The Origin of Abortion

Prior to reading Pagan Meditations by Ginette Paris, I admit my opinion on abortion was ignorant and oblivious to the truth. In accordance with pro-life Christian ministers, I was only aware of one side to the argument and missing a major piece to the puzzle of abortion issues. I did not understand the arguments and ideas of pro-choice individuals until I was enthralled with the study of Artemis. I am proposing that an individual cannot understand or choose one side of the abortion debate without first learning of its origin. With the help of Paris’s book on such matters, I will explain why I found abortion to be acceptable against the wishes of Christianity. I will describe the nature of Artemis and why she sometimes found abortion to be necessary.

Due to the pure, wholesome and virgin nature of Artemis, Ginette Paris states that Artemis is closer in relation to Christianity than the debauchery and seductive ways of Aphrodite. Paris states in Pagan Meditations that “Artemisian spirituality is familiar to the priests and nuns of Catholic faith” (129). However, one of the biggest customs that are opposed by Christianity is that of abortion which originated through the powers of Artemis. Perhaps, these church members that are in opposition to pro-choice ideas do not realize that abortion can be ethical. I believe that terminating a fetus would be better than raising it up into a life of pain and abuse. We see situations everyday on our televisions about children being murdered, molested, beaten, starved and ignored. These sad stories could have been eliminated if the mothers to these children were informed about abortion.

The Catholic Church is one of the biggest antagonists of the pro-choice movement. Paris suggests that the Catholic Church is typical of stripping women of their rights in her book. She explains that “withholding from women the power of choice and the power to destroy, two powers of which men make great use” (140).  However, shouldn’t women who have “the power of giving life,” also have the “power of giving death” (140).

Many mothers have died because of these eccentric ideas posed by the Catholic Church and the fear of eternal damnation. In less likely situations, a woman must choose between her life and the life of her unborn child. The fear that the Church uses can greatly persuade in these types of scenarios. We must come to the realization that one life is no more important than another’s.

Another great argument brought up in the book Pagan Meditations is the threat posed to us due to overpopulation. The truth is that “overpopulation begins the moment that one child is unwanted” (142). Overcrowding can lower the well being and mirth of life. One of the most persuasive ideas that Paris suggests is the “we should send all our unloved, undernourished, prostituted, delinquent, suicidal and battered children to the Vatican” because of their forceful tactics. The argument doesn’t end with the suggestion of children being sent to the Vatican, but that “single mothers, crushed with solitude or poverty, should go and occupy the spacious and comfortable residences of priests” (142). We also find that studies have found “close links among overpopulation, overcrowding in the cities, unemployment, delinquency, the increase of suicide, rape, poverty” and many other issues (144).

We can better understand these ideas by looking at the myth of Artemis. Paris mentions that “Artemis forbids the hunter to wound an animal instead of killing it” and allowing the animal to suffer. This is compared to the abortion issue because Artemis believed that “one must sacrifice the fetus already marked by the rejection and hostility of those who should receive it with love” (141).

Similarities between Jesus and Dionysus

                When first introduced to the mythological character of Dionysus, I could see how the god could easily be compared to the character of Jesus within modern Christianity. The basic knowledge that I had gained about Dionysus seemed to complete my ideas that Christianity was based on prior mythological stories and religions. Whether or not this is accurate, I am not going to discuss the truthfulness of each, but simply the similarities and differences between the two. Though I found many relations between Dionysian beliefs and Christianity, the more I learned the less I found them to be alike. My goal is to compare and contrast the two religions in depth by using Walter F. Otto’s book titled Dionysus: Myth and Cult and the King James Version of the Bible. I want to show that both religions have similar qualities and aren’t as different as some people may think.

                Beginning with birth, Dionysus was the “child of Zeus and a mortal woman”. This could be related to Christianity in the sense that Jesus was considered the son of God and born of the Virgin Mary. However, this does not mean that the birth of both deities were similar at all. Otto discusses how Zeus “took up the fruit of the womb” and placed Dionysus “in his divine body (65).” To shorten the long complicated story, Zeus had to protect his unborn son because Semele (mortal mother of Zeus) was struck with lightning. The Bible never speaks of Jesus being consumed within the Father for any period of time, but Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit inside of Mary (KJV, Mat. 1:18).

