Amerika

Frequently asked questions about the Ethnic Hellenic religion and tradition

By The Ethnikoi Hellenes

Christianity has great moral messages, what does your religion offer?

The few instances where Christianity shows some spirituality are no more than crude, unsophisticated copies of the moral values first espoused by our philosophers in ancient Hellas.
The remaining Christian teachings lack any real moral content, unless religious intolerance, fanaticism, religiosity, guilt and contempt for spiritual cultivation can be considered as such.

Similarly, Christianity lacks any spiritual value that is equal to that of the Ethnic Hellenic religion, unless by this we mean rote learning of psalms, humiliation, insulting Democracy as ‘Civitas Diaboli’, exhortations to ‘love!’ (in the imperative mood) and slogans such as ‘Orthodoxy or Death!’

Ethnic Hellenic religion in comparison, is non-dogmatic, naturalistic, polytheistic, clearly defined, celebratory and human. It is an affirmation of earthly life and a healthy striving to approach the realm of the Gods. It deepens the link between humanity and the Divine, not with destruction and humiliation, but through joyous rituals, myth-creation, dance, music and communal celebrations, which link us to the wonderful spiritual world of our ancestors, instead of alienating us from it, like Christianity.

You are ungrateful! Jesus was crucified for our sins!

To begin with, we Ethnikoi Hellenes are not burdened by some ancestral sin and our philosophers have securely guided us, with dignity, on the path of Virtue. We therefore have no need for someone to act on, or indeed against, our behalf, let alone to be ‘sacrificed’ for us.

In addition, Yeshua’s supposed ‘sacrifice on our behalf’, that Christian propaganda rams down our throats, is an absurd story. If the abovementioned Judaean rabbi (Jesus) was indeed ‘God’, then his crucifixion would be no more than a meaningless prank, as by definition only what is perishable and mortal can be sacrificed.

On the other hand, the philosopher Socrates, whose existence is an historical fact, conquered death and with frankness and serenity did not avoid it, even though he could. Not from a desire to sacrifice himself nor because he wanted a martyr’s end, but as a living example of respect for the Law. And this despite knowing that he was a mere mortal. The philosopher Epictetus characteristically wrote: “. They may kill me, but they cannot cause me harm”.

What are your beliefs and what is your Religion called?

What we mean by ‘belief’ has little relation to what Christians understand by the term ‘faith’, the definition of which today clearly relates to a form of subservience. Naturally having said this, we, as was the case with our ancestors, cannot be described as not having beliefs. However, our ancestors preferred to use the verb nomizein (to think) and the related term nomizomenon (what is thought of, or understood). To make ourselves clearer today, we refer to the ‘perception’ of the Gods and the Cosmos. Ethnikoi Hellenes s perceive the Cosmos to be a self-created, infinite, “ordered and adorned” entity that arose from within itself, and that we, and everything else in existence, are but infinitely small organic parts of this entity.

Our Gods are a multitude of apportioned immortal beings, self-energizing and self-sufficient ‘forces’, not personalities, that inhabit this ‘Unity’ that gave birth to itself. They are the multiple expressions of this Unity that give substance and order to the Cosmos and keep it interconnected and harmonious.

In the healthy pre-Christian human state, the Earth’s surface teemed with a polymorphic Ethnosphere. By this we mean a beautiful variety of indigenous civilizations, traditions and religions that were distributed in every part of the world. Each unique Nation understood the Divine differently and appealed to the Gods using a variety of names. Hence, the various Native Religions became unique in themselves and every Nation, and its spiritual descendants, ‘brought down’ elements of the Godly realm to their altars, as appropriate to their particular needs. Our understanding of the Divine is the same as that of our ancestors, and is expressed by our Religion, whose origins are lost in remote antiquity.

What are the Gods?

Because of today’s degeneracy, before this question is answered we must reiterate what was emphasized by Sallustius, at the beginning of his work “On Gods and the Cosmos”, i.e., that those with a desire to know about the Gods need to have been educated correctly and not to have been brought up with absurd beliefs. To have a good disposition and logical composition, so that they can accordingly understand matters as well as comprehend common meanings.

