Greek Paganism now legally recognised in Greece!!

[The Emperor of Mankind]

Worship of the Greek gods has for the first time been legally recognised by the Ministry of Education and Religious Matters as a 'known religion'. Apparently this is literally all that is required for a faith group to be granted full legal rights & protections.

This recognition has come with the bonus of being granted permission to construct a place of worship in Athens. Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city for the first time in two millennia! Religions in Greece other than the Greek Orthodox Church, even legally recognised ones, face an uphill battle to actually enjoy the rights granted to them - Athenian Muslims, for instance, have been campaigning for over a decade to build a mosque and have met with nothing but failure. That said, this is a momentous step. Hellenic Pagans have been organising and campaigning for twenty years or more to get this recognition. This is definitely a victory to celebrate!

Link

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Wow, certainly wasn't expecting this. All I was familiar with was failure after failure. Congrats.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Long live Jupiter!

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

Good to hear!

 

[sovietchild]

Worship of the Greek gods has for the first time been legally recognised by the Ministry of Education and Religious Matters as a 'known religion'. Apparently this is literally all that is required for a faith group to be granted full legal rights & protections.

This recognition has come with the bonus of being granted permission to construct a place of worship in Athens. Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city for the first time in two millennia! Religions in Greece other than the Greek Orthodox Church, even legally recognised ones, face an uphill battle to actually enjoy the rights granted to them - Athenian Muslims, for instance, have been campaigning for over a decade to build a mosque and have met with nothing but failure. That said, this is a momentous step. Hellenic Pagans have been organising and campaigning for twenty years or more to get this recognition. This is definitely a victory to celebrate!

Link

How exactly can Athena help one? If there are multiple gods, then would they be like clubs in a league? If so, who are the creators of those clubs? And, who is the president of the league?

 

[Brickjectivity]

That is unexpected.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

How exactly can Athena help one? If there are multiple gods, then would they be like clubs in a league? If so, who are the creators of those clubs? And, who is the president of the league?

The article meant muslims in Athens. It means that Greece chose to recognize Hellenism before islam.

 

[sovietchild]

The article meant muslims in Athens. It means that Greece chose to recognize Hellenism before islam.

I thought he said "Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city"

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

Worship of the Greek gods has for the first time been legally recognised by the Ministry of Education and Religious Matters as a 'known religion'. Apparently this is literally all that is required for a faith group to be granted full legal rights & protections.

This recognition has come with the bonus of being granted permission to construct a place of worship in Athens. Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city for the first time in two millennia! Religions in Greece other than the Greek Orthodox Church, even legally recognised ones, face an uphill battle to actually enjoy the rights granted to them - Athenian Muslims, for instance, have been campaigning for over a decade to build a mosque and have met with nothing but failure. That said, this is a momentous step. Hellenic Pagans have been organising and campaigning for twenty years or more to get this recognition. This is definitely a victory to celebrate!

Link

I am always happy to see freedom of ideas being practiced.

How exactly can Athena help one? If there are multiple gods, then would they be like clubs in a league? If so, who are the creators of those clubs? And, who is the president of the league?

I don't think it matters if Athena is real or not in this situation. But to try to address your question: A human can help a human despite their being multiple humans, how is that any different than gods?

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

I thought he said "Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city"

He did. Athens is named after Athena. She is the patron goddess of Athens.

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

I thought he said "Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city"

I think Athens was named after Athena, though given that she was a newer edition to the pantheon it could be the other way around. I do not know for sure.

In either case, she was considered to be the patron deity of the city.

 

[sovietchild]

I don't think it matters if Athena is real or not in this situation. But to try to address your question: A human can help a human despite their being multiple humans, how is that any different than gods?

Okay, so, if Athena is imaginary god, then what is wrong with those people who worship imaginary gods? If Athena is real then how exactly can Athena help one? If there are multiple gods, then would they be like clubs in a league? If so, who are the creators of those clubs? And, who is the president of the league?

 

[David T]

Worship of the Greek gods has for the first time been legally recognised by the Ministry of Education and Religious Matters as a 'known religion'. Apparently this is literally all that is required for a faith group to be granted full legal rights & protections.

This recognition has come with the bonus of being granted permission to construct a place of worship in Athens. Hopefully Athena will soon be worshipped publicly in her city for the first time in two millennia! Religions in Greece other than the Greek Orthodox Church, even legally recognised ones, face an uphill battle to actually enjoy the rights granted to them - Athenian Muslims, for instance, have been campaigning for over a decade to build a mosque and have met with nothing but failure. That said, this is a momentous step. Hellenic Pagans have been organising and campaigning for twenty years or more to get this recognition. This is definitely a victory to celebrate!

Link

Go pan!!!! Oh wait he died ok go pluto!!! I mean plato,,,, oh never mind!!!

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

what is wrong with those people who worship imaginary gods?

That was fast.

There's always one. No surprise that it was you...

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

Okay, so, if Athena is imaginary god, then what is wrong with those people who worship imaginary gods? If Athena is real then how exactly can Athena help one? If there are multiple gods, then would they be like clubs in a league? If so, who are the creators of those clubs? And, who is the president of the league?

I think you misunderstood what I meant by me stating that I don't think it matters in this situation. I was trying to convey that wether Athena is real or not we should be happy that she is allowed to be worshipped.

And I already addressed the rest of this. A human can help other humans on their own. Why would a goddess be any different?

 

[CogentPhilosopher]

That was fast.

There's always one. No surprise that it was you...

Yeah, people love asking me that one. I suspect they like to do that to atheists in general.

I don't think that worshipping deities makes anyone more or less valuable of a person.

 

[The Kilted Heathen]

Well not only that, but soviet is quite prone to making threads titled "what is wrong with these people who..." You'll see them at some point or another.

 

[Quintessence]

$#@% yes!

*cough*

I mean... uh... WOOOT!

 

[Unveiled Artist]

How exactly can Athena help one? If there are multiple gods, then would they be like clubs in a league? If so, who are the creators of those clubs? And, who is the president of the league?

When you have a family gathering, you have the parents or parent, immediate family, extended family, help cooking and bringing the food. Family taking care of the little ones. Elders are respected (more than one elder) as in some families our ancestors. One happy family.

The one day a group of christians or muslims knock on the family door practically knocking it down. They seize the family saying that they shouldnt be working together but only have one boss over everyone and all the rest submit to the boss.

Life doesnt work that way. Everything takes care of another in multiples. One god signals politics and authority. Multiple gods signal family and connection.

It is beautiful to read finally a Pagan goddesses can now be publically and religiously worshiped without being arrested.

I assume they dont help people who dont ask for their help. In my opinion, your god is not different in respect to being a deity only than any other. But Paganism has a lot more respect than one-god faiths.

Takes out the ego of one authority and makes it a working unity taking care of all. Creators arent needed.

Something you just have to accept and move on or learn from. Outside of that, accept that you wont understand and let it be.

 

[Kemosloby]

Uh oh, sign of the times. The Bible says God won't tolerate that any more. The end is near.