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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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Thesmorphia - Ancient Greek Thanksgiving Festival

I have heard this festival described as an "Ancient Greek Thanksgiving" so I thought I would look it up. Very interesting! I don't see the "Thanksgiving" connection (not the way we in the US think of it) but I thought it was interesting because it goes to show you that gratitude-related festivals are an ancient concept. And it is a harvest festival, just like our US Thanksgiving is...

Some information I have gathered:

The Thesmorphia festival was celebrated on the 11th of Pyanepsion, which corresponds to late October or early November in the modern Gregorian calendar. The festival was a three-day affair, and it was observed mainly by women. During the festival, women were not allowed to sleep with their husbands, and purification rituals were performed at the temples of Demeter and Persephone. On the first day, the first fruits of the harvest were offered to Demeter, and a feast was held in her honor. On the second day, a procession was held, and women walked around the fields carrying torches, symbolizing the power of Demeter. The third day was a joyous celebration, and the remnants of the feast were donated to the poor.

The Thesmorphia festival was significant for many reasons. Firstly, it celebrated the end of the harvesting season, and it was a time to give thanks for a good crop. The festival was also a time for women to come together, and it was an opportunity for them to assert their power and influence in the society. Women played a significant role in the festival, and they were responsible for the preparation of the feast and various other aspects of the festival.

The festival was also significant in terms of its religious and mythological significance. Demeter was the goddess of agriculture, and Persephone was her young daughter, who was kidnapped by Hades, the god of the underworld. The story of Persephone reflects the cycle of life, death, and resurrection. The festival of Thesmorphia was an opportunity to honor these two goddesses and their mythology, which highlighted the importance of the harvest and the cycle of life.

Another reason why the Thesmorphia festival was significant was that it was a time for the community to come together and celebrate. The feast was an opportunity to share food, drink, and stories and build camaraderie amongst members of the community. During the festival, people forgot their differences and came together to celebrate the bounty of the harvest.

Are there influences of Greek mythology in our modern culture?

I've been deeply fascinated by Greek mythology for as long as I can remember—its epic tales, deities, and heroes that have influenced countless aspects of Western culture. Recently, I've started to ponder more deeply about its presence and influence in our contemporary life and culture. From literature and movies to expressions and brands, it seems Greek mythology has woven itself into the very fabric of our daily experiences.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts and observations on this topic. Have you noticed any interesting or surprising ways Greek mythology manifests in today's society? Perhaps in ways we might not even immediately recognize due to how integrated they are?

Was the Trojan War real?

I have been wondering, was the Trojan War real? I decided to explore the topic. I still don't know. What do you guys think?

Let's start with the basics. According to ancient Greek mythology, the Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans over Helen of Troy. Helen, the wife of King Menelaus, was said to be the most beautiful woman in the world. When she was kidnapped by Paris of Troy, her husband called upon the Greek army to help him get her back. The war lasted ten years, according to the myth, and ended with the Greeks claiming victory when they used a wooden horse to get inside the walls of Troy.

It's easy to dismiss this story as nothing more than a legend, but there is some archaeological evidence that suggests that there may be some truth to the tale. In the 1870s, a German businessman named Heinrich Schliemann claimed to have found the site of ancient Troy in modern-day Turkey. He found evidence of a walled city with multiple layers of ruins, which might have been the result of multiple attacks over time. Whether or not this was the site of the Trojan War is still up for debate, but it's clear that Schliemann believed that he had discovered the home of king Priam and the legendary Trojan horse.

That said, not everyone agrees with Schliemann's findings. In fact, some scholars argue that the city he found wasn't actually Troy at all, but another nearby city with a similar name. Others point out that the ruins he found don't quite match up with the descriptions of the city in the Iliad. Additionally, there is evidence that suggests that the Trojan War didn't happen exactly as it was told in the myth. For example, it's possible that the conflict arose over economic disputes rather than the kidnapping of Helen.

Despite the disagreements among scholars, one thing is for sure: The Trojan War has had a lasting impact on culture and has become one of the most well-known stories from Greek mythology. It has been retold in countless books, movies, and TV shows over the years, and the characters from the story continue to inspire us today. The Trojan hero Hector, for example, has become synonymous with bravery, while Odysseus's journey home has been the inspiration for many other epic tales.

Sad and Interesting Story of Prometheus

I find the story of Prometheseus to be sad and interesting and I wanted to share. Yes, I like to study Greek mythology - I find it so fascinating!

Prometheus, a Titan in Greek mythology, occupies a unique space in the pantheon of myths due to his intelligence and his profound impact on human civilization. His tale is one marked by valor, insubordination, and enduring punishment, a narrative that has fascinated scholars and enthusiasts for ages.

Prometheus, whose name aptly means "forethought", was known for his wisdom and for being a champion of mankind. Unwilling to see humans suffer, he committed a daring act of defiance against Zeus, the king of the gods, which would forever alter the course of human history.

The most famous aspect of Prometheus’ story involves him stealing fire from the gods and gifting it to humanity. Fire, in Greek mythology, represents more than just a means to warm food or fend off the darkness; it symbolizes knowledge, technology, and enlightenment—tools that would empower humanity to shape their world, for better or worse.

Zeus, infuriated by Prometheus' transgression, sentenced him to a severe and enduring punishment. Prometheus was bound to a rock, where each day an eagle, the emblem of Zeus, was sent to eat his liver, which would then regrow overnight, only for the torment to repeat ad infinitum. It was an eternal punishment for a being who, in many accounts, acted out of compassion and foresight.

I find it sad that he did something so beneficial to humanity but then got punished for it.

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...
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