The Gods are non-personal beings, possessing both knowledge and immortality. They flow unhindered through and around the whole material world and act upon it. As functionaries of the sacred Mysteries, they participate in ‘eternal formation’, i.e., the continuous synthesis and de-synthesis of forms. The Gods’ spheres of influence do not overlap. They are responsible for the regulation of the Natural World, whose laws they serve. They act flawlessly and without retreat, do not unite into one being, are not replaced, do not cease to exist, and cannot be defeated by the appetites and expectations of impious mortals or institutions.

The Gods are free and independent entities. They are all equally Divine and are not empowered by any other being or force. They rejoice when inferior entities freely recognize their existence and bestow upon them honor and respect. They do not however need this recognition, nor do they seek it. As Gods they want nothing, they simply shape whatever they desire.

What is the dogma of Ethnic Hellenic religion?

For today’s Christians, the prevailing view of what is meant by ‘dogma’ is a complete distortion of the ancient term that meant a particular philosophical position. Their definition includes a blind faith in the Trinitarian nature of the ‘one God’, incomprehensible even to them, the dual nature of Yeshua etc. Naturally, Ethnic Hellenic religion has no ‘dogma’ by this definition, but is rather a way of perceiving things. It is therefore not a confusing compilation of pseudo-theological narratives, but is based instead on very specific principles, in turn derived from logic and scientific knowledge.

Our ‘dogma’ includes: the obligation we all have to speak and act logically as a mark of respect for Universal Reason, our honest relationship with all living beings, tolerance towards all views that are expressed logically, education through life-experience, respect for measure, the continuous study of the Cosmos and Humanity.

What are the Holy Texts of Ethnic Hellenic religion?

We don’t have one sacred book containing the commands or revelatory words of ‘God’, whose purpose is to regulate humanity’s servile obedience to a celestial dictator. On the contrary, the large number of our texts, numbering many thousands, presents the truth in its entirety. Sacred texts are for us the whole corpus of (ancient) Hellenic Learning, at least those works that have survived the sinister flames of Christian pyres (fire). These texts are the condensation of human reasoning in its attempts to validly interpret the Cosmos in a way liked by the Gods, that is, logically.

Does Ethnic Hellenic religion engage in proselytizing?

Certainly not, we are dealing here with a clearly ethnic polytheistic (natural) religion, that is to say one that concerns a very specific Ethnos. If a non-Hellenic origin wants to honor our Gods, then he is always welcome to decide this for himself, as we will never try to convince him.

The phenomenon of proselytism belongs exclusively to the anti-ethnic and ‘ecumenical’ monotheistic religions. Their aim is to foster a denial of previously held correct views and replace them with novel alien ones. Proselytism involves crude attempts to misguide naive and spiritually weak people. To us it is wholly detestable, both as a means to an end and as a way of making a point.

We are enemies of all forms of proselytism, because it nullifies autonomy and free will. In our country, all foreign religions engage in proselytism, including the ruling one that practices it with especial audacity, calling it ‘catechism’ (and even emphases the ‘importance of catechism’ in the state education system). The outrageous laws of the Metaxas dictatorship grant ‘Orthodoxy’ the sole right to proselytize, making it unlawful for its competition. All forms of proselytism are raw violent attacks against human liberty.

How many Gods do you have, twelve?

The Gods as infinite expressions of Unity are naturally multiple and most certainly exceed twelve in number. However, our religion confines itself to a complete and harmonious symbolic Pantheon of six Gods and six Goddesses. This Pantheon expresses a perfect, divine quintessence (the number 12 symbolizes completeness and perfection) that fulfils and bonds the Cosmos. It is also symbolized by the ‘most perfect’ of the famous Pythagorean canonical polyhedral, the dodecahedron.

Are you therefore Polytheists?

