On Hellenic Reconstructionism
Tuesday, May 18, 2010 at 3:26PM Natalie P.
May 13, 2010
Zeus redivivus is a thrilling concept to some. Members of the Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionist movement zealously attempt to unearth the religion of the ancient Greeks and Romans- a religion whose history is as turbulent as a Shostakovich symphony. Were it not for this group of creative pagans, the ornery Greek gods would still be confined in history books and museums. One particular Hellenic Reconstructionist organization, dubbed “Elaion,” (translated “olive oil”) “plans to serve the needs of members by providing resources for the establishment and growth of worship groups, and to support members in their spiritual lives.”1 This group is clear that it embraces the Greek religion, rather than the Roman version- despite the fact that many aspects of the two are essentially the same.
It is foolish to resurrect the worship of the Greco-Roman deities.
Firstly, because the Greco- Roman religion is essentially a bureaucracy.
Secondly, because the deities are divided among themselves.
Thirdly, because the gods are morally repugnant.
Albert Einstein once remarked that “Bureaucracy is the death of all sound work.” In book 4 of The City Of God, Augustine paints us a grand picture of the Hellenic Polytheism that had been handed down to the Romans. The ancient Romans believed that the goddess Segetia presided over the “standing corn until it had passed from the first green blades to the dry ears” (Book IV, pg. 116).Though in charge of such a crucial task, she had apparently been unable to protect the corn during earlier stages of its development. For Proserpina had been set over the germinating seeds, and Nodotus had been set over the joints and knots of the stems. What substantial good can we receive from minor gods who cannot even protect an entire wheat field? Most people have experienced human bureaucracy, whether it be corporate, state, or federal. We are forced to scurry from one office to another to receive permits, file complaints, etc. Think of all the blessings from God we receive without any hassle, however! What miserably chaotic lives we would be forced to lead if it were necessary to pay our dues to countless gods who promise us basic life necessities in exchange for our compliance with their desires.
How can we expect the Greco-Roman religion to solve the problems of this world if the very deities we worship disagree with one another? Greek myths tell of the judgement of Paris- how Hera, Athena and Aphrodite fought to be the owners of the golden apple intended for the “fairest one.” To borrow the words of Jesus found in Matthew 12:25, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand.” Though these words were not used by Christ to expose polytheistic religions- who cannot see that the Hellenic religion is ridiculous simply because of the division between the divinities? If gods cannot even determine who is the “fairest” among them, how could they have decided in what precise way to create the world at the beginning of time? Surely the conflicting opinions and personalities of the gods on Mt. Olympus would have made it impossible to come to a consensus on how to create man. Or perhaps they did not create the world at all, and thus are not worthy of our worship.
Lastly, the Greek religion is damaging to humanity because the Gods are morally repugnant. The motto of Elaion is “Piety, Tradition, Virtue.” This statement seems to conflict with ancient references to the character of the gods. If the members of Elaion truly wish to be “virtuous in relationships with mortals” they must eschew the debauched lifestyle embraced by the very gods they worship. One newcomer to a Hellenic Reconstructionist site declared: “In my opinion, Zeus is the god I respect most, so I want to set up an altar for my Lord.” Perhaps a more thorough knowledge of the character of Zeus would allow this devotee to more properly plan his religious practices. Clement of Alexandria writes in his Exhortation to the Greeks that “The mysteries of Demeter commemorate the amorous embraces of Zeus with his mother Demeter” (pg. 35) Does this adulterer require incestuous acts from his worshippers? Is the Greek religion a sort of topsy-turvy institution where good is bad and bad is good? Or perhaps Zeus wishes his followers to embrace the laws set forth by the Judeo-Christian God in the Pentateuch while he himself wallows in the odious mud of lasciviousness. There is no need to elaborate on the further adulteries of Zeus- such investigations are not needed to prove that this celestial being is a worthless role model. What can we say of the promiscuous acts of Aphrodite, the wife of Hephaestus, who wantonly pursued various lovers? Or what of Ares, the god of War, a bloodthirsty maniac who whipped Greek armies into mad frenzies and drove them into the pit of utter destruction? Referenced in the Iliad as the “Plague of men, bloodguilty one, stormer of cities,” the Romans later revered him as the driving force behind the pulsating empire whose elephantine appetite for unconquered lands remained unchecked. The Hellenic Reconstructionists are thus forced to either follow in footsteps of their foul deities, or else drop the religion altogether.
Perhaps Elaion members would argue that we cannot discard Hellenic Reconstructionism simply because we suppose the Greco- Roman deities to be morally corrupt. After all, the Elaion fact page clearly states that Dodekatheism has “no coercive notion of ‘sin’ and no arbitrary rules governing behavior or ethics.”3 It seems to be the general consensus among sympathizers of the Polytheistic Movement that the Greco Roman deities depicted in the epics of Virgil and Homer “did not provide the moral or ethic blueprint for human kind....[they] knew that humans should have the common sense to not act like barbarians. They didn’t need to send down some list of rules that regulated how people should act, think, and feel.” 4 The members of Elaion cannot rightly claim “piety, tradition, and virtue” as a motto, since no religious organization holding relativistic views can possibly hope to have a final say on moral matters. Thus the Hellenistic Reconstructionist movement can be of no use to humanity. Perhaps if the Reconstructionists propounded a religion that was based on the relationship between a holy, omniscient, and wise god, and a submissive, obedient people who endeavor to obey the commands that issue from his mouth- they might be successful. As it is, they merely spout conflicting statements which only serve to confuse. We are encouraged to “to be pious and honorable in our thoughts and actions and virtuous in our relationships with mortals and immortals as we strive for excellence in keeping with traditional Hellenic polytheistic practices,” but we are also given free license to follow our own moral standards. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote that “morality without religion is only a kind of dead reckoning.” Conversely, religion without a moral system is ineffectual. At every turn these polytheists are confronted with the fact that they practice a relativistic religion which cannot bring any happiness or order to the world. “The hearts of men are full of evil and there is madness in their hearts while they live, and afterward they join the dead”(Ecclesiastes 9:3).
Thus it is proved that resurrecting the worship of the Greco-Roman deities is a foolish and dangerous pastime and can do humanity no good. Firstly; because of the bureaucratic nature of the religion, secondly; because of the divisions between the immortals, and lastly because of the corrupt nature of the gods. Bob Clark, in an essay posted on the Elaion website, writes “When in 1976, at the Temple of Hippolytos at Troizen, I felt the beauty, grandeur, and piety of the ancient past, my transformation was irrevocably begun.” Perhaps if he would probe the writings of the early Church Fathers, he would see the sybarite gods for what they are, and realize that it is pure folly to praise the menacing fabrication that is the Greco-Roman religion.
1 Elaion FAQ Page. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from Elaion website: http://www.elaion.org/FAQ.htm#elaion3
2 Elaion FAQ Page. Retrieved May 6, 2010, from Elaion website: http://www.elaion.org/FAQ.htm#Trad2
3 Elaion FAQ Page. Retrieved May 4, 2010, from Elaion website: http://www.elaion.org/FAQ.htm#Hell2
4Musings on Polytheism (2010, January 13). Retrieved May 4, 2010, from Colonel Girdle’s Blog website: http://colonelgirdle.wordpress.com/2010/01/13/musings-on-polytheism/
Reader Comments (3)
Awesome job Natalie!
-Comment by Evitros removed- Questions? E-mail us.
-The Alexandria Tutorials Team
I seriously liked the coffee quality information and facts you offer on your targeted traffic with this blog.Let me bookmark your blog site and possess my friends check up right here usually.Your blog is valuvable personally.personalized home page isPatek Philippe Limited Edition