What are the roots of Christianity and paganism?

The roots of Christianity are interlaced with ancient pagan traditions and elements, mainly because the Church gained power through conversion. In order to convert the people of Europe (and the world) from their pagan beliefs, the Church felt they had to turn them against their beliefs by fear or adopt the pagan beliefs into the Christian religion.

What is the difference between pagan Rome and Christian Rome?

Pagan Rome of the first century is much different than Christian Rome. Pagan Rome tried to squash and kill Christianity, while Christian Rome embraced it. It was a massive conversion and perhaps one of the most important historical moments in Christian history.

Can you be Christian and pagan?

The roots of Christianity are pagan, and so I beg to differ with those who argue you can’t be Christian and pagan. Read on to learn more about Christianity’s pagan traditions, holidays and practices. Most people see Christianity and Paganism as two very separate, different religions. Paganism predates Christianity by millions of years.

What are some examples of paganism in Christianity?

Some of these pagan statues and symbols can still be seen in the oldest of Churches (i.e. Gargoyles, Mermaids, the Green Man, Sheela-na-gig). Monte Cassino was built on an ancient pagan site in Italy. Christianity’s pagan roots run deep.

Why is the supernatural considered exceptional?

Because of hundreds of years of rationalism in our culture , the supernatural is considered exceptional for us. It was not so for them. They did not have the same skeptical rationalism to work through as we do. They were culturally accustomed to signs and wonders. With the benefit of 2,000 years of “Christian” hindsight and theology, we might consider some of them as “false signs.” They may be just that, false/misleading, but they were objectively real.

Why did the Romans keep vials of the spit of the emperors in their temples?

The Romans kept vials of the spit of the emperors in their temples because it was believed by all ancient people that the spit of specially anointed people (prophets, priests, or kings) had curative powers. Some people who came to these pagan temples were actually healed. Sorry to ruin your worldview if you think only Jesus has this kind of power. (This also explains the story of Jesus spitting in the mud–gives it cultural and contextual understanding. Everyone in the crowd understood what He was doing. We read that story and just think it is strange).

What does it mean to believe your own press clippings?

In our culture there is a saying: “believing your own press clippings.” That is, believing our own commentary about ourselves.

What is paganism in religion?

Paganism has different definitions, depending on the person you ask. Some say paganism is any religion that isn’t one of the Abrahamic religions (Islam, Christianity , or Judaism), while others say paganism is a religion that follows a polytheistic view and seeks to revive the old ways of our ancestors. Paganism is an umbrella term, meaning it …

Why were Catholic churches built on pagan sites?

The idea being that it would make it easier for the pagans to convert if they could still worship at their sacred sites. Some of these pagan statues and symbols can still be seen in the oldest of Churches (i.e. Gargoyles, Mermaids, the Green Man, Sheela-na-gig).

Why is Christianity interlaced with ancient pagan traditions and elements?

The roots of Christianity are interlaced with ancient pagan traditions and elements, mainly because the Church gained power through conversion. In order to convert the people of Europe (and the world) from their pagan beliefs, the Church felt they had to turn them against their beliefs by fear or adopt the pagan beliefs into the Christian religion. Next, we will dive into these traditions.

What are the branches of Christianity?

Christianity is also an umbrella term in that there are hundreds of branches of Christianity, including: Catholicism, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Greek Orthodox, 7th Day Adventist, Episcopal, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Pentecostal, and more. Depending on the branch of Christianity, certain books and sections of the Holy Bible are followed …

What is the name of God in the Bible?

The first name of God in the book of Genesis is “Elohim” and is used the most throughout the Old Testament. Following, God is called “El” which many claim is just a shortened version of Elohim. These are not the only two, as the name YHVH (said to be pronounced Yah-weh) is also found within the pages of the Old Testament.

Is Christianity a pagan religion?

Most people see Christianity and Paganism as two very separate, different religions. Paganism predates Christianity by millions of years. Christianity is the largest religion in the world today, boasting over 2 billion in 2012, alongside of Islam with over 1 billion followers in 2012. In the past five years, those numbers have surely increased. The third largest religion statistically speaking is listed as “secular/agnostic/atheist”, which could also include pagans; however, Neopaganism ranked as number 18 on the list of largest religions, but followed Hinduism, Buddhism, and Shinto which to some are also a part of the Pagan umbrella.

How many gods are there in the Holy Trinity?

After some dispute, they settled on calling Christ the “son of God” and other writers outside of the Holy Bible made mention of the “Holy Trinity” being made up of Father God, the Son of God (Jesus), and the Holy Ghost (Spirit). THREE gods.

What is the Celtic goddess of fertility?