We can answer in the affirmative, but should first reiterate that the terms ‘monotheism’, ‘polytheism’ etc are used only as conventions, as in reality the monotheists invented these terms to distinguish themselves from normal humanity. Since humanity never doubted the multiplicity of the Universe, we use ‘polytheism’ simply to contrast ourselves from the so-called ‘monotheists’.

Unity cannot exist without the presupposition of the ‘many’. The term is misleading because it has nothing to do with the number of Gods per se, but rather the placing of the Creative Cause outside the Cosmos, which in turn implies its creation from naught (a completely unscientific thesis). Monotheists believe that the laws governing the Universe emanate from the only external, eternal being. This justifies the ‘Creator’s’ right to act autocratically towards ‘his’ own creation, which has a beginning and will die at some time, as per ‘his’ desire.

In contrast, the ethnic polytheistic religions assert that the living Cosmos has emanated from within itself and is eternal. There is no external ‘Cause’ that created all from nothing. The Gods are self-reliant and conscious forces, who are multiple expressions of Unity, emanate from within it and serve its perpetual path.

Do you want to replace the one God of the monotheists with many Gods?

Not really. The restoration of Ethnic Hellenic religion involves more than just changing names and replacing a few idiots with more logical people. There needs to be a simultaneous change in the currently sick way the Cosmos is perceived. The Hellenes carefully define their relationships with the natural environment, their fellow humans and internal universe. For us Man, Nature and the Gods are part of an inseparable organic union, whereas for monotheists the relationships between Man, Nature and ‘God’ are in perpetual conflict.

How is polytheism different to monotheism?

The chasm that separates the two centers on where the Divine is placed in relation to the Cosmos and on the type of person each one shapes. Let us not forget, as Louis Menard noted, that the belief in an autocratic heaven gave rise to earthly monarchies and autocracies, whereas celestial ‘Democracy and Equality’ was mirrored on Earth.

In monotheistic religions ‘God’ (i.e., Yahweh) exists outside a Universe that ‘he’ allegedly created from nothingness, at some point in time, which ‘He’ has ruled unchecked ever-since. For polytheists the Gods are found within the Cosmos and are concerned only with its perpetual expression, subject to Logic and Anangke (i.e., Necessity). Anangke is the natural and moral Cause that inevitably compels Nature into a rhythmic energy that regulates all that has occurred and will occur.

Hence, a Cosmos without Logic is incomplete, which is why the Gods voluntarily submit to the Cosmic Laws that have been shaped from within it. This in turn leads to perfection in the Gods, who by definition cannot shape something that is flawed. The natural and existing Hellenic Gods can be approached with logical human reason. By comparison, the unnatural and non-existent ‘God’ of the monotheists can only be expressed by derangement of the Universe’s logical arrangement via various ‘miracles’, for which they senselessly seem especially proud. ‘Miracles’ are forceful violations of the logical, natural order of the Universe, which essentially demonstrate the flawed nature of Yahweh, as the creator of an imperfect creation.

What do you mean by the term Cosmotheasis?

This is translated with great difficulty into English. The term Cosmos is used by Greek-speaking Christians to refer to the ‘world’ and society in general (dunya). In these articles the term Cosmos is returned to its original Hellenic meaning and is used interchangeably with ‘Universe’. These concepts are almost impossible to understand from a Christian perspective, which may explain why for centuries the “… Earth [was] flat and the center of God’s creation.” Cosmotheasis means much more than ‘worldview’ (Weltanschauung), as it encompasses the concept that all in existence (including the Gods) functions as an harmonious ‘Oneness’ (Unity). The Cosmos is intelligent and sacred in itself. Nothing can perceivably exist outside it, including the Christian ‘God’.

The meaning of the term Cosmo-theasis is implied by its two components. It is the way that one views (theasis), or perceives the Cosmos. The result of the specific ‘theasis’ of each Ethnos (Nation) is the Cosmology, Religion, Philosophy and everyday Customs that it leads to. Understanding Cosmotheasis is therefore very important, since it influences the type of people, system of government and culture that is developed by each Ethnos.

