Ancient Greece

2021-08-18T05:04:41Z

VervTheVaryag: Added content describing homosexuality in ancient Greece.

[[Image:Greek empire.jpg|left]]
[[File:Beginnings hist greece.jpg|thumb|700 - 600 B.C.]]
'''Ancient Greece''' was the area of the world similar to modern day [[Greece]] but also had [[Greek]] colonies in the modern nations of [[Turkey]], and [[Macedonia]].

Greece was responsible for much of modern [[democracy]], [[philosophy]], [[mathematics]], and [[science]], as well as a great deal of art and the introduction of the [[Olympic Games]] (See: [[Greek influence on Western Culture]]). Ancient Greek works had a great influence on the [[Rome|Romans]]. By the time of [[Christ]], Greek was the dominant language and literary form of the day even though Greece itself had been conquered by Rome. Many of the early missionary journeys were into Greek areas and all of the epistles that [[Paul]] wrote were to churches set up in Greek lands. Paul's philosophical discussions in [[Athens]] and the belief of the people that he was [[Zeus]], all tied into the Greek culture of the day as well as the [[New Testament]] books themselves being written in [[Greek language|Greek]] and using a Greek translated [[Old Testament]] ([[Septuagint]]). Ancient Church Fathers were careful to draw a distinction between Greek culture and the unique message of [[Christianity]] that was meant for all.<ref>As [[Tertullian]] said, "What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?"</ref>
[[File:OedipusSphinx.jpg|180px|right|Oedipus and the Sphinx]]
The ancient Greek consciousness made a common reference to the [[Trojan War]] as the point of cultural origin, and self-awareness as a society in works such as the [[Iliad]] and the [[Odyssey]].

While it was independent, the ancient Greek world never unified into a central polity. Rather, individual city-states fought for dominion over many centuries, fighting with one another as to who would be prominent. This was especially true between Athens and [[Sparta]]. But while they fought amongst themselves, when a foreign entity sought to invade, such as the [[Persian Empire]], the Greeks would come together in a unity seldom rivaled in history. [[Alexander the Great]] of [[Macedonia]] would eventually subdue Greece along with almost the entire known world at the time, but that would only lead to the spreading of Greek culture as Macedon was Hellenistic in nature and Greece was once again "free" after his death. Rome eventually put an end to ancient Greek independence, but not its influence.

<blockquote>
Greek life was dominated by [[religion]] and so it is not surprising that the temples of ancient Greece were the biggest and most beautiful.They also had a political purpose as they were often built to celebrate civic power and pride, or offer thanksgiving to the patron deity of a city for success in war.<ref>[http://www.ancientgreece.com/s/Art/ Architecture in ancient Greece]</ref>
</blockquote>

[[Greek mythology]] is a collection of stories and narratives concerning their gods, heroes and mythological creatures. Hesiod's ''Theogony'' is an important source of myths as well as Homer's epic poems.

== Homosexuality and the effects on Greece ==

Homosexuality was generally accepted in Ancient Greece, although not in the way it is known in the modern world. Gay rights activists sometimes use Greece as an example of how homosexuality can be beneficial, normally unaware of methods such as pederasty which were commonly practiced.

Homosexual practices in ancient Greece were rooted in a philosophical disdain for the vulgar and the belief that homosexual practices were more rooted in a higher form of love which was not lustful but contributed to an 'everlasting disposition.' This is reflected by attitudes in Plato's Symposium:

<blockquote>
With disdain, Pausanius explains that common Love “has no discrimination...and is of the body rather than of the soul.” Common Love was lustful, casual, and careless fornication. To Pausanias, common Love would lead a man to women and (male) youths too young to pursue, and that a practitioner of common Love “[did] good and evil quite indiscriminately.” Heavenly Love, on the other hand, inspired the male to “turn to the male, and delight in him who is the more valiant and intelligent nature.” Heavenly Love caught the hearts of men who saw youths as intelligent persons in whom reason was beginning to be developed. Men engulfed by heavenly Love did not deceive these youths, but intended to remain their companions, if not lovers, for life. In such a pursuit, the pursuer “[endured] a slavery worse than any slave,” that to Eros. To be such a slave, however, did not matter to the scores of men who devoted themselves to boys on the verge of adulthood. As Pausanius explains, “a man fairly argues that in Athens to love and to be loved is held to be a very honorable thing.” Heavenly Love was a noble and commendable form of Eros, which disregarded a one-time lustful tryst instead for an everlasting disposition.<ref name="Acceptance through Restriction: Male Homosexuality in Ancient Athens>, Kelleher, Brigid, in Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II, Vol. 16 [https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1062&context=historical-perspectives]</ref>
</blockquote>

While these bonds would last throughout life, it was rooted in the practice of pederasty, which does not bear a resemblance to modern homosexuality as it was highly restricted. Scholars observe that the laws put upon homosexuality in ancient Greece implicitly recognize the potential for it to corrupt morals.

