[Avodah] Tamuz-Avodah Zarah-Mentioning Names only Asur if still Worshipped?

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, January 15, 2008 5:24 pm, Segal, R Ariel wrote:
: Hello everyone. I had a question about mentioning the names of
: idolatrous deities. In the Artscroll Mishnayot Avodah Zara, there is
: a footnote-I forget where-that says that the issur only applies when
: the avodah zara is still worshipped today. What is the source for
: this?
:
: [Also, given that there are still small groups of neopagans that claim
: to worship ancient Greek/Scandinavian deities, does that remove the
: heter, if there is one, from mentioning them?]

Tammuz is a life-death-rebirth deity. Tablets found in the 60s tell of
him going down to redeem the sins of Inana (= Ishtar = Asheirah), his
consort. Tammuz = Dimuzid = Adonis (which really translates to Ba'al)
is then revived. Yechezqeil hanavi scolds women for mourning his death
in the shadow of the BHMQ!

Tammuz, Ishtar and Marduk (=Molekh) make up a trinity.

In a sense, much of him lives on in a very popular Western religion...

Thus, asking RAS's question in another dimension... Does the neopagan
deity identify as the old one, and if yes, why wouldn't Yeishu (who is
probably more like Tammuz than any of the neopagans managed to
reconstruct their religions)?

SheTir'u baTov!
-micha

-- 
Micha Berger             One who kills his inclination is as though he
micha at aishdas.org        brought an offering. But to bring an offering,
http://www.aishdas.org   you must know where to slaughter and what
Fax: (270) 514-1507      parts to offer.        - R' Simcha Zissel Ziv