Saturday, April 28, 2018

Are The Gods Perfect?

Sometimes, I get the question, Do you think the Gods are perfect? The problem with this question first and foremost, is that humans have no idea what perfection is. Not a single mortal on this planet can look at a forest and tell me which tree is perfect, or look at the sky and tell me which cloud doesn't have any imperfections. No one can tell me which blade of grass is better, the tall or short one. No human can even tell me which human being is perfect and which one isn't, and more so, explain why. Which color of hair, eyes or skin is perfect? What height is perfect? Which sex is perfect? If you get where I'm going with this, good.

Are the Gods perfect? The plain answer is, I couldn't say, because as a human, and like every other human around me, I have no idea what perfection is. There are, however, a few ideas we might entertain. One, perhaps everything is indeed perfect because everything is exactly the way it's supposed to be. And/or two, if there is no perfection, perhaps there doesn't even need to be. Do the Gods have to be perfect? No, they don't. But they are undoubtedly the highest level of perfection that could possibly exist. In other words, if they're not perfect, they are certainly as close to it as you can get, completely unmatched in the universe. When I praise the Gods, or invoke them for something, what I am literally doing is praising or asking for that highest level of something. Their power doesn't have to be perfect in order to be unsurpassed. The idea that a God must be perfect really more so comes from the Judeo-Christian mythos than anything else. In order for the early Christians to claim theological superiority over everyone, they had to create a perfect deity. It's not really something that existed a lot in Pagan culture, and yet the Pagans still loved their Gods all the same. It does not, by any means, indicate that the Gods are not excellent.

Then the final question begs, if the Gods aren't perfect, why worship them? The answer is simple, because they are the Gods. Your parents may not be perfect, but you still love them. Your boss may not be perfect, but you still respect him or her. Your spouse may not be perfect, but you're still devoted to them until the end. Why should the Gods, who are far greater than anything else, not be given the same respect, obedience, and loyalty? It makes no sense to be devoted to imperfect humans, but refuse to worship a God on the grounds that they may not be perfect. A human is far weaker and less wise than a God, whereas a God will exceed the human in all things. To adore the human and reject the God isn't logical. 

So, are the Gods perfect? My answer is, it doesn't matter.

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris Aldridge.

Sunday, April 1, 2018

Christian Pastor Threatens Nashville Parthenon

It's April Fools Day, so here's a fool, was my initial response when I came across a facebook video posted by Hellenic Awakening of a Christian Pastor named Pastor Dowell, walking into the main chambers of the magnificent Nashville Parthenon. There he gets on video, calling Athene ugly names, calling Her a "false God," and threatening to "take a sledgehammer" and destroy it. He also makes a reference to the Goddess Nike who is in the hand of Athene's statue, equating it with the popular shoe brand. He's apparently too ignorant to realize that it's not the Goddess who is named after the shoe, but the shoe that was named after the Goddess far later in human history. I'm willing to bet he doesn't even know what the name Nike means without looking it up. The video was posted on his own youtube channel last summer, but was uploaded to the Hellenic facebook page this year. For those who wish to see this magnificent display of human idiocy, I will put a link at the end of this post, but for now, I want to talk about my thoughts on the matter in full.

One of the first thoughts that ran through my mind was the fact that he's clearly a radical Christian and monotheist who hates the old Gods, yet he pays money to enter Athene's temple, money that will be used to help maintain the facility and the things inside it, including the statue. Maybe he didn't think of that initially, but it's amazing to me how he would be so dedicated to his hate that he would actually help support what he hates just so he could film it for one minute and fifteen seconds.

I'm not really concerned with his personal religious opinions about Athene or the Greek religion. For two thousand years, we've heard these rants about "false Gods" and the host of other insults the anti-Polytheism crowd throws. The Greek Gods have been more real in my life than Jesus ever dared to, that's for sure. But whatever he personally believes, I could not care less about. It's what he threatened to do next that has me upset. He said he wanted to take a sledgehammer and destroy it, meaning presumably the statue of Athene.

