Hellenian's Commentary On Orthodoxy, Nationalism and Neo-Pagan Buffoonery

Re-posted, based on the original commentary in this entry.


True Hellenic nationalists place Orthodoxy before all else because they realize that this world is temporal and that, without God, nothing is possible -- including the advancement of the nation.

The notion that religion is secondary -- or even unimportant -- is a foreign belief based on the backwards principles of the so-called "Enlightenment". Unfortunately, some Hellenic nationalists -- in the same vein as those Hellenes who have adopted Socialism, Communism, Liberalism, and other foreign imports -- have found it fit to imitate Westerners by adopting their alien philosophies into their ideologies. Why a nationalist would adopt the ways of a clearly backwards civilization is baffling but, unfortunately, it is a trend found throughout the spectrum of contemporary nationalist ideology: from democratic nationalists of the Right to National Socialists.

In every great epoch of Hellenic history, religion has always had a preeminent position. Only now, in this dark age, has religion been relegated -- and the consequences of this folly have been very clear. Genuine Hellenic nationalism (as opposed to the impure, Western-innovated variant) is nothing like Western nationalism and can be summed up by the following slogan: "The state above all; only God above the state". (It bears mentioning that this ideal was championed during the 4th of August era in the publications of persons such as Aristos Kambanis, the editor of Neon Kratos, and Theologos Nikoloudis, the Minister of Press in the 4th of August government.)

Regarding the status of Orthodoxy in the 4th of August, there can be no doubt that it was championed as one of the core ideals of the government. For instance, in a speech to parents and teachers on 19 October 1939, Metaxas said: [...] the major forces of the society other than the Nation are the Polity or the State and the Church. In the West there is a total separation between Church and State, and the Church is denied a role in education. Here in Greece, Church and Nation constitute one whole. The Greek Nation and the Greek church share the same history since the rise of Christianity. Thus the State in Greece never dared seek anti-religious aims: even the parliament of 1927, when and where there was such an inclination, did not dare undermine the special position of the Orthodox Church. So that one of the conditions that gave rise to the 4th August Regime was the period of irreligion preceding it. But now Family, Nation and Church are the new pillars of the Greek society, nation and the state. State and Church work each in its own way towards the same national goals". In another speech on 8 November 1936 Metaxas declared that the Orthodox Church was "never separated from the Nation". Historian P.J. Vatikiotis describes the 4th of August in the following terms: "A combination of fascist-inspired national socialism and religious fanaticism served as the basis of the Metaxas regime and the background to his 'August 4th' New Era". The same historian admits that Metaxas "passed through an agnostic -- even atheist -- phase" during his youth but "tortured by doubts however he became a believer [...]". Indeed, Metaxas' journal indicates that he was a pious man. In it he writes, "My refuge is God". Metaxas would also frequently appeal to God, especially in times of crisis.

In addition, the youth organization of the 4th of August, EON, was characterized as a "Christian organization" by Metaxas in his address to it during the organization's congress on 5 January 1939. He also fixed its ideals as constituting "King, Fatherland, Religion, Regeneration of Greece". Although it's true that Metaxas placed the nation slightly above the level of religion (which was probably the regime's greatest flaw), it is offensive for Neo-Pagan sympathizers to lump Metaxas with blasphemous traitors such as Yannopoulos and Daniilides.