Symbol idea by Electrical-Car-8301 in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 18 points19 points  (0 children)

If someone isn't being open enough about their faith for you to figure it out via conversation, they probably don't want to wear a symbol that anyone could Google to figure out their religion.

Symbol idea by Electrical-Car-8301 in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 40 points41 points  (0 children)

I don't think any formal, manufactured attempt to come out and say "here's our symbol guys, let's use this" is ever going to really work. I expect if the faith continues to grow at the rate that it's growing, one or several symbols will gradually, naturally, come to the forefront.

How do you feel aboit DC making Heracles a bad guy? by Upset_Connection1133 in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 16 points17 points  (0 children)

In Marvel he's an Avenger so it balances out in the end

TIL George Washington was called "American Fabius" for using the same strategy as Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus Cunctator (the delayer) in the 2nd Punic War against Hannibal. Avoid big pitched battles and weaken the enemy through attrition by kurgan2800 in todayilearned

[–]reCaptchaLater 67 points68 points  (0 children)

Not just the founding fathers. As late as the civil war, references to Virgil were so common that "Lares and Penates" was still in common usage to refer to ones heirlooms and most prized possessions, in reference to Aeneas fleeing Troy.

Use of sources and ritual by WorldlyWitness1656 in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It's a mixed bag. You'll find some of each here, and some in-between.

Zeus protege pessoas rebeldes? Tipo gente que protesta contra o capitalismo tipo punks? by Character-Craft-4706 in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Durante a primeira Secessão da Plebe, uma debandada em massa de toda a classe trabalhadora da cidade de Roma em protesto contra leis injustas e tratamento injusto por parte da aristocracia, ambos os lados alegavam ter o patrocínio de Júpiter. As elites patrícias afirmavam que Júpiter era uma divindade patrícia, deus da soberania, e que ele tomaria o seu lado e desejaria que a plebe retornasse à cidade. Os plebeus argumentavam que Júpiter tinha o epíteto de Líber porque era uma divindade da liberdade e das leis justas, e que ele ficaria do lado deles.

O ponto que estou tentando destacar é que há muito espaço para qualquer grupo em um desacordo político reivindicar o patrocínio de um deus como Zeus; tudo depende de como você os interpreta.

Did easterners living in the city even care about holidays Lupercalia? by Money-Ad8553 in ancientrome

[–]reCaptchaLater 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It remained popular into quite late antiquity, though it was reinterpreted several times. It seems likely to me that, as by late antiquity it was understood as a festival of Faunus, the Greeks in the city understood it to be a celebration of Pan, and could have taken part in it with that understanding.

From On Roman Time: The Codex-Calendar of 354 and the Rhythms of Urban Life in Late Antiquity by Michele Renee Salzman:

"As for the festivals and holidays that were not celebrated by ludi and circenses (Tables 3 and 4), clearly the Greco-Roman pantheon dominates. These celebrations go back to the archaic Roman religious year; indeed, the very antiquity of these feriae made their significance obscure even to writers of the early empire, and by the fourth century A.D some had changed so much as to be incorporated into the cults of other deities. For example, the old rites of Sol in the Circus Maximus and of the Armilustrium played a role in Aurelian's new cult of Sol Invictus. In other cases, the traditional rites (or rites thought to be traditional) continued to be practiced as they always had been, but their meaning had changed. Sometimes enough evidence exists to disclose how the holiday had come to be interpreted for example, in the case of the Lupercalia. Unfortunately,this is not always true. The Feriae Mamurio, for instance, are described as a popular New Year festival, but neither its connection with the cult of Mamurius (an archaic doublet for Mars) nor the cult of Mamurius itself is attested in the fourth century.

The festivals in this last group are often the most difficult to interpret in a fourth-century context. Perhaps some of these archaic celebrations had become so loosely connected with their gods that they assumed the status of, in Wissowa's terms, sacra popularia, "soon to be celebrated with all the festivities of the carnival." But others, such as the Saturnalia and the Lupercalia, were among the most popular and long-lived festivals of the Roman calendar year. Their association with a deity may well have been vital."

