Lunar Religions and Solar Heros

i'd like to propose more of an organized discussion than a debate really. i don't want over the reality or verifiability of the discussion. i don't want people discussing the "reality" of modern religions and their divine inspiration. i want a purely intellectual and speculative discussion absent of religious mudslinging.i'm interested in a mystical conversation about solar hero myths, lunar religions, symbols of such, the implications of the age of aries (and the end of taurus), and an especially guided and tactful discussion of modern religions and their similarities. i am interested in increasing my knowledge.this could just go in coffeehouse, but i'm worried about the tact part.background:a solar hero is a god or heroic figure in mythology that follows the path of the sun. he is born; he lives; he does bright and shining miracles; then he dies and decends into the underworld (generally to fight evil); and then rises to life again. there are a literal ton of these myths throughout the world. a few in particular are the egyptian god Aten, Isis, Prometheus, Persephone/Demeter, Apollo, Hermes, Kadmos (son of Zeus by Europa who founded Thebes), Quetzalcoatl, Mithra, and of course Jesus. associated with the solar mythos is the lion and the sunburst or cross pattern specifically the celtic cross with the circle.
i'd imagine a sun-based calendar is also typical. also, it is alleged that sun worship is the source of henotheism and ultimately monotheism.lunar myths.
i don't know much about them. hence part of the reason for the topic.
there is a prevalence of a lunar calendar. bulls and serpents are typical symbols. and there is a search and respect for wisdom and knowledge particularly ancient varieties.
specific deities are identified as Thoth, Rhea, Artemis, Selene, Hecate and so forth. now, i know from macbeth that hecate is regarded as a witch goddess.age of aries v taurus.
now i'm not big on astrology either so bear with me. i'm learning slowly. but horoscopes are still bullshit.
the star seen in the sky over bethlehem was not so much a star as an astrological event. when jupiter entered the area of the sky where the constellation of aries is, this symbolized the king (jupiter) being in the hebrew people (known in symbol by aries the ram). this was the age of aries. the previous age had been that of taurus the bull. this is brought in to mithraism in a huge way. Mithra (a warrior like aries) is shown in statue as killing the bull.This message has been edited by brennakimi, 05-07-2006 12:02 PM

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

bump.

Are you looking for examples from various religions throught the world or is this discussion limited to precursors to Western religions?Don't really understand the aries v. taurus part. Are events in the various solar or lunar deities supposed to be linked to astronomical phenomena? The constellations (if delineated) are different in different societies.I am considering your post and will attempt to answer in more detail soon but don't have time until the weekend.

oh, i'm more than willing to discuss non-western deities. i'm simply not familiar with them.the astrological event has played a big role in many western religions. it founded mithraism, and might have founded christianity. it seems to me that western people have long looked at the stars and most of such understanding seems to be related. probably through rome.

I have not forgotten, but this is not some answer one can get from a Wikipedia entry, I have to hit the books, it will take time.I don't even know if what I am doing will suffice, but will give it a reasonable reply soon. Please bear with me.