                Otto’s book also mentions that upon birth Dionysus “the bringer of joy, was predestined for suffering and death (65).” The book continues by saying “he brought not only blessedness but suffering, persecution, and destruction,” which could also describe the destiny that Christ was facing (66). In the New Testament of the Bible, Peter writes how it was “testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ,” and the predestined death that must take place for the redemption of mankind (KJV, 1 Peter 1:11). Though both Jesus and Dionysus were at times full of sorrow and suffering, they also brought a fullness of life. When discussing the ecstasy of Dionysian madness, Otto makes it clear that life and death are close and nearly the same. He states, “Man’s experience tells him that wherever there are signs of life, death is in the offing (137).”

 The Bible states numerous times the idea that Jesus brings life through his death, for instance, the New Testament states that Christ “abolished death and hath brought life, and immortality (KJV, 2 Tim. 1:10).” The main focus of Otto’s book about Dionysus is often the relationship between both life and death, and he calls Dionysus the “twice-born one.”  Christ and Dionysus endure a death and rebirth, but in two totally different scenarios. Dionysus was “torn to pieces by the Titans” and later brought back to life. He was also hurled “into the bottom-less lake of Lerna” and later reappeared as a new-born (77). However, Jesus was crucified and resurrected from the dead after three days. This was meant to serve as proof that Jesus was the true son of God. Dionysus had overcome death to portray his own power and not so much to reflect the power of his father, Zeus.

There is a passage in the book of Romans that offers immortality to followers claiming that “the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ (KJV, Rom. 6:23).” We have the ability to obtain this “eternal life” because of the sacrifice Jesus made. The eternal life spoken of in the Bible is not far from the immortality involved in the story of Dionysus. Semele, the mortal woman who bore Dionysus, later became immortal and received the name Thyone, which refers to “the new position of the mother freed from the realm of death by her son and crowned with immortality (71).” Later in Dionysus: Myth and Cult, there is another example of eternal life being given to the mortal wife of Dionysus. Ariadne was said to be the only one “worthy to stand at the side of Dionysus” and to be “raised by him into immortality (182).” The display of immortality being offered to mortal women in the myth of Dionysus could have influenced the idea of “eternal life” within Christianity.

Another popular topic used in comparing Dionysus with Jesus is the fact that Dionysus is considered “the wine god” and one of Christ’s miracles was that of changing the water into wine. The King James Version of the Bible tells us about Jesus and his disciples attending a wedding in Galilee where there was no wine. The wedding was where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine (KJV, John 2). There is a similar incident mentioned in Otto’s book about Dionysus stating that “a miracle caused the wine to flow or vines to bloom and bear fruit in a few hours” at a significant festival (146). There are many instances where wine is mentioned in relation to Dionysus and there is an “ancient belief that a god reveals himself in wine (145).”  This can be said of Jesus’ miracle because God performed miracles through Jesus as proof of who he is. Wine was more important to Dionysian beliefs. Followers of Dionysus believed that wine could “raise up the spirit’ and they also believed that it “brings joy.”

Ancient Dionysian religion and modern Christianity share another similarity when it comes to the subject of wine. I could not help but notice that both religions mention that wine can have negative effects. Though Dionysian’s believed that wine had the ability to “comfort, and to bring bliss” they also believed it could lead to “deeds of violence” and “the madness of horror (150).” With Dionysus being the “god of wine,” the idea of opposite effects that wine caused showed the “duality” of the god. Also, the Bible condemns drunkenness throughout many passages and lists the drunkard along with fornicators, idolaters, and extortionists in 1 Corinthians 5:11 of the King James Version.

