Author Archives: Melas the Hellene

About Melas the Hellene

An ethnic Hellene and traditional polytheist seeking friends and discussions within the scope of polytheism and its communities in the world. I am curious to learn everything about the history, nature, and standing of polytheism in general. Being a strong advocate of traditional polytheism, I will point out the faults of neopaganism as well as monotheism, and when necessary, expose and reject them openly. Website: traditionalpolytheist.com

Five reasons Islam can be more dangerous than Christianity

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We often hear polytheists attacking Christianity for its past and present wrongs. Although it is entirely in the right to do so, many (if not most) forget of its dangerous counterpart, Islam. Owing to a lack of knowledge on the subject as well as political concerns with prejudice against Muslims, not much is advanced towards understanding Islam as a force fiercely opposed to polytheism and all its ideas. It is unfortunate that Judaism, even as limited as its scope may be, usually takes its place, considering that many believe it to be the first monotheism, something only half-true.* Below are five reasons, gathered from research, why we should fear Islam more than Christianity and oppose it accordingly. Note that this is an attack on Islam, rather than on Muslims; separating between ideology and people is something I have done consistently and will continue to do, seeing that it is fair.

1. The greatest sin in Islam is literally “polytheism”

While in Christianity there is strong opposition to idolatry and ancient ritual in general, there are considerable remnants of polytheism within the structure. The Trinity is clearly an acknowledgement of the plurality of the divine, and in various pantheons we see parallels in the relationship between the father and the son as well as the mother and son. But in Islam, this is entirely stamped out; Allah is purely male and in Mohammed’s Quran, the Trinity is explicitly attacked, as are also Goddesses. Mohammed and his successors falsely claimed that Allah could forgive all sins except polytheism**, and (after the conquest of Mecca) he ended all toleration towards polytheists throughout Arabia by forcing them to convert on pain of death.

2. Islam allows of little cultural and regional integration

Unlike Christianity which spread slowly and communally throughout many parts of the Roman Empire and beyond, Islam developed and matured quickly within one culture at the hands of one man and a few of his successors. If the New Testament was written in Koine Greek, it was only because that was the prevailing language in the Eastern Roman Empire where Christianity arose. But Mohammed hailed the Quran as being written down in Arabic before the creation of the world, and believed he and his culture were selected for the task of spreading the message. Unlike in Christianity, where regional languages and cultures can become incorporated into worship, Islamic liturgy is only conducted in Arabic and only the teachings of Mohamed in the 7th century are believed to be orthodox. It is also an obligation on every Muslim to visit Mecca at least once in their lifetime, thereby reinforcing the centrality of Mohammed’s native city and culture. While there are Islamic sects that have long since sprung up regionally, mixing with older rituals, these are often regarded as heretical by the Sunni majority and sometimes dealt with far more harshly than Christianity, as in the case of the Yazidi minority.

3. Islam was hailed by Mohammed as the final truth

Mohammed believed, unlike all other predecessors within his larger monotheistic tradition, that he was the final prophet in a line of divinely inspired men. No other revelation was to succeed him and it was he who was to complete the last step in the monotheistic mission for humankind. This mentality, always adopted by Muslims, makes for a very unyielding and overbearing religion that resists reform or compromise. It may be true that Jesus similarly held himself to be the only true redeemer and intercessor (as well as the son of God), but this is not actually documented by the man himself, nor was there a whole body of scripture (like the Quran) left by Jesus in the form of direct revelation.

4. Islam is very comfortable with war and sometimes encourages it

Having developed in a tribal society within a comparatively harsh environment, it may be that early Muslims needed to fight for survival at first. However, since the Quran is regarded as a holy text for all time, the parts associated with going to war against “disbelievers” have been used over the centuries to justify Islamic imperialism. In fact, one the greatest deeds in Islam is to conduct Jihad, which literally means “struggle” but usually means some form of spreading the religion, which can be done either kindly or forcefully as needed. Death in battle for the sake of Islam is the highest honor a man could have, and a martyr is said to go to paradise immediately without judgment. Taking slaves from war is sanctioned in the Quran and was never forbidden by Mohammed; and while a man may marry four wives, there is no limit on the number of female concubines he may have. In Christianity, none of this is encouraged by the New Testament, and if it is, the part is obscure and rarely mentioned. The whole tradition of conquest in Christendom was rather derived from the practices of the Roman Empire, which (ironically) Christianity had originally spread to stop. It is often overlooked that the Crusades, however misguided and violent, were a set of collective responses to centuries of Islamic raiding in Europe. There is no need to add anything on the subject of modern Islamic terrorism, which is too well known.

