Paganism Without the Blood

[Incendia]

A Cambridge professor's commentary on the ceremony at the temple of Zeus: http://timesonline.typepad.com/dons_life/2007/01/paganism_withou.html


*I hope this link works.*

[Desert_Witch]

See, even Professors can prove to be ignorant. but his predjudice was well served in the coments that followed.

BB

DW

[David19]

I think the professor makes sense, it might just be 'Paganism lite'.

And as one of the comments said:


I doubt very much that many of the followers of this group are actually concerned with the verisimilitude of their rituals. It's a political statement against the Orthodox Church of Greece in the Church and State debate. These followers are in fact anticlericals and strong proponents of a separation between Church and State in Greece. Their proclaimed pagan affiliation is first a rejection of the official church, which is still a very powerful institution in Greece. And their will to perform religious ceremonies in the ancient sanctuaries is a way to underline the partiality of the State which denies them this right while allowing the Church do say mass in the ruined early christian basilicas whenever it wishes to do so.

So, it seems likely, these worshippers are more motivated by politics than religion, and the whole point of them worshipping the Greek deities is a form of protest.

I actually really liked what the professor wrote, as it makes sense, animal sacrifice was part of many Greek rituals (not all though), and i guess until it's done, it will remain 'Paganism lite'.

[Sabriel MoonStar]

Then one could say that all of us in Christian dominated countries are just following the pagan path to rebel. It's been an argument thrown into the fray as long as the movement has been around. But I would like to think that the majority of us are here and worshiping the Old Gods because They have called us and They are near and dear to our hearts, not because it's a fashion statement.

On the other end one could say the majority of Greeks that attend the Greek Orthodox Church do so because they just want to fit in. But that would be equally insulting to those that hear the call of their God.

I think unless otherwise indicated, I would give them the benefit of the doubt. From the pictures I've seen it looks like they put a lot of work into their ritual.

[Greybird]

I think the argument becomes moot if you accept that the paganism we're following today isn't the same paganism people were following a couple of millenia ago. It is a group of modern systems that are comparable to historical paganism. If we don't claim to be fifth century Greeks, then nobody will get anywhere telling us we're not acting like fifth century Greeks.

[BFD_Zayl]

i sure hope he knows that not all paganism has lost the use of blood, what he saw might have been a small group doing it more for religious reasons, with quite a bit of political motivation behined it, all im saying is, just because that one group didnt make a sacrifice does not mean all of paganism has turned "lite"

[David19]

i sure hope he knows that not all paganism has lost the use of blood, what he saw might have been a small group doing it more for religious reasons, with quite a bit of political motivation behined it, all im saying is, just because that one group didnt make a sacrifice does not mean all of paganism has turned "lite"

That's very true, some Pagan religions do carry out sacrifice, and know that it was a part of the ancient religion, for example, various African religions, and i think i've been told some Heathen groups carry out animal sacrifice (with the food then eaten or shared), and some Roman recons also carry it out too.

[omar]

Some Native Amerians sacrifice an animal & eat it.

[ap Dafydd]

She's obviously never had a Pagan in her class!

Funny that, I'd have thought a Classics course would have attracted a few...

gwyn eich byd

Ffred