# modern day worship of greek gods **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 28, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166 "2011-06-28T17:40:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![denisew7186](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@denisew7186](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denisew7186)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/1 "2011-06-28T17:40:09Z")
Hi, am an avid believer of the 12 greek gods and in particular the god Dionysus, I am struggling to find any groups anywhere or any modern religions that incorporate this…am i totally alone on this one lol 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/2 "2011-06-28T17:44:12Z")
Reported for forum change. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/3 "2011-06-28T17:46:59Z")
Discordianism, and I hereby excommunicate you. Welcome. ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angel_of_the_lord/32/2949_2.png) [@Angel\_of\_the\_Lord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_of_the_Lord)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/4 "2011-06-28T17:50:13Z")
> [@denisew7186](#): > > Hi, am an avid believer of the 12 greek gods and in particular the god Dionysus, I am struggling to find any groups anywhere or any modern religions that incorporate this..am i totally alone on this one lol 🙂 I normally absolutely hate it when people respond with a simple link to Wikipedia, but, in this case. . .[Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenic_Polytheistic_Reconstructionism) is probably a good place to start. Additionally, many people sort of toss the Greek gods into eclectic neopaganism, or even into Wicca (depending, of course, on how broadly you want to define Wicca, which is, putting it mildly, a whole 'nother kettle of wax). In my (admittedly quite limited and possibly outdated) experience, if you want to be historically accurate, go for the Hellenic Reconstructionism. If you have more of an intuitive feeling, that’s probably more generically neopagan. Either way, though, you’re not alone. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/5 "2011-06-28T17:51:51Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Reported for forum change. Ferrying this one over the River Styx to IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/6 "2011-06-28T17:54:22Z")
I think that [Hellenic Polytheistic Reconstructionism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellenic_Polytheistic_Reconstructionism) might be closer to what the OP is after. ETA: Beaten by the **Angel of the Lord**! At least it wasn’t by an ordinary mortal ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/7 "2011-06-28T18:08:29Z")
Some forms of paganism, as well as to a degree and arguably the RC saints and especially the arch angels that some pray to. They may be interrelated as the RCC started from a area where the Roman gods (very close to Greek gods) were worshipped and then the RCC invaded pagan lands. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/8 "2011-06-28T18:18:00Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Discordianism, and I hereby excommunicate you. Welcome. :Sigh: Yeah, that’s lots of help. :rolleyes: I considered making some remark about being an Apollonian and how I’m occasionally annoyed that Dionysus got exalted to major status, but that would look like I’m playing into your hands. ---
**Author:** ![denisew7186](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@denisew7186](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denisew7186)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/9 "2011-06-28T18:21:26Z")
thats great thanks for you help 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/10 "2011-06-28T18:46:16Z")
> [@denisew7186](#): > > Hi, am an avid believer of the 12 greek gods and in particular the god Dionysus, I am struggling to find any groups anywhere or any modern religions that incorporate this..am i totally alone on this one lol 🙂 When was your last hecatomb? You better get on it quick because Dionysus is just getting angrier and angrier… ---
**Author:** ![denisew7186](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@denisew7186](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denisew7186)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/11 "2011-06-28T18:54:57Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > When was your last hecatomb? You better get on it quick because Dionysus is just getting angrier and angrier… not for a while..found it hard getting them all in the car to be honest _sigh_ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/12 "2011-06-28T18:57:09Z")
From an experiential and theological point of view, I think I should point out that becoming a follower of Dionysus - especially to the exclusion of the other Gods - is a recipe for disaster. There’s a very good reason he’s a minor deity - you can’t keep that shit up. Wine and festivities and a nice dollop of debauchery are wonderful things, and yes, you’ll find a lot of that at neopagan festivals (with lots of people who follow Dionysus and lots of people who don’t) but take it too far or stay in that energy too long, and you meet his Shadow sides of addiction and destructive behavior. Might I interest you in, say, Athena? She’s pretty much made of awesome, and a great patron for young women. Or Apollo - who shares the creativity and celebratory aspects of Dionysus with less of the alcohol and rape parts. If they seem too remote, Artemis is a good one to start with. Or even Aphrodite, if sensuality is what you seek (just remember she’s the Goddess of Love, not parenthood. She wants you to use a condom and be safe!) [www.witchvox.com](http://www.witchvox.com) has directory listings for local groups, if you’re looking for people to work with. I highly suggest it. ---
