tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post540160956485239844..comments2024-03-27T09:04:12.454-07:00Comments on Baring the Aegis: How far would you go to appease the Gods?Elani Temperancehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-54408213616830267462014-05-28T04:16:06.159-07:002014-05-28T04:16:06.159-07:00Iphigenia is saved only in one version of the myth...Iphigenia is saved only in one version of the myth, most likely invented by Euripides. His predecessors Aeschylus and Sophocles never mention anything about miraculous salvation. In their versions, the girl is slain at the altar.<br />Other examples of human sacrifice demanded by the Theoi and done in order to obtain military victory: a daughter of Erechtheus; Creon's son Megareus; Heracles' daughter Macaria. Maybe there have been others, I have not researched this subject in detail.<br />Of course, in all these cases, with the possible exception of Iphigenia, the victim "consented". To me, this matters as much as the artificially induced "nod" of the sacrificial animal.Maya Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10877457709995369246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-10273449586162509562014-05-28T02:58:58.635-07:002014-05-28T02:58:58.635-07:00Correction: Abraham is a figure from the Old Taste...Correction: Abraham is a figure from the Old Tastement. His myth originated centuries before the Christian God emerged.Maya Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10877457709995369246noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-68799817070712004212013-01-02T04:22:58.510-08:002013-01-02T04:22:58.510-08:00Setken; that's pretty awesome! Did you get to ...Setken; that's pretty awesome! Did you get to die horribly on stage? Death scenes are epic.Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-78825508933017213062013-01-02T03:56:26.983-08:002013-01-02T03:56:26.983-08:00"The Greeks" - the modern version of the..."The Greeks" - the modern version of the plays that included your "Iphegenia in Aulis", was the graduation play at my drama school!<br /><br />I played King Priam and a soldier (in "The Trojan Women".)Setkenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16820193065483116223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-85381129205046032812012-12-21T10:37:20.370-08:002012-12-21T10:37:20.370-08:00Thank you for sharing your story. I wholly agree w...Thank you for sharing your story. I wholly agree with your sentiment; when They ask us to do something, I--for one--can not and will not say no. I'm sorry for the troubles in your family, though. That's always rough.Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-33017278219522566662012-12-20T13:54:40.310-08:002012-12-20T13:54:40.310-08:00Greetings,
Years ago I was given the choice of ...Greetings,<br /><br /> Years ago I was given the choice of either giving up everything that I had (including family) or giving up THEM.After much ranting,raving and soul searching I replied "I am YOUR tool use me as YOU see fit." Over the years I may have wished that things could have been different but I have never regretted the choice. I miss those friends and family members that I had to leave behind but what I have gained was more then worth it. Truth be told if they where to ask me to do the same again the only difference would be that I would leave out the ranting and raving. All that I am and all that I have comes from the Ancestors, Holy Powers and Spirits. Who am I to question THEM if they want it back?Tannimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14348281599393344939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-9633015541679503252012-11-03T20:07:12.555-07:002012-11-03T20:07:12.555-07:00It's good to hear you agree :) I wasn't go...It's good to hear you agree :) I wasn't going to post this post there, though. That's not a debate I'm willing to have on that particular forum. <br /><br />I agree that the Theoi are not as jealous--for lack of a better word--as the God of Abraham. These things just don't get asked to those living a pious Hellenistic life. Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-80419037581436952402012-11-03T15:49:57.535-07:002012-11-03T15:49:57.535-07:00I remember that forum thread. I didn't respon...I remember that forum thread. I didn't respond on it, but your thoughts are very similar to mine on the topic. I was also surprised at how many responses were along the lines of "I'd find another God."<br /><br />I can't imagine the Theoi asking for something that extreme, unless I had totally f***ed up, as Agamemnon did. They're just not as jealous as the God of Abraham. (For certain definitions of "jealous" anyway.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-33389077771408131732012-10-30T22:18:30.164-07:002012-10-30T22:18:30.164-07:00Just to be clear, this is a strictly hypothetical ...Just to be clear, this is a strictly hypothetical post. I'm the type of person who takes spiders outside instead of killing them. The thought of taking a human life makes me queasy, just like it would anyone else. I picked the sacrifice of a child to illustrate this topic simply because it's what the original topic was about, but it would apply to anyhing elae that may be asked of a supplicant by a deity, including fasting, moving from one place to another, building a temple, etcetera. <br /><br />With that out of the way, thank you for reading and thank you for your comment.I can understand how far out of your religious comfort zone this is; I look at blood sacrifice, flailing or other forms of religious self harm the exact same way. Yet, judging Gods from out moral standpoints seems short-sighted and full of--within Hellenismos--dangerous hubris. Going against the will of the Gods--especially the Theoi--tends to have a rather deadly outcome for whomever committed the offense as well as everyone around them. Just food for thought.<br /><br />Like I said, I worship relatively gentile Gods who don't have a habit of asking for outlandish sacrifice. I am very happy I was not called by Mayan or Aztec Gods; I doubt I would have the stones to honor Those Gods in a decent fashion. <br /><br />Again, thank you gor reading and commenting. It's a difficult subject.Elani Temperancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05611003885755154591noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2382184804747180588.post-13209722675631915642012-10-30T17:00:57.908-07:002012-10-30T17:00:57.908-07:00Your post very thought provoking. I worship local...Your post very thought provoking. I worship local Land Gods and a very lose understanding of Columbia. The former don't have the authority to demand human sacrifice and the latter I'm not certain exists beyond thought form. Still were a God to ask me to sacrifice a human life for them, I'd have to think very carefully about why They would want that and what I would gain. <br /><br />It would help if said sacrifice was willing as was the case with Agamemnon's daughter, but it still wouldn't be a deeply troubling thing for Deity to ask me.<br /><br />I think at the end of the day I have too deep a value for this plane and this time to end someone else's life prematurely for the request of a God. We were all put here to experience this world, who am I and who is this God to cut anyone's time short intentionally? That's just my thought though.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08236210263231763156noreply@blogger.com