The most organized Hellenistic organization out there today, πατο Συμβούλιο των Ελλήνων Εθνικών (the 'Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes'), is in Greece. If you have ever looked through the YSEE website, you are well aware that its members have a pretty rough time in their homeland, trying to re-establish the ancient religion. Modern Greece is a very Christian country, and any attempt to practice a different religion--let alone reconstruct an ancient one--is met not only with resistance, but violence, property damage, and a great deal of threats. On top of that, the Greek government refuses to recognize Hellenismos as a valid religion, making it hard to receive funding for temples and celebrations, protection of its members and facilities, and opportunities to worship at the ancient sites. To help aid the Hellenist practicing in Greece, Stylianos K. has created an on-line petition for those who support this cause to sign.
The YSEE itself has been fighting for pretty much the exact same thing since 2006, of which you can read the memorandum sent to the President of the Hellenic Democracy, the President of the Hellenic Parliament, the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, the Greek Minister for the Interior, Public Administration & Decentralisation, the Greek Minister of National Education & Religious Affairs and the Greek Minister of Culture, here.
Personally, I support this petition, and while I doubt the effectiveness of petitions overall, offering support to such a worthy cause is always encouraged. If this plight is something you support, I want to ask you to sign the petition. It'll only take a few seconds, and it might accomplish great things. Thank you.
"Native Hellenic Tradition and Religion is not recognized as a Statutory corporation in Greece. Its hellenic Non Profit Organization YSEE - "founded in June of 1997 aiming to the morale and physical protection and restoration of the Polytheistic, Ethnic Hellenic religion, tradition and way of life in the 'modern' Greek Society" - has to pay trade tax, though it is not business but a supporting movement.
What they ask are three simple and democratic things:
1. the granting of the quality of legal entity to the Hellenic ethnic religion
2. the protection of the Hellenic ethnic religion as part of the 'national heritage' of Greece
3. the institutional establishment of equality of rights ('isonomia')--equality before the law--equality of speech ('isegoria') of the Hellenic ethnic religion"
The YSEE itself has been fighting for pretty much the exact same thing since 2006, of which you can read the memorandum sent to the President of the Hellenic Democracy, the President of the Hellenic Parliament, the Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, the Greek Minister for the Interior, Public Administration & Decentralisation, the Greek Minister of National Education & Religious Affairs and the Greek Minister of Culture, here.
Personally, I support this petition, and while I doubt the effectiveness of petitions overall, offering support to such a worthy cause is always encouraged. If this plight is something you support, I want to ask you to sign the petition. It'll only take a few seconds, and it might accomplish great things. Thank you.
1 comment:
I have recently been reading your blog like crazy and have been trying to understand Hellenismos. I believe that the Hellenic religion should be recognized as cherished. I've signed the petition with no delay.
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