How did Ancient Greek religion become "mythology?"

I don't think it was a question of proving them to be myths, it was a question of the inability to prove the claims the mythical gods existed.

The claims of their existence were highly visible. Such as the gods lived in a palace on Mount Olympus. After many thousands of people had climbed Mount Olympus and did not see the palace of the gods, nobody could offer acceptable proof that the palace existed.

It wasn't that they were proven to be a myth, it was that no acceptable, lasting proof could be found to prove that they were gods.

The choice had always been was it true religion or was it false religion. A negative can not be proven. The burden of proof had always been to prove that it was true religion. They are remembered as myths only because the stories and scriptures were entertaining stories and very good examples of literature. But, the various stories were not proven to be true. So, they are simply interesting stories with no lasting proof to show they are true.

It was not that they were proven to be myths, it is that no valid proof is known to show it is true.

i wonder which prophet had to deal with those worshipping these ancient greek idols...

format_quote Originally Posted by IbnAbdulHakim

i wonder which prophet had to deal with those worshipping these ancient greek idols...

In many ways they all did. The words of the Prophets(PBUH) have held up to the test of time. It is because the words of the Prophets(PBUT) were true, they had no need to disprove the myths. Because all of the Prophets brought the truth, they can all be said to have faced the believers of the false religions.


Each generation has been able to offer acceptable proof that the words of the Prophets(PBUT) were true. It is an ongoing task and the truth must be continuously proven. The words of the Prophets lasted.

Nobody had to proof the myths were false, the burden was for the adherents to prove they were true. The Prophets(PBUT) came with words that they could offer proof for.

The myths fell to the wayside as fallacies, not because anybody came to disprove them, but because none of them could offer lasting acceptable proof of being true.

The challenge the Greeks faced was not that anybody came with proof that the old religions were false. They came with the ability to prove that the words of the Prophets(PBUT) were true. The people were then faced with the choice of accepting that which carried proof with it or to continue accepting that which they could not prove.

My long triad above can be summed up with the statement that all of the Prophets(PBUT) faced them, simply by having passed on provable words. Provable truth will eventually replace unprovable myths.

The simple historical reason is because Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity then spread throughout Europe, replacing the old pagan gods. The old Norse gods were replaced, the old Saxon gods were replaced, and on and on. A religion is mythology when people stop accepting it as a faith.

format_quote Originally Posted by Philosopher

Wouldnt that apply to all religions as well?

Yes it would, given sufficient time, truth will replace the false.

Falsehoods can only exist through force, lies or by the with holding of knowledge. believe in something will cease when people can no longer find a provable reason for it to be true.

Fallacy is a vacuum, it is not knowing the truth. A fallacy can not be proven to be a fallacy, because you can not prove a nothing. Substance will fill a vacuum and truth is the most solid of substance.

A lesson we can learn from Greek, roman, Norse mythology, is that nobody had to prove them wrong. They were simply replaced with more verifiable statements. they did not die out from a massive attack to disprove them, they starved to death as there was no proof to feed them.

It is true that many still do not know the True Religion, but each generation gets closer as the truth simply fills in the vacuum of ignorance. It is a big world and there is a big vacuum that needs to be filled. But, given time that vacuum will be filled.

format_quote Originally Posted by Keltoi

The simple historical reason is because Christianity became the religion of the Roman Empire. Christianity then spread throughout Europe, replacing the old pagan gods. The old Norse gods were replaced, the old Saxon gods were replaced, and on and on. A religion is mythology when people stop accepting it as a faith.

Quite True. As truth and near truth become known, It will replace ignorance.

As a Christian You probably believe that your job with them is finished and all that remains is maintenance to keep any pot holes from forming.

As a Muslim I thank you for clearing the land and delivering some of the building materials, now we will complete the construction.

I found this to be an excellent statement you made.

A religion is mythology when people stop accepting it as a faith.

