Are the pagan deities 'real'?

Hmmmm, so if I thought to myself, "Self, there must be something bigger than me, something in terms of a god." Therefore, I shall create something out of marble and claim that it is a god. I will worship it, make it the center of my universe, even sacrifice to it. And when others come by and see what I have made, they too can have a god.

Actually, that is how it was done. Not everyone was privileged to the Hebrew God. They created their own gods. It did not have to be a Demon behind the scheme knowing that from the earliest of time, mankind has always sought out something more than himself, greater than himself, a Deity.

Look at Abram, his own father created many gods.

In my opinion, worshipping the pantheon of Greek deities called gods and goddess is the same as someone worshipping the fallen Angel known as Satan. It's placing something before Yahweh and making that your priority over the "True God."

were the greeks commanded not to worship other gods?

were the greeks commanded not to worship other gods?

Are they fictional constructs or material entities? Why do require sacrifice?

i have known many lovers of money in my life, i have yet to know any of them that have built an alter in the back yard, bow down to the alter, say prayers and believe that their prayers are being heard by a money god of the heavens.

Can someone that is not a Christian ever rely fully on Scripture to make a correct assessment of reality? Just as Jesus demonstrated who He was, people saw but rejected His teaching.

I dare say Satan and many Muslim scholars can repeat scripture better than most on this forum, but without faith (in God) it is worthless trivia to their souls. I say this not to discourage, but to emphasize that regeneration needs to proceed understanding.. I”ll illustrate the point with an excerpt from another’s words;

A man must be a Christian before he can open the Bible with any possibility of arriving at its meaning. It is spiritually discerned. Suppose I say to you that on the back of your hand there are scales like those of a fish, and you look at your white hand and laugh in scorn, and say that is nonsense. Suppose I take you out in yonder street and look up into the sky and say there are four moons revolving around the planet Jupiter, and you look up at that great white planet in the evening sky, and you say the man is crazy, it is no such thing. Suppose I take your razor and say it has a corrugated edge like a cross-cut saw, and you hold the razor up to the light, and you say it is not so. Put your hand under a microscope; it looks like the back of an alligator. Put the sharpest razor you ever saw under a miscroscopic lens; it looks like a circular saw. Put the telescope on Jupiter, and you see the four satellites in their appointed order. That former statement was foolishness to your natural eye, because it was miscroscopically discerned. That latter statement was foolishness to your natural eye, because it was telescopically discerned. The axioms of the Bible are foolishness to the natural mind because they are spiritually discerned. A man must be born of the Spirit before he knows what the Bible teaches.

I don’t disagree with what you stated but there are other things at play. Faith precedes understanding anything. Look at the “flat earthers”. Because they actually believe the earth is flat their imagination creates these magnificent conceptual bridges that span the gaps over logic so they can continue to think they are right while everyone else has bought the lie. It’s how we deal with cognitive dissonance. Our brain fills in the blanks where information is missing. It’s how scientists can wholeheartedly think macro evolution is correct. Instead of seeing all of the puzzle pieces and creating a picture that is incomplete, they formulated what the picture needs to look like then with the pieces arranged that image. If a piece doesn’t fit they just throw it out along with any science that claims it’s part of the real puzzle. To claim the Bible is spiritually discerned isn’t false, but cognitive dissonance plays a big part. Once you have accepted it is truth, then your brain can start putting the puzzle together and fill in gaps and see how everything connects. This is the renewing of the mind. It is a large puzzle with many pieces. Many denominations take the pieces and make their own picture. I have found both reading to get the pieces and meditation to Spiritually connect with the One who helps sort them are both essential in seeing the big picture.

Matt 6:24 illustrates the money aspect. It’s not praying to money, it’s serving it. Building a bank account takes devoting time, effort and resources. Once you amass the wealth you need to tend it and protect it. The man who has nothing to lose is free to serve Him wholeheartedly. Paul said the same thing about taking a spouse. It’s not that money and companionship is evil. It just divides you and often becomes your primary concern.

You talk in circles. We went from the Hebrew Commandment to now was the greeks under the same guideline. Your example was to have no other god before Yahweh. And now you've completely flipped it around. If this is that important to you, take it and run with it. This just became way too stupid for my liking.

The point I was making is that the ones that love money don't think money is a god. When ancient Egyptians worshiped Horace they believed him to be a real being.

I understand and agree with what you say. We all fill in the blanks, whether those pieces of the puzzle are correct or not. I’m not really speaking of “absolute” understanding because I don’t think that is possible in our current form. I do however believe that the beginning of understanding the absolute truths that exist, begin at the foot of the cross. I think from that point of acceptance and faith in the finished works of Christ is what creates the starting point of what most term “sanctification.”

The point I was making is that the ones that love money don't think money is a god. When ancient Egyptians worshiped Horace they believed him to be a real being.

Then why did you bring the Greeks into the conversation? Did you have an answer or you just gonna reemain silent for a response?
If all this is "stupid" why not prove its stupid with facts rather than give a statement with no foundation.