Roberto Calvo Macias wrote: >> Zeus is excited by the struggle between mortals and gods because he is >> neither almighty (or, for the sake of enjoying the spectacle he refrains >> from using his unlimited powers) nor omniscient: he does not know the >> outcome. "Er wägt ab" = a) he uses the scales to learn the will of Fate, or >> b) he ponders what the possible outcome might be. >> >> Günter Rebing
> This a complex question. Then, there is a principal difference beetwen > christian God and Zeus. This is a good way od discussion, dont you think? > I havent got much information on God atributes- teological question-, can > any member of the list more informated ilustrate us? > > best regards > roberto Here is a bit of info requested about the nature of Zeus and Christian Theology. From the _Classical Dictionary_ of Warrington. "Zeus, the greatest of the Olympian gods, was in origin the chief deity of the hellenic invaders of Greece, the personification of the bright sky and perhaps of the sky in another mood as sender of fertilizing rain. He was soon identified with the principal chthonian deity of pre-hellenic Crete, and from this source as well as from the Homeric poems there arose, by a natural process, a wealth of legend. In classical mythology Zeus was a son of Cronus and Rhea, a brother of Poseidon, Hades, Hestia, Demeter, Hera, and was also married to his sister, Hera. When Zeus and his brothers overthrew Cronus (see TITANS), and distributed among themselves the government of the world by lot, Poseidon obtained the sea Hades the lower world and Zeus the heavens and the upper regions but the earth became common to all. According to the Homeric account Zeus dwelt on Mt Olympus (q.v.). He is called the father of gods and men, the most powerful among the immortals. He is the supreme ruler, who with his counsel manages everything; the founder of kingly power, and of law and order, whence Dike, Themis and Nemesis are his assistants. Everything good, as well as bad, comes from Zeus; he assigns good or evil to mortals; and Fate itself was subordinate to him. [Interesting point here at conflict with EJ. What are his sources?] "He is armed with thunder and lightning, and the shaking of his aegis (q.v.) produces storm and tempest: a number of epithets of Zeus, in the Homeric poems, describe him as the thunderer, the gatherer of clouds and the like. By Hera he had two sons, Ares and Hephaestus, and one daughter, Hebe." This would be in coparison to the God of the Jews Christians and Semites. In this view completely monotheistic, and that is monotheistic from the start. If there are mention of other gods, they usually belong to a class of demons (Juenger makes reference to this in the Prognosen, p.10, Noch fuer Augustin...). Which became worshiped by those who went astray. In comparision with the greek myths, the Christian God is an all powerful deity who has only one "Adversary". That is Satan. (Just an aside, I believe Junger talks about the qualities of evil i.e. Satan somewhere in the _Stahlungen_. He uses Satan's two names and describes their manifestaions [these two qualities] in terms of Lucifer and Satan.) Where as the Greeks have the gods, the giants and the titans as adversaries to Zeus. Varying view points give the Christian God all power, while others say he battles ala "Starwars" with the chance of losing to the "dark side." Theology. In the end though, the theologians give God all power. There are just a few differing points here and there. Furthermore, the christians then attribute the development of a pantheon to God. That is he has a son, begot of woman. (What's to prevent the son from reproducing?) Here we of course have a cross over with Zeus and the other gods, who through various affairs then had children with their mortal concubines. These offspring are known as the demigods. The "son of God" is Jesus, Who has the qualities of a demigod. He has power beyond normal human faculties, but is also mortal i.e. he dies on the cross. This of course differs with the two other Monotheistic Religions who do not ascribe this capability of reproduction to God, the Muslims and the Jews. So in this instance there is a crossover. Some questions raised would be: are such influences of Greek/Roman origin? Did they come from a cult of Mitheras as some Scholars believe? As you all probably know most of what is left of the Roman Catholic Church took over a lot of Pagan celebrations in order to convert people, did they also make exceptions in their theology? Any comments? A short comparisson for the members. Please add to it, as it is quite inadequate. Abdalbarr.
