One of the major reasons why I love this religion is Hesiod. The beginning cosmology myth is so satisfying, I just breath in and know in my heart the truth of it. The Gods created themselves as the Universe started to create itself. There was no pre-existent divine being creating out of nothing. Nothing existed -- then, there was something. It is beautiful because no negative dogmas can be created out of it. There is no good or evil. It just is. Thales also opined that the number of Gods must be more than all the grains of sand. Of course, that must be true, as they were being born along with the Universe. However, as billions of years expanded onward, more creatures continued to be created/evolved in this Universe. Eventually, one of these creatures developed the ability to think and to recognize the Gods. It took a long time for these first people to develop pantheons. The Gods had been alone since the beginning of time and thought that they were alone. Many horrible things were done at first (human sacrifice). Eventually, it became known through the Oracles that the Gods were displeased with this type of sacrifice. Sacrifice then became the offering of the purest of the animal stock and that was sufficient.
As time went on, problems within the human community arose and we saw the rise of the philosophers. We wanted to know how to a good and wise life. Great sages such as Solon and the 7 Sages of Delphi left their marks on the temple walls of our cultural ancestors. We owe to them the beginning of Western civilization. They are as much a part of us now in the 21st century. Let us honour them as heroes along with our Gods, for they will help us put to rights a civilization that is but a dust-bin.
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