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Greece: Approximately 2000 Hellenic Pagans are now legally allowed to exist in Greece, but all is still not hunky dory, and followers of the old gods are now seeking the right to worship at their sacred sites:
The followers, who say theydefend the genuine traditions, religion and ethosof the ancients by adhering to a pre-Christian polytheistic culture, are poised to take their battle to the temples of Greece.
What we want, now, is for the government to fully recognise our religion,Vasillis Tsantilas told the Guardian.We will petition the Greek parliament, and the EU if that fails, for access to worship in places like the Acropolis, for permission to have our own cemeteries and, where necessary, to re-bury the [ancient] bones of the dead.
Greece only allows Orthodox Christianity, Judaism and Islam, having apparently not read the European Convention on Human Rights when it became a signatory to it, and especially not Article 9:
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.
Needless to say, the established church is unhappy at the idea that a tiny number of Greeks might have a different set of imaginary friends:
Father Eustathios Kollas, who presides over the community of Greek priests, said:They are a handful of miserable resuscitators of a degenerate dead religion who wish to return to the monstrous dark delusions of the past.
Greek gods prepare for comeback—The Guardian, 5th May 2006.
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at 13:06. Last modified on January 11 2008 at 13:14.
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Comments
1: Posted by: DM SHERWOOD | May 8, 2006 10:23 AM
Liked the Imaginary friends bit was it original or were you quoting the comedian who said
"Reigious wars is killing people to prove you've got a better imaginary friend than they've got'
2: Posted by: Andrew Ian Dodge | May 9, 2006 12:25 PM
What? Greece ignoring EU legislation? Surely you jest! This is a country that jails plane-spotters.
3: Posted by: tim gueguen | May 14, 2006 4:49 AM
I was surprised to read that there are believers in the ancient Greek gods, but really I probably shouldn't have been. Chances are any god or goddess that had any sort of widespread popularity probably has some followers, although in many cases I would imagine these followers don't necessarily follow the old ways of worship of those gods.
4: Posted by: Dain | May 22, 2006 3:36 AM
Tim:
There are thousands of worshippers of the old Greek Gods; see www.hellenion.org, www.neokoroi.org or www.ysee.gr for just three of the main groups.
Good to see Greece being dragged into the 21st century, and that the Orthodox priests still can't use a rational argument. Base emotionalism is all they have got left.
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