5. The gap between the rise of Islam and the first Islamic Empire is slim

It took 300 years for Christianity to become an imperial religion but less than 50 for Islam. Within 120 years of the death of Mohammed, the Islamic empire (otherwise known as the Caliphate) stretched from Persia in the East to Spain & Morocco in the West and in the North from Armenia to Yemen in the South. The large gap between the rise of Christianity and its first empire allows for an argument to be made for the existence of two distinct Christian traditions, a peaceful communal one that resisted injustice and a violent imperial one that furthered old injustices. This is however difficult, if not impossible for Islam. In many ways, the fast spread of the religion by nomadic Arab tribes resembles the rapid conquests of the Mongolian hordes***, except the latter was by far bloodier and therefore less lasting in its continuance.

Conclusion: It is certainly true that Christian imperialism began before Islam even developed, and thus contributed to its inspiration. However, Islam seems to relapse into many ideas and practices of the Old Testament, which originally applied to different circumstances entirely with the pagan Jews. The real danger of Islam therefore is that it mixes its native tribalism with Christian universalism/imperialism, creating a force of a kind that not only weakens but can wipe away cultural diversity as well as almost all traces of polytheism, while seeming more and more convincing as “the final truth” as it spreads. It is as dangerous as the Roman Empire in general and certainly more dangerous as far as cultural and religious toleration in particular (a very important consideration) is concerned. Let us therefore never overlook Islam as a huge rival to our nascent movement, especially in the case of our brothers and sisters who seek to become polytheists free from fear in lands occupied by this infamous religion.

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* Monotheism, as has been pointed out elsewhere on this site, was first developed by Akhenaten. The Jews were mostly henotheistic until the Hasmonean Kingdom of the 2nd century BCE, and their monotheism was fueled directly by threats from foreign imperialism.
**Allah was originally one God among many, comparable to the Canaanite El. He had a female consort and children, as in other pantheons. Mohammed however believed that people later attributed these family relations to him out of ignorance of and disobedience to his will.
***Some of the descendants of the Mongols became Muslim, and one ruler in particular among these was as ruthless as his ancestors, namely, Tamerlane.

Lessons from Aesop’s Fables (#8): The Oak and the Reed

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Fable:

A very large Oak was uprooted by the wind and thrown across a stream. It fell among some Reeds, which it thus addressed: “I wonder how you, who are so light and weak, are not entirely crushed by these strong winds.” They replied, “You fight and contend with the wind, and consequently you are destroyed; while we on the contrary bend with the wind, and therefore remain unbroken, and escape.”

Salomon_quercus[1]

Moral:

Do not wrestle with the Gods or with circumstances far above your power. Beware also of the force of the times and, even if you don’t agree with certain principles, entertain the idea and discuss it rather than oppose it fiercely. Also, a community of humble reeds (as it were) that endures successfully is better for polytheism than a single proud oak that breaks unyieldingly. This is especially important for leaders who take it upon themselves to represent others and bear the brunt of opposition. We have no need of adding any more relics to polytheism, however mighty they may be; our task is now to revive, survive and thrive amid so much wind.

Do the Gods really call us? My thoughts on a recent controversy

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This question was recently raised in a post by John Beckett (and elsewhere), wherein he argues that the Gods call and choose whomever they will, regardless of ancestry or cultural affiliation. Although (as always) his post is well expressed and well-meaning, the notion that Gods generally call or choose individual people for worship is a mistaken one. The general argumentation, from my observation, is usually reduced to these three points: 1) The Gods are individual powers able to do whatever they will, and thus some people can’t prevent them from choosing others 2) The Gods are interested in and care for people and therefore they will reveal their will and inspire people to their service directly by approaching them 3) Excluding certain Gods from certain people is unreasonable because their worship spread historically and dangerous because we don’t “own” the Gods.