<blockquote>
Pederasty was permitted, but had to be practiced through a refined courtship marked by self-control and dignity. Laws protected youths from the sexual aggression of adult males. Laws also stripped adult males who lost their self-control and sold their bodies to the sexual and psycho-logical dominance of other adult males. Though ancient Athens permitted limited forms of pederasty, restrictions on male prostitution reveal a deep-seatedfear that if not checked, homosexuality could corrupt its citizenry and subvert the polis. <ref name="Acceptance through Restriction: Male Homosexuality in Ancient Athens>, Kelleher, Brigid, in Historical Perspectives: Santa Clara University Undergraduate Journal of History, Series II, Vol. 16 [https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1062&context=historical-perspectives]</ref>
</blockquote>

Some historians also believe that homosexuality helped lead to the downfall of Ancient Greece, as the population was not growing so much and food sources were not being produced as a result and armies became small.

== Famous poets ==
*'''Bion''' was a [[Greek]] [[pastoral poet]] of 3rd century B.C. he was born at [[Smyrna]]; and was a contemporary of [[Theocritus]]; he settled in [[Sicily]]; and was poisoned, it is said, by a rival; little of his [[poetry]] survives.<ref>{{Nuttall|Bion}}</ref>

== See also ==

*[[Acropolis]]
*[[Parthenon]]
*[[Homer]]
*[[Greek Philosophy]]
*[[Architecture]]
*[[Greek painting]]

==Further reading==
* Pomeroy, Sarah B. et al. ''Ancient Greece: A Political, Social, and Cultural History'' (1999) [https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Greece-Political-Cultural-History/dp/0195097432/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255295458&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]

== References ==
<references/>

[[Category:Ancient History]]
[[Category:Ancient Greece]]
[[Category:Western Civilization]]

User:VervTheVaryag

2021-08-18T04:38:20Z

VervTheVaryag: I wanted to create my own page.

I am new to editing Wikis but I definitely hope to make a positive contribution to this website as I feel that Wikipedia has gone way too far in its degradation, becoming essentially unusable.

{{userboxtop}}
{{User Christian2}}
{{User free speech}}
{{User Socrates}}

Katie Hill

2019-10-24T05:22:23Z

VervTheVaryag: Added information about the ongoing affair.

'''Katie Hill''' is the [[Democrat party]] representative from [[California]]'s 25th Congressional District in the [[U.S. House]]. Hill was elected in 2018, being one of seven Democrats who unseated incumbent Republicans in California that year<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/10/23/democrat-katie-hill-admits-affair-campaign-staffer/</ref>.

According to some California rag focused on [[gay]]s and [[transgender]]s,<ref>https://ballotpedia.org/Katie_Hill#cite_note-1</ref> Hill "made history" as California's first openly [[bisexual]] Congressional representative.<ref>https://www.intomore.com/impact/californias-katie-hill-makes-history-as-first-openly-bisexual-member-of-congress</ref>

Hill, as Vice Chair of the [[House Oversight Committee]],<ref>https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a24232857/who-is-katie-hill-california-democrat-congresswoman/</ref> was stepped over for Chairman upon the death over Rep. [[Elijah Cummings]], largely due to her involvement in a sex scandal involving both male and female paid employees on her staff.<ref>https://www.redstate.com/mirandamorales/2019/10/10/bisexual-rep.-katie-hill-allegedly-left-husband-male-finance-director</ref> After intense pressure from leaked photographs and the House Ethics Committee opening up an investigation into the affair, Hill admitted that she had been involved in the affair, acknowledging it as wrong and indicating that she would be cooperating with the investigation.<ref>https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/10/23/democrat-katie-hill-admits-affair-campaign-staffer/</ref>

==Further reading==
*[https://www.redstate.com/jenvanlaar/2019/10/18/ca-rep.-katie-hill-allegedly-involved-female-staffer-2-yr-throuple-relationship CA Rep. Katie Hill Allegedly Involved Female Staffer In 2-Yr ‘Throuple’ Relationship], Red State, October 18, 2019.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill, Katie}}

[[Category:Democrats]][[Category:116th United States Congress]][[Category:Homosexuals]]

Sedevacantism

2019-10-23T00:32:41Z

VervTheVaryag: I noted that this has become a more popular theme since Pope Francis and then provided for people an outside link to the most famous English language Sedevacantist website and contrasted it with conservative Catholics very critical of the Pope but not...

'''Sedevacantism''', referring to a "vacant seat", is the belief that there has been no legitimate [[Pope]] since the mid- to early 20th century due to a betrayal of traditional [[dogma]]. Most [[Catholic]]s denounce this belief. However, Sedevacantism has become increasingly relevant due to the [[Modernism]] of [[Pope Francis]].

Today, the online conservative Catholic community is largely divided between Sedevacantist media groups like [https://novusordowatch.org/ Novus Ordo Watch] and conservative Catholic media that denounces Sedevacantism<ref>https://www.churchmilitant.com/main/generic/faq-sedevacantism-general-response</ref>, like [https://www.churchmilitant.com/ Church Militant].

[[Category:Catholicism]]

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Ancient Greece

User:VervTheVaryag

Katie Hill

Sedevacantism