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Vangelis

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So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

 
So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

love the archaeological stories around the bible. Have you read anything by James Tabor, the Jesus Dynasty is fascinating
So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

I love the archaeological stories around the bible. Have you read anything by James Tabor? The Jesus Dynasty is a fascinating read, though I’m not knowledgeable enough to have an opinion about how viable the hypotheses are.
 
I love the archaeological stories around the bible. Have you read anything by James Tabor? The Jesus Dynasty is a fascinating read, though I’m not knowledgeable enough to have an opinion about how viable the hypotheses are.

No, I haven't read anything by James Tabor but I have read the New Testament 3 times and large swathes of the Old Testament. Many of the stories in them are apocryphal and to Professor Stavrakopoulou's point, they actually are not archaeologically verifiable. Many of the "scholars" in this field appear to have an agenda to try to prove the stories in the bible actually transpired but the archaeological evidence just isn't there. It is good to see hard investigation in this field rather than those that are trying to make the existing evidence fit the stories. There is no doubt that the xtian bible stories therefore constitute a mythology no different to the Egyptian and Greek mythologies.

What do you think, Laura?
 
No, I haven't read anything by James Tabor but I have read the New Testament 3 times and large swathes of the Old Testament. Many of the stories in them are apocryphal and to Professor Stavrakopoulou's point, they actually are not archaeologically verifiable. Many of the "scholars" in this field appear to have an agenda to try to prove the stories in the bible actually transpired but the archaeological evidence just isn't there. It is good to see hard investigation in this field rather than those that are trying to make the existing evidence fit the stories. There is no doubt that the xtian bible stories therefore constitute a mythology no different to the Egyptian and Greek mythologies.

What do you think, Laura?
In principle, archaeology and other fields of investigation cannot prove much of what is written in the Testaments; they are irrelevant to human deeds/events of the past. For instance, WHAT could prove that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey? Or that he founded his own church? Probable evidence could be supplied by eye/ear witnesses or photo/sono-graphs. The real ancient existence of Jerusalem and donkeys prove nothing. Rather, text logical analysis shows that many statements/claims cannot be true; they are mythical in nature.
 
In principle, archaeology and other fields of investigation cannot prove much of what is written in the Testaments; they are irrelevant to human deeds/events of the past. For instance, WHAT could prove that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey? Or that he founded his own church? Probable evidence could be supplied by eye/ear witnesses or photo/sono-graphs. The real ancient existence of Jerusalem and donkeys prove nothing. Rather, text logical analysis shows that many statements/claims cannot be true; they are mythical in nature.
It's true that small events such as a person riding into a town on a donkey or even what that person did and said at various stages of their lives cannot be archaeologically verified. The bible, however, mentions many events such as the Jews working as slaves in Egypt and the subsequent mass exodus and the "great flood" both of which have zero archaeological evidence to support them. The vast majority of the bible is basically apocryphal.
 
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So recently I have been really enjoying watching videos from Professor Fransesca Stavracopoulou and I wanted to share one of my favourite videos on youtube. She is a professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Religion at the University of Exeter. She examines the bible from a professional archaeological point of view, showing how many of the bible stories are not historically verifiable or even misrepresent the actual historical accounts. My personal realisation is that the current Greek religion is just another mythology just as the 12 Greek gods were.

I really like this perspective. I think that the more approaches we can take to religion, the better we will be able to analyze it and understand it at face value. It's always good to critically think about the information presented to us before we make conclusions.
 
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Janus - God of Beginnings

I learned recently of Janus, the Roman God of Beginnings. The month January, I believe, is named after this God.

Many of the Roman Gods and Goddesses have Greek counterparts. Does Janus?

If so, I think that would be an interesting god to learn about. I have to be honest - I am not sure there is a counterpart. I have been searching but there either isn't enough information online, or there really is no equivalent.

Do you guys have any idea?

List of fun Greek mythology topics

I really love Greek Mythology. I thought I would share with you all some of my favorite topics:

  1. Birth of the Olympians and how they came to power
  2. Different heroes of Greek mythology
  3. 12 Labors of Hercules
  4. Trojan War
  5. Iliad and the Odyssey and all the stories in them
  6. The story of Persephone
  7. Pandora's box
  8. Different creatures - like the Minotaur and Hydra
What are yours?

Hestia Greek Goddess Information

We don't talk about Hestia much... but I just remembered that my yiayia did! I wondered why, so I researched her. Here is what I found... I think it has something to do with the fact that she was a housewife and she loved her family.. Looking at what she represents, it kind of makes sense. Here's what I found about her:

The Greek goddess Hestia was revered as the goddess of the hearth and home. In ancient Greek mythology, she was known to be a benevolent deity, who brought warmth and comfort to the home. Through her presence, she blessed the family and provided them with a sense of safety and security.

Hestia was the first-born child of Cronus and Rhea, and she was the sister of other Olympian gods such as Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Unlike her brothers and sisters, she did not engage in any power struggles or battles. She preferred to remain neutral and instead focused her attention on her household duties. Hestia was considered one of the most important deities, as the hearth represented the heart of the home. People would light a fire in her honor and worship her by placing offerings of food and drink on their hearth.

In ancient Greek culture, a hearth was often considered the most important part of the home. It was where food was cooked, and family members gathered to eat, share stories, and bond. Hestia's role in domestic life was crucial, and she was responsible for creating the warmth and sense of security felt within the home. Her presence was believed to bring good luck and happiness to the family.

Learning About Dionysius

I have recently been studying about Dionysius. I feel like I hav been forgetting about him! Beyond the basics that he is the Greek god of wine, festivity, and ecstatic celebration, I’m eager to peel back the layers and understand his role and significance across different cultures and historical epochs.

What piqued my interest initially was how Dionysius seems to embody a dual nature – both bringing joy and chaos. This duality, along with his followers, rituals, and the influence on arts and culture, presents a fascinating study. I am particularly interested in the Dionysian festivals!

Curious to hear people's thoughts...

Summary of the Nine Muses of Greek Mythology

I've been studying about Greek Mythology and I bumped into some information about the 9 muses. I thought I would give a summary of who they are and what they represented. I feel like the Muses are often forgotten!

In Greek mythology, the Muses were goddesses who presided over the arts and sciences, inspiring creativity and knowledge in humans. There were originally nine Muses, each with her own domain of expertise. Here's a summary of who they were:
  1. Calliope: The Muse of epic poetry and eloquence. She was often depicted with a writing tablet or a scroll.
  2. Clio: The Muse of history. She was often depicted holding a scroll or a set of tablets, symbolizing the recording of historical events.
  3. Euterpe: The Muse of music, song, and lyric poetry. She was often depicted holding a flute or a double flute.
  4. Thalia: The Muse of comedy and bucolic poetry. She was often depicted with a comic mask, a shepherd's crook, or a wreath of ivy.
  5. Melpomene: The Muse of tragedy. She was often depicted holding a tragic mask and a sword or club.
  6. Terpsichore: The Muse of dance and choral poetry. She was often depicted holding a lyre and dancing.
  7. Erato: The Muse of love poetry and lyric poetry. She was often depicted holding a lyre and a wreath of roses.
  8. Polyhymnia: The Muse of sacred poetry, hymns, and eloquence. She was often depicted in a pensive or meditative pose, sometimes holding a finger to her lips.
  9. Urania: The Muse of astronomy and astrology. She was often depicted holding a globe and a compass, symbolizing the study of celestial bodies and their movements.
Together, the Muses served as sources of inspiration for poets, musicians, artists, and scholars, guiding and nurturing creative endeavors in ancient Greek culture.

muses-greek-mythology.jpg
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