WHO DO YOU WORSHIP?

Religion and the belief in an all-knowing, all-powerful creator are often defining features of a society. Each culture has its own belief sets, versions of deity, and ideas on how to worship deity. The ancient Greeks believed in many gods and goddesses and recognized the role of gods in their daily lives, though their devotion to these gods often waivered. The Romans were strict in their devotion to their many different deities and religion was never separated from matters of politics. In contrast, St. Augustine’s beliefs are centered on one God, who in his mind is the only God there ever was and ever will be. Each of these views is exhibited in the literature written during the golden ages of these societies, and each of these views of God, or deity, teach us more about the workings of the society in which each author lived, worshiped, and died.

The Greeks had a very intricate religious system built on the foundation of many gods and goddesses. Their main god was Zeus, the god above all gods. In the Oxford Classical Dictionary Zeus is described as “a king, not a tyrant. One of his main domains is right and justice: any transgression of his cosmic order is injustice” (Graf). Zeus was seen by the Greeks as an omnipotent being who was in charge of their fate and ruled the lives of humans, but he didn’t have much control over the rest of the gods. In Homer’s Iliad, Zeus seems to take little charge over the warring goddesses who have thrown the Trojans and the Greeks into the bloody Trojan war. The gods appear to be petty beings who use humans to get what they want. This view of the gods most likely led to the disrespect shown to the gods in Socrates’ ultimate tragedy, Oedipus Rex. In this literary work Oedipus and his wife Jocasta appear to have little regard for the gods and their so-called prophecies. They both try to escape their fates and care little for the traditional ways of honoring the gods. The Chorus comments on this: “What man is there…who can still claim he will ward off/the arrow of the gods aimed at his heart?/If such actions are considered worthy,/why should we dance to honour god?/No longer will I go in reverence/to the sacred…temple at Abae or Olympia,…our religious faith is dying away.” (Sophocles, lines 1062-1078). There’s no question as to whether or not the gods exist, the issue seems to be the level of devotion to worshiping and respecting the wishes of the gods. Through the examples of the Iliad and Oedipus Rex we see that though the Greeks had gods and recognized their power, they viewed them as temperamental and were not as strict in their observance of worshiping them.

On the other hand, the Romans were much more strict in the worship of their gods. They saw their gods as authoritative and strove to obey them in all they did. The will of the gods took precedence above their own will. Just like Zeus in the Greek religion, Jupiter was the Roman god who ruled the rest of the gods and was in charge of justice. However, unlike the Greeks, Jupiter had more authority and was better at controlling the other gods. According to the Oxford Classical Dictionary “Even if associated with the sky, storms, and lightning, Jupiter was not just a god of natural phenomena. These expressed and articulated, in fact, his function as sovereign divinity” (Scheid). This is emphasized in the Aeneid when Jupiter addresses Juno who has been causing havoc for Aeneas and his friends. Jupiter says to her “‘Desist, and yield at last to my prayers,/…Lest your bitter woes return to me often/…You have the power…/To disfigure a home and blend bridals with grief. I forbid you to attempt more” (Virgil, Book 12, lines 965-972). Juno immediately responds to his command with submission and acknowledges her fault. Just like Juno, the Romans believed that when a command came from the gods they were to respond immediately, regardless of their own desires. This is also made evident in the story of Aeneas and Dido. Aeneas is commanded by Jupiter, through Mercury, to leave Carthage to fulfill his destiny after Jupiter finds out about his affair with Dido. Aeneas is fearful of Dido’s response but is firm in his resolve to do what the “world’s creator” has commanded (Socrates, Book IV). Overall, the Romans viewed the gods, especially Jupiter, as powerful and authoritative figures who took an active role in their lives. The wishes of the gods took precedence over everything else in their lives and were to be faithfully respected.  