Are you idolaters? If you aren’t, then how do you justify the use of statues in your worship?

By proper definition ‘Idolatry’ is any homage paid to the Divine that uses ‘idols’ i.e., the conventional portrayal of the Gods in the form of icons, statues or symbols. This is the only serious method of approaching the Sacred. Without visible representation of the inaccessible and faceless Divinities, it becomes difficult for man to perceive them. Having understood this concept, most Christians also practice ‘idolatry’. However, for them it took rivers of blood during the massacres between iconoclasts and iconolaters to comprehend this.

The terms ‘Idolater’ and ‘Idolatry’ were used insultingly to mock and belittle the Religion of our liberal-minded ancestors, in the Christian war against the Hellenes. The early Christian ‘Fathers’ hated Hellenism, but were unable to logically attack Philosophy and counter the strong Religion of the Hellenic Ethnos. They therefore tried to make fun of it by accusing our ancestors of worshipping the materials used in their representations (rocks, marble, clay, wood etc). Their methods of attack were completely foolish and easily countered by the philosopher Kelsus (in ‘The True Word’). He sarcastically informed then that the Ethnikoi Hellenes knew very well the materials they used to represent their Gods, and that it was what was represented that was actually honored, not the materials per se. As such, the Church’s official definition of the word ‘Idolatry’ is not that which is shared externally with the flock.

According to the ‘Three Hierarchs’ our Gods are ‘non-existent’, but at the same time (in contradiction to the above) exist as entities struggling against Yeshua and Yahweh. It is at this point that the Christians begin to crudely insult our ancestral Religion, Gods and religious symbols, as being parts of an alleged demonolatry.

Are you Pagans?

The term ‘Pagan’, which in the original Latin is derived from Paganus (peasant), is yet another insult used by the victorious Christians since the 4th Century, to belittle what remained of the Native Religions.

They used this to label all those remaining loyal to their Ethnic Traditions, to imply that they were uneducated and uncouth villagers. The term was used for centuries in most European languages to refer to the Ethnikoi. In the 20th Century, it was reintroduced with the suffix neo (viz. Neopaganism), by various Christian-inspired devotees of Esotericism and the New Age. ‘Neopaganism’ doesn’t concern us. It may even be a manufactured ploy to detract from the current world rule of the so-called ‘Monotheists’.

Some make fun of Ethnic Hellenic religion by referring to the wanton sexual practices of the Gods. How do you respond to this?

We simply pity them, because of the degenerate level of their boundless stupidity. Our Gods and Goddesses are not personalities, nor do they have a gender that would allow them to participate in physical practices necessary for mortals.

We Ethnikoi Hellenes, describe the Gods anthropomorphically simply because the High Theology contained within the Myths can be better appreciated when it is changed into a more comprehensible language, conforming to human measures. Every Myth hides within it one of many profound symbolisms. Mortals are invited to seek and research them according to their quality, which is dependent on their Understanding of the Cosmos and Education. It is not surprising therefore, that when vulgar people bring a Myth down to their base level they interpret it accordingly.

Why don’t you ask to be recognized as an ‘official religion’?

We don’t think there is an issue of recognition, or otherwise, of our Ethnic Hellenic religion by some petty state authority, requiring an application, as if we were some small monotheistic sect. The existence of our ancestral polytheistic Religion is by rights just, as it is indigenous, native, historically well known and much older than any other religion, including today’s ruling creed.

Despite the fact that the freedom to practice religion, in Hellas, is ‘guaranteed’ by Law 2462/97, Article 18 we assert without discussion, that our inherited Olympic Hellenic Religion, as practiced by law-abiding citizens of good reputation, is the only natural Religion of the Hellenic Ethnos. Its public recognition by society, after 16 centuries of banishment by the anti-Hellenic emperors of New Rome, is more than just a matter of ‘legality’ involving approval by some petty authority, but a de facto acceptance by modern Greek society. A narrow ‘legal’ recognition of our Ethnic Hellenic religion is not only improper, but also insulting. Such proceedings would include the absurd premise that there is a requirement for the consent of an autocratic foreign creed. It is comical to think that in our country a recently arrived monotheistic sect would deem our ancient Religion unlawful.

