Percy Jackson Can Lead To Paganism

Although in this case it’s definitely soft polytheism/psychological pantheism:

The Sydney problem, however, still needed solving. I approached her the other day and said, “Syd, you go to church on Sunday, right?”

“Yes.”

“Who do you pray to?”

“God,” she said.

“One God, right? Then how can you say you believe in all those Greek gods?”

She replied with her patented eye roll: “You don’t understand about God.” And she gave me understanding.

“When I am at the beach near the water, I feel close to Poseidon. When I am in a thunderstorm, I feel close to Zeus. When I see a beautiful person, I feel close to Aphrodite, and when I hear someone really smart or good with weapons, I feel close to Athena. It’s all God, just showing himself in all those ways.”

Spanish Moss describes the impact of Percy Jackson on his children:

These books have turned my son into a little polytheist. During our meal devotional, previously mentioned, everyone has a part. My wife lights the candles, I light incense, my daughter offers water, and my son a small dish with a portion of the evening meal. He has never really said anything at this part, mainly because we have never instructed him to; the rest of the small rites’ format handles all that. However, he has taken up the habit of saying, “And this is for all the Gods and Goddesses.” He has, without prompting, connected the myth of the stories with our ritual life. Ask him and he will tell you who his favorite God or Goddess is, Zeus by the way, and can carry on basic seven year old level conversation about them. All thanks to Percy Jackson.

Some people thought I was being silly when I said these pop culture references would lead people to our religions, but it happens. I even know a lovely woman who found Paganism trying to find help with a Zelda quest, and finding Epona was more than just Link’s horse.

I suddenly have a nostalgic urge to watch The Golden Voyage of Sinbad.