Revived Ancient Greek Religion

[Rameses the Great]

I don't understand who they are targeting here. 98% of Greece's population is Greek Orthodox and 98% is baptised into the Greek Orthodox church. Greeks are often proud of their past, but I've never seen them wanting to revert to ancient ways. Either way I think that this is for people who migrate from other parts of the world rather than Greeks. Many have been arrested in Greece for preaching another religion, now we're going to make a case for the revival of paganism?

 

This is meant for others who want to partake in ancient rites not Greeks by any means.

[The Augusta]

Im interested in how Graeco-Roman Pagans over here worship, Ursus.

 

Do you perform animal sacrifices? (not that theres anything wrong with that)

 

Please tell me you are joking, Cicero D?

 

But in answer to the main topic - what on earth is the point of reviving, introducing or creating yet another set of rites or beliefs that divide people in our already shredded world? A person's faith in whatever deity or myth - whatever you want to call it - is a personal thing, and as far as I'm concerned, it should remain so. It's when it becomes a public issue that I have a problem. I don't force my atheism onto my fellow citizens, and I sure as heck don't want their beliefs forced on me. Do we really need another 'public' religion?

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Do we really need another 'public' religion?

 

Funny, leftist radicals I know here in America deny that Christianity is the public religion of the US.

[Ursus]

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.

 

 

My experiences in the pagan community has led me to believe this is unfortunately true some of the time. However, it would be an incorrect generalization to apply to everybody.

 

The "Reconstruction" or "Revival" of lost religions is a fascinating topic in its own right. Some of those undertaking the attempt do have social, political and personal agendas that are far from a genuine respect for whatever deities they claim to honor. However, again, to apply this to all is a bit unfair.

 

I think Hellenic and especially Roman paganism are actually suited to the modern world, albeit with a few concessions (animal sacrifice would probably never pass current social taboo, not to mention paganism will never be a State religion again). It is not as though it is a completely alien mindset as Western Culture is saturated with those respective myths. I see no reason why it would be any more of an anachronism than a post Vatican II Catholic Church.

 

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?

 

 

Why not? Do you think the Romans of the mid first century could ever imagine a small heretical Jewish cult would evolve and effectively own the Roman State 3 centuries hence?

[Gaius Octavius]

Do we really need another 'public' religion?

 

Funny, leftist radicals ( Have you ever heard of the angle -side- side proof of congruity in geometry?) I know here in America deny that Christianity is the public religion of the US.

 

Do you know that the USA made a treaty with the Barbary States declaring that Christianity is not the religion of the USA? That this treaty is the Law of the USA?

 

I am sure that you have read the Constitution of the USA. Therefor, would you please enlighten all as to where God or Christianity is mentioned therein? (Actually, there is mention, but I'll leave that to you.)

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

Do we really need another 'public' religion?

 

Funny, leftist radicals ( Have you ever heard of the angle -side- side proof of congruity in geometry?) I know here in America deny that Christianity is the public religion of the US.

 

Do you know that the USA made a treaty with the Barbary States declaring that Christianity is not the religion of the USA? That this treaty is the Law of the USA?

 

I am sure that you have read the Constitution of the USA. Therefor, would you please enlighten all as to where God or Christianity is mentioned therein? (Actually, there is mention, but I'll leave that to you.)

 

I never intended to say it was officially recognized, just intending to say that the public image and history of the US has largely been associated with the Christian faith. Yes, I realize my wording sucked, so my fault Octavius.

 

And before anyone questions my Constitution knowledge, I'll say this: 92% on the High School AP US Constitution test.

[Gaius Octavius]

And before anyone questions my Constitution knowledge, I'll say this: 92% on the High School AP US Constitution test.

 

Then you had better get cracking!

BTW, what does that statement mean? Does it have meaning?

Don't forget to read Tom Paine.

 

Edited January 24, 2007 by Gaius Octavius

[FLavius Valerius Constantinus]

And before anyone questions my Constitution knowledge, I'll say this: 92% on the High School AP US Constitution test.

 

Then you had better get cracking!

BTW, what does that statement mean? Does it have meaning?

Don't forget to read Tom Paine.

 

 

Which ones from Thomas Paine? Common Sense or his bickering about Pres. Washington.

[Gaius Octavius]

FVC, try 'Common Sense'. That is always a useful commodity.

[CiceroD]

Im interested in how Graeco-Roman Pagans over here worship, Ursus.

 

Do you perform animal sacrifices? (not that theres anything wrong with that)

 

Please tell me you are joking, Cicero D?

 

 

I assure you Augusta I am neither joking nor insane

 

I think its important to understand so called "weird" religions.

Where do you think the Romans would be if they understood that executing Christians ad bestiam would never get them anywhere.

 

and my (Not that theres anything wrong with that) is to let everyone know that Im not being judgemental

even though I wouldnt be able to stomach an animal sacrifice

[Kosmo]

Clasical pagan rites were mostly public rites. The religion was not personal, focused on salvation, but centered on public interest. How can you revive that? I would like to see the worship of my favorite deity "Disciplina Augusta". This kind of recreations would be even less acurate then the way budhism it's done in the West by non-asiatic gurus.

 

Being inacurate they have no right at claiming the heritage of the ancients so they should not be aloud to perform in historical monuments. And I believe that churches have the obligation to be political incorect, so they have the right to fight them. That the state should be tolerant this is another problem, no one should be stopped from believing in whatever (and really no one can be forced).

 

I remember that when I was a teen and a little bit more religious I was in an orthodox monastry and the service was about one martyr girl named Marina. She was from the city of Iconium (today Konya in Turkey). The service and the looks of the orthodox churches are very similar with those of late Middle Ages and many aspects are much older. That is old enough and accurate enough for me.

 

By returning to paganism greeks dont do much for their heritage. Christianity is to a large degree a greek invention as I believe that the original jewish sect would be shocked about what came of their ideea.

[Julius Ratus]

Furthermore, the Greek Orthodox Church's position could be construed as one of self preservation. The last time pagans were the dominant religion in Greece, Christians ended up getting fed to lions and other such unpleasantries.

 

As far as modern paganism goes, one only has to look as far as Sweeden to see the Church burnings and you can get a glimpse of what modern pagan rule may bring. This sort of thing has many Eastern Christians worried.

[TaylorS]

I thought the Orthodox Christian guy calling the revived paganism a "delusion from the past" was hilarious, as if Christianity and every other religion wasn't as equally deluded. The pot calling the kettle black, "true believers" will always call the other beliefs delusion.

[Northern Neil]

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.)]

No, thats a valid point, Octavius. I find the Druid thing a little more difficult to understand, given that there is almost nothing known about it with which to reconstruct the religion. If indeed it was a religion, and not just a sub-division within Celtic paganism. I must also agree with TaylorS - for Greek Orthodox priests to believe that their religious texts are a matter of historical fact flies in the face of all evidence, and to claim that any other kind of spirituality has less relevence to theirs is plainly elitist and misguided.

 

I think the mystery cultists had it about right - religious texts were not to be taken as a literal truth, but were allegories, tailored to the worshippers background and culture in order to enable a spiritual connexion with god. What name you gave him, or wether or not you ate Pork, or fish on Friday, didn't really come into it.