Are Greek or Roman myths still believed by some, like Celtic myths are?

Factual Questions
21

I would doubt that there has been any concious continuity of the Greek-Roman religions from 1 BC to now as the cultures that supported them no longer exist. There is no more context for an Olympian pantheon. Yes, there’s still a city of Rome, but the emperor is long since gone. Anything can be revived, but by definition it is an attempt to bring back that which is dead. To try to put this stuff into a modern context is as manifestly silly as the description in the earlier post of the use of the x-men cartoon characters to personify cosmological divinities or what have you.

IMHO, the interesting aspect of the question is how the newer religions (by which I mean Christianity, etc.) took over older deities, festivals, etc. I once read (and now can’t find) an account of a church in rural Greece dedicated to a more or less generic “Agia Kore” --“Holy Maiden”, as opposed to the usual practice of a dedication to Saint So-and-so. According to the writer, the otherwise nameless maiden is customarily depicted with a sheaf of grain and is (he says) apparently a rustic and unknowing continuity of the worship of Demeter. Supposedly, the church is on or near an ancient temple of Demeter. There are various unofficial legends about how the maiden got to be holy, which the writer sees as stories made up to Christianize the old mythological character. I suppose this could be an instance of an old story losing its context and being reframed into another one. If true, it’s about as close as the original post is going to get to continuity of the old Greek-Roman religion to the present.

22

<sinister music>

Uhhhh… pardon me for asking, but does your friend happen to have any, say, swastika tats?

I was under the impression that modern-day “Odinism” was practiced primarily by white supremacists, which only enchances its goofiness.

</sinister music>

23

So people who practice Wicca/Neo-Paganism are maladjusted?
Would you care to elaborate?

24

Maybe it was called something else, I’m not sure. He doesn’t seem to have any white-supremacist beliefs.

25

No I wouldn’t, because I think my statement is clear enough. If you would want me to elaborate, though, I would consider it.

26

Not everyone who is Asatru (or Åsatru), a.k.a. “Odinist”, is a white supremecist, but the religion undeniably has a strong appeal for a certain subgroup of neo-Nazi types. In any case the whole religion strikes me as a bit loopy. The practitioners I have known treat the Sagas and Eddas as (you should pardon the pun) gospel, although they were first written down by Christians a couple of centuries after the events they claim to describe. Fascinating glimpses of history, yes; unfailingly accurate, you’ve got to be kidding me.

27

Abe, I really would like you to elaborate. I want to hear your explanation for that statement. I find it very offensive.

28

Did you spell it wrong on purpose so as not to invoke me?

On another tangent, there is also a modern-day Cult of Isis (female oriented) and a Temple of Set (dark, vampire-type stuff). Both should turn up fairly easy in an internet search.

29

In Great Debates or the Pit, please, depending on what you intend to say.

30

In case you guys hadn’t heard, it’s been pretty well proven that Adolph Hitler and alot of his buddies were neo-pagans who worshipped the old Teutonic gods. They called their religion “Thule” and it was closely tied to Naziism. This may relate to that Swedish group mentioned above.

31

I think the Nazis, at least the Inner Party fanatics, believed in Hitler’s godhood. Foremost among that faith was Hitler himself. Trying to tie an ancient (or neoclassical/neopagan) faith to Nazism really helps nobody. The Nazis hold their politics as gospel and their opinions as faith. No other religion needed, even if they try to hide behind one.