#no offense to worshippers of the Greek gods/Hellenic pagans

[crazycatsiren]

Hellenic Pagan Oath Taking

I feel like this is a very important topic that needs to be addressed and clarified, especially for new worshippers/devotees.

Being a devotee to a deity does not mean you are oath bound to that deity. Swearing an oath to a deity is not a requirement for becoming a devotee of theirs. It will never be a requirement. You are not 100% committed to or "stuck with" your deity for life by being a devotee. You can be devoted to multiple deities at the same time. You are allowed to stop being a deity's devotee should it no longer work out for you.

Oaths are not necessary, and are not to be taken lightly. As a matter of fact, I highly discourage new devotees from taking any oath in the beginning. An oath can be a life long commitment, and not something you can simply change your mind about or walk away from later. It's never a good idea to bind yourself to a deity without knowing exactly what you're doing and being absolutely certain of what you're signing up for.

Being oath bound to a deity is a big responsibility to take on. Your deity will expect you to keep your word. Breaking an oath is a huge deal. Epiorkia, or perjury, is a grievous offense with serious consequences. Horkos, the daemon of oaths, will inflict punishment upon perjurers most swiftly and harshly. In Hesiod’s Theogony, Horkos is one “who does more damage than any other to earthly men, when anyone, of his knowledge, swears to a false oath.” “Beware of all the fifth days [of the month]; for they are harsh and angry; it was on the fifth, they say, that the Erinyes (Furies) assisted at the bearing of Horkos (Horcus, Oath), whom Eris (Strife) bore, to be a plague on those who take false oath.” So, long story short, do not break an oath to a deity. If you aren't sure without an ounce of doubt that you can and will keep it until you die, then don't swear it!

Being oath bound to a deity doesn't mean you're not allowed to worship other deities. I love and respect all the Greek gods and goddesses. I work with many of them often, and they are also always present in my life. But I devote more time and activities to Artemis, and my relationship with her is much more exclusive. She gets the VIP treatment, in a sense. Being committed to her means more of my devotions go to her than any other deity. Of all the divine beings, she is the most special one in my life.

Being oath bound to a deity means your relationship is still reciprocal, but on a deeper level. By giving Artemis my daughterly devotion, I have in turn gained a devoted mother. I never had a true relationship with my biological mother. After decades of toxicity and abuse, I severed my ties with her and allowed myself to be disowned in order to save myself. In Artemis I have found the mother I never had, and thanks to her, I can finally have a mother who is willing to be a mother to me. As her adopted daughter, I will love her, honor her, cherish her, and remain dedicated to and grateful for her forever.

An oath should be realistic. As well as carefully thought through. I recommend keeping it simple and flexible, so you don't accidentally break it or any of its conditions.

In conclusion: oaths can be very good things to have for us Hellenic Pagans, if the seriousness and weight of the oaths are taken into consideration. An oath is like any other promise that should not be broken to begin with in good conscience. But when divine beings are involved, there are higher stakes for breaking promises.

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