Zeus Resurgence? Olympus Ascending?
Athens - A group of Greek pagans who venerate the ancient gods of Mount Olympus said on Friday they would shortly be seeking state recognition of their beliefs.
"We call for the respect and protection of this pre-Christian religion and for the removal of all obstacles preventing its practice," said Vassilis Tsantilas, of the association of the "Supreme Council of the Gentile Hellenes" to which, he says, about 1000 polytheists belong.
The association was set up in 1997 to the fury of the Greek Orthodox Church to which almost all Greeks belong.
It is asking the authorities to facilitate access to archaeological sites so they can conduct their ceremonies, Tsantilas said.
Is this what happens when actors who perform rituals in preparation for the Olympic games get carried away with their "rites"?
From Wikipedia:
"The Olympic Torch today is ignited several months before the opening celebration of the Olympic Games at the site of the ancient Olympics in Olympia, Greece. Eleven women, most of them actresses, representing the roles of priestesses, perform a ceremony in which one lights the flame, by placing a torch in a parabolic mirror which concentrates rays from the Sun...
"For the ancient Greeks, fire had divine connotations -- it was thought to have been stolen from the gods by Prometheus. Therefore, fire was also present at many of the sanctuaries in Olympia, Greece. A fire permanently burned on the altar of Hestia in Olympia, Greece. During the Olympic Games, which honoured Zeus, additional fires were lit at his temple and that of his wife, Hera. The modern Olympic flame is ignited at the site where the temple of Hera used to stand."
Reviving the Greek gods of old? Why bother? What good ever came of Zeus and and his krewe? How was ancient Greece benefited by devotion to such capricious characters? And talk about superstition...They were so afraid of offending their gods they built an altar to an unknown god-- just in case they had left out some immortal from their pantheon. The Apostle Paul tells the Athenians just who the unknown God was/is... Acts 17:22-34
from the mind of... Eric | 6:41 PM
12 Comments:
They'll get recognition, too. If they were Christians they wouldn't.
Mark, they already have recognition. The official religion of Greece is Eastern Orthodox Christian. Hello....
Man, those pagans are hot!
Does this mean that all the greek statuary and such will have to be removed from public places?
Hmm, good one. But my bet is they'll repackage the old myth of Prometheus and Epimetheus, call it "intelligent design," and demand that it be taught in schools.
ELAshley, you ask what good ever came of Greek mythology? Well, it was contemporaneous with the birth of western civilization, the precursors to modern science and medicine, and a flourishing of the arts and culture.
By the same token one could ask what demonstrable good has come of Christianity? One could argue that when Rome converted to Christianity, it only ushered in the decline and fall of the empire, replacing it with the Dark Ages-- a time ruled by superstition, religious wars, and stake burnings of millions as heretics and witches.
Here's my point: the jabs you take at other religions are just as potent when aimed at Christianity. Try as you might, you cannot objectively claim that Christianity is better. It is a matter of faith only (and faith is defined as belief without evidence).
"...faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
There is evidence all around us that Christianity is superior to all others, however infallible the men who profess it.
The Dark Ages were brought about by men, and sin, and a corruption of the Word... not God.
"There is evidence all around us that Christianity is superior to all others"
I'm waiting to hear just what that evidence is. I was raised a Christian, and my dad was a Southern Baptist. Yet I have seen no such evidence in my lifetime. And given that the bible is wrong on many points I see no reason to accept the rest of it as fact.
The "evidence all around us" may just be your own biases. You were born into a Christian family, so you think Christianity is right. In fact, you think your brand of Christianity is right. Just like those born into Shiite families that think there is "evidence all around" them that they are right and the Sunnis are wrong. And vise versa.
It's all just superstition and sectarian tribalism, as old as the human race.
I was, in fact, NOT born into a Christian Family. I came into it on my own (though honestly, I can't accept resonsibility for my decision... as explained below) and struggle with it still.
It's especially difficult when the faith I have is not my own... no one has faith... God gives us the faith to believe. Turn our eyes from God, for too long (and just how long is too long?), and it slips through our fingers.
Faith is a struggle.
And to question a point you made...
"I was raised as a Christian..."
Might I point out you were raised in a Christian home by Christians. No one is raised a "Christian". One either accepts Christ at some point in his/her life, or one does not. It is not a question of upbringing, it's a question of personal choice.
Points taken, and kudos for having an open mind- that is, struggling and changing your path.
Just for the record, I did accept Christ at one point in my life. But I am no longer a believer. As I said before, I think Jesus was a magnificent teacher, but after much careful thought and searching, I have come to believe that he was not divinely inspired.
Solomon,
I've got to know--why?
D. Elrod,
I'll try to answer your question when I get back- right now traveling with the wifey.
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