Question by Aquila T: Would Greek Pagans believe in the Underworld?
I was just wondering because I have become more and more interested in Greek paganism.. Using Apollo, Artemis, Athene, Hecate, and other Gods & Goddesses to be my pantheons. However, I also believe in the Ancient Greek view of the Underworld. Most pagans don’t believe in a “hell”, however. So do I contradict the religion I say I am?
Best answer:
Answer by pissdownsatansback
the word hell or hades is from the greek “pagans” if you will. so i’m guesing that they believed in the underworld.
Give your answer to this question below!
Greek mythology has its own Underworld, Hades. The god ruling Hades is Plouton. The 3-headed dog guardinh it is Cerberus. There is a sort of Paradise for the good souls, called Elysium Fields. Hades also has 3 rivers, the most famous being Stynx and Acheron, through which is the passage to Hades from the world of humans, by a boat driven by Charon. The bad souls have several punishments. The judges of Hades are also 3, the most famous being Minos. Plouton’s wife is Persephone, daughter of the goddess of nature and agriculture Demetra. Plouton stole her, and after Demetra’s protest, the gods arranged that Persephone would stay in Hades for half a year, and in the upperworld for the other half, symbolising the annual rebirth of nature in spring and summer.
They believe in Hades. Where you go in the underworld (good or bad) has to do with your judgement.
As for Pagans…no we don’t believe in hell. We believe in rebirth. That the soul comes back to learn it’s lessons until it gets it right. Your soul is a journey.
As far as what you believe…you can believe whatever you want! It’s not like any of us actually KNOW. There are no rules to faith. Believe what you want.
Understand Hellenic Paganism a little better and you’ll do fine.
Pluto rules the underworld, both in greek mythology and in astrology.
Most of the new age religions do not believe in hell, per say, but not that we don’t make a journey after death, which may take us into parts of what you term ‘the underworld’.
The journey is different for each person, catholics call this purgatory, which is, in essence, a world between worlds.
The underworld does not necessarily mean ‘hell’ but more that which underlies our physical conciousness.
There are many pagan belief systems, pagan meaning ‘old country dweller’. Among pagan religions : Wicca, Zoroaster. Druidic, Minoan, Shaminism, Hellinic, Vedic, etc.
Therefore, you may well be a pagan and have belief systems that vary somewhat from other pagans.
No. The ancient greeks belived in the whole souls going over the river stix, and if you believe that, then you are part of that religion. A pagan religion is refers to one that believes in many gods. There are plenty of pagan religions that believe in a hell of some sort. You’re not contradicting yourself. You are simply following the ancient greek ideas about the world around us.
I believe that everyone comes to their own spirituality in their own way. I, a wiccan, believe in reincarnation myself: But my fiance, who’s a catholic, believes that there is a heaven and a hell and in reincarnation. Kind of like the movie “What Dreams May Come”. He believes that people can go to heaven or hell, but people can also come back to another life. You should listen to your own heart, your intuition and what feels right to you for your beliefs.