I'll keep that in my memory and probably use it to explain what myths are when my Grandkids are old enough to ask. I will remember to let them know I "Borrowed" the definition from you.

format_quote Originally Posted by rav

Shalom,

Of course, but the difference is that I believe the Greeks thought of their gods as tangible, while we view Hashem as intangible.

That was one factor that kept making it more difficult to find valid proof. It is very difficult to say your god lives in a palace on Mount Olympus and then when you climb Mount Olympus you can't see the Palace.

First a small remark, not that it really matters, but thought I'd comment on it either way, Thor is not a Greek God, he was a Deity from Norse mythology.

I think Keltoi said it best: a religion becomes a myth when people stop accepting it as faith.

Now how come people stopped accepting it? Well that's a difficult process and it's hard to determine a single main cause for it. The ancient Greek Gods were first modified by the Romans when they conquered Greece. The Romans had somethinng they Called "pax Romana" which means: "Roman peace". Basically this meant that they thought the only way to have peace is to have the whole world follow our way. It's a bit similar to the way Bush is imposing western democracy to the rest of the world. However on the other hand they realised that the Greek culture and the complexity of their religion made the Roman one look like a step back for the Greeks, so in order to make the pax romana work, they simply adapted their deitys and gave them a new Roman name and spin. Zeus for example became Jupiter, Poseidon became Neptune, Hades became Mars, Aphrodite became Venus, ...
Then after the trend had been set, many centuries later these Gods were again traded in for a more popular belief as Christianity was spreading. Here's a nice summary of how Christianity rose to power against the Roamn believes and the problems that went along with it.
http://www.roman-empire.net/religion/religion.html

Interesting of how Greek people discarded their gods and goddesses so easily when they were absorbed into the Roman Empire, much more interesting to note that how even in the same strange way the Romans discarded their own gods and goddesses in favor of Christianity while Hindu deities can survive up to this date for more than 4,000 years!

format_quote Originally Posted by Muslim Knight

Interesting of how Greek people discarded their gods and goddesses so easily when they were absorbed into the Roman Empire, much more interesting to note that how even in the same strange way the Romans discarded their own gods and goddesses in favor of Christianity while Hindu deities can survive up to this date for more than 4,000 years!

When the Roman Emperor says jump, you ask how high.

Well I geuss since it was just changing the names and adding a few extra stories that it was a nice compromise for them. It is said that cultural Greece looked a bit down on the young Roman empire, but I guess they didn't really had a choice and probably thought something like: "well we'll play along and let the litlle babies have their lollies", since not much changed for them on a practical level anyway.

The Romans looked at Greek thought and culture sort of like a cavepainter admiring fine art from Italy. The Romans were a very warlike people who absorbed Greek philosophy and culture and sort of built Greece in their own image.

format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow

Falsehoods can only exist through force, lies or by the with holding of knowledge. believe in something will cease when people can no longer find a provable reason for it to be true.

A lesson we can learn from Greek, roman, Norse mythology, is that nobody had to prove them wrong. They were simply replaced with more verifiable statements. they did not die out from a massive attack to disprove them, they starved to death as there was no proof to feed them.

you can also Add the mythologies of the Pharaoh in egypt they also used to have so many gods

and we are waiting for Hinduism & Buddhism to follow those false ways of Polytheism

one by one from the believes of many gods then those of the three god untill people reach the true monotheism of only one true GOD

format_quote Originally Posted by ranma1/2

lol, its not a mythology, its not even a religion. Its simply the belief that there is no god. However if you do hear that there is an atheist god it is a myth.

Aye, atheists are people without religion or beliefs. As such when they die they will not be remembered for their beliefs because they have none. Instead, like the emptiness they believe to be their end after death, the historians will have nothing to write about them. Compare to the cavemen with their animism, Greeks and Romans for their beliefs, albeit paganism, the Persians for Ahura Mazda, Christians for Trinitarianism, Muslim for Islam and so on.