Northern Neil Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 As I type, I am listening to BBC Radio 4, and I have just heard a rather interesting news story. Apparantly, worshippers of the Olympian gods are attempting to re-establish their religion in Greece, and plan to hold a ceremony at the Temple of Zeus tomorrow. Leaders of the Greek Orthodox Church are attempting to get the government to disallow this, and they are calling these people 'Revivalists of a degenerate and misguided religion'. Nice to see that tolerance prevails in Greece, and that all efforts are being made to reunite Greeks with the original religion of their culture and people. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 (edited) I wonder from where these folk get the original 'ceremonies' and whatever else the ancients did? Same for the Druid business. Edited January 21, 2007 by Gaius Octavius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted January 21, 2007 Report Share Posted January 21, 2007 I wonder from where these folk get the original 'ceremonies' and whatever else the ancients did? Same for the Druid business. Unlike the Celts, we have a good idea of what Greek and Roman religious rites were, as the Mediterreanean cultures actually recorded their affairs in writing. However ... things are not quite as they appear when it comes to those groups in Greece. They seem to take a rather Orphic view of things (The Orphics are a historically attested cult, but they were a mystical fringe cult at best). Furthermore, a lot of these Greek pagans seem to have a very Nationalist view of things, which means their religion is tinged with a good bit of ethnic politics. A lot of us Greco-Roman pagans over here in the States have concluded those groups aren't really reviving the religion of ancient, mainstream Hellas so much as they are inventing a religion suitable for post-Cold War ethnic identity politics. Nonetheless I feel they should have the freedom to do as they please. The Greek Orthodox Church has a frightening amount of restrictive influence over there. PS - since this is about a modern group's slant on Ancient religion, rather than an actual ancient religion per se, I think it best to move this thread to the Afterhours forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julius Ratus Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) Ursus -- The Greek Orthodox Church has a frightening amount of restrictive influence over there. Would you rather the Turks? If these modern pagans tried the same thing over in Ionia today they would be quite deceased. Edit -- I can never get the quote thing to work properly. Edited January 22, 2007 by Julius Ratus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Yeah, you have a point. If I have to make a choice between Christianity and Islam, I'll take Christianity hands down. But to be very blunt, I'd like to see the power of all militant monotheists over the state curtailed. This sort of thing shouldn't happen in Western democracies - especially in a European Union that likes to bill itself as oh-so-much-more socially progressive than the States. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CiceroD Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 (edited) Im interested in how Graeco-Roman Pagans over here worship, Ursus. Do you get your ceremonies from ancient texts, and therefore are more historically accurate than the Orphics? Do you perform animal sacrifices? (not that theres anything wrong with that) Do you have cult statues of the Gods? Im asking out of simple curiosity Edited January 23, 2007 by CiceroD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Im interested in how Graeco-Roman Pagans over here worship Ursus. Save for his new love, I don't think that anyone worships Ursus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil61 Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 As I type, I am listening to BBC Radio 4, and I have just heard a rather interesting news story. Apparantly, worshippers of the Olympian gods are attempting to re-establish their religion in Greece, and plan to hold a ceremony at the Temple of Zeus tomorrow. Leaders of the Greek Orthodox Church are attempting to get the government to disallow this, and they are calling these people 'Revivalists of a degenerate and misguided religion'. Nice to see that tolerance prevails in Greece, and that all efforts are being made to reunite Greeks with the original religion of their culture and people. I see no reason why they shouldn't be allowed. But honestly, re-establishing worship of Olympian gods seems like a silly affectation to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursus Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Im interested in how Graeco-Roman Pagans over here worship Ursus. Save for his new love, I don't think that anyone worships Ursus. Heretic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northern Neil Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I say good luck to them. As I am an agnostic verging on the atheistic, I don't see why their religion should be any less valid than any other. And What they follow probably is closer to the original than Christianity is to its own origins, given that Christianity has virtually wiped out its original practices, literature and meaning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Virgil61 Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I say good luck to them. As I am an agnostic verging on the atheistic, I don't see why their religion should be any less valid than any other. And What they follow probably is closer to the original than Christianity is to its own origins, given that Christianity has virtually wiped out its original practices, literature and meaning. I see what your point is but I've got to disagree a bit. From a sociological and historical perspective Greek Orthodox Christianity is at least an outgrowth and reflection of that particlular culture since antiquity, up to and including the Byzantine Empire, a symbol of 'Greekness' under the Ottoman Turks, a vestige of their influence on other Orthodox rites, and on and on through a troubled history. That's quite a deep mine of cultural cache of Orthodoxy that gives the resuscitation of a long-dormant religion the look of just an assumed, rather than say indigenously natural, religious construct by goofy Society for Creative Anachronism and 'dungeons and dragons' types. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I pretty much agree with NN, good luck to them. I suppose some people will see it as a bit crazy but at least it's better than worshiping Satan or some other strange religion (cult, sect or whatever). Slighty off subject..... But speaking of strange religions etc, I read in one of today's daily papers (can't remember which one) that the leaders of the cult/ religion of Scientology had claimed that Tom Cruise is the new "Christ" of Scientiology and that he is the "chosen one" chosen to spread thier faith throughout the world, they also reckon that in years to come Cruise will be worshipped like Jesus.............Hello The word 'fruitcakes' springs to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DecimusCaesar Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 But speaking of strange religions etc, I read in one of today's daily papers (can't remember which one) that the leaders of the cult/ religion of Scientology had claimed that Tom Cruise is the new "Christ" of Scientiology and that he is the "chosen one" chosen to spread thier faith throughout the world, they also reckon that in years to come Cruise will be worshipped like Jesus.............Hello The word 'fruitcakes' springs to mind Does this mean that 2,000 years from now 'Cocktail' will be considered Gospel? Will we be reciting words from Jerry Maguire in Scientology temples? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 But speaking of strange religions etc, I read in one of today's daily papers (can't remember which one) that the leaders of the cult/ religion of Scientology had claimed that Tom Cruise is the new "Christ" of Scientiology and that he is the "chosen one" chosen to spread thier faith throughout the world, they also reckon that in years to come Cruise will be worshipped like Jesus.............Hello The word 'fruitcakes' springs to mind Does this mean that 2,000 years from now 'Cocktail' will be considered Gospel? Will we be reciting words from Jerry Maguire in Scientology temples? Haha Everybody chanting ' show me the money!!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Octavius Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 I think that all these Greeks, Druids, etc., are a bunch of wackos looking for a bit of attention. This lot should take up knitting or something more eclectic in their spare time. Personally, I am into the Vampire bit. [ N.N., I hope that you know that I am playing Devil's Advocate. (Pardon the Papist term.)] Now, Scientology, that is the real thingy. Didn't L. Ron Hubbard write his book as a joke? And then it took off? Don't womens worship @ Tom Cruise's altars this very day? Pass the plate and empty your purses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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