• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

What is Hellenism?

GoodbyeDave

Well-Known Member
Paganism is any indigenous religion, that has just grown in a community rather than being founded like Christianity or Islam. I ought to add that this is an academic definition. Many people, particularly in the USA, say "pagan" when they ought to say "neopagan". Neopaganism is any religion of modern origin (like Wicca or Pagan Druidry) which aims to be compatible with traditional paganism.

Pagan religion doesn't have creeds or denominations. Pagans in different areas may worship different gods, but they don't deny the existence of each other's gods. A Christian could not worship in a mosque as they could not make the Muslim profession of faith, but as a Hellenic pagan I could worship with Chinese, Japanese, Indian, or African pagans with no problem at all. Our worship is also similar. The evening ritual I'll shortly be carrying out would not look odd to any Chinese or Indian. The offerings of fire, incense, food, drink, and prayer is much the same for all of us, and our altars have similar items, including images of our gods. My practices are also based on those of my ancient Greek predecessors. I keep many of the same festivals and sing some of the same hymns.

To see what Hellenic Polytheism looks like in Greece today
LABRYS : Hellenic Polytheistic community

For a thread in which I discuss my beliefs
Why be a Hellenic Pagan?

As a reconstructionist, I'm not a slave to a lifestyle: this is a religion, not a historical re-enactment society. The real slaves to lifestyle are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, etc. "Don't eat pork, don't shave, do shave, cover your head, etc, etc."
 

von bek

Well-Known Member
It's the worship of the ancient Greek gods. Some people are reconstructionists i.e. they try to reconstruct the ancient Greek religion as historically accurately as possible while making as few allowances for modern society as possible. Some practitioners aren't reconstructionists and don't see the need to be slaves to history (I'm one of them). I won't do something just because the ancients did it.

I do not consider myself a reconstructionist, either. I try to be aware of what we do know about ancient rituals and offerings; however, I believe that a truly living religion must be able to adapt to all circumstances. There are many things we will never be able to recover from history and that is fine. I believe the gods live still and will continue honoring those who honor them.
 

1AOA1

Active Member
I just told you. If you want a more detailed explanation then I'd recommend books like KHARIS: Hellenic Polytheism Explored and others. @DavidMcCann could you help me out with a list, please?
if it can be attested as something the ancient Greeks did.
There are also Greek materialists.
I'm not really sure what a "reconstructionist lifestyle" is since they're just rebuilding the religion, not the culture it grew up in and no, not really. Recons tend to study contemporary sources like Homer, Hesiod & others for clues as to what was offered to various gods and how the rituals & processions took place. So not much use for non-recon historians there. They tend to only incorporate something into their religious practise if it can be attested as something the ancient Greeks did.

"I'm not really sure what a "reconstructionist lifestyle" is since they're just rebuilding the religion, not the culture it grew up in and no, not really. Recons tend to study contemporary sources like Homer, Hesiod & others for clues as to what was offered to various gods and how the rituals & processions took place. So not much use for non-recon historians there. They tend to only incorporate something into their religious practise if it can be attested as something the ancient Greeks did."

I'm not asking for the lifestyle that one has outside the polytheistic or one has before adopting the polytheistic, but for the polytheistic lifestyle itself.
religious practise
It is worth noting that though something is called religious, that trait is only a part of its characteristics that cumulatively contribute.
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Paganism is any indigenous religion, that has just grown in a community rather than being founded like Christianity or Islam. I ought to add that this is an academic definition. Many people, particularly in the USA, say "pagan" when they ought to say "neopagan". Neopaganism is any religion of modern origin (like Wicca or Pagan Druidry) which aims to be compatible with traditional paganism.

