I’m finding this whole conversation about pagan charity rather enlightening. Despite the fairly dim view that Alley Valkyrie has of her friend Mary Ann, I believe that this woman has eloquently articulated ideas that are endemic within the community:
I never heard of Osiris and Dionysis tending to the poor and oppressed, chastising the rich, specifically promising the persecuted an eternity in Heaven. Jesus has got my back. Who else has got my back like that? None of the other gods or spirits I talk to. They got my back for other reasons, but not because I’m poor. They don’t want to liberate me. They don’t inspire masses of others to fight oppression. Not like Jesus does.
In other words people expect to be given everything for nothing. They want a gold star in life just for showing up. As I’ve argued previously that is simply not how things work, especially within the context of ancient Mediterranean spirituality. Death is the only blessing that the gods freely bestow upon us; everything else is the result of a reciprocal relationship that must constantly be maintained. This is what the Greeks called charis, the grace of giving and receiving, and which the Romans expressed as do et des or a transaction of something for something.
If you have done nothing to build a relationship with the gods and spirits, never remember them or honor them through ritual or other forms of devotional activity, do nothing in your life that distinguishes you or makes you in any way useful to them – you’ve got some audacity to approach their shrine with open palms demanding the world and, as Mary Ann does, more than the world from them!
Think about it. This woman expects an eternity in heaven with the gods just because she feels persecuted! Not necessarily persecuted for their sake – because that at least would be something – just persecuted presumably by a cold, indifferent and greedy society.
The natural order of things is for the mass of humanity to go down into the gloom of Haides when they die where they subsist as gibbering, mindless shades of their former selves, forever lamenting the sorrows and frustrations they experienced while alive. For those of you who participated in the orgy of consumerism on Black Friday – you pretty much got a preview of what awaits you in the afterlife.
Unless you’re a Dionysian. Because our god went down into the underworld (something most divinities could not have done) and he confronted the terrors and implacable guardians of this place in order to make a bargain with Haides so that his beloved followers would not experience the debilitation of death. If they proved worthy they would retain their power and intelligence and be permitted to join him in eternal intoxication and festivity in the small kingdom he prepared for them down below.
And you just want to be handed a ticket to the party?
The thing is, you don’t. That ticket is initiation and it’s a real bitch to go through. But it’s absolutely necessary because initiation opens you up and prepares you for the experience that awaits.
From the moment that you’re initiated to the moment you die you are preparing and being prepared to take your seat at the bridal feast. But think about what that means.
Eternal intoxication – μέθη αἰώνιος.
Imagine a time when you had incredible sex or were really, really drunk or just had this perfect moment where you felt fully and completely alive.
Nice, huh?
That’s kind of what it’s like.
Except now imagine that magnified by a hundred, and then magnified a hundredfold again. Now take this experience outside of the confines of time so that it is both a single instant and something that lasts forever and ever and ever.
Even those who have been through initiation and are deeply, madly in love with Dionysos have a difficult time adjusting to this. Glimpses of it on this side of the divide can drive a person completely insane.
And you want to just jump right into that with no experience, no context, no preparation at all?
Heh.
Go right ahead sweetheart.
That ought to be real fun to watch.
Bacchic “heaven” isn’t for everyone – and you should be damned thankful for that. Go play with Jesus if that’s what you’re looking for. I’m quite happy with wine as my fortunate reward.
Tagged: dionysos, haides
