Muddy Shoes by Todd

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    Todd K Estes

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    Greek Gods and legends

    I love watching movies that include the passion and excitement and legends of Greek Mythology. 

    – Troy – Wrath of the Titans – Hercules – 300 – Percy Jackson – Immortals – The Odyssey –

    I mean, who doesn’t love yelling,

    “Release the Kraken!”

    The influence of Greek civilization is real and easy to be seen, if we would just look around. Our politics draw from Greek, then Roman politics. Our very Constitution has ties to Aristotle. We have cities with names like Athens and Sparta. High schools and colleges use mascots like Spartans. We name a NFL team the Titans. We have a Parthenon in Nashville, just like the one in Greece to Athena. Speaking of Architecture, just look around Washington and you will see the influence (Domes, Columns, whole buildings).

    And then there is Harry Potter and some of the mythological creatures used by Rowling’s work – Centaurs, Unicorns, and more.

    Furthermore, philosophy and education have deep ties to Greek systems – Socrates and his Socratic method, Plato, Aristotle. Not to mention sorties and fraternities use Greek symbols.

    And of course, there are the Olympics and the first marathon going back to Greek culture.

    So, I am committing to reread the legends, discover afresh the heroes and monsters, and maybe watch the TV and movies that highlight Greek mythology. 

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    There is even a connection of Greek mythology in the Holy Bible. Not confirming the legends but just relating to them. In Acts, when Paul healed a man in Lystra (Acts 14), the crowd claimed he was the god Hermes in human form. Hermes was the son of Zeus and was the messenger of the gods.They called Barnabas Zeus. Paul convinced them they were human and he became the messenger of the true God – declaring the Gospel.

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    So, where am I going with all of this? 

    Off and on for the near future, I will be discussing Greek lore. And in the end, maybe we will learn a few things along the way.

    But today, just one thing simple. I did a short dive into hiking gear – and outside of Nike (not known for it’s camping/backpacking impact) is the only name I found from Greek heritage. Nike is the Greek goddess of victory. Speed and conquest in competition is what Nike is known for – in footwear and in Greek legend.

    Nike is a winged goddess who bestows victory, normally in athletic competition. Swiftness and strength are her characteristics. And in the big picture, who wouldn’t want to be awarded victory in something, 

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    We owe a lot to Greek culture. And it was at the midst of Greek and Roman culture that Jesus came to earth. Maybe understanding it a little better might help us understand ourselves a little better.

    What’s your favorite tale from Greek mythology?

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