. Whether this is consideredgood or bad is up to the individual, but I do know that many church leaderstoday teach that it was Solomon’s willingness to practice other religionsthat led to the downfall of Israel.

David and Solomon were both very sexual men as portrayed in scripture. “WhenSolomon grew old his wives swayed his heart to other gods; and his heartwas not wholly with Yahweh his God as his father David’s had been. Solomonbecame a follower of Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians.” David’s heartwas not always in tune with Yahweh either. His affair with Bathsheba, andthen conspiring to kill her husband, is not necessarily an act of devotionto God.

On a personal note: I believe that sex for many women in the Christian religionhas been taught as a duty. Many men see it that way, and women come to resentthat part of marriage. (Along with other things; don’t get me started) Itbecomes a problem, an underlying battle of wills in many Christian marriages.Instead of enjoying this aspect of our relationships, this one thing becomesa bargaining chip. When people understand the balance between the two sexes,the beauty and peace associated with it, all of a sudden this one aspectchanges perspective. Until that balance is taught fully and totally, theChristian community will suffer. The Song of Songs is so blunt in its message,how have we twisted this teaching?