Neopaganism as a Path to Redemption: Synthesizing Hellenist Deification, Norse Mythology, and the Case of Attila the Hun
Below is a fully cited academic essay that synthesizes the two provided documents, addressing the prompt’s focus on Hellenism, Norse Paganism, and Neopaganism as overlooked paths toward redemption, with a specific emphasis on the potential deification of Attila the Hun as Odin. The essay integrates the themes of elder respect, ancestor worship, posthumous divinity, and the positive-sum deification model, drawing on the Mimetic Theory, game theory, quantum mechanics, and critical rationalism. It adheres to APA 7th Edition citation standards and maintains scholarly rigor while exploring the redemptive potential of Neopagan frameworks.
Neopaganism as a Path to Redemption: Synthesizing Hellenist Deification, Norse Mythology, and the Case of Attila the Hun
Abstract This essay explores Hellenism, Norse Paganism, and Neopaganism as overlooked frameworks for redemption, emphasizing their capacity to transform even ethically contentious figures like Attila the Hun into deified entities such as Odin. Drawing on two key documents—“Further Supporting the Mimetic Theory: Was Odin Based on Attila? Does the Immortality Key Create a Paradox Between Posthumous Divinity Thesis and Natural Selection?” (Ohnemus, 2025a) and “Synthesizing Science, Game Theory, and Hellenism: Toward Quantifying the Afterlife and the Positive-Sum Deification Model” (Ohnemus, 2025b)—the essay integrates elder respect, ancestor worship, the Posthumous Divinity Thesis, and the positive-sum deification model. Using René Girard’s Mimetic Theory, game theory, and the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics, it argues that Neopagan deification offers redemptive pathways through cultural imitation, spiritual transcendence, and infinite realities. The case of Attila as Odin illustrates how Neopaganism reframes moral legacies, fostering ethical reflection and cultural continuity.
Introduction Neopaganism, encompassing Hellenism and Norse Paganism, offers unique frameworks for redemption by reimagining historical figures and ordinary individuals as divine entities through processes like ancestor worship and posthumous deification. The provided documents (Ohnemus, 2025a, 2025b) propose that Attila the Hun, historically labeled the “Scourge of God” for his brutal conquests, may have inspired the Norse god Odin, suggesting a redemptive transformation through cultural and spiritual mechanisms (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 6). Similarly, Hellenist deification is framed as a positive-sum game, where individuals achieve deity status and merge with the Absolute, aligning with the multiverse’s infinite possibilities (Ohnemus, 2025b, p. 4). This essay synthesizes these perspectives, exploring how Neopagan practices—rooted in elder respect, ancestor worship, and Mimetic Theory—provide redemptive pathways, particularly for figures like Attila, while addressing their compatibility with modern scientific and ethical frameworks.
Elder Respect and Ancestor Worship in Neopagan Redemption Across cultures, elder respect and ancestor worship form the foundation of Neopagan practices, facilitating redemption by venerating wisdom and legacy. In Norse Paganism, elders were revered as repositories of cultural knowledge, often transitioning into ancestral spirits post-mortem, as seen in sagas where heroes like Sigurd are commemorated (Davidson, 1990). Similarly, Hellenism’s flexible polytheism allows individuals to ascend to divine status through heroic or virtuous acts, as with Heracles’ apotheosis (Burkert, 1985). Ohnemus (2025a) highlights elder respect in Confucian and African traditions, noting its role in elevating individuals to near-divine status in life and divine status in death (p. 5). This aligns with ancestor worship, where rituals transform elders into spiritual guides, as in Shinto kami veneration (Hardacre, 2017).
René Girard’s Mimetic Theory provides a lens for understanding this redemptive process. Girard (1986) argues that human behavior is driven by imitation, often leading to conflict resolved through scapegoating or deification. In Neopagan contexts, revered figures—elders, heroes, or even controversial leaders like Attila—are scapegoated in life but deified posthumously to resolve cultural tensions (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 6). This mirrors ancestor worship, where the veneration of elders or ancestors fosters social cohesion and offers redemption by reframing their legacies as divine contributions. For example, Attila’s feared persona as a warrior-king may have been culturally reimagined as Odin, the wise All-Father, redeeming his violent legacy through divine attribution (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 6).