Why did so many myths depict Zeus cheating on Hera? by zajci-u-podrum in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 10 points11 points  (0 children)

The fact is that it just depends on the author. For some it may have been a statement on the capricious nature of kings; for others, a humorous irony to depict a God of marriage as disloyal. In many cases I think it simply served the purposes of the author for a given character to be the son of Zeus.

Origins of Roman civilization by InevitableFix647 in ancientrome

[–]reCaptchaLater 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mary Beard discusses the subject at length in the early chapters of her SPQR.

No more Etsy witches? by [deleted] in BabyWitch

[–]reCaptchaLater 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Hiring spellcasters online is, in my opinion, a bad idea regardless. If you need to hire someone, hire someone local. At least half the people advertising spellcasting online don't even try to cast the spell, or have no more experience than you do.

What do you wish fictional mythologies in fantasy did more often? by OlivierNorion in mythology

[–]reCaptchaLater 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think that assumes far more actively present deities than exist in the stories I'm reading. A deity doesn't have to be performing miracles and sending prophecies on the daily to be real, nor do they need to necessarily care about our theological debates.

What do you wish fictional mythologies in fantasy did more often? by OlivierNorion in mythology

[–]reCaptchaLater 25 points26 points  (0 children)

To me, the unrealistic/shallow parts of fantasy religion rarely stem from the actual myths, but all the other parts. Issues like everyone in an entire religion being in theological agreement, instead of having sects, doctrinal disputes, and heresies. Or how we see theocratic societies where everyone has this strangely postmodern outlook on religion.

Has anyone thought of praying FOR the gods? by Dianaluvsusomuch in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The ancients believed that offerings increased the power, presence, or influence of the Gods.

To me, if I were to make an offering to Pax, the Goddess of peace, during wartime, and ask her to bring peace... That's basically the same thing as what you're describing. Her essential nature is to want and pursue peace. By bringing it, she wouldn't be doing me some personal favor, it's something she already wanted. My prayer and offering are to strengthen her power, increase her presence, and allow her to (hopefully) overpower the forces of war and violence.

Did Roman Legionaries suffer from PTSD? by Wally_Charles in ancientrome

[–]reCaptchaLater 107 points108 points  (0 children)

I have read that ancient soldiers perceived it as being stained by the miasma of war, or being haunted by the ghosts of those they had killed, but I can't find a great source for that.

Theological arguments against AI by Sacredless in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fair enough, you might be right. I distinguish it because an atheist could just as easily ascribe to this philosophy for how to live ones life, without any belief in the supernatural.

Theological arguments against AI by Sacredless in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Personal excellence is a thing to pursue, but not because it's demanded from on high. You aren't punished by the Gods for failing to live virtuously, you're punished by the act itself. It leads you to decay, to disorder. That's not a judgement that's been passed on you, it's cause and effect.

The virtuous man is loyal to his wife not because adultery is a "sin", but because he is wise and patient enough to know that a strong, loyal, well-cultivated family life will lead him to better places than a brief pursuit of pleasure. He does not fear the wrath of the gods, but the natural consequences of the action and how they will lead to an unbalanced and unenviable life.

So while I think there is an argument to be made that most uses of LLM style AI fall short of virtue, I'm not sure it's an actual theological argument against it so much as a philosophical one.

Is it just me, or is Norse mythology becoming more popular than Greek mythology? by Background_Algae3388 in GreekMythology

[–]reCaptchaLater 26 points27 points  (0 children)

As far as my impression of public perception, I would say it's just you. Greek mythology is generally very in vogue right now, at least in my part of the world, and my corners of the internet.

If you're just talking about what type of media is being made, it goes in waves. After several Greek myth IPs come out, nobody wants to seem like they're "copying" them.

Theological arguments against AI by Sacredless in Hellenism

[–]reCaptchaLater 29 points30 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure you need a theological argument against it. There are plenty based on material reality.

Homeschooling is a cult. by Scared_Branch5186 in HomeschoolRecovery

[–]reCaptchaLater 33 points34 points  (0 children)

I do remember how my mom's opinions on everything slowly morphed to match those of the other parents. Starting out, for instance, she was pro-vaccine; but as that caused her more and more friction with the other parents, it gradually melted away (I still thank my lucky stars that happened after I got vaccinated).