Before comments to each of the foregoing, the context must first be understood. It is not difficult to see through the premise upon which these points are founded. The prevailing modern worldview is a globalized middle-class one, shaped heavily by capitalism and colonialism, and overwhelmingly Western (most especially Protestant and Anglo-American) in character, in which individualism and all manner of choice is glorified, if not sanctified. We are all affected by it in various degrees, even in polytheism. These matters can be examined at great length, but for the present purpose, it is enough to bear them in mind. Some polytheists embrace this situation of the modern worldview and others oppose it. It is best, however, to find a middle way whenever possible, selecting the good from each side while avoiding the bad. If the aim is to develop a more harmonious world, it’s high time we find methods to connect various peoples and cultures, yet without force or intimidation, because there will always be relativism, at least in a free world not dominated by an imperial and global power.

The first point above seems to carry anthropomorphism too far, in such a way that the argument defeats itself. The Gods can do anything, is it not so, and who can say otherwise? Well, if they can do anything, they can also choose to do the opposite- how would it be ascertained either way? The problem here is that this logic mischaracterizes the question entirely: we are not dealing with a matter of ability but suitability. The question of “Can a God eat ice-cream?” is rather foolish for this reason as is any other that addresses divine choice and individuality- this is not our concern at all. Insofar as it concerns the relations between Gods and mortals, our knowledge is limited (and rightfully so) to what is suitable from tradition. Religion in the traditional sense of “religio” is about correct practice and clear thinking (as passed down), as opposed to the “superstitio” of malpractice and fear. By rephrasing the question then into one of “Would a God …?”, it becomes proper and reasonable. So if it were asked “Would a God choose an individual to worship them?”, the answer would be no, because the Gods need not do so while they (still) watch over their respective peoples and cultures where they at first arose as well as their own divine families and tribes. The Gods would not choose individuals except for very, very few people who have extraordinary gifts such as those we see in myths and such as whom we find absolutely nobody today.

The thinking associated with the second point is unfortunately derived either from helplessness or hubris, sometimes both. There can be a great deal of loneliness, unfulfillment and misery in the world and some rely on the Gods to help them be better. While this is not at all to be scorned as something silly, it is not a suitable relationship. A God does and should not substitute for a family, a friend, a companion or even (I must add reluctantly) a therapist, nor should (directly or indirectly) be expected or believed to act in such an intimate capacity. Zeus is called father and Demeter is called mother only metaphorically for the Greeks, and literally only in the sense of mythical ancestry. Then comes hubris, disguised as piety, sometimes knowingly and other times unknowingly. Let’s ask the question “Would a God really stoop to approach and call someone in particular, merely to be offered worship?”. This is a rhetorical question that I’m afraid does not deserve answering. And it is a notion that originated with malpractice and monotheism. It is we who must be approach the Gods and call offerings for their service! Even the most senior priests and priest-kings, if really pious, would not dare to state that they were specifically approached by a major God (it is different for ancestors) and called to action. It is not only grossly unsuitable, but also unfair in the sense that it can attribute to the Gods something they never intended or never sanctioned as right. This is why human sacrifice and imperial conquests, as two important examples, were carried out, undoubtedly coming from ambitious individuals who thought too highly of themselves and at the same time wished to disguise their hubris as piety. There were others like Akhenaten, Buddha, Socrates, the constructed Biblical figures and Mohammed who had a very grand image of themselves that led them to hunger after followers, and their individual innovations are directly responsible for monotheism and imperialism, i.e. the decline of polytheism.