Brigid, the beloved Celtic goddess associated with fertility and healing, is perhaps the clearest example of the survival of an early goddess into Catholicism. Practitioners, particularly in Ireland, pay tribute to Saint Brigid of Ireland who shares many of the early goddess’s attributes. Her feast day on the first of February falls around the same time as the pagan celebration of Imbolc.

What is the Catholic practice of praying to saints called?

The Catholic practice of praying to saints has been called "de-facto idolatry" and even a relic of goddess worship.

Is praying to saints a monotheistic practice?

Though theoretically monotheistic, the Catholic practice of praying to saints has been called “de-facto idolatry” and even a relic of goddess worship. Rebranded pagan goddesses can be found in the Catholic Church today in forms of Saint Brigid and the Virgin Mary.

Did the early Church merge with the Roman Catholic Church?

In reality, the early Church had to merge itself with pagan practices and beliefs in order to blend into Roman society. In the rites and symbols of the Roman Catholic Church, we can find surviving, though rebranded, pre-Christian myths, deities, festivals, and rituals. Here are three Catholic practices that can be traced back to ancient pagan religions and cults.

Who is the most important Catholic icon?

Mary, the Virgin Mother of Christ, is arguably the most important Catholic icon save for the Holy Trinity. She’s likely the amalgamation of pre-Christian mother goddesses from antiquity whose ranks include Artemis, Demeter, Diana, Hera, Isis, and Venus. The cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis may have had a particularly strong influence on Christian myth. While historical records can not substantiate this entirely, there is physical evidence of statues of Isis cradling Horus that were converted and reused as the Virgin Mary holding Jesus.

What did Woodrow challenge Hislop?

A history teacher challenged Woodrow and called the integrity of Hislop’s research into question. Woodrow, being an academic and a man of integrity, decided to research the subject himself. He was shocked. He learned of the twists of history and the leaps of logic that Hislop made to advance his theory.

What did Hislop teach about the cross?

It is not often mentioned that Hislop also taught that the Cross was a pagan symbol and a sign of the devil.

Why do Catholics believe in altars?

Catholics believe the use of an altar is very Scriptural. Who is to say the pagans didn’t steal the idea of the Jewish people who are documented all through the Bible as having altars and sacrifices. Altars are fine. The Bible says so. The pagans actually worshiped ok, except they had the wrong deity. What they did was befitting for a deity. They missed the mark as to the "WHO," but the "what" and the "how" was OK. When Paul was addressing the people of Athens who were building an altar to an UNKNOWN GOD, Paul told them they had the right idea and told them Jesus Christ is that UNKNOWN GOD.

Why did the Evangelicals develop their own symbolism?

The Evangelicals began to develop their own modern symbolism after having stripped away symbolism used by Catholicism. One must ask if they have been more successful than Catholics at avoiding symbolism that could be construed as pagan.

Why did Augustine write the City of God?

Augustine wrote the The City of God in 413-426 AD. Augustine answers the pagans, who attributed the fall of Rome (410) to the abolition of pagan worship.

What does Woodrow defend in the Old Testament?

Woodrow reclaims candles and lamps (which are used by Jews in the Old Testament), he defends the anointing with oil "…anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.". (James 5:14, 15 & Mk 6:13). Woodrow demonstrates the faulty logic that claims a Church steeple is a phallic symbol and the tower of Babel.

How to make people think you are a scholar?

Hislop learned that the way to make people think you are a scholar is to put footnotes at the bottom of every page. One of the people he fooled was Ralph Woodrow.

What is the Eucharist practice?

The distinctive Christian practice of the Eucharist also dates to the first Christians. Known also as the Lord’s Supper, or Holy Communion, Christians believe that Jesus instituted the practice during the Passover meal he shared with his followers just before his arrest and death. As a remembrance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, early Christians met weekly to share meals of bread and wine, accompanied by prayer. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul instructed this early Christian congregation on the sharing of the Lord’s Supper and explained the reason for the sacrament:

What is Patheos’s view?

Patheos Explore the world’s faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What did Jesus say after supper?

The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me" (1 Corinthians 11:23 -26).

Why did Jesus baptize his followers?

According to accounts in the Gospels, John the Baptizer, who baptized his followers as a sign of repentance, baptized Jesus as well.

Why did Christians delay baptism?

In the early years of Christianity, adults, not children, were baptized, and Christians would sometimes delay baptism until death, so that the sins of a lifetime could be washed away just prior to the soul’s judgment before God.

What is the significance of baptism?

For early Christians, baptism was a sign of moral purification, the beginning of new and eternal life, and an indication of the Christian’s readiness for the coming Kingdom of God. The first Christians conducted baptisms by total immersion in water.

What is the Christian baptism?

