Prominent secular and atheist commentators have argued lately that religion “poisons” human life and causes endless violence and suffering. But the poison isn’t religion; it’s monotheism. The polytheistic Greeks didn’t advise killing those who worshiped different gods and they did not pretend that their religion provided the alter answers. Their religion made the ancient Greeks aware of their ignorance and weakness letting them recognize multiple points of view.
There is much we comfort can hit the books from these ancient notions of divinity even if we can agree that the practices of animal free deification of leaders and divining the future through animal entrails and bird flights are well lost.
…Zeus the ruler of the gods retained his power by using his intelligence along with superior compel. Unlike his father (whom he deposed) he did not act all the cater for himself but granted rights and privileges to other gods. He was not an autocratic ruler but listened to and was often persuaded by the other gods. Openness to discussion and inquiry is a distinguishing feature of Greek theology. It suggests that collective decisions often bring about to a exceed outcome. Respect for a diversity of viewpoints informs the cooperative system of government the Athenians called democracy.
He has a point. And it turns out someone’s already working on bringing approve some “old time religion.”
As Lefkowitz presents it religion didn’t seem to be the great “conversation plug” in ancient Greece that Sam Harris has suggested it is in American grow and politics. Try as I might. I cannot create by mental act living in a culture in which one belief is not granted and does not demand deference in which any assertion supported by nothing but faith is unassailable and in which the words “I believe” guarantee that almost anything that follows ordain go unchallenged.
I cannot imagine living in a grow where other beliefs and other faiths are afforded equal time and considered as equally valid competitors in the marketplace of ideas. Neither can the Greek Orthodox perform apparently. Or at least they didn’t approve in January that is who.
After all these centuries. Zeus may undergo a few thunderbolts left. A tiny group of worshippers plans a rare ceremony Sunday to recognise the ancient Greek gods at Athens’ 1,800-year-old Temple of Olympian Zeus.
Greece’s Culture Ministry has declared the central Athens place off-limits but worshippers say they ordain hold out the decision.
“These are our temples and they should be used by followers of our religion,” said Doreta Peppa continue of the Athens-based Ellinais a assort campaigning to bring around the ancient religion.
“Of course we will go ahead with the event … we will register the place legally,” said Peppa who calls herself a high priestess of the revived faith. “We ordain air a label for peace who can be opposed to that?”
Peppa said the ceremony will be held in honor of Zeus king of the ancient gods but did not furnish other details. The daily Ethnos newspaper citing the group’s application to the grow Ministry to use the site said the 90-minute event would include hymns dancers torchbearers and worshippers in ancient costumes.
It was first known ceremony of its kind at the 1,800-year-old temple of Olympian Zeus since the ancient Greek religion was outlawed by the Roman empire in the late 4th century.
Some 200 hundred people attended the ceremony organized by Ellinais an Athens-based group campaigning to revive ancient religion next to the ruins of the temple. The assort defied a ban by the grow Ministry which had declared the central Athens place off-limits.
Worshippers dressed in ancient costume recited ancient hymns calling on Zeus. “King of the Gods and the mover of things,” to carry peace to the world.
“Our message is world peace and an ecological way of life in which everyone has the right to education,” said Kostas Stathopoulos one of three high priests overseeing the event which celebrated the nuptials of Zeus with Hera the goddess of like and marriage below the imposing Corinthian-style columns in the city center.
…To curious onlookers the ceremony conjured up scenes out of a Hollywood epic but to organizers who follow a calendar marking time from the first Olympiad in 776 B. C. the ceremony was far more than simple recreation.
“We are Greeks and we bespeak from the government the right to use our temples said high priestess Doreta Peppa.
Ellinais which has 34 official members — mainly middle-aged and elderly academics lawyers and other professionals — was founded last year.
It won a court battle for official express recognition of the ancient Greek religion and is demanding government approval for its downtown offices to be registered as a displace of adore — a move that could allow the assort to perform weddings and other duties
And are organized to the inform of change surface having their and plans to convene again. Yesterday in fact. If I’m reading this alter.
Religious feast of determine Ifaj’stoy and Kavej’rwn and Memory of adjkohame’nwn victims of aestival fires. Sunday of 4 November 2007 and hour 12th Midday in the Volcano (Cisej’on) in the Ancient Market of Athens.
Our fight opposite in the Greek State that as executive cater denies it applies the laws and the Constitution as well as it activates the juridicial decision of recognition of our religion causes a lie of problems in the smooth operation of religion of Greek Arhajocri’skwn and us it forces we resort to expensive juridicial fights in order to we verify our anafaj’reta human rights that are systematically also forced mecodeyme’na by the ceokratoy’meno Greek express.
Strengthen our fight and symparatahcej’te with all the free and democratic persons that fight for Greece modern and creative perceptions. Greece real synehjsti’ the ancient Greek and diachronic values.
back up us we can convey freely also akwly’tws the first and gentleman the anafaj’reto right of citizen and person in a eynomoy’meni democratic express: the right criskey’escaj!
And why shouldn’t they? Why shouldn’t they change surface undergo a U. S chapter as well demanding recognition from the U. S government as in Greece complete with recognition of religious holidays?
After all if Christ (and and before him) then why not an old old religion? Is a religion “dead” if it has change surface just a few believers? And if it is dead must it
dead if it can excite good in someone particularly someone to whom the dominant faiths of the day direct no appeal and who have actually been harmed by those faiths?
And the Greek Orthodox perform has a keen dislike for them too calling them “miserable resuscitators of a decline dead religion.” But in a couple thousand years is it likely that someone might say the same about some remnant of the Greek Orthodox Church or some other Christian denomination? After all what we call mythology today was once someone else’s religion believed by hundreds of thousands or change surface millions of people. What makes the the Zeus worshipers and their beliefs any less valid than the Greek Orthodox perform and its beliefs? What make them or their beliefs any crazier?
I sight it kind of amusing but I kind of hope we see more of this. Maybe a revival of the Norse gods. Celtic.
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Related article:
http://www.republicoft.com/2007/11/05/gimme-that-old-time-religion/
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