The fact that he would somehow think he has a right to destroy something that other people spent a lot of money building and maintaining, really shows not only how crazy he is, but how little he regards other human beings. It shows what he thinks of the human right to freedom of religion, expression, and private property. Everyone who built, maintains and admires that temple is completely willing to give this pastor his religious freedom, but he's not willing to give it back to them in return. What's notable is how comparable his words are to that of the Islamic State, who also goes around taking hammers to statues and other ancient relics.

I also find it equally disturbing that no Christians have come out to condemn his words. 

There are some things I think we need to consider here. One, the Nashville Parthenon should be notified of this man issuing public threats against their establishment. I do plan to contact the facility soon and inform them of my concerns. I will also be sending a copy of the video along with it. Two, it should remind Hellenists and Pagans that the threats to our rights and the things we hold dear are still, unfortunately, very real in our time. We've been facing it for centuries, and sadly, it still hasn't ended. And three, consider donating to and/or being a patron of the Nashville Parthenon so they can remain strong and growing. I've been there twice to give reverence to the Goddess, and it truly is a wonderful place.

The man ends his video stating that our nation doesn't fear his god. Well, that's one of the best things about the United States. No one is obligated to fear his god, or worship his god, or do anything that supports his religion or worldviews. Rest assured, our founders had people like him in mind when they wrote the first amendment, guaranteeing freedom of religion and protection to all human beings. It's still extremely vital that we don't forget that, and are always prepared to stand and defend it against tyrants, fascists and terrorists.

Link to Video - Click Here

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris Aldridge.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

The Poor Man's Offering

Even as far back as ancient times, people have thought the Gods to be impressed, perhaps even to require, extravagant offerings and gifts for their favor. But one of my favorite stories of ancient Greece comes from the Oracle of Delphi herself. It is unknown when this occurred, as in an exact date or century, at least according to my own records. Nevertheless, the moral of the event teaches us a very strong lesson, especially if we are followers of ancient Greek religion.

The story has no title I have seen, so I shall name it The Poor Man's Offering. While we may not have a lot of official information, we do have the name of the man in question, Hermioneus. Surely by now, even the fragments of his bones have withered away as his soul rests hopefully in Elysium, but his story remains with us for all time.

A very rich man of Thessaly once went to offer to Apollon at the Delphic temple. Hermioneus was there as well. The rich man showered the God with splendid gifts that only the fullest of pockets and bank accounts could accrue, thinking that surely he now possessed the favor of the God. When Hermioneus came forth to present his gifts, he merely took from his pouch a small portion of barely and placed it upon the altar.  No doubt, the rich man nearly died laughing, at least in his own mind. But through the Delphic Oracle, Apollon spoke, and said that He liked the offering of Hermioneus more.

You see, the rich man was concerned with vanity, whereas Hermioneus was concerned with sincere devotion. It was nothing for the rich man to give Apollon the best money could buy, because he had all the money. However, it was a very telling act of character for the poor man to give what he could, to do his best, in the face of the Gods. The fact of the matter is that the Gods do not need anything we can give them. Apollon could have gotten all of the gifts the rich man gave him entirely on his own. What the Gods enjoy seeing is devotion and supplication, that we humble ourselves and realize who the Gods are. It doesn't matter if you offer one slice of bread from the Dollar Store, or the finest gold in all of America. The gift itself means nothing to the God or Goddess because they already own it. All of the universe is theirs. What they don't own is your devotion, your worship, and your love. For you to give that freely, means the most of all. 

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris.

Source - Stagman, Myron, 100 Prophecies of the Delphic Oracle, City-State Press, 1999.

Friday, December 29, 2017

Prayer Works ~ A Pagan Perspective

Some people, even religious ones, think that prayer doesn't work, that it changes nothing about you or the world. That at best, it's just for personal reflection and nothing more. I can say from experience that this is utterly untrue. Prayer may not always give us the results we want if the Gods wish a different course, or if something is just not meant to be now or ever, but it's not true to say that prayer has no benefits.

