Paris

This morning our family examined Homer's Iliad starting with the story of Paris. It was foretold that Paris, son of the king of Troy would bring about its destruction. The king ordered his son to be left at Mount Ida to die. After several days a Shepherd found the baby and took him in as his own. Paris grew strong, handsome and athletic. Things start to go awry for Paris when he attended a wedding party that was also attended by Greek gods and mortals. When Eris, god of discord, an uninvited guest, threw a golden apple upon a table that had the words, "For the fairest." All the goddesses began to claim the prize, each certain she was the fairest.Soon the contest came down to three: Hera, queen of the gods; Athena, the goddess of wisdom; and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. Each vehemently claimed to be the fairest. And since no one could decide, Zeus was called on to choose one as the fairest of all. Zeus knew this was am impossible task. No matter whom he chose, he would be faced with two angry goddesses. So Zeus gave the task of judging to Paris, the handsome young shepherd on Mount Ida. Each of the goddesses promised Paris something if he would choose her:power and wealth; wisest of men and great in war; or the fairest woman in the world for his wife. In the end Paris chose to give the golden apple to Aphrodite. We examined the path not taken. What if Paris had made a different selection? How would his life have unfolded? We examined the character of the Greek gods. They were in some respects like human beings. They needed food, drink and sleep. They married, had children, quarreled, became jealous and vindictive. The Greeks gods never died, could change themselves into various forms and could make themselves invisible. How does this compare to the God of the Hebrews, Islam and Christianity. In Genesis it is said that God made man in his own image. So we conjectured if our God was like man in any other ways. I always put questions out there and let my children decide for themselves the way of the world. 9/4/2013