As for the third point, I have already briefly made two sub-points concerning the relation between Gods and their respective peoples. I have said, boldly and consciously, that Gods “first arose” in certain areas, and that Gods share mythic ancestry with their respective peoples. The latter is known and accepted, but the former has rarely been addressed, to the detriment of this argument. How did the Gods first arise is a question that may well be raised by an outsider or indeed an insider, and for which we ought to be prepared. The answer is usually a mythological one, with genealogies, but we can’t overlook these were compiled later and don’t account for the changes in religious thinking and socio-cultural practices that have always been part and parcel of “religion”. A previous post of mine proposed four classifications that account for the historical developments in polytheism, after its own rise from animism. I did then justify my logic to avoid misunderstanding.* In the monotheistic and globalized (both terms are necessary) world we have been living in, the diversity and distinctions in polytheism can become difficult to understand. There’s a tendency either to simplify this multiplicity like some neopagans do, or to throw it all open for everyone to partake of. Both are imperfect and lead to mistakes- the first recasts the Gods in a new shape as if they were clay, and the second commodifies them (as globalization always does) as if they were dishes offered on a menu. This is preceded by the problematic notion of divine universality, where it is believed that the Gods can exist anywhere, but it overlooks that people choose to do so (i.e. take cultic images & practices along with them), rather than the Gods themselves, and this “spreading” is mostly happens under some form of colonization and imperialism**. The Gods, since we all know they originated in particular areas, are inseparable from the peoples and cultures that they influenced and who placed “mantles” upon them***. Simplifying the Gods undermines them and opening them to all peoples cheapens them. There is a reason why certain Gods share mythic ancestry with some people and not with others. Why can’t this diversity, that already exists, be embraced? Why do we need to get into disagreements about exclusion at all, when every single people and culture has its own Gods? I blame this confused and toxic discourse on the inequality created by European empires, which is causing European polytheism to be over-represented (thus attractive) and causing “Whites” to feel guilty about their recent ancestors at the expense of their ancient ones. I respect John Beckett greatly for explaining the importance of closed traditions and how membership differs from worship, but why not address the heart of the matter also even if it is uncomfortable? A better world is one in which peoples exist free with self-determination and live harmoniously and equally among themselves, not one in which the powerful invite the weak to partake of their empire and constantly apologize while hypocritically maintaining their power. Let me adjust a well-known saying for this purpose: Teach people how to fish in their own lakes and stop giving them fish from your own or (worse) giving them fish from their own.

In conclusion, I hope in all sincerity the world can become better, stronger, more harmonious and happier with the blessings that polytheism has to offer, and which differ from the wrong path the world is in now. We will disagree how this is done, but, since it is such a momentous topic, let us be conscious not only of what we say but why we are saying it as well as the consequences it will have for all peoples present and future, not merely for our immediate audience. I am beginning to fear that this age we live in is ironically the best for the rediscovery of polytheism (what with all the archaeology and scholarship that is being produced) but perhaps the worst for the proper revival of it.
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* This is what I say: “I hope it will be understood that this is not an attempt to account for the development of Gods in material terms. Gods are real, but the earliest conceptions of them (before a tradition is made) depended on the nature of the experiences and lifestyle of those who first established the connection, as dictated by the natural environment and culture. The Gods, theoretically speaking, are not fully known to us. Animism is probably the closest we can reach because the natural and supernatural are equivalent, leaving little room for uncertainty as far as divine presence and experience is concerned. But polytheism later added new ideas and practices (mirroring changes in society) that can be compared to a mantle or cloak which covers the God, giving that God a more particular appearance or function for the convenience of distinct cultic practices and purposes, but simultaneously (because the God is covered) making that God somewhat less accessible to our conceptual understanding (hence the development of monotheism and later atheism).”

**It is tiresome to hear the examples of Isis being in Italy and Apollo being in Britain over and over, with its deliberate or dismissive short-sightedness. It’s unfortunate also that the argumentation should go so far as to say “Perhaps the most majestic temple to a Greek God is in Tennessee” which is insensitive and offensive both to Greeks and Native Americans alike. Should it not occur to us that these spread with conquest, during the Roman Empire, when armies moved constantly and colonies were established? Is it any wonder Roman imperialism commodified Isis and Apollo just like it commodified people (gladiators, workers, soldiers, subjects, etc)? If cosmopolitan diversity is good in itself, it should never be the result of a bad system; the reason why I prefer regional diversity is because it results from internal freedom, not hegemony disguised as inclusion!

***Applying the notion of suitability above: “Would a God care more for his or her own people or others, especially if other peoples have their own Gods?” This is another rhetorical question that doesn’t require an explained answer.

Lesson’s from Aesop’s fables (#7): The Farmer and his Sons

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Fable:

A father, being on the point of death, wished to be sure that his sons would give the same attention to his farm as he himself had given it. He called them to his bedside and said, “My sons, there is a great treasure hid in one of my vineyards.” The sons, after his death, took their spades and mattocks and carefully dug over every portion of their land. They found no treasure, but the vines repaid their labor by an extraordinary and superabundant crop.