Pagan religion doesn't have creeds or denominations. Pagans in different areas may worship different gods, but they don't deny the existence of each other's gods. A Christian could not worship in a mosque as they could not make the Muslim profession of faith, but as a Hellenic pagan I could worship with Chinese, Japanese, Indian, or African pagans with no problem at all. Our worship is also similar. The evening ritual I'll shortly be carrying out would not look odd to any Chinese or Indian. The offerings of fire, incense, food, drink, and prayer is much the same for all of us, and our altars have similar items, including images of our gods. My practices are also based on those of my ancient Greek predecessors. I keep many of the same festivals and sing some of the same hymns.

To see what Hellenic Polytheism looks like in Greece today
LABRYS : Hellenic Polytheistic community

For a thread in which I discuss my beliefs
Why be a Hellenic Pagan?

As a reconstructionist, I'm not a slave to a lifestyle: this is a religion, not a historical re-enactment society. The real slaves to lifestyle are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, etc. "Don't eat pork, don't shave, do shave, cover your head, etc, etc."
"A Christian could not worship in a mosque as they could not make the Muslim profession of faith"

That is not correct. Muhammad himself allowed the Christians, who came from Yemen, to pray in the mosque in Medina according to the Christian tradition.

Similarly, Christians in the West may allow Muslims to pray in their Church, and they sometimes rent their churches for Friday prayers.

One may like to access the following link in this connection.
Churches Loan Buildings to Muslims for Worship - US - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

The believers of any revealed religion could visit, pray and worship in the Ahmadiyya mosques, there is not restrictions after taking permission from the authorities.

Regards
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
What is Hellenism?

People believe in Zeus, said to be god of the religion "Hellenism" but no-one belonging to him has mentioned attributes of Zeus.
Zeus had no attributes. Is it so? Please
Regards

 

The Kilted Heathen

Crow FreyjasmaðR
That's odd that one wouldn't know; the Greek gods are very well known, I thought. Zeus is the [chieftain?] of the Olympian gods, and is the Greek god of Lightning.
 

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
What is Hellenism?

People believe in Zeus, said to be god of the religion "Hellenism" but no-one belonging to him has mentioned attributes of Zeus.
Zeus had no attributes. Is it so? Please
Regards
Zeus is the King of the Gods, the Protector of the mortal realm, the God of Thunder and Lightning, the God of Justice and Law, the God of Hospitality and the Stranger, etc.
 

The Kilted Heathen

Crow FreyjasmaðR
I thought Haephestus was technically the god of thunder; that the thunder was the striking of his anvil as he forged the lightning bolts for Zeus?
 

Saint Frankenstein

Wanderer From Afar
Premium Member
I thought Haephestus was technically the god of thunder; that the thunder was the striking of his anvil as he forged the lightning bolts for Zeus?
No, the aspects of the natural world He has dominion over are Fire and Volcanoes. Zeus is the Thunderer. Zeus' domain is the Sky in general. Sky = Zeus, Water = Poseidon and Underworld = Hades. Those are the three primordial divisions.
 

The Kilted Heathen

Crow FreyjasmaðR
The only thing that compares Thor to Zeus is that he is the God of Thunder. Thor is the son of Odin, Chieftain of the Æsir. He is red bearded, hot-tempered, yet the defender of Miðgarð - this world and reality.
 

The Kilted Heathen

Crow FreyjasmaðR
Thanks, both. I often forget how rigid the Greeks were with deity archetype. I also often confuse the issue; in Heathenry it's sometimes said that Loki is the lightning, and Thor is the thunder chasing after him.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
in Heathenry it's sometimes said that Loki is the lightning, and Thor is the thunder chasing after him.

I haven't heard that one (doesn't mean it isn't so, I just never heard it :p). Rather, I always knew thunder to be the rumbling of Thor's chariot, and lightning to be Mjöllnir striking its target, usually a Jötun.

"Go home, have a beer, smash something" - Thor (probably).
 

The Kilted Heathen

Crow FreyjasmaðR
I did not know that about Zeus! I did about Thor, which is why I have an Oak rune staff that I carved. Just got to blood a few of the sigils last night as well, due to cutting my thumb during an art project lol
 
Top