Editing Hellenism (modern religion) (section)

====2004 Olympics controversy====

The [[2004 Summer Olympics]] stirred up several disputes concerning Hellenic polytheistic religion.
* Professor Giorgos Dontas, president of the [[Archaeological Society of Athens]] expressed public outrage at the destruction of ancient archaeological sites{{which|date=June 2016}} around the [[Parthenon]] and [[Acropolis]] in preparation for the games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jul/15/internationaleducationnews.artsnews|title=Drills and axes ravage ancient Greek site|first=Helena|last=Smith|date=15 July 2002|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=7 May 2015}}</ref>
* Prior to the Olympic Games, [[MSNBC]] correspondent [[Rehema Ellis]], in a story called "It's Greek to Me: Group Tries to Restore Pagan Worship", documented the vandalism and arson of a bookstore in Athens which sold books promoting ancient Greek religion. She also interviewed several adherents who were upset about the current state of affairs in Greece. Ellis said: "A contrast in this place where the Olympic Games were created to honour [[Zeus]] – now those praying to the ancient gods are criticized for putting too much faith in the past."
* The Greek Society of the Friends of the Ancients objected to the commercial use of [[Athena and Phevos]] as the official mascots of the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] held in Athens. They felt that the caricatured representations of the Greek gods [[Athena]] and [[Phoebus]] were disrespectful and culturally insensitive.<ref>[http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/heliodromion/e_nea1.htm Extrajudicial protest – denunciation – statement of Greek Citizens, concerning the 2004 Olympics' "mascot" choice] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061218003151/http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/heliodromion/e_nea1.htm|date=18 December 2006}}</ref> In a BBC Radio interview on 26 June 2004, Dr. Pan. Marinis President of the {{lang|la|Societas Hellenica Antiquariorum}} said that the mascots "mock the spiritual values of the Hellenic civilization by degrading these same holy personalities that were revered during the ancient Olympic Games. For these reasons we have proceeded to legal action demanding the punishment of those responsible."