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| Olde Tyme Religion |
| After 1,500 years, pagans plan Acropolis prayer |
| 2008-08-29 |
| A small group of pagans pledged Thursday to hold a protest prayer among the ruined Acropolis temples, more than 1,500 years after Christians stamped out worship of the ancient Greek gods. Group spokeswoman Doretta Peppa said the worshippers would pray Sunday to Athena _ goddess of wisdom and patron of ancient Athens _ to protect the 2,500-year-old site. Peppa said followers of the old religion object to the removal last year of hundreds of sculptural masterpieces from a tiny museum on the Acropolis to a large new building under the citadel. In a statement, her group, Ellinais, described the landmark glass and concrete structure as "an incredible architectural monstrosity that insults (Greece's) cultural heritage." The $190 million building is where Greece hopes one day to display the Elgin Marbles beside the other Parthenon sculptures. Greek officials have said it will open next month, displaying some 4,000 artifacts. The Elgin Marbles were removed from the Parthenon temple by Scottish diplomat Lord Elgin in the 19th century, when Greece was still an unwilling part of the Ottoman empire. The British Museum has repeatedly rejected Greek calls for their return. Peppa told The Associated Press she would prefer the Acropolis sculptures to have stayed at the ancient temples _ from where they were removed by Greece over the past 30 years to stop erosion from Athens' polluted air. "But even if we accept a new museum was needed ... it should be in a style close to that of the ancient buildings," she said. "It's not a museum of modern art." Peppa's Athens-based group, Ellinais, is campaigning to revive ancient religion and has defied Culture Ministry bans to hold prayers at several ancient temples. She said she would not seek state permission for the ceremony, to be held near the ancient Parthenon temple, built between 447-432 B.C. in honor of Athena. "We will just sing three hymns. It won't be a big ceremony," Peppa said. "I don't know how many of us will be there. People are afraid. The fact is that we are subject to religious persecution." Christianity took hold in Greece in the 4th century. Roman Emperor Theodosius wiped out the last vestige of the Olympian gods when he abolished the Olympic Games in 394 A.D. The Parthenon was converted into a Christian church in the 5th century A.D. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #10 The Elgin Marbles were removed from the Parthenon temple by Scottish diplomat Lord Elgin in the 19th century, when Greece was still an unwilling part of the Ottoman empire. Lesson never mess with Lord Elgin in Pigeye. He's got a quality shooter and a bad, bad laggie. |
| Posted by: .5MT 2008-08-29 15:21 |
| #9 So they want to replace one mythology with another |
| Posted by: Cherelet and Tenille1095 2008-08-29 10:22 |
| #8 The Elgin Marbles were removed from the Parthenon temple by Scottish diplomat Lord Elgin in the 19th century, when Greece was still an unwilling part of the Ottoman empire. Would this be the same time period when the persians used the Athenian acropolis as an ammunition dump? Personally, Apollo is a shitcan way cooler than mo. Not afraid of his own reflection or anything. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2008-08-29 10:02 |
| #7 ...by erasing 1500+ years of Christianity... Never mind the fact that Europe was never more prosperous and strong than it was under Christianity. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-08-29 09:36 |
| #6 I thought that was was happening in Denver last night. Oh, sorry, they were worshiping Obama, Lord of Lies, Empty Suits and Empty Images, not Athena. NeverMind... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2008-08-29 09:16 |
| #5 Some of the old pagans sacrificed their kings to propitiate their deities.... |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2008-08-29 09:03 |
| #4 Not to mention that the vast majority of the neo-pagans are LEFTIST and/or new agers (with theosophy or gnostiscism thrown in), and that the whole idea of that wingnut minority of an already fringe minority somehow regenerating the soul of Europe through the worship of odin, wotan or toutatis is pretty flimsy when looked at objectively... Toutatis? They worship an asteroid? |
| Posted by: Abdominal Snowman 2008-08-29 08:53 |
| #3 The inner Nazi circle thought that reviving paganism would be great, too. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-08-29 08:30 |
| #2 Pagans are the most annoying wingnuts in the french wingnut blogosphere; basically, those are people blaming all the european woes on the "alien religion(s) of the desert" saying that Europe must return to its roots... by erasing 1500+ years of Christianity, and going back to an "heritage" that never was preserved in any way and which is at BEST a total re-invention... Not to mention that the vast majority of the neo-pagans are LEFTIST and/or new agers (with theosophy or gnostiscism thrown in), and that the whole idea of that wingnut minority of an already fringe minority somehow regenerating the soul of Europe through the worship of odin, wotan or toutatis is pretty flimsy when looked at objectively... But, still, they blame Christianity (excuse me, Xtianity). Well, could be worse, they could be wiccans... |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2008-08-29 07:02 |
| #1 Is this an Obama thing? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-08-29 00:15 |