St. Augustine had a much different view of God than the Romans or the Greeks did. While they both believed in many different gods, St. Augustine believed in one all-powerful, all-knowing God. St. Augustine’s God is merciful and forgiving, which is made evident in the sharing of St. Augustine’s life, as recorded in the book Confessions. In this book St. Augustine’s sinful life is recorded and shared with the reader, but it is then shown that he is completely forgiven as he accepts God as his Lord and commits to live a life wholly devoted to worshiping Him. St. Augustine exclaims “O my God, let me remember with gratitude and confess to thee thy mercies toward me. Let my bones be bathed in thy love…Thou hast broken my bonds in sunder, I will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving.” (St. Augustine; Book VIII, Chapter I). This view of God incorporates an undying commitment to deity and an understanding that God is a loving father figure that deserves our love and gratitude. St. Augustine also presents God as an ambiguous being who can not be fully understood. St. Augustine states, “What, therefore, is my God?…stable, yet not supported; unchangeable, yet changing all things; never new, never old;…always working, ever at rest; gathering, yet needing nothing;…seeking, and yet possessing all things. Thou dost love, but without passion; art jealous, yet free from care; dost repent without remorse; art angry, yet remainest serene. Thou changest thy ways, leaving thy plans unchanged; thou recoverest what thou hast never really lost. Thou art never in need but still thou dost rejoice at thy gains; art never greedy, yet demandest dividends” (Book I, Chapter IV). With all these contrasting and seemingly contradictory views of who God provided by St. Augustine, it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact character of God. This ambiguous view shows a loving but unknowable God without any sure understanding of what the relationship of the worshiper is to the deity being worshiped.

One of the most controversial views of God that exists today is that of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many people feel that members of the Restored Church of Christ don’t even fit in the category of Christian because their beliefs on Christ and God seem blasphemous in regards to other Christian beliefs. Many Christian denominations have a view of God similar to St Augustine’s, in which God is merciful and forgiving but unknowable and ambiguous. This leads me to believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ view on God fits best with the Roman view of deity. Members of Christ’s Church believe in a godhead, with God being at the head and Christ and the Holy Ghost being one in purpose with him (Bible Dictionary). The Romans believed in many more gods, but they also recognized that there was a head god, that being Jupiter. Both the God of the Restored Church of Christ and Jupiter of the Romans are responsible for justice and being the creator of the world. They also establish their authority and require the utmost devotion to following their commands. In addition, they both are viewed as father figures that guide their imperfect children/subjects on the earth. They take an active role in the individual lives of their children.

Religion and views of deity make each society unique and help us to better understand our own views and beliefs. The Greeks, Romans, St. Augustine and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints each strive in their own way to show devotion to their God or gods. Each is unique and yet each is connected. Each groups’ view of God helps them to understand the world around them and come to better understand their purpose. The knowledge of a God or gods helps individuals to find meaning and purpose in life, which makes life that much better in the long run.

WORKS CITED

PICTURES



Caring for the Strangers Around Us



Interactions with strangers can oftentimes be stressful or uncomfortable, depending on who you are. The concept of strangers also have a negative connotation in our society today, which can create barriers between people and awkward situations. However, in ancient Greek culture strangers were commonly welcomed into the homes of others and developed strong relationships with their hosts. This guest-host relationship is called xenia.  In addition, a key principle of Judeo-Christian belief is to always help those in need, including taking in the stranger as described in Matthew 25: 34-46  and the hymn “ A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief” (The Holy Bible). Ancient Greek and Judeo-Christian morals, in regards to the treatment of strangers, are very similar but also different in the length of the stranger-host relationship, religion’s role in motivation to act, and how strangers are treated. Together ancient Greece and Judeo-Christian beliefs, relating to the stranger-host relationship, teach us how our treatment of strangers is a mark of civilization.

First, the length of the stranger-host relationship differs between the two morals of ancient Greece and Judeo-Christians. In ancient Greece, strangers were welcomed in and became guests. This quickly developed guest-host relationship then formed into a friendship that was meant to last for the duration of the lives of the host and the guest, and even into future generations. This is exemplified in Homer’s Odyssey with the interactions between Odysseus’ son, Telemachus and Athena, disguised as Mentes. Telemachus, upon discovering his new guest’s identity states, “You and I have ties of hospitality,/Just as our fathers did, from a long way back.” (247). He immediately takes care of his guest’s basic needs and does his best to make him comfortable simply because of the friendship between his and Mentes ancestors’ past friendship. The Oxford Classical Dictionary also explains that “once the relationship had been established, the bond was believed to persist in latent form even if the partners did not interact with one another”. Ancient Greeks with a correct understanding of xenia understood that their newfound relationship with their guest, who was once a stranger, was meant to last the duration of both of their lives. In contrast the Judeo-Christian interactions with strangers did not always end with friendships or with relationships that continued through future generations. Examples in the Bible, such as the story of the Good Samaritan, show righteous individuals helping strangers as they come across them and then going on their way once they fulfilled the needs of the struggling stranger (The Holy Bible, Luke 10:30-37). The righteous individuals exit the strangers’ lives as smoothly as they entered them.