I actually became Hellenic officially because of a prayer that the Gods answered right in front of me within a few seconds of the petition. So for someone, even a high religious leader, to stand there and tell me prayer doesn't work, makes me yawn and slowly blink at best.

Let's begin this discussion about prayer on a personal level, then we will move to the outside world. As someone who has suffered from real and severe mental issues like depression and anxiety, I can say prayer has been better than medication and therapy. I can wake up in the morning feeling awful, but when I am in, and complete, my daily rites and I put my necklace around my neck and say, "I go forth in the Gods today," my physical life completely changes 100%. I am happy and at peace through the Gods. I feel fulfilled and purposeful. My doctors have even told me to institute prayer time as a treatment since it works for me. Literally, it solves my personal problems. When you are in the presence of the Gods, all things evil and harmful flee. You don't experience them anymore because they simply don't exist in Their presence.

Now, let's talk about prayer in terms of the outside world. I too have seen prayer change things in these regards before. My family was recently involved in an ugly lawsuit with a former employer. We were not in the wrong in the matter, but they compiled loads of claims and "witnesses" against us. We thought for sure that we were going to lose and owe them about $3,000. I cannot tell you how many times I prayed to Athene for victory in the matter, the Goddess of Law and justice. Not only did we win completely as our foe exhausted all of their appeals, but they ended up having to pay us over $1,000 at ruling. That same week, after more prayer to the Gods for successful employment, my wife got the job she had been wanting for a while. Before our supplication to the Gods, all was in fearful question. Our very livelihoods were in doubt. But once the Gods heard our prayers, and saw that we were the ones on the side of justice, victory was ours 100%.

Don't tell me prayer doesn't work. It can make the worst things go away, and the most dismal of fortunes take a turn for the best.

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris.

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Learning From The Greek Heroes: Atalanta

Atalanta (Atalante in Greek), is the Heroine Huntress of Arcadia (Arkadia). From the time of Her birth, She was faced with hardship. Her father, wanting a boy or simply not wanting Her at all, threw Atalanta into the wilderness to die; he just left Her in the middle of nowhere. Artemis, being the Protectress of infants and children (namely young girls), found and cared for the baby. In some versions, Artemis sent a mother bear to save Atalanta's life. Others say hunters found and nursed Her into health. Either way, She escaped death by the blessing of the Gods, and because of this graceful act, She was Divinely favored. Growing into a powerful Huntress and servant of Artemis, She at first shunned men all together. In reality, why wouldn't She? The man who was supposed to have loved Her the most, threw Her away. Nevertheless, She later in life entered a foot-racing contest against potential suitors, all of which failed but one. He beat Her by throwing down golden apples, or in other words, Atalanta simply could not resist Her attraction to him, and to this man She eventually married and gave up Her chastity.

What is there to learn from Atalanta? For starters, sometimes I pray to Her against the "ruthlessness that has always plagued mankind." This ruthlessness I refer to in prayer is what happened to Her as a child. Still today, parents kill or abandon their unwanted children. It's something that has sadly always been with humanity, and if Atalanta teaches us anything it's that the Gods expect us to care for our children; it's our duty as decent human beings, and I pray that Atalanta, by the mighty power of Artemis, shows us the way.

Being a Huntress and a lover of the wild, Atalanta obviously had tremendous love and respect for nature; it was Her home. If anyone ever understood that humans are part of and dependent on nature and not separate from it, it was Atalanta. Without the wilderness, She would have known no place of being. She teaches us that, without nature, there is no us, and we need to always care for, protect and preserve it. 

Lastly, Atalanta, throughout most of Her life, was very much Her own independent person. She relied on Herself in many ways. Sometimes, that's what we have to do as well. We have to understand and harness our own inner strengths and abilities to get through life or to achieve our goals. We can't always expect others to be there, or things to be done for us.