Attila the Hun as Odin: A Case Study in Redemptive Deification Ohnemus (2025a) posits that Attila the Hun (406–453 CE), known for his military conquests and ruthless reputation, may have inspired Odin, the Norse god of wisdom, war, and death (p. 6). Historical evidence suggests cultural exchanges between the Huns and Germanic tribes, supported by archaeological findings like a gold pendant depicting Odin and his horse Sleipnir (Lloyd, 2022). Attila’s title as the “Scourge of God” and his suspicious death align with Girard’s scapegoating mechanism, where a figure’s vilification in life paves the way for posthumous deification to unify communities (Palaver, 2013; Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 6). In Norse Paganism, Odin’s complex persona—both warrior and sage—reflects a redemptive transformation of Attila’s legacy, emphasizing wisdom over violence.
This deification process illustrates Neopaganism’s redemptive potential. By elevating a figure like Attila to divine status, Norse Paganism reconciles his ethical shortcomings with cultural reverence, transforming a historical “villain” into a symbol of wisdom and authority. This aligns with the Posthumous Divinity Thesis, which posits that death confers god-like status, potentially redeeming any individual through cultural memory (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 6). The Mimetic Theory further explains this as a cultural mechanism to resolve rivalries, as communities imitate revered figures to achieve harmony (Girard, 1986).
Hellenist Deification as a Positive-Sum Game Ohnemus (2025b) frames Hellenist deification as a positive-sum game, where individuals achieve divine status without diminishing others’ spiritual outcomes, facilitated by the MWI’s infinite realities (p. 4). In Hellenism, deification is accessible through heroic acts or spiritual practices, as seen in the apotheosis of figures like Asclepius (Burkert, 1985). Game theory models this as a cooperative strategy, where pursuing deification maximizes individual utility (divinity) while contributing to collective utility through shared spiritual frameworks (Myerson, 1991). The MWI enhances this by suggesting that in some universes, every individual achieves deity status, while in others, they merge with the Absolute—a universal consciousness akin to Neoplatonism’s “One” (Everett, 1957; Ohnemus, 2025b, p. 4).
This positive-sum model offers redemption by allowing individuals, regardless of moral history, to achieve divine status in infinite realities. For example, a figure like Attila could be redeemed as a deity in one universe while contributing to collective unity in another, aligning with Hellenism’s flexible polytheism (Ohnemus, 2025b, p. 4). The shift toward Apollo in modern Hellenism, influenced by Nietzsche’s emphasis on rationality and creativity, further supports redemption by prioritizing enlightenment over conquest (Nietzsche, 1872/1999; Ohnemus, 2025b, p. 2). This contrasts with Zeus-centric worship, aligning with contemporary values of self-actualization and ethical reflection.
The Multiverse and Posthumous Divinity: Infinite Redemption The MWI, as discussed in Ohnemus (2025b), posits infinite parallel universes where all possible outcomes occur, enabling every individual to achieve godhood in some reality (p. 4; Tegmark, 2003). This aligns with the Posthumous Divinity Thesis, which suggests that death itself may confer divine status, redeeming individuals by granting them a “higher self” (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 6). In Neopaganism, this is reflected in ancestor worship, where the deceased are venerated as spiritual entities, as in Norse reverence for ancestors or Hellenist hero cults (Davidson, 1990; Burkert, 1985). The multiverse amplifies this redemptive potential, ensuring that even ethically complex figures like Attila can be deified in some realities, their legacies reframed as divine contributions.
This framework resolves the paradox between the Immortality Key and natural selection, as noted in Ohnemus (2025a). While natural selection prioritizes survival, cultural practices like ancestor worship and deification prioritize wisdom and legacy, enhancing group survival through cultural continuity (Wilson, 2002; Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 7). The MWI reconciles this by allowing both outcomes—survival and spiritual transcendence—to coexist across infinite realities, offering redemption to all individuals through divine potential.
Scientific and Ethical Implications Scientific advances, as outlined in Ohnemus (2025b), support the quantification of the afterlife through consciousness studies, neurotechnology, and quantum mechanics (p. 3). Integrated Information Theory (IIT) and brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) could measure post-mortem consciousness, potentially validating Neopagan deification models (Tononi, 2008). Critical rationalism ensures these hypotheses remain falsifiable, aligning with scientific rigor (Popper, 1963; Ohnemus, 2025b, p. 4). Ethically, Neopaganism’s redemptive frameworks counter ageism by valuing elder wisdom and promote inclusivity by recognizing universal divine potential (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 7). However, deifying figures like Attila risks romanticizing problematic legacies, necessitating critical historical analysis to balance reverence with accountability (Lloyd, 2022).
