Greece has never recovered from the disaster of Christianity. While early Christianity was not uniformly hostile to science, there were certainly powerful tendencies to look to the spiritual rather than the physical, and to do away with pagan - and in particular Greek pagan - thinking. So Tertullian (c. 160-225 AD) said:

"We need not be afraid if the Christian does not know the powers and the numbers of the elements, the motions and eclipses of the heavens, the nature of the animals, plants and stones....It is sufficient for the Christian to believe that the cause of everything created, whether in heaven or on earth, visible or invisible, is the goodness of the Creator, of the one true God.”

Augustine (354-530 AD) said:

“What has Athens to do with Jerusalem, the Academy [the Academy of Plato] to do with the Church, the heretic to do with the Christian?....We have no need for curiosity after Jesus Christ, and no need of investigation after the Gospel. Firstly we believe this, that there is nothing else that we need to believe.”

Greece is adrift from its ancient moorings. Greeks may name their children, Socrates, Aristotle or Helen, but the classical spirit of enquiry has gone replaced by subservience to irrational Christianity. May Greece rid itself of mind-numbing Christianity and regain its ancient glory

Today I received an email, 'update from Athens' from my Australian neice who is working on her PhD which involves metallurgy in the ancient Aegean. In the daytime she works on her dissertation and in the evening joins friends at restaurants where delightful meals are had. She describes six favourite meals, these include koriatiki salata (village salad) and "various charcoal-grilled animals of land and sea, all floating in olive oil and lemon". A good wine with the meal and possibly a small glass of tsipouro to finish. This on a rooftop "with a perfect uninterrupted view of the Acropolis on a very good angle" or a restaurant where "there were two young guys outside where everyone sits playing bouzoukis and singing, all traditional Greek music. The air was balmy and everything was perfect".

It seems that there might be an essence still to be experienced from ancient times; scholarship and conversation around beautiful meals made in the old ways!

My experience of Greece as a teenager travelling with a school group was pleasant. Sure, the facilities were run-down, there was rubbish strewn everywhere and, in parts of Athens, I choked on almost every breath. But the people were kind, friendly and so keen to show the best of their nation that they were almost gushing in their hospitality. They were also quite disparaging when talking about themselves and their fellow countrymen. "We trash our environment", "we are lazy", "we don't know how to look after our monuments" were all common phrases. Perhaps they are naturally apologetic? Perhaps they have been told so many times that they aren't good enough, so they start believing it? Of course, all of this is a gross generalisation. I'm sure there are rude, proud and arrogant Greeks as well.

I can't imagine what the experience of a Greek visiting his homeland would be like. Growing up with so many expectations, so many stories of "back home" and so many reminders that being Greek makes one "different" from the other Australians. I could imagine it would build up a sense of resentment in many, who have borne this stigma of being a "wog" for so long. I, too, grew up with stories from "back home" - my parents' home being the now nonexistent nation of Rhodesia. I was brought up with different values, different restrictions and different freedoms from my friends. Even if I was to return to Zimbabwe, though, I wouldn't have the same experience as a Greek returning home, as the nation my parents speak of no longer exists. I am part of a different Diaspora - one that will never have to face up to its homeland and "meet the natives". I also have that lucky break of being able to blend in - shake the accent and a Southern African is invisible in Australia. My past, and that of my family, is just that - my past. For Greek kids, I think it may still be too much a part of the present for them to accept it from outsiders' eyes.

Good on you Greece. My best mates were from that home land, and how these cons-vits, were the pits of human evolution. The skipies were and are just a bunch of flowers.

When I went to school, I was call and put down by these not so friendly Australians, and just come to QLD, and see what sh@t floats up on the beaches at this time of year.

The wogs like me, had a great time, and enjoyed the lands for not my many travels, but the greater people you will find, if they( and there big mouths skippies, which.........only comes in packs of ten or more, but thats The new land, and the indigenous people are in the same time frame as us............funny old world.

Just have a look at the red-necks! lol.........they have no.........as seen.

One on one, no contest!

There loosing their country, and cant see it. lol.

Too all wogs! stand tall! They do not own nothing, and thats a fact.

TTM

P/S

Oh and this message is for a small population of people who think they have the right to vilify, discriminate, defamation of character and or slander of my good name and my family and if i hear or see one breech of these laws and conditions i will not hesitate to obtain legal advice and deliver a summons for each of those who are guilty of these offenses and will find themselves receiving a law suit to each and every one at my discretion and media involvement will also be sort.

If my family or myself receive anymore of this disregard of the laws and my constitutional rights continue to be violated i will not hesitate to bring those to court.

Just one more word and or action will result in the above.

you have been officially warned and publicly witnessed.

Sorry for this inconvenience to members, and please continue with your discussion titled MY GREECE.

Thank you.

Greece has never recovered from the disaster of Christianity.
david f,
neither has it recovered from the loss of australian pension payments.