For some additional commentary, please read my first post on this subject: Repent of Sin: Sin and Salvation in Hellenismos.

Many Hellenic Polytheists fervently wish to draw a distinction between the word ‘sin’ and Hellenic ethics because it is a term generally associated with Christian belief systems. They argue the concept of ‘sin’ is separate from issues of “right or wrong,” and will unfailingly avoid using the word “sinful” to refer to actions that violate Hellenic ethics, preferring terms such as “missing the mark” or “mistake,” which do not carry a Christian connotation. There are also Hellenic Polytheists who insist moral codes derive from societal mores or human laws, rather than Divinity. This line of thinking seems contrary to the Greek. There are human laws and social norms, all over the globe, that are indelibly linked to oppression, brutality, and prejudice.

Let me start by reviving my all too typical rant: words have meanings. In a recent discussion, I described the differences between descriptive, stipulative, and precising definitions. A descriptive definition for sin can include three variants of sin as a fault:

a) an offense against religious or moral law
b) an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible <it’s a sin to waste food>
c) an often serious shortcoming

…and two as an offence:

a) transgression of the law of God
b) a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God [1]

In both variations, there is no discrepancy with the Hellenic religion. The first description as a fault states that any wrongdoing, mistake, or coming up short of Hellenic ethics and virtue is a sin. The second version of sin, as an offence, states that faulty or defective actions, dishonor in ethical status, or unproductive behavior separates us from the Gods. This is a deep-seated concept within much of Greek philosophy, that when we are virtuous and do good, we are joined to the Gods because of our likeness to them [2], but that evil deeds prevent the light (grace, favor, or kharis) of the Gods [3] from shining upon us. When we live according to virtue, we cling to the Gods, but when we do evil, we turn away from them.

Having said that, “forgiveness of sin” can be found through acts of atonement, prayers, and propitiatory sacrifices, but these actions do not appease or change the Gods. It is our acknowledgement of our mistakes and the actions done to make right our wrongs that return us to the Divine, heal our souls, and again allow us to enjoy the goodness of the Gods. Gilbert Murray wrote, “…it is our sins that hide [the Gods] from us and prevent [their] goodness… from shining into us. If we repent, again, we do not make any change in God; we only, by the conversion of our soul towards the Divine, heal our own badness and enjoy again the goodness of the Gods. To say that the Gods turn away from the wicked, would be like saying that the sun turns away from a blind man.” [4]

What many people seem to confuse as the complete meaning of ‘sin’ is the Christian precising definition. This type of definition extends the descriptive dictionary definition and limits it for a specific purpose, such as the theological definition of ‘sin’ used by a particular religion. An example of a Christian precising definition for ‘sin’ is “Doing what God says is forbidden; or not doing what God says we should do.” [5]

As a result, there are Hellenic Polytheists who not only reject the use of the word ‘sin’, but also reject that virtuous behavior places us in harmony with the Gods. They will make arguments that imply morality and ethics have no place in Hellenismos because it is “too Christian.” An inconvenient fact is there are those who would argue that contemporary views of death and the afterlife have been more influenced by ancient Greek philosophy than by pre-Christian Judaism. After all, an afterlife of punishment is unorthodox in Judaism.

Think about this for a minute. Where would Christians get this notion? Well, there are plenty of pre-Christian religions we can possibly point the finger at, but let us think long and hard on this. Those who are students of religion and history know much of the Roman Catholic Church (the Church created by Constantine) closely mirrors Greek/Roman philosophy and Greek/Roman ritual style. In fact, most modern “Pagans’ seem to delight in pointing out how Christians “stole” this and “stole” that from pre-Christian religions. Analyze a little further and you see the biggest gripe Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians have against the Roman Catholic Church is that its theology is not Bible based, and is (along with the use of rituals) “too Pagan.” Of course, Christianity bastardized, manipulated, and distorted Greek/Roman thought for their own ends, but that does not change the origins.

My ultimate response to the charge of ‘sin’ being “too Christian” is that to practice, while there is no universal doctrine of Hellenismos, one must adopt an attitude and life style that supports and maintains reason, ethics, and justice. Hellenismos joins religious practices and beliefs with thinking centered on human needs, interests, and abilities. We must therefore emulate the ancient Greek ideals of reason, pursuit of wisdom, moderation, civic responsibility, and bodily development as core fundamental principles, and place ourselves in the correct mindset. In this way, we are similar to other humanist styled religions such as the Dharmic and Asian belief systems. We should not be abandoning virtue, or other authentic Greek concepts, because of prejudices and irrational anti-Christian sentiments.

