I keep seeing posts on here expressing wishes for Hellenic Polytheism or other Pagan paths to "make a major comeback" and "replace the Abrahamic religions" (namely this one) Y'all. I know that a lot of you are ex-Christian and have a hard time separating what you grew up with culturally and religiously with your current practice, but this is not the progressive call for justice that you think this is and certainly not something to blindly repeat and accept just because you keep seeing it in Pagan spaces. Long post ahead.
Firstly, calling people who practice Judaism, Islam, or Christianity delusional or even TERFs based on their religion is inherently harmful and textbook religious discrimination, especially when in religions like Judaism, g-d is considered genderless (1), the Talmud acknowledges 6-8 genders and sexes (2) and the right to choose is also intrinsically a halachic right (3). It's okay not to know everything, but know when your heavily biased opinion is not relevant or wanted. Learn to identify instead when you're just repeating Christian rhetoric repackaged in loosely Pagan wrapping paper.
I know you all think it's so cute to use the term "Abrahamic" to mean Christian, but I have always found this term extremely reductive, misleading, and problematic as a Jew. While Christianity and Islam share roots in Jewish texts, Judaism maintains a culturally and religiously distinct method of textual interpretation and analysis as it has for thousands of years. Judaism is not just Old Christianity like you all make it sound like, just like Christianity and Islam aren't Judaism 2.0 (and they are not lesser, of course, for not being so! Don't come at me with that). Judaism is a closed religion, culture, as well as ethnicity, while Christianity and Islam are open religions that anyone can join. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all have intricate rules that conflict within their respective religious systems. They deserve to be respected separately and correctly within their cultural and/or religious contexts! It is insensitive to assume they all operate similarly or even the same because they are monotheistic…also, side note, someone being monotheistic is not harming you, as being polytheistic is not harming a monotheist.
To get to the point, wishing for the complete replacement of religions you hate is the formal definition of genocide, which constitutes a "deliberate and systematic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race" (4). Yes, Christianity was and is a colonial religion- however, so was Ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion!!! Why do you think Alexander the Great's conquests resulted in an empire spanning three continents? It surely wasn't because he logged onto tumblr dot com and expanded Ancient Greek religion by converting all those "nasty Barbarians" through text post format. Proselytizing and manipulating others into sharing your beliefs "because it's the internet and the power of the gods are on our side!11!!!" is an insult to the Theoi, a violation of a person's autonomy, and frankly, a gross misinterpretation of Xenia and what the patrons of foreigners, Zeus Xenios and Athena Xenia, represent. Do your (scholarly) research of your religion and others outside your own culture, know when you're wrong, and don't fucking wish religious genocide, mass conversion, or unwanted proselytizing on other people??? I hate that I even have to end this post on that note, but it is what it is. Do better and keep learning.
