Ishtar QUESTION from Lilly January 12, 2001 I am a 45 yr old fairly orthodox Roman Catholic woman, who over over the last year has developed a wonderful devotion along with my husband to Our Lady. In fact, Mary has been so instrumental in our lives that my husband of twenty-five years is converting to Catholicism. Yea!!
My question is this. A few months ago, I asked my guardian angel to know its name. Had read that I could do this somewhere. I went to bed, and the last thing I asked was for my angel's name. I awoke for a drink of water in the middle of the night. As I was making my way around the bed, a name came into my mind. I had never heard of this name before but I saw it in my mind's eye. I knew how to spell it and say it. I smiled and thanked my angel. For this name was so unusual, I knew it could not have come from my imagination.
Well, the name was Ishtar. Upon further research, I was stunned to know that she was a pagan goddess of fertility and love. Also known as Venus, Aphrodite, (goddesses of love) and other names. Now, this didn't horrify me, really only made me question the validity. Then a Catholic friend of mine told me that Ishtar was worshipped by some Satanic groups. She went to say that I might have been visited by a demon. Ok. I had enough. Too much scary stuff here. I am not into all this demonic stuff nor do I wish to be.
My love and devotion for Mary is so very real. I am not sure if I really buy all this satanic stuff. Sounds too overly imaginative to me. So I began thinking. Why Ishtar? Why to me? Along with this name, I was told in a dream to remember that Faith and hope are virtues, Lilly, but Love is the greatest of these gifts Now, since this Ishtar was known as a goddess of love, did this have anything to do with my dream? You see I believe Mary is the Queen of Love, Queen of all that is good in this world.
Could these pagan people of old have been worshipping the spirit of the New Eve the beautiful spirit of Mary -- by worshipping this Ishtar? But in their ignorance of the one God, they had misplaced devotion? Ignorant pagans were not all evil. The good and righteous people who worshipped false idols, just where was their petitions going? Were not some of them getting thru to the one God? Are all gods & goddesses that pagan prayed to evil spirits? Again, I find this so very hard to understand. And why me? I have not a clue as to what the Church believes on this subject matter. As you might imagine, I quite asking my angel its name. Although I still pray and speak to it.
Any clarification would be appreciated.
In Christ thru Mary, Lilly
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, O.L.S.M. on March 12, 2001 Dear Mrs Mary:
I thank you for your story for it so beautifully illustrates why we SHOULD NOT ask our guardian angel for his name. This is a common and dangerous practice. It should never be done.
Some people even have the arrogance of naming their angel. Our angels are not our pets, for pete sake. Naming an angel is the height of arrogance albeit unintended. It is misguided devotion. Our angels have been in existance since the beginning of time. They already have a name and how dare we go naming them. How would we like it if someone just started naming us whatever they pleased?
As to praying and asking the angel to reveal his name to you, although it lacks the shear arrogance of naming an angel, it is still dangerous and totally unnecessary. The danger lies in that we can easily be deceived. VERY EASILY.
If you are Catholic you MUST believe in a real satan and in real demons. It is part of the Catholic teaching. I can assure you that devils do in fact exist and that it is not unusual for a devil to try to trip up an unsuspecting soul. That is why St. Paul tells us to be on guard for hte devil is like a roaring lion waiting to devoir someone.
It is VERY UNLIKELY that your angel is named Ishtar. We know that God takes names very seriously. Throughout the Bible names are not just mere names to hang a hat on. The names of people and angels have specific meaning. The name of Cain is not likely to be a name of an angel either. Cain is known as a person contrary to God.
There is a way to test Ishtar, but your cannot do the test by yourself (because you can be too easily deceived on your own). However, the test itself might scare you.
I would suggest that your stop referring to your angel as Ishtar, renounce that name, and refer to your angel, as merely, My Angel sent from God the Father.
When you do this, if you continue to have nearly complusive feelings to continue with the name Ishtar, then contact me as we will need to take another step.
NOTE TO ALL: You DO NOT NEED to know your angel's name. Beware of trying to find out things that you are not really meant to know.
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