When the time comes, and it will come, when we are officially recognized by the Modern Greek State, this must occur by an Act voted in triumphantly by the Greek Parliament, as was the case with the Ethnic religions of Iceland and Lithuania.

You state that you represent not only an Hellenic system of beliefs, but Ethnic Hellenic religion itself. You must realize that State recognition is not possible, because there will be insurmountable problems regarding a number of issues, e.g., the legal ownership of archaeological sites.

We are well aware of the current state of affairs. Nevertheless, the dynamic existence of an indigenous religious community cannot depend on its recognition by a regime that, by its own admission, blindly obeys the commands of a hostile ruling creed. Consequently, so-called ‘official recognition’ is not our problem, but solely that of the modern Greek State, which due to its voluntary submission to the Church bears sole responsibility for the absurd state of religious affairs in our country.

The Government has a duty to: ‘de-mediaevalise’ modern Greek society as soon as is possible, institutionally and financially distance itself from a Church that has illegally acquired its boundless assets, make monasticism unlawful etc. Other responsibilities include the rightful return of all profits made from sacred archaeological sites to the followers of the Ethnic Hellenic religion. The legal ownership of these properties is not that important, but should remain with the State.

Shrines must be re-erected and the burning of Styrax returned to our Sacred Sites!

There are some who insist that cultivated ancient Hellenes were in fact monotheists.

These people are common hustlers, trying to take advantage of the ignorance surrounding the true nature of their so-called ‘monotheism’. There were no monotheistic Hellenes. Those who allege this idiocy are projecting their own Christian beliefs onto a fundamentally different world. In fooling themselves they drag other simple, semi-literates down to their level.

Does Ethnic Hellenic religion have a ‘professional’ priesthood?

There was never a ‘professional’ priesthood in our Ethnic Hellenic religion, as far as mainstream religious practices go, which were both public and personal. In antiquity ‘professional priests’ were only employed as soothsayers and in the mystery forms of the religion, the details of which have been lost and cannot be practiced today.

For the time being, in the modern practice of the Ethnic Hellenic religion any moral individual, who is able to respectfully face the Gods, can fulfill priestly obligations. In contrast to the Christian clergy who pretend they are their ‘God’s’ agents, the elected priests of the Ethnikoi act as representatives of their community to the Godly realm.

Do your ceremonies have specific conventions?

Yes of course. The conventions of today’s religious practices have been distilled from the diligent study of ancient sources. They have been constructed to cover the spiritual requirements of modern Ethnikoi, without binding them to compulsory and inflexible formulae.

Can women become priestesses?

Women aren’t just involved in ceremony but the Gods themselves have directed their participation. In addition to everything having a dual nature, our Pantheon is symbolically half-composed of six Goddesses. Women being closer to Nature’s cycles are especially privileged to be able to bring forth life from within their bodies.

Do you seriously believe that the Gods live on Mount Olympus?

Olympus is indeed the abode of the Olympian Gods. However, it is not the well-known mountain separating Thessaly from Macedonia on whose peak our ancestors built alters, knowing full well that it could not therefore be the Gods’ literal abode. There were 18 other mountains also called Olympus in distant places inhabited by Hellenes, from Asia Minor to the colonies in the West.

The true Olympus was and is a Divine place, a celestial ‘land’ that is bathed in Spiritual Light. In fact the word Olympus is derived from the verb ‘Lampo’ (I radiate), whose archaic root is probably proto-Pelasgian. The sublime Olympus lies above us, below us and within us. Our Gods are everywhere!

What is your view of the modern Olympic Games?