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris.

Atalanta's Patronage
* Infants and children.
* Young girls.
* Orphans.
* Hunting.
* Wildlife.
* Forests.
* Foresters.
* Environmentalism.
* Exercise.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

The Crocus Gift

I recently took a part time job at a local retailer to help pay off some of my debts. While it's not a hard job, it's not really something I want to be doing. I work it because, at this time, I need the extra cash. It's the life story of former college students and the like. 

On the night of the 28th, I was feeling horrible at work in almost every way imaginable. Depression and anxiety started to kick up and I just didn't think I could go on anymore. I felt all alone and lost in the world and life; I just wanted to give up all together. That was until a woman came to me and handed me something that she, for some reason, had decided not to buy. She placed in my hands a bag of crocus flowers. 

I recognized them immediately because I knew they are the sacred flowers of Hermes, the Messenger of the Gods. Hermes knew I would understand they were a gift and a sign from Him. I felt that Hermes was telling me that I'm loved by the Gods and to never give up hope; that the Gods know what I'm going through and are here. In short, the Gods love me and that's the bottom line. 

So, I bought the flowers, and placed one bulb in my pocket for the rest of my shift. The God's gift made me so happy and peaceful that work no longer bothered me, nor did life itself. I felt like Odysseus when Hermes gave Him Moly to protect Him from the spells entrapment. Except this plant (the Crocus) was given to protect me from my own hardships, which in themselves were entrapment.

When I arrived home, I offered some of the flower bulbs back to Hermes with a prayer of thanks for His blessings and Divine Guidance. As the Guide of the universe, Hermes can take us by the hand and show us the way down every road and path, and the thing is, when He does so, you know it, like I did this night. It's always of the utmost comfort when you know the Gods are there.

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Learning From The Greek Heroes: Bellerophon

Bellerophon is one of my Patron Heroes, and enjoys a handsome adoration in some of my daily rites. His name is also pronounced Bellerophontes and means "Wielder of Missiles," probably referring to His attacks on the Chimera monster, which begs the question, what was His real name before the battle of the beast? Some say it was Hipponous, which means "Horse-Minded." But the thing is, there are other people in Greek religion with the same name, so it could have been a John Doe title for those who were nameless. We may never actually know Bellerophon's real name, but that's fine because His latter is a great one.

Bellerophon's story begins with a tragedy, but also one that gave Him Heroism. After being found guilty of manslaughter (accidental killing of another human being), He was banished from the land until He could seek and achieve purification from the offense, murder being considered a high pollutant. When He came into the presence of the king who could grant Him the release, the king's wife fell in love with the Hero who refused her advances for reasons of honor. Being angered at this, she falsely accused Bellerophon of trying to rape her. The king, believing his wife over a stranger, sent Bellerophon to another leader with a note to have Him sent to fight the Chimera. The former king didn't want to kill a guest for fear of pollution upon his own house, so He sent the Hero to meet a bloody end at the hands of the fire-breathing monster that was ravaging the countryside. But the Gods were on His side. After Athene showed Him how to harness and use the winged horse of the Gods (Pegasos), He flew overhead where the Chimera couldn't reach Him. When the right moment presented itself, He ran His lance or spear down the creature's throat and killed it. He returned an exonerated Hero.

Bellerophon is the Patron of men who are falsely accused of sexual misconduct, and can be prayed to for help against overwhelming challenges, enemies, and evil and negativity in general. His alleged tomb still stands today in modern Turkey. ( Tomb of Bellerophon )

What can we learn from Bellerophon? First, honor is of the highest importance. If you don't have your honor, you don't have anything. No one will trust or admire a dishonorable individual. He also teaches us to never be scared of the challenges or monsters that face us. We can, through the favor of the Gods, overcome anything if we are willing to fight and never give up. Any hurdle or obstacle can be flown over.

In the Goodness of the Gods,
Chris.