Why Heroism is My Religion | Rogue Priest

An absolutely profound post by Rogue Priest on the power of the call to heroism to change lives, and to impact our world. As adults, we feel something very similar, but with a twist. We empathize with the hero but we assume it’s just fantasy. Adults think of heroic stories as an escape, an amusement, a moment spent in an imaginary world. ...

Heroic stories in their earliest form started off not as fiction, but as a code of values. Heroic Age cultures like ancient Greece honestly expected their warriors to emulate the heroes in the myths. The values of courage, endurance, honor, truth and generosity were the goals of real society. The myths are value narrative.

This approach gave us our most enduring mythic themes and the story structure that is used in epic movies to this day. Pop culture repeatedly confronts us with this narrative, which whispers to us: You are the one. You can be the hero. Be brave. Take action. You are the one.

Heroic myths are not meant to be stories, they’re meant to be instruction manuals.

Last week I answered a lot of questions about what my temple teaches: a branch of polytheism firmly rooted in old Irish traditions. But one of the things I value about that path is that it allows members to have their own individual beliefs. My spiritual views go far beyond polytheism. Although I will always honor the gods of nature, I don't consider their worship to be my religion. The Heroic Life is my religion.  Dreams and Distractions When I … Read More

via Rogue Priest