Posted by GS on July 18, 2001 at 03:28:37:
In Reply to: Re: Orthodoxy vs. Ancient Hellenic Religion? (NOT !!!) posted by Achilles on July 17, 2001 at 17:32:02:
Achileas,
Yes it is true that many crimes have been commited in the name of Christ as well (Spanish Inquisition, Nazis etc), BUT they were comitted by people that interpreted those religious messages their own way. That is not down to religion itself, Hitler was crazy and he happened to be Christian, it's not Christianity to blame here, but the person itself. The same with other people even Priests and the Pope etc, that they used their power to commit several crimes.
The religion itself is impact, it is the way that everyone interpretes it that is the problem.
When it comes to the New Testament you've mentioned earlier, the New Testament was written in Greek (as it mainly contains material that was sent from the desciples to the Cristian communitites in Greek lands, pros Korinthious etc) and the first churches in the form that we know them today were established by Greek people in Greek lands. So there are a lot more in common between Christianity and Greek culture from what you want to present.
Furthermore, if it was not for the Christian religion and the Orthodox priests (who fought, taught kids of their heritage in krifo sxolio and managed to keep the hellenic flame in the hearts of the Greeks even with the means of christianity) we as a country would still be an Ottoman province....
I personally do not agree 100% with religion and especially the way it is presented in modern society, but at least lets not talk extremes and not recognise that this religion has also helped our country.
If you want to revive some of the ancient Greek culture, nothing stops you. Abolishing the Christian religion and believing to Zeus again will get you knowhere. My advice is believe in yourself and try and get the positives from both cultures. Ie be good as a person and to your neighbour, exercise your body and your spirit, admire and study the ancient philosophers and what they offered to hellenism and humanity together with many people of the church even modern ones, who believe me if you speak to them, they have many things to tell you.
Accept the ancient hellenic religion and Orthodoxy as great parts of hellenic beliefs and tradition in general, both in their own way and in their own time, and don't try to be so negative or so positive about anything. Study both parts of the coin, accept them as part of hellenic tradition in general and be able to draw your own conclusions and don't just stick to words and something you read once or something that somebody said.
I know that you maybe stated some thoughts, so I'm sorry that it's directed to you since you posted the message. Anyway, I wish you well and at least I'm happy to see a person that wants to dispute things and find the truths, that's good...but with measures.