Here he notes that the Orphic and Eleusinian mystery traditions of ancient Greece were influenced by earlier Egyptian initiation rituals. The mythologies of these cults all refer to a journey into the underworld. In ancient Greece, virtually all persons of status in society were initiated into these cults. The rituals are not fully known, as [...]

Here he notes that, in actual practice, polytheistic traditions are similar to those of the Catholic Church with its many devotional rites regarding saints. As certain humans are elevated to sainthood, so various polytheistic traditions have elevated other humans to the status of deities. Ancient Roman and Greek polytheism also included elements of satire – [...]