Dear Archangelos,
I am new to this forum, and in fact to this organization, however I have been an enthusastic supporter of the Neo-Roman (Neo-Byzantine) movement for several years. I would therefore like to take the liberty of responding to the issues at hand.
1. Your first issue is in regards to the establishment of a "modern" or possibly even a non-Christian religion for the future Empire. Allow me to remind you that religion is not something based on personal liking, pick-and-chose what you like and disgard the rest, willy-nilly. If that were the case, our ancestors would have all surrendered to Islam long ago. Religion has to do with truth, with faith, and with consciousness. Our ancestors did not refuse to become muslim because "they didnt like it." No. They refused because it was false, satanic, and far from God.
In regards to a mixing of ancient pre-Christian religion with Orthodox Christianity, there is no need. For although the less educated among ancient Greeks and Romans did believe in the twelve gods of Olympus, we must not forget that the ancient Greek scientists, scholars, philosphers and mathematicians renowned throughout the world (among them Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Pythagoras) did NOT hold to those pagan beliefs, but rather believed in the existence of only one true God.
Therefore when Paul was preaching to the Greeks, he did not need to introduce a new God. He simply reminded them of the "Agnostos Theos" (unknown God) they all believed in, and preached His word, and made Him finally known to them.
When the Greeks began to convert to Christianity, several philosophers of the time (among them Justin and Aristides) noted that the new religion of Christianity was in conjunction with ancient Greek philosophy.
Indeed, as Greeks and Romans (for both cultures are indivisibly part of our common heritage) we must take pride firstly in our strategic advances throughout the known world, and secondly in our great scientific schollarship and religious and political philosophy.
But fantasies and dellusions such as the existence of numerous deities, fabrications and nonsense, should only be honoured in the sense of the ancient Greek imagination and creativity. But these delusions need not be ranked high with our unforgettable strategic and scientific past, which cannot be matched with any other ancient society; something that makes the ancient Greeks (Romans) at least unique, in the humblest of terms.
The Roman Empire chose Christianity to be the religion of science, the religion of philosophy, the religion of Greekhood/Romanity, because it was the only religion that was compatible with ancient Greek philosophy, and was not based on delusion and fantasy. Orthodox Christian theology is the most excellent of sciences, no religion in the world can compare to the richness of Orthodoxy. This is because, whereas other religions are simply fantasy and delusion, a product of the neurological sickness of religion, Orthodoxy on the other hand REJECTS illusion and fantasy (known as "plane" or "prelest"). For more information on this, i refer u to the articles by Fr. Dr. John S. Romanides as presented at
http://www.romanity.org
In regards to the Turks, there already exists a "Turkish Orthodox Church" which has several faithful throughout Turkey and also in southern Moldova, where the Orthodox Christians are predominantly Turkish-speaking. The only reason why the Turks are our enemies is because of their predominant religion (Islam). Had the Turks been predominantly Orthodox, our hatred towards them would be diminished, and their cruelty towards us would be greately watered down.
Converting the Turks to Orthodoxy is the only way we could possibly make them our allies. Albeit that this idea seems gastly, we must not forget that many of our present Orthodox allies were once our worst enemies. I will present some examples:
During the 500s AD, the Sclavonians (Slavs), Avars and Goths, were the greatest enemies of Orthodoxy! They attacked the Roman Empire and reached as far south as peloponyssus in southern Greece. Yet the Slavs, Avars and Goths were converted to Orthodoxy and assimilated into the Roman population.
The Bulgarians were also great enemies of the Roman Empire, until their conversion to Orthodoxy by none other than Bulgaroktonos (the "Bulgar-Slayer") himself.
The Russians were also great enemies of Romanity and Orthodoxy, and the feast of the "Holy Protection of the Theotokos" (celebrated on October 1/14 according to the Orthodox Calendar) marks the Virgin's intercession against the Russian invaders of Constantinople. Yet, with the conversion of Russia to Orthodoxy, Holy Rus' not only became allies with the Roman Empire, but after the fall of Constantinople, Russia herself became the Third Rome!
Again, today's Turks, albeit that they speak and Asian language, have nevertheless been assimilated as Europeans. Almost every Turk has Greek blood rushing through his veins. There is no need for assimilation, they are already Roman in terms of race. The only thing that divides them from us is Islam! Since the "Turkish Orthodox Church" already exists, and since the Turks themselves seek to Europeanize themselves, and distance themselves from the Islamic east, let them convert for their own good!
In regards to forming an "Islamic" style of Orthodoxy, there is no need. Almost all of the practical traditions of Islam were STOLEN from the ancient Orthodox tradition! Some examples are:
a) women covering their heads (Apostle Paul clearly sets out this rule in his epistles, 600 years before the rise of Islam)
b) greeting one another with "Salaam Aleikum" meaning "Peace be with you!" (Christ himself uses this greeting several times in the Gospels, and it is still pronounced by Orthodox priests during the Divine Liturgy "Eirini Pasi"; again 600 years prior to the rise of Islam)
c) bowing heads to the floor is another Orthodox tradition, and in our religion it is called a "metania"
d) chanting "Allahu Akbar, God is Great, there is no God like our God" is also chanted in the Orthodox Church on the feast of Resurrection, "Tis Theos megas ws o Theos hmwn? Sy ei o Theos, o poiwn thavmasia monos." ("Who's God is greater than our God? You are God, who alone has wrought wondrous acts")
e) kissing people three times, as muslims do, is copied directly from the early Christian and Orthodox greeting between people in honour of the Holy Trinity.
f) men growing their beards is yet another muslim custom that is in accordance with Orthodox Christian principles
There are also several other examples.