We are opposed to such games, because they are falsely named and have no relationship with the authentic and living spirit of our ancestors, the true Hellenes. They are also quite a world apart from the initial romanticism that justified their creation and revival by non-Greeks, about a century ago. The majority of them were monotheists, ignorant of the real essence of the Games (i.e., their religious nature). Today they are a vulgar commercialization that profoundly insults the symbols and beliefs of our ancestors, who honored with their theology the Sublime, the True and the Beautiful.
Even the name of our religion (Olympic, Olympian) has been turned into a trademark and the local representatives of this blasphemy have made pathetic caricatures of our Gods, Apollo and Athena.

The real Olympic Games, as the pre-eminent symbol-institution of our inherited Cosmotheasis, were abolished by the Byzantine invaders 16 centuries ago. If they are ever re-established, it will be in all their grandeur along with the revival of the culturally enslaved, for 22 centuries, Hellenic Ethnos. All other ‘resurrections’ have been, are and will be comical or profane.

Which occasions do you celebrate? When and how do you celebrate them?

Enough information has survived to allow us to celebrate the most important festivals of our ancestors, which centered on the never-ending cycles of Mother Nature (e.g., the Anthesteria). During our celebrations, ceremonies are held in honor of the Gods and the commemoration of our Heroes. Our rituals are performed according to ancient custom with the summoning of the Deity, the recital of hymns and bloodless sacrifice. The latter involves offerings of flowers, fruit, incense, perfume and appropriate libations of wine, milk or honey.

Why sacrifice?

Any act honoring the Gods involves sacrifice, otherwise it becomes a parody. The theology behind sacrifice is based on Communion and Reason. These are both gifts for which the Gods are paid their dues by mortals, in the form of various sustenance-giving riches, taken from Nature.

We could say that the essence of sacrifice is to seek the Gods’ consent for the consumption on which the life of mortal beings is based. The philosopher Sallustius, in ‘On the Gods and the Cosmos’ emphasizes that “…since we have received everything from the Gods, and it is right to pay the giver some tithe of his gifts, we pay such a tithe of possessions. prayers without sacrifices are only words, with sacrifices they are live words; the word gives meaning to the life, while the life animates the word.”

Do you perform blood sacrifices?

There are two types of sacrifices, those involving the letting of blood (i.e., the slaughter of an animal that is later eaten during the festive meal) and blood-less ones. Both are equally sacred. However today, the sacredness of the former is not easily appreciated, because humanity has distanced itself from nature and consumes meat slaughtered savagely with mechanical devices, bought in supermarkets and packaged in plastic. This is why we only persist with the practice of blood-less sacrifice.

The ‘accusation’ made by Christians regarding blood sacrifice is dishonest and hypocritical. It is simply made to defame us to those who don’t know a lot about Ethnic religions. The Christians, who non-sacrificially slaughter millions of sheep and turkeys during their own celebrations, have few problems with their conscience.

Is it true that the ancient Hellenes performed human sacrifices?

This is just another disgusting, Christian lie. With the exception of mythological narratives, Ethnic Hellenic religious ceremonies NEVER included human sacrifice. Our Religion is innately and instinctively related to philosophy, science and all the other cultural achievements of our ancestors, whilst encompassing the most illustrious, historical approach to the Divine. It was this specific religion and world-view that discovered and expressed the meaning of Humanism. Therefore, even the mere suggestion of human sacrifice is absurd, from every perspective.

Sacrifice, as mentioned above, is the sacred act of communion of mortals with the Gods and a thanksgiving for Nature’s riches, involving an offering made by the former to the latter. It is therefore obvious to even the simplest, serious person that this cannot include human victims.

A few endeavour to convince others that the massacre of Persian captives by Themistocles, before the naval battle of Salamis, and the use of some condemned criminals as pharmakoi were ‘human sacrifices’. Excepting Hellas-haters, all those who know about our ancestors should also know that there is NO recorded instance of official religious practice involving human sacrifice, in any of the independent, autonomous Hellenic Poleis (cities) – something confirmed by archaeological research. All references to such rituals belong exclusively to the world of mythological narrative.

Tags: The Ethnikoi Hellenes