Christianity And Greek Gods Essay, Research Paper

The Revolutionary War was an enormous part of American history. The revolution

in Russia, that sparked the overthrow of communism, was a huge part of Russian

history. The revolution of Christianity from the concepts of Greek gods was also

a large part of religious history. Christianity and Greek gods have many

comparisons, contrasts, and these contrasts resulted in Christianity being

revolutionary. The concepts of Christianity and the religious concepts of the

Greek gods are comparatively alike. To begin, in both religions, humans believe

that there are speakers for their God/gods. Gods do not speak to mere mortals.

These people are the priests who teach of the gods? ways and wants. Some are

fortune tellers or prophets, as they were called in Greek times, that foretell

the future. For example, Tiriesias, in the plays Oedipus the King and Antigone,

was a blind prophet who could see the future and foretell it to people. In Greek

times the prophets were of high social status. Also, the people believe that

their God or gods are above all human ranks. They believe a god is above all and

listens to people when they need help. This is why humans pray to the God/gods

for forgiveness. The two religious views also believe that the God/gods are

watching over their followers. The God/gods decide either before or after a

person?s life on earth where the person will live in the afterlife, depending

on the person?s values. Both believe one would either go to a bad place, called

Hell or Hades, or a good place, called heaven or the Elysian Fields. Likewise

both believe in an afterlife that is eternally chosen. The ideas of the

followers of Christianity and Greek religions are also very different. To begin,

Christians believe in one almighty God. This is also known as monotheism.

Christians believe this God gave the world his only son. When that son was put

to death by a human, He told the people He would die to forgive their sins. This

shows that God and His son were both caring and forgiving beings. They are

respected by the followers of Christianity. God helps humans. Humans pray to

this God for help and forgiveness. People also go to church to learn about their

religion and to pay their respects to God. The church is thought to be God?s

house. This is why people get dressed up and try to look nice when they are

guests in God?s house. God and Jesus are thought to live in heaven. Greeks,

however, are very different from Christians. They believe in many gods. This is

also known as polytheism. These gods are mean and torture the humans for doing

wrong. In the play Antigone, the leader speaks, ?Must, King and quickly too.

The gods, provoked, never wait to mow men down.?1 This quote proves how quick

tempered the gods are. These same gods destine a human?s fate. Fate is also

determined usually by a family curse. As in Antigone, the Greek tragedy,

Antigone states, ?What more do you think could Zeus require of us to load the

curse that?s on the House of Oedipus??2 This quote shows how Zeus, a Greek

god, has determined Antigone’s fate by the curse that has been placed on her

family. A human?s fate is foretold and is kept by the oracles. Oedipus? oracle

states that he would kill his father and marry his mother. This oracle comes

true even though many people of the city of Thebes do not know that Oedipus is

Jocasta and Liaus? son because they ordered their son to be put to death.

People of Greek times do not attend church; they are told of their futures by

prophets or by other family members. They do, however, also try to please the

gods so that they are not punished. The Greek gods are thought to live above the

Greek citizens on a mountain named Olympus. Christianity was considered

revolutionary by many. Revolutionary is defined as: ?having the nature of,

characterized by, tending toward, and causing a revolution, or drastic change.?3

Christianity was a major change in beliefs causing many to think it was wrong.

The evolution of Christianity was hampered by the beliefs of the people and

their familiarity with the ways of the Greeks. This was such a giant change,

many did not like it. Thus, although Christianity may seem similar to the

concepts of the Greek gods it has many distinct differences. These differences

explain why Christianity can be considered revolutionary.