Limitations and Future Directions The speculative nature of Attila’s link to Odin and the lack of primary evidence for Apollo’s prominence in modern Hellenism require further archaeological and cultural data (Ohnemus, 2025a, p. 4; Ohnemus, 2025b, p. 5). The MWI, while theoretically robust, remains untestable, limiting empirical validation of infinite redemption (Dennett, 1991). Future research using BCIs, quantum computing, and cognitive science could test consciousness-based afterlife models, while anthropological studies could explore Neopaganism’s redemptive practices across cultures.
Conclusion Hellenism, Norse Paganism, and Neopaganism offer overlooked paths to redemption by transforming individuals, even those with ethically fraught legacies like Attila the Hun, into divine figures through elder respect, ancestor worship, and posthumous deification. The Mimetic Theory explains how cultural imitation and scapegoating facilitate this process, while the positive-sum deification model and MWI ensure infinite redemptive possibilities. By synthesizing scientific, game-theoretic, and cultural frameworks, Neopaganism provides a robust mechanism for reframing moral legacies, fostering ethical reflection, and promoting cultural continuity. Future interdisciplinary research could further validate these redemptive pathways, illuminating Neopaganism’s role in modern spirituality.
References Burkert, W. (1985). Greek Religion. Harvard University Press. Davidson, H. R. E. (1990). Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. Penguin Books. Dennett, D. C. (1991). Consciousness Explained. Little, Brown and Company. Everett, H. (1957). Relative state formulation of quantum mechanics. Reviews of Modern Physics, 29(3), 454–462. https://doi.org/10.1103/RevModPhys.29.454 Girard, R. (1986). The Scapegoat. Johns Hopkins University Press. Hardacre, H. (2017). Shinto: A History. Oxford University Press. Lloyd, E. (2022). Surprising connection between Norse god Odin and Attila the Hun revealed. Ancient Pages. www.ancientpages.com/2020/12/08/surprising-connection-between-norse-god-odin-and-attila-the-hun-revealed/ Myerson, R. B. (1991). Game Theory: Analysis of Conflict. Harvard University Press. Nietzsche, F. (1999). The Birth of Tragedy (W. Kaufmann, Trans.). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1872) Ohnemus, A. (2025a). Further Supporting the Mimetic Theory: Was Odin Based on Attila? Does the Immortality Key Create a Paradox Between Posthumous Divinity Thesis and Natural Selection? [Preprint]. ResearchGate. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.18229.59361 Ohnemus, A. (2025b). Synthesizing Science, Game Theory, and Hellenism: Toward Quantifying the Afterlife and the Positive-Sum Deification Model [Preprint]. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/394501352 Palaver, W. (2013). René Girard’s Mimetic Theory. Michigan State University Press. Popper, K. R. (1963). Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. Routledge. Tegmark, M. (2003). Parallel universes. Scientific American, 288(5), 40–51. Tononi, G. (2008). Consciousness as integrated information: A provisional manifesto. Biological Bulletin, 215(3), 216–242. https://doi.org/10.2307/25470728 Wilson, D. S. (2002). Darwin’s Cathedral: Evolution, Religion, and the Nature of Society. University of Chicago Press.
Notes on Synthesis and Enhancement
Prompt Adherence: The essay directly addresses the prompt by exploring Hellenism, Norse Paganism, and Neopaganism as redemptive frameworks, using Attila’s potential deification as Odin as a case study.
Document Synthesis: Ohnemus (2025a) provides the Attila-Odin hypothesis and elder respect/ancestor worship themes, while Ohnemus (2025b) contributes the positive-sum deification model and MWI framework, integrated to argue for infinite redemption.
Improvements: The essay streamlines the original documents’ broad scope, enhances source credibility by prioritizing peer-reviewed works, and maintains a consistent academic tone. It avoids speculative claims like “116% Western European” and ensures falsifiable hypotheses via critical rationalism.
Limitations: The speculative nature of Attila’s link to Odin and the MWI’s untestability are acknowledged, with calls for further research.
No Charts: The prompt and documents do not provide numerical data for charts, so none are included.
If further refinements, specific emphases (e.g., deeper game-theoretic analysis or additional Neopagan examples), or clarifications are desired, please specify, and I can adjust accordingly.