We will be judged in the next life according to Plato and others, not by blindly doing what someone states “God says we should do,” but against what is true, right, and lasting. [6] Blindly following clergy who divulges the “will of God” has perpetuated tyranny, cruelty, and injustice all over the world. If we are to believe all true wisdom and intelligence is sourced from the Divine and are fundamental attributes of the Gods, then just judgments through learning, reasoning, understanding, and the grasping of absolute truth are what we will be judged against. Aristotle states, “…what is good absolutely is more desirable than what is good for a particular person.” [7] We must make the best choices based on our circumstances, knowledge, and ability to reason.

The 101st maxim was translated and published in the Summer 1987 issue of the Classic Bulletin journal, within the article “Records of The Commandments of the Seven Wise Men’ in the 3rd c. B.C.” by Al. N Oikonomides, to state “Repent of sin.” The Classical Bulletin is described as a journal that “publishes articles on Greek and Roman literatures, languages, history, social life, art, philosophy, religion, pedagogy, the history of classical scholarship, and the classical tradition.” [8] The translation of these maxims is the only all-inclusive version that I have found being used online or off, and despite all the controversy drummed up here, not one Hellenic Polytheist resource using it seems to add any type of disclaimer or provide their own unique translation.

I believe the word ‘sin’ was chosen in this translation to express a certain sense and context of the original intent. That is crucial to understanding the precise concept being conveyed. The issue in all of this is in the Ancient Greek language one word could have many very different meanings, while in modern English many different words are synonymous. For instance, the Greek word in question here could be translated into ‘miss the mark’ (especially with spears thrown), ‘fail,’ ‘fail of doing,’ ‘neglect,’ ‘fail of one’s purpose,’ ‘go wrong,’ ‘be deprived of’ (miss in having), ‘do wrong or err’ depending on context. The English word sin, on the other hand, can be used equally with deviltry, diablerie, evil, evildoing, immorality, iniquity, misdeed, offense, peccancy, wickedness, wrong, wrongdoing, and more.

Rejecting the word ‘sin’ as a ‘too Christian a word” rejects the impact it has in today’s culture, which exists whether a person is Christian or not. Translations such as ‘missing the mark’, ‘go wrong’, or ‘fail of doing,’ in today’s world, just does not do justice to acts such as genocide, ethnocide, ethnic cleansing, human trafficking, enslavement, torture, rape, forced prostitution, sexual violence, child abduction and abuse, infanticide, police brutality, terrorism, gun violence, child pornography, and a continuing list of horrific acts perpetuated everyday and everywhere. Joseph Stalin did not simply make a mistake. Saddam Hussein was not merely a wrong doer. It should never be said that Hitler just made poor choices.

Here is one little exercise before we go. Do a quick online search using a non-Christian religion such as Buddhism, Hinduism, or Jainism and couple it with what you may think is a “solely” Christian concept such as Hell, sin, damnation, or salvation. I am sure you will find some interesting articles making use of this terminology, but also provide a precising definition very different then the one used by Christianity. Buddhism is said to have nine hells where there is great suffering for those who commit evil actions. Chinese religions have a hell where virtually all souls are taken and made accountable for their ‘sins.’ Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and many other religions define salvation as liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth, and a blissful spiritual freedom from ‘sin.’ We need to be very careful about dismissing concepts based on little more than irrational and unreasoned prejudices, biases, and intolerance.

The goal should not be to create a comfortable alternative to Christianity, but an actual reconstruction of the Ancient Greek religion. If “repent of sin” is more correctly translated “turn away from wrong doing”, so what? Again, turning to Merriam-Webster, we find a descriptive definition stating that repent means “to turn from sin and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life.” Therefore, the descriptive definition of “repent of sin” literally means, “to turn from serious shortcomings and dedicate oneself to the amendment of one’s life.” This is completely in line with translations that are ‘more appropriate’ and with known Greek thought and ethics. We need to be discussing the true meaning of our concepts, not beating the translation issue into the ground when it is a moot point.

Tags: Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek religion, Christianity, Ethics, Gods, Hellenic Polytheism, hellenic reconstructionism, Hellenic religion, Hellenismos, Kindergarten, obligation, philosophy, reasoning, Repent, Salvation, thinking, tradition