Polytheism, what is it?

The term comes from the Greek πολύ poly ("many") and θεός theos ("god") and was first invented by the Jewish writer Philo of Alexandria to argue with the Greeks. When Christianity spread throughout Europe and the Mediterranean, non-Christians were just called Gentiles (a term originally used by Jews to refer to non-Jews) or pagans (locals) or by the clearly pejorative term idolaters (worshiping "false" gods).A central, main division in polytheism is between soft polytheism and hard polytheism.

"Hard" polytheism is the belief that gods are distinct, separate, real divine beings, rather than psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces. Hard polytheists reject the idea that "all gods are one god." "Hard" polytheists do not necessarily consider the gods of all cultures as being equally real, a theological position formally known as integrational polytheism or omnitheism.

This is contrasted with "soft" polytheism, which holds that gods may be aspects of only one god, that the pantheons of other cultures are representative of one single pantheon, psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces,  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PolytheismAncient Greek religion encompasses the collection of beliefs, rituals, and mythology originating in ancient Greece in the form of both popular public religion and cult practices. These groups varied enough for it to be possible to speak of Greek religions or "cults" in the plural, though most of them shared similarities.

Many ancient Greeks recognized the twelve major (Olympian) gods and goddesses (Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter, Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Hermes, and either Hestia or Dionysus), although philosophies such as Stoicism and some forms of Platonism used language that seems to assume a single transcendent deity. Different cities often worshiped the same deities, sometimes with epithets that distinguished them and specified their local nature.

The religious practices of the Greeks extended beyond mainland Greece, to the islands and coasts of Ionia in Asia Minor, to Magna Graecia (Sicily and southern Italy), and to scattered Greek colonies in the Western Mediterranean, such as Massalia (Marseille). Greek religion was tempered by Etruscan cult and belief to form much of the later ancient Roman religion.  This all comes from wikipedia.

another site describes this as polytheism

Polytheism

Polytheism is belief in, or worship of, multiple gods or divinities. The word comes from the Greek words poly+theoi, literally "many gods." Most ancient religions were polytheistic, holding to pantheons of traditional deities, often accumulated over centuries of cultural interchange and experience. Present-day polytheistic religions include Hinduism, Shinto, some forms of Wicca, Vodun, and Asatru. Buddhism is regarded by some non-practitioners as polytheistic although this view of the religion is rejected by most adherents. Some Jewish and Islamic scholars regard the Christian doctrine of the Trinity as bordering on polytheism, a view that Christians strongly reject.

However, there are some serious philosophical problems when thinking about the definition of God in relation to polytheistic beliefs. By the broadest definition in most dictionaries, God refers to the supreme being that is above everything else. By very definition, this requires that it be only One being. The reasoning is that if this being was just another one of many gods, He would not necessarily be the highest or supreme. A polytheist might reply that there is one highest God with multiple lesser gods (i.e. Henotheism). However, this is still in contrast to the definition because those lesser beings cannot be referred to as "God", simply because they are not the supreme being. The definition of a supreme God demands that He is One.

In my opinion there is a supreme creator (Uranus) the heavens as heaven is a place where creation is.  It is because it is.  Nothing more be added or deducted.  This creator created everything from Polytheim, polyamory, monotheism to monogamy.  And everything before after and yet to come.  I resonate personally with the Greek pantheon for personal reasons, for another they may relate more to the Celt pantheon or Hindu.  Its personal taste and taste cannot be accounted for.  Why do I prefer the Greek pantheon?

My god (s) and their children are just as human as we are, just with some extra magic.  Which I am sure as a human we are freely able to learn.  In this, all things are permissible but not all are helpful.  Is your religion helpful?  Mine is, I don't have a set schedule where i have to hurry up to be sure I am seen in the right place at the right time in the right clothing pretending to be holy.  I am only holy when i am WHOLE.  Even Jesus gave the disciples the right to become the sons of god.  And the daughters as well.  

I have so many resources to pull from when I am in the dumps or feeling depressed.  Hermes the patron of thieves is a comfort for some when you steal a pack of gum.  Zues loved mortal women and had plenty of affairs according to some authors.  Hera was a jealous vindictive woman.  It simply relates to human emotions not as a sin but as a perfectly normal way of being.  In fact in the ancient greek times mental illness was not a stigma but people who were "mad" were accorded the lofty place of being touched but the gods because they were special.  Isn't this the type of perspective that is more helpful than preaching how awful and sinful man is?  Shouldn't our concern with building temples begin with building human esteem for all people and not just a chosen select few?  If even your christian Jesus was divine and forgave all who asked, who are we to judge anyone?  And i tell you he will not return until you remove yourself from this judgement throne.  

Why do I prefer my greek mythos?  Because I get a good story, and I feel better about myself, accepting what i am and the way i am made and I am okay with it.  Yes i get ill, or I have hills to climb but even your christian God does not promise you a life of ease and riches, he promised you persecution.  

The mythos when understood has classic applications, obviously, it has not been destroyed and is older than all the other religions.  A person can love many.  In fact its a christian commandment to love others.  And this is the basis and total law, rule, or covenant of all religions.

I am proud to be a part of this and to share it with others.  It is my goal that the youth see themselves as worthy, not to be torn down or ashamed of body, mind or soul which all were created in the Glory of that creator.

Don't let me forget to add that the heavens are open because in Greece one could ascend such as Psyche and Eros?  Why would you not want this possibility?