Dawning of the Sun

Venus has been known since ancient time as the morning star or dawnbringer. It’s appearance low on the horizon heralds the rising of the sun and the start of a new day but also appears as the evening star and follows sunset. The Greeks called the planet Lucifer, the lightbearer. Perhaps this is where the modern myth of Lucifer cast out of the heavens came from.
It’s amazing to think about how much modern culture is taken from ancient myth. For example, the twelve hours in the day may refer to the twelve steps of Horus or the sun across the sky ending on the horizon at sunset with Horus being killed by Set. Notice the similarity between the word “Horus”, “hours” and “horizon” and “sunset” with “Set”. These are the same 12 missions that Hercules takes or the 12 stations of cross in modern Christianity. I wonder when George Lucas was writing Star Wars if sun worship had an influence his name for the hero of his franchise, Luke Skywalker.
In fact much of the teachings of major world religions has astronomical metaphor at their core – especially Christianity. Why is Jesus born three days after the winter solstice? Why do we worship on Sunday? Why is there a similarity between the word “sun” and “son”? These can’t be all coincidences. Many ancient gods were born on the winter solstice and the Jesus we know is an amalgam of them.
The symbol of the sun was the circle enclosing a cross which is still used in many churches throughout the world today. Gnostics used this cross as their central symbol showing their direct association with Christ and the sun. Moderns somehow have this story confused with real history and god has been made flesh.
Although it is hidden in metaphor and allegory sun worship is still thriving today as it was since man first appeared on earth.