Therefore there is no need to create a new religion, for Orthodoxy is the only one that is in accord with ancient Greek philosophy, as well as Roman (Byzantine) history, and our current Eastern European heritage. Again, there is no need to create an Islamic form of Orthodoxy, because the practical differences are minimal, and there already exists a "Turkish Orthodox Church" which is a perfect means whereby mass conversion of Turks could be possible. They even have a Turkish Orthodox Patriarch, Efthymios. If this body is recognized by the major branches of Orthodoxy, it would be a giant leap for the Neo-Roman (Neo-Byzantine) movement, as we would even have the Turks themselves on our side.
2. Regarding allies, Russia has always been a purely distinct nation from Byzantium. If the Roman Empire reforms, it is possible for the lands including present day Greece, FYROM, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey, Cyprus Lebanon, Palestine and "Israel" to be under Roman authority headed in Constantinople, whereas Russia will be an independant Orthodox State ruled at Moscow. The Roman (Byzantine) Empire was called Romania, and several Pontian poems and songs still refer to the empire with that name. Thus, Great Russia and Great Romania will be the closest of allies.
Also, the European Union which tries to mascarade as the Roman Empire will probably take the same role as Frankia of old. The Franks are only with us when it suits them, and against us when there is something in it for them. Thus the aftermath of the crusades. This is how our brothers to the west have always been. Never cold, nor hot, but lukewarm. So it is possible that the EU (minus Greece) will be our ally at some point, and our enemy at another.
As for Iran, Iraq and the like, unless they convert to Orthodoxy, I see no hope in trusting them. Even if they are powerful, they would be more of an enemy than anything else.
Finally, the South Americans can claim to have Greek ancestry due to the ancient Greek artefacts discovered on the islands off the eastern coast of South America. However, there is a much easier and more convincing way. The Hispanics were Roman, and as Romans, share our common heritage! Spain was under the Roman Empire, and during the time of the Roman (Byzantine) Emperor Justinian, the Christians of Spain (as well as southern Italy) were directly under the Patriarch of Constantinople, and not the Pope of Old Rome. In recent years many South Americans have taken interest in the Orthodox Church and are gradually converting. This action should have positive results, since South America contains 2/3 of the world's Catholics.
The Celtic people can also be our allies through knowledge of our common heritage as Romans. The Galatians, a Celtic tribe, migrated to Asia Minor circa 200 BC, and were assimilated into the Greek/Roman culture. Most Greeks of Micrasiatic (Asia Minor) ancestry, such as myself, are of Celtic stock, and either have Celtic features, or relatives with such characteristics. Even the culture itself, the artcrafts and the dances of Asia Minor (especially of the Balck Sea) are clearly of Celtic origin. We can use this indisputable fact to form Celtic allies.
3. As for the Italian division of Enotita, i believe it is imperative! The Southern Italians are Greeks! They were forced to assimilate in the mid 1800s. Several villages in southern Italy speak a dialect of Greek known as Griko, and many are Orthodox Christians. What unites us is our common Graeco-Roman heritage, as we are both of ancient Hellenic, as well as of Medieval Roman (Byzantine) ancestry.
In addition to this, I was surprised to notice that there are no Romanian or Moldavian divisions of Enotita. the Romanians should be honoured more than any other eastern Orthodox nation because not only have they preserved the TRUE name of the "Byzantine" State (Romania), but they are among the only Latin-speaking peoples in the world who have remained true to Orthodoxy, and have not been perverted by the foolishness of Papism. Furthermore, the uprising against the Turks did not exactly begin in Greece, it began in Moldavia! If I am not mistaken, the Ypsilantes brothers were from Moldavia, and it was there that the ideas and the actual uprising first began, followed shortly thereafter by that of Greece.
Also, should there not be a Pontian division? I know Pontians are Greeks, but so are Cypriots, yet they have their own division. For the record, I am not Pontian myself, but I have a strong admiration towards them, due to their suffering and oppression, and because I admire the fact that they have preserved their culture more enthusiastically than the other Greeks. I myself am of Cypriot origin, and my parents are refugees from northern Cyprus since the Turkish invasion of 1974. My great grandparents, however, were Greek migrants to Cyprus from Asia Minor. This could also be another reason for my strong admiration towards Pontians and other Greek peoples of Asia Minor.
Please forgive me for writing such a lengthy reply, but I am glad I have found the time. I usually am extremely busy, but I am glad i stumbled across this website.
Now to quote a patriotic Pontian saying:
H RWMANIA AN KAI PERASAI ANTHEI KAI FEREI KI ALO!
[translation: Even if Romania (Byzantium) has passed (become out of season), it will bloom and grow again!]
o Romaios
(the Roman)