In addition, Judeo-Christian and the ancient Greeks both saw their treatment of strangers as a part of their religious duties; yet, they differed in the specifics of how religion was used to motivate them to treat strangers. Judeo-Christians’ motivation for helping and serving strangers is to fulfill the commandment of God to serve and love others. To them, service is a sign of religious devotion and as they serve others they are serving their God. In the hymn “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief”, the main individual explains how he helps a stranger in multiple ways and then in the final verse it is revealed to him that the stranger he has been helping is none other than his Savior (Montgomery). Judeo-Christians see their service to strangers as an instrument that allows them to serve their Savior and will help them qualify to return to their Father in Heaven after they die. On the other hand, for the ancient Greeks xenia was a “ritualized friendship” (Oxford Classical Dictionary). The guest-host relationship was developed through rituals of caring for basic needs and the giving of lavish gifts. This ritual was done out of fear of punishment from the gods who they sometimes believed came to their door disguised as strangers to test their skills as genuine hosts. If they were good hosts they were blessed and if they were bad hosts they were punished (Tracy, 6). While the Judeo-Christians were motivated by potential eternal blessings, the ancient Greeks were motivated by a fear of the judgments of their gods.

Lastly, even though the ancient Greeks and the morals of Judeo-Christians differ in a variety of ways, their differences still bring them to the conclusion that all strangers should be treated with respect and genuine compassion. In Matthew 22: 39, Jesus Christ’s commands his followers to “love thy neighbor as thyself” (The Holy Bible). An individual’s neighbor is defined as everyone that an individual may come in contact with. It is expected that each person they interact with should be shown the same degree of respect and compassion regardless of culture, race, or background. The ancient Greeks also strove to adhere to this same idea of displaying genuine respect and compassion towards strangers. The Iliad gives a good example of this with the interaction of Priam and Achilles in Achilles home. Priam comes begging the body of his son whom Achilles killed. Rather than showing hostility towards Priam, Achilles exclaims “Ah, the suffering you’ve had, and the courage./To come here alone to the Greek ships/And meet my eye, the man who slaughtered/Your many fine sons!…come, sit on this shair. Let our pain/Lie at rest a while, no matter how much we hurt” (Homer, 232). Though both men were deep in grief for the losses they had both experienced during the Trojan War, Achilles did his best to be the host who treated his guests with honor and respect. The ancient Greeks and Judeo-Christians realize that all strangers and guests, whether they are from a different culture or have been your enemy in the past, deserve to be treated with the same kindness and respect that they too would want to be given. However while the ancient Greeks and Judeo-Christians both believed in showing all strangers respect and compassion, Judeo-Christians believe that they don’t have to bring the stranger into their home to fulfill this responsibility, while bringing a stranger into your home to care for basic needs and giving of gifts was a key component of xenia for the ancient Greeks.

Observing the way a society treats strangers is the best way to determine if a society is civilized or not. If we treat strangers much like the ancient Greeks and Judeo-Christians do, with respect and compassion, then we will be considered a civilized people. Treating others with respect requires thinking rationally and acting in a dignified manner. Caring for strangers requires thinking outside ourselves and allowing the needs of others to take precedence above our own. This takes a lot of maturity and self-discipline, which, along with rational thinking and using dignified manners, are essential characteristics of civilization. Lastly, many civilized societies are materially and financially well-off. Countries, societies, and groups of people who have material wealth are better able to share with others, such as strangers, and help care for their basic needs and wants. Truly civilized societies will be more compassionate and respectful to strangers, and use their financial resources to care for them as needed.