**Author:** ![denisew7186](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@denisew7186](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denisew7186)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/13 "2011-06-28T19:05:53Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > From an experiential and theological point of view, I think I should point out that becoming a follower of Dionysus - especially to the exclusion of the other Gods - is a recipe for disaster. There’s a very good reason he’s a minor deity - you can’t keep that shit up. Wine and festivities and a nice dollop of debauchery are wonderful things, and yes, you’ll find a lot of that at neopagan festivals (with lots of people who follow Dionysus and lots of people who don’t) but take it too far or stay in that energy too long, and you meet his Shadow sides of addiction and destructive behavior. > > Might I interest you in, say, Athena? She’s pretty much made of awesome, and a great patron for young women. Or Apollo - who shares the creativity and celebratory aspects of Dionysus with less of the alcohol and rape parts. If they seem too remote, Artemis is a good one to start with. Or even Aphrodite, if sensuality is what you seek (just remember she’s the Goddess of Love, not parenthood. She wants you to use a condom and be safe!) > > [www.witchvox.com](http://www.witchvox.com) has directory listings for local groups, if you’re looking for people to work with. I highly suggest it. thats brilliant, thanks for your help,I’ll have a mull over it all, just pleased am not the only one ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/14 "2011-06-28T19:11:56Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Or even Aphrodite, if sensuality is what you seek (just remember she’s the Goddess of Love, not parenthood. She wants you to use a condom and be safe!) > . Her Roman version of Venus was worshiped in one form, as _Venus Genetrix_ as a goddess of motherhood and mother of the Roman Empire, though ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/15 "2011-06-28T19:43:58Z")
Out of curiosity, do you actually believe in the existence of those gods, or is it more symbolic? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/16 "2011-06-28T19:46:43Z")
Who are the twelve Greek gods in your version? I first learned: Zeus Poseidon Hades Hera Hephaestus Aphrodite Hermes Apollo Athena Ares Artemis Hestia So no Dionysus. That’s not to say he didn’t exist; he just wasn’t one of the twelve. I’ve read other sources that reckon the pantheon differently and do include Dionysus. I’m not sure why Hestia gets in there anyway since there are few stories about her. She only seems to exist so there can be three virgin goddesses, which sounds better than two. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/17 "2011-06-28T19:50:01Z")
My recollection is that Hestia gave up her seat for Dionysus once he became a permanent deity and just sat by the hearth. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/18 "2011-06-28T19:51:11Z")
In some versions Dionysus is a demigod rather than a god. Does it make a difference in his worship which you go with? > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > My recollection is that Hestia gave up her seat for Dionysus once he became a permanent deity and just sat by the hearth. Eventually they all left his side and sat on the marble steps to the dais turning their back on the god of wine. Some called this “tough love”, others the “twelve step program”. Either way most of them went back when they thought no one else was looking. Where do you think priests of Dionysus would stand on meth and cocaine and heroin and other modern drugs? I can see an argument either way- grape purists or ‘if it feels good do it’. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/19 "2011-06-28T20:02:21Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Might I interest you in, say, Athena? She’s pretty much made of awesome, and a great patron for young women. Athena is not \*pretty much \*made of awesome. She is simply made of awesome. The rest of the sentence pleases me, though I would point out that men love Her too. > [@](#): > > Or Apollo - who shares the creativity and celebratory aspects of Dionysus with less of the alcohol and rape parts. If they seem too remote, Artemis is a good one to start with. Or even Aphrodite, if sensuality is what you seek (just remember she’s the Goddess of Love, not parenthood. She wants you to use a condom and be safe!) ::glares :: ---
**Author:** ![denisew7186](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/43a26b/32.png) [@denisew7186](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denisew7186)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166/20 "2011-06-28T20:29:34Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Out of curiosity, do you actually believe in the existence of those gods, or is it more symbolic? I genuinely believe in them, actually all of them am just fairly new to this and hes the one i know most about thats all [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/modern-day-worship-of-greek-gods/587166.md?page=2)