For god's sake, do your homework!

Or Hellenism is not «pagan»

I have found this new online article that mentions Hellenism and actually implies that
Hellenism is «neopagan». I quote from the text (Dazeddigital).

«Pagan – or neopagan – is an umbrella term for an array of practises, paths and

traditions, including (but not limited to) Druidry, Heathenry, Hellenism, Wicca and
witchcraft.»

So many things are wrong in this article. Do these people do no research? It's really
outrageous. So let's set some things straight, because this is by no means an isolated
case on the internet. First of all, Hellenismos is not «pagan» at all.[1] No ethnic religion is
«pagan», except, of course, in the heads of Monotheists, whether they are classic or
secularized Monotheists, and in the heads of those, following parachristian paths. 2.
Hellenic religion is by definition a traditional religion, and in our eyes «religion» (eusebeia)
and «tradition» (paradosi) do not differ from each other. 3. Hellenism has nothing to do
with «neopaganism» and similar parachristian paths.

Actually, «neopaganism» arose in the early 20th century from the «Western Magical
Tradition» or occultism, which is a para-christian path that arose from the christian western
culture or occident (the christian magician Agrippa von Nettesheim was the founder of
occultism, and the christian freemason Eliphas Levi is hailed as the «father» of modern
occultism). As a result, «neopaganism» has a «past that lies in various occult and esoteric
rites» [2]. So it is not a «revival», as many say, but a modern invention. It is obviously that
this kind of «paganism» has nothing to do with the ethnic religions, nothing in common
with their cultures and imaginations. The New Age movement didn't exist in ancient times
and it is alien to the active ethnic religions of today's world.

If you want to celebrate religious and cultural monotheism, monotheism's colonization of

mankind's imagination, and if you think that the christian definition of the world and ethnic
religions (paganism, idolatry, satanism etc.) fits you, if you like to define yourself by
christian categories and culture, then feel free to do so. But don't you dare to project your
(religious, secularized, classical or cultural) christian mindset onto our tradition by calling
Hellenism «pagan» or, even worse, «neopagan».
We have nothing to do with the prejudices and clichés in your mind.
Do not impose them onto us.

Hellenism is an alternative to the occident, orient and romiosyni. Hellenism is an

alternative to all versions of religious, secularized, political and cultural monotheism. There
is no connection between these two worlds. No connections between Hellenism or ethnic
religions in general and «neopaganism», except of those you have made up in your mind
for whatever reason.

So, please, do your homework before you write your next article (about whatever).
For god's sake, do your homework!

[1] https://hellenismos.org/2014/12/19/the-term-paganism-and-hellenismos/
[2] https://www.patheos.com/blogs/panmankey/2013/05/the-light-shade-of-modern-
paganism/