All in all, the examples of Judeo-Christian morals and the xenia morals of the ancient Greeks teach us about the need to care for all strangers if we want to be considered civilized people. Though they differ in the length of stranger-host relationships, how religion is used to motivate them to care for strangers, and how to fulfill needs of strangers, they both agree that all strangers, no matter who or what they are, deserve to be treated with respect and compassion. They realized, just as we must come to realize, that how we treat others speaks volumes about who we are and what we value.   

WORKS CITED:

Herman, Gabriel. “friendship, ritualized.” The Oxford Classical Dictionary, Oxford University Press, January 1, 2005. www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780198606413.001.0001/acref-9780198606413-e-2729

Homer. “Odyssey”, The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and Odyssey, Translated by Stanley Lombardo, Hackett Pub., 2000.

Homer. “Iliad”, The Essential Homer: Selections from the Iliad and Odyssey, Translated by Stanley Lombardo, Hackett Pub., 2000.

The Holy Bible, King James Version, Intellectual Reserve Inc, www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/matt/25?lang=eng.

Montgomery, James. “A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Intellectual Reserve Inc, www.lds.org/music/library/hymns/a-poor-wayfaring-man-of-grief?lang=eng&_r=1.


Tracy, Catherine. “The Host’s Dilemma: Game Theory and Homeric Hospitality.” Illinois Classical Studies, no. 39, 2014, pp. 1–16. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5406/illiclasstud.39.0001.

PICTURES:

Homily: The Good Samaritan.
https://providencemag.com/2016/06/neighbor-lessons-good-samaritan/

McNaughton, Jon. The Savior.
https://www.lds.org/media-library/images/the-savior-jesus-christ-557289?lang=eng

Ruben, Peter Paul. Jupiter and Mercurius in the House of Philemon and Baucis. 1630-33.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenia_(Greek)#/media/File:Peter_Paul_Rubens17.jpg



EPITHETS

 

The Golden One

Whenever I introduce myself with my full name, the jokes and puns begin to flow. “Amber, you are GOLDen!” and “Here’s a GOLD star for you!”, are just a few of the many jokes I’ve heard through the years. I also am often asked, “Did you know your name is two colors?”, because maybe that has never occured to me. As much as these comments have become redundant, I love my last name and am going to miss it when I give it up in August to marry my fiance, Cody. But with that marriage will come another fun last name. Cody’s last name is Going, and already we hear new puns of Cody “GOING for the GOLD”. Names are powerful but they can also add some humor to our lives.

portrait

Lover of Idaho

Idaho is well known as the potato state, and for a good reason. Potatoes are amazing! Fries, mashed potatoes, and potato chips are some of my favorite foods on this planet. However, potatoes, and all potato related foods, are not the only reason I love Idaho. I served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pocatello, Idaho mission. I got to serve all over Southeast Idaho, in addition to Bear Lake, Utah and Star Valley, Wyoming. I met wonderful people, came to love the high desert of Idaho, and learned how to make hard work fun. I found myself and my Savior in Idaho.

idaho

Master Stresser

Stress is a normal part of life, and most people seem to find a good balance between stress and bliss. For some reason I have never been able to learn how they do it. I am an expert at stressing about everything and anything, even before there’s a reason to stress about it. One of the best quotes I have found to describe my dilemma is: “I stress about stress before there’s even stress to stress about. Then I stress about stressing over stress that doesn’t need to be stressed about. It’s stressful”. I stress over grades, relationships, saying something stupid, being healthy, not sleeping because I’m stressing over other things, helping my friends, the car, keeping the apartment clean, and the list could go on and on. All I can do is keep moving forward and tell myself that it’s never as bad as it seems.

stress

Tree Hugger

I was born in Utah, but I have lived most of my life in Washington and Oregon, some of the most beautiful states in the United States. I love the my family, my fiance, and my friends, but the Pacific Northwest takes up the rest of my heart. With beautiful green mountains, crystal blue lakes, lush forests, and the stunning Pacific coast, the Pacific Northwest is the place I go to fulfill my need for beauty. The trees are what really draw me in. I love hiking in forests and it’s not uncommon for me to take time to climb, sit in, or hug a tree. Hence the name, “Tree Hugger”.

forest

 

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