220px-Caxton-Fables[1]

Moral:

The crop and the efforts that made it is the treasure, in abstract terms. It may not be an equal value, but this does not necessarily matter because the value is great enough at hand. By propelling them to action, the father not only helped his sons cooperate, but also enabled them to take care of the farm and gain by it. Had there been a treasure, conflict will have certainly followed, in many ways. I see a very profound lesson here as it regards monotheism and polytheism. In the first, the hopes for eternal Heaven and the “pleasure of God” is always used as a motive for good action, but this is a continual illusion of and for the treasure. The good is now tainted because of servitude and pathology. In polytheism however, the “treasure” is momentary and metaphorical, as in the fable–whatever we do is for our own good, not so much to please the Gods per se but to secure their favor, protection & patronage. We give that they may give; this is done directly or indirectly, and when they do not give back directly, they will somehow do so indirectly.

Reclaiming Biblical figures for polytheism

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In asserting our polytheism, we often resort to emphasizing the difference between our beliefs and monotheism. This is necessary to a certain degree, if we hope to preserve our movement from being assimilated, something monotheism has proven to be skilled at. Nevertheless, when too stark of a contrast is made, we run the risk of not only overlooking polytheism’s complex history, but also carelessly opposing all what monotheism had unfairly appropriated as its own. This is true of various characters in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, who are often regarded by monotheists as the heroic founders of their beliefs, blessed at the hands of and guided to their destiny by “the one true god”. Religious elders and scholars in ancient times were able to manipulate disparate stories and myths in such a way that they became serviceable to their system of theology and political ideology. What was once a particular and polytheistic event or figure was transformed into general symbols of monotheism, representing several phases and parts of what was painted as one glorious whole. It is however rather easy for a studious eye to find out many inconsistencies and serious contradictions in this fragile lump that is bound together merely by fervent faith and inane interpretations. Even the Old Testament mentions other Gods besides Yahweh and not always in negative reference. The rediscovery of Canaanite, Mesopotamian and Near Eastern mythology and historical records has, for more than 100 years, been welcomed by monotheists in order to corroborate their tales, but how mistaken are they to use such dangerous material in their own service! Below is a list of notable Biblical characters and their original function & chronological order (as shown by scholarship or inferred from educated guesswork) before monotheism was imposed on them:

Adam- means “man” literally in Phoenician. His myth may be comparable to that of Prometheus in Greece, and Eve comparable to that of Pandora.

Noah- a copy of the character Utnapishtim in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

Moses- an Egyptian follower of Akhenaten who escaped to Canaan during the persecution of Horemheb. His knowledge and leadership made him an ancestral hero of the Jews. Not at all associated with Yahweh.

Samson- a hero very similar to the Sumerian Enkidu (character in the Epic of Gilgamesh) and the Greek Herakles

Yahweh- an epithet of the high Canaanite God “El” or a local weather God of nomadic herders. Later, the patron God of the city-state of Jerusalem where he was worshipped henotheistically by the early Jews.

Asherah- wife of “El” and later consort of Yahweh.

Abraham- a folk hero and progenitor of the early Jews, who may have offered him ancestral worship. May be associated with Yahweh or originally regarded as his son (compare to Greek myths about the ancestry of heroes). Perhaps the mythical founder of Jerusalem. Most probably flourished after Moses if a real character (i.e. during the earlier part of the Third Intermediate Period of Egypt, when control of Canaan was lost), otherwise he is a version of Gilgamesh.

Isaac and Ishmael- likewise semi-divine progenitors of various tribes. May or may not be sons of Abraham.

Jacob and Joseph- Canaanite noblemen associated with Egypt, perhaps seeking opportunity there during the latter part of the Third Intermediate Period.

David- a tribal chief/petty king who became a hero of his people through his great exploits at war. Comparable to Greek heroes of the Trojan war

Solomon- the pious successor of David. He set up a shrine (rather than a temple) to Yahweh, which may have also been used to honor his ancestor Abraham.

“How the modern world makes us mentally ill”

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Quite an interesting video. A question worthy of reflection would be how and to what degree polytheism can help in relation to this problem.

Lessons from Aesop’s Fables (#6): The Donkey and his Shadow

Traditional Polytheist

A site devoted to the study and discussion of ethnic and traditional polytheism throughout the world, in regard to its nature, history, and present standing in general.