Dionysus Poem by gershon hepner

Dionysus, god of theater and wine,
could be today the god psychiatrists regard
as ideal model. When you are not feeling fine,
lie on his casting couch, and then, with no holds barred,
repeat the script that he’ll rehearse with you, and act
according to directions he’ll prescribe. His jugs
of wine may be replaced, if you do not react
as dramatis personae should, with lots of drugs.
The only problem is that you may find the play
goes on and on, without a curtain. When you feel
uncomfortable upon the couch, or cannot pay,
he’ll send you to another god who cannot heal.


Mary Lefkowitz writes in the LA Times (“Bring Back the Gods: Mere mortals had a better life when more that one ruler presided from on high, ” October,23,2007) :
Prominent secular and atheist commentators have argued lately that religion 'poisons' human life and causes endless violence and suffering. But the poison isn't religion; it's monotheism. The polytheistic Greeks didn't advocate killing those who worshiped different gods, and they did not pretend that their religion provided the right answers. Their religion made the ancient Greeks aware of their ignorance and weakness, letting them recognize multiple points of view. There is much we still can learn from these ancient notions of divinity, even if we can agree that the practices of animal sacrifice, deification of leaders and divining the future through animal entrails and bird flights are well lost. My Hindu students could always see something many scholars miss: The Greek gods weren't mere representations of forces in nature but independent beings with transcendent powers who controlled the world and everything in it. Some of the gods were strictly local, such as the deities of rivers and forests. Others were universal, such as Zeus, his siblings and his children. Zeus did not communicate directly with humankind. But his children - Athena, Apollo and Dionysus - played active roles in human life. Athena was the closest to Zeus of all the gods; without her aid, none of the great heroes could accomplish anything extraordinary. Apollo could tell mortals what the future had in store for them. Dionysus could alter human perception to make people see what's not really there. He was worshiped in antiquity as the god of the theater and of wine. Today, he would be the god of psychology. Zeus, the ruler of the gods, retained his power by using his intelligence along with superior force. Unlike his father (whom he deposed) , he did not keep all the power for himself but granted rights and privileges to other gods. He was not an autocratic ruler but listened to, and was often persuaded by, the other gods. Openness to discussion and inquiry is a distinguishing feature of Greek theology. It suggests that collective decisions often lead to a better outcome. Respect for a diversity of viewpoints informs the cooperative system of government the Athenians called democracy.

10/23/07