I have been thinking a lot about the holidays lately. The more research I do into the subject of religion and celebrations, the more I realize that Christianity has taken over polytheist celebrations. It is said this was done to try and wipe out polytheist celebrations and make those who were not so keen to convert to consider changing religions or participating in the new religion more actively.

As Christmas approaches, I find that I want to celebrate actual Christmas, less and less. You see, the Greeks were not the first to observe the Winter and Summer Solstices. The Winter Solstice occurred on the shortest day of the year. The date of the solstice was recorded by astronomers in Babylon and Africa, who were able to find out when it was by observing it as the darkest day of the year. The day is the shortest on the solstice. So, when the Ancients celebrated, they did so in honor of their Sun God. By appeasing the Sun God, the sun wouldn’t disappear for too long and spring would come with plenty of crops to feed the hungry populations after the winter had ended.

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I don’t understand something and I am hoping someone who is Christian can clarify this for me. Why are people Christians? Is it because it is currently the most popular religion? Is it because it is easier to go with the flow and be one to follow the crowd? The more I study and learn about Christianity, the more absurd I find the religion. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t dislike people who are Christians. I would never try to convert anyone to my beliefs. I merely have a major problem comprehending why people believe in Christianity due to the facts that are known about the religion.

First, we know the Bible was written by men. It was not written by God. These men claim they were encouraged to write the Bible because God told them to do so. They also claim to be writing the words of God. While this is a fundamental Christian belief, and one I grew up believing to be true, I have to laugh at my foolishness in retrospect. How do we not know these men were lying and trying to manipulate the common public into following their beliefs? The polytheist beliefs of the time prior to Christianity allowed for a lot more freedom for those who were religious. Perhaps it was just one way to try and control the masses?

I wrote a book. The Big Purple Barney Monster told me to write it. He told me to tell people what was right and wrong. He told me to tell people how to live. The Book is called the Mible. Those who don’t follow it will be tortured for all eternity after they die. They will be placed in hot goo to burn for the rest of their existence. Those who believe in the world of the Mible must be benevolent in their beliefs…or else I’ll cast them into the goo as well.

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I am a follower of Hellenismos. This means that I try to live my life as close to that of the Ancient Greeks. Religiously, culturally, and historically, I try to honor the beliefs of the Ancients and adapt them to a present day environment. While this may not always be easy, I feel great comfort in knowing that I live my life attempting to honor the Gods and the people who created one of the greatest (and first) democracies in all of history.

I first heard the word Hellenismos from a member of the YSEE (the Supreme Council of Ethnikoi Hellenes) and felt that it was the most accurate term for describing all that encompasses Hellenic polytheism. Some may call it Hellenic Reconstructionism. Others may call it Hellenes or the Hellenic religion. Hellenismos includes the culture, religion, language, and every day life of the Ancients. In order to fully understand their ways, it is necessary to use literature from the time period. There is no Bible or guide book, though there is much speculation that many of the books used by the Ancients for religious purposes were destroyed during the conversion in Greece to Byzantine religions.

It was this conversion that destroyed all public displays of Hellenismos. However, some of the ideals of the religion have been passed down from those who truly never gave up their Hellenic polytheistic beliefs. These beliefs had to be kept hidden for centuries because even as recent as just a few years ago, a person could be arrested or harassed for believing in polytheism. It is through the efforts of groups such as the YSSE that Hellenismos is slowly becoming a recognized religion again in Greece, where it was originally founded.

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