Much of what is mentioned in Otto’s book is about the “duality” of Dionysus. He is “the god of two forms (110).” Dionysus is life and death, joy and sorrow; he is both the ass and the lion, according to ancient belief. Everything about Dionysus is dual, as with the wine mentioned earlier. With much searching, I found that Christ could even be termed as being “dual.” Though Jesus granted many people “peace be unto you,” he also made statements like that of Matthew 10:34 of the Bible where he said “I came not to send peace, but a sword (KJV).” The term sword meant destruction and division. Jesus came to set man against one another and even man against his own family and blood. The destruction and division that Jesus “sent” is still prevalent in modern Christianity. We find that both gods are dual bringing both life and destruction.

Dionysus may be a more creative and artistic god, whereas Jesus had qualities that were more earthly like that of the natural man. However, Dionysian beliefs and Christianity share many similarities. I would go as far to say that the two are probably more alike than many people imagine. We have found that even Jesus had destructive qualities and a sense of “duality.”  We also discovered that stories of sex, drunkenness, life and death are not completely unfamiliar to the Bible. All these things are attributes to “Dionysian madness.”  This does not necessarily mean that the two are related, but it could show that some ideas of Christianity were derived from ancient myths.

Heroes Throughout the Ages

                Certainly, we all have our own ideas and concepts of a true hero. In the formation of a hero, there is a specific design of qualities that make the individual strong and courageous in the eyes of the ordinary. For some, a hero is supernatural with characteristics that are bizarre and abnormal. We often think of characters that have superior strength, psychic powers, or flying abilities as being heroic. Throughout time, there have only been stories and myths told of individuals with these specific powers, and even today, there is a cult following of comic book heroes like Superman and Batman. For those who ignore the places the imagination can reach, a hero is often a person that they know or a living person from generations before. A family member, a soldier, or religious figure can often be cited as heroes of our time.

                Ultimately, we choose our own personal hero because the individual either contains what we lack or has conquered that which we do not have the ability to fight ourselves. The book by Joseph Campbell titled The Hero with a Thousand Faces gives many examples of different heroes and the qualities they possess. Throughout this document, I will take various characters from Campbell’s writing and give prototypical individuals that would consider those characters as being heroic.

                Buddha is one of the more popular figures mentioned that is certainly cited as a hero to many. Those who desire peace within from the distractions and materialism of this earth would be most likely to take refuge in the teachings of Buddha. Those who seek a hero that has conquered the fears and distractions of this world to find a refuge of peace should use Buddha’s teachings for enlightenment. If a person has been caught amongst denominational wars within the Christian doctrine and the contradictions of church beliefs, these former believers may eventually seek solitude elsewhere.  I am proposing that these individuals could be likely to turn to Buddhism on their path to serenity.

                When discussing the matters of finding a “doctrine of universal love,” Campbell mentions that we must turn our mind to “the other great (and much older) universal communion: that of the Buddha, where the primary word still is peace (159).” People who have turned away from Christianity will still find that Buddha’s teachings display that happiness does not come from materialism. Compassion and peace are found more often within the concept of Buddhist beliefs than the beliefs of Christianity. Mortal men that are searching for the religion that “fits” may find it hard to avoid the idea of Nirvana and its “extinguishing of the Threefold Fire of Desire, Hostility, and Delusion.” Buddha seems to be more of a hero than the god that many people portray him as. Perhaps, Buddha is the hero that has saved individuals from noise and confusion in their lives.

                Another familiar story that is passed on by Campbell is that of King Midas. The story of Midas pertains to those who have found emptiness in money and materialism. Though King Midas made the poorest decisions, he could also be viewed as a hero. After all, many heroes have been known to have tragic flaws like the “Midas touch.” This King lost sight of what was important in life and his lust for wealth (gold) caused him to lose much more than he would ever gain. Though his daughter was turned to gold instantly, you can be certain that King Midas learned a unique lesson on excessive wealth and a valuable lesson at that. The daughter’s life was worth more to King Midas than the gold statue in which she was trapped. Whether an individual is trying to escape a wealthy lifestyle or views riches as mere emptiness, you can be certain that they find Midas to be an enlightening hero. They would realize the truth of the Japanese proverb that says “The gods only laugh when men pray to them for wealth.”

