The Humanity of the Greek Gods

If you lived in Athens, Greece around the time when the great poet Homer lived, you probably would be acquainted with the many greek gods. Homer's written compilation of the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey, which were formerly only told through oral tradition, would be easy for you to understand. In fact, you would know all about the pantheon of gods Homer wrote about from Athena to Zeus. However, Homer did not conceive the "most unpleasant" of the "scandalous features" of the gods, which were probably passed down from the most primitive times of greek culture (Earp 45). In most of western culture, however, polytheism has dwindled, and the idea of one, all-powerful God is becoming prevalent in religions such as Islam and Christianity. However, the characteristics of greek gods still present a fascinating question: Why are they so different from the idea of God today?