                Though not a main focus in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, I found the topic of Jonathan Edwards unavoidable. Jonathan Edwards is not a god or a mythological figure, but I am sure many would argue that his outrageous views of the Christian god are myths. Using fear, Edwards states “The God holds you over the Pit of Hell, much as one holds a Spider or some loathsome Insect over the Fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked.” As stated previously, religious figures can be considered heroes of our time and the uptight, ill-tempered Jonathan Edwards is no exception. My proposition for an individual that would view Pastor Edwards as heroic would be an individual that cannot cope with others that they view as immoral. People who cannot live harmoniously with others because they do not follow the same thought patterns or way of thinking may also find Edwards work as noble. However, most people who come into contact with Edwards work will not be scared into submission, but be pushed farther from it.

                While on the topic of Christianity, Job is a Biblical character that could be a hero in modern society as well. Campbell retells the story of Job. He tells how Job is “a simple and upright man, and fearing God, and avoiding evil.” Job was a wealthy man with a joyous family and he was ethical in all business. Then his life took a swift turn for the worse. Job lost nearly everything and was left in sorrow without any answers. Job was persecuted as though he deserved to be stricken down by the might of God. His friends declared “with a pious faith in God’s justice, that Job must have done some evil to have deserved to be so frightfully afflicted.”

Job withstood persecution and endured the loss of nearly everything, all while never doubting his faith. All this happened to Job and God did not give any inclination to his intentions or reason for Job’s suffering. Campbell suggests that this occurred simply to show “that man cannot measure the will of God.” Regardless of the reason Job was forced to endure such tragedy, we view his life as that of a hero. We like to look at example stories of Job and such, when we need encouragement. Job is a true hero for those who have been faced with a major loss in their lifetime. Down-trodden individuals will need a story that shows the destruction and rebuilding of a character like Job. Those who are holding firm and brave in the midst of defeat can remember Job as a hero that faced much worse circumstances.

Saint Bernard of Clairvaux would be considered a hero to those who admire purity and the persistence of guarding one’s virginity. Bernard of Clairvaux is probably a worthy example for lifestyles of monks, nuns, and priests who must remain pure in thought and prevail in their devotion to god. The Hero with a Thousand Faces gives examples of various women and their attempts to seduce Bernard. He remained pure and never gave in to their beauty, even when they would throw themselves at him in nakedness.  

However, the story continues to warn of the persistence of lust and how it followed Bernard through the “monastery walls” and “not even the remoteness of the desert, can defend against the female presences.” Uncertainty can arise when thinking of the story based on Saint Bernard and whether he remained pure or not throughout his lifetime. I am sure that Saint Bernard of Clairvaux is as good of a hero as any when it comes to enduring with purity.

The last hero that I choose to discuss is the Chinese philosopher Ko Hung that spent his “latter years of a long lifetime preparing pills of immortality.” His venture to design a medicine that returns an old decrepit body back to youthful strength was a valid attempt. Ko Hung created a concoction that could eventually bring eternal life. “White hair will turn black, decayed teeth will grow again, and the body will become sleek and glistening.” Hung believed that if taken “constantly” then the individual “will not die.” This myth of a man who passed on to the “realm of the immortals” is an acceptable hero to doctors and pharmacists today with their attempts to prolong life, sustain youthfulness and find cures. Based on the story of Ko Hung, scientists dream of discovering an eternal life through medicine.

In conclusion, not all individuals have the same visions or ideas of what it means to be a hero or the qualities in which a hero should possess. Heroes can be living in the now or they can be mythological characters of stories passed down. Heroes can be strong and courageous with superior abilities. They can also have tragic flaws and even die in the midst of their struggles. We choose our personal hero because the individual either contains what we lack on physical, mental, and psychological levels, or because the hero has conquered something that we do not have the ability to accomplish ourselves.