Baptism, the Christian rite of initiation, is a ritual cleansing with water. Being observant Jews, the early Christians integrated the ancient Jewish practice of ritual bathing into Christian practice (e.g., Leviticus 14:8). Baptism was also used to initiate converts to Judaism, and the Essenes, contemporaries of Jesus, …

What is the Celtic holiday called?

Halloween may be a secular affair today, dominated by candy, costumes and trick-or-treating, but the holiday is rooted in an annual Celtic pagan festival called Samhain (pronounced "SAH- wane") that was then appropriated by …

Why did the Celts gather their harvests?

The Celts believed in gathering all their harvests by Samhain, “so that it would not be damaged by the evil or mischievous spirits who could return on the first evening of the dark half of the year,” Suppe says. “Token offerings of the harvested food should be offered to the spirits to placate them.”

What is the ritual of the Celts?

One of the rituals adopted from the Celts was pumpkin carving, which held religious significance. “The jack-o-lantern custom consists of placing fire—which imitates the good magic of the sun—inside a hollowed out vegetable, representing the harvest,” Suppe says.

Where did trick or treating originate?

Similarly, “the practice of trick-or-treating originates in the Celtic custom of giving token bits of the harvest to spirits wandering outside of houses on the evening of Samhain, to placate them and prevent them from doing destructive things to the harvest or to homes,” Suppe says.

What was the first woman to lead a major U.S. political party?

Hillary Clinton accepts Democratic nomination, becoming first woman to lead a major U.S. political party. So the Church mixed the traditions involving Celtic spirits and Catholic saints. In the 800s, the Church designated November 1 as All Saints’ Day.

Why do people use vegetable lanterns?

Later, in Ireland and Scotland, people developed the custom of using similarly-carved vegetable lanterns to scare off the mythical character of Stingy Jack, who wandered the Earth because the devil wouldn’t let him into hell. READ MORE: How Jack O’Lanterns Originated in Irish Myth.

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What is the modern calendar based on?

Our way of measuring time (see hours, minutes and seconds) is based on an early Babylonian system, and our modern calendar is based on Pagan practices, astrology and mythology.

What does it mean when someone believes in a particular date?

If someone believes a particular date ( Easter, for example) has some mystical power, it is the value that person has placed on it. The same goes for the Bible, the cross, and all the other items adopted by Christians that have a Pagan origin. ( more…..)

What was the headscarf issue in France?

The ‘headscarf issue’ resulted in just a handful of school expulsions but more damagingly generated ill-feeling, divided the country and achieved nothing positive.

Why is singing important?

Singing makes us feel hearty and that’s why we sing; whether it’s a chant or any other form. Singing helps us feel young and energetic, even if we’re not very proficient.

Why do we use oil lamps?

Oil lamps were in use before Christianity, not only to replace darkness with light, but also to repel dark spirits. Only a superstition, yet quite natural and understandable behaviour. As children we prefer the light on at night to keep the bogeyman away.

Why is the fish symbol called Jesus?

Fish symbol. Sometimes called the ‘Jesus Fish’ because of its link to the ancient Greek Ichthys. Currently vogue, the fish symbol is not as widely recognised as a Christian symbol. It means nothing to most people and largely known only ‘in-house’.

When did the Church convert to Christianity?

Many of today’s customs used in the Church can be traced back to the 4 th century , when Constantine permitted the process of converting the official religion of the Roman Empire from Paganism to Christianity.

Why did the Church take over the ancient pagan temples?

The idea being that it would make it easier for the pagans to convert if they could still worship at their sacred pagan sites. Some of these pagan statues and symbols can still be seen in the oldest of Churches (i.e. Gargoyles, Mermaids, Sheela-na-gig).

Why did the Church make the holidays Christian?

The fact of the matter is, when the Church rose into power in Europe, the officials decided to adopt many of the pagans’ traditions and festivals and make them Christian holidays so that it would make it easier for the pagan people to convert to Christianity. They felt if they were to strip the people of their traditions and beliefs completely, that the people would be less likely to convert . It is also possible that the Church tried to stomp out many of these ancient traditions but the people felt so strongly about them, they continued to be passed on from generation to generation. You can take the person out of paganism, but you can’t take paganism out of the person, for lack of a better phrase.

What is the ritual of communion?

The ritual of taking communion, with the round wafer (or bread), is an ancient practice of worshiping sun gods such as Ba’al and Osiris. The round wafer was a representation of the sun itself.

Why do people use evergreens?

Evergreens were used by ancient celts and greeks (among others) to remind them Spring was around the corner and of the cycle of life. The tradition of gift-giving, decorating the tree, feasting, caroling, putting on plays, even Christmas lights are all rooted in pagan traditions from ancient European people and beyond.

When did Reiki start?

Reiki originated before Pentecostalism in the late 1800s. Other “hand healing” techniques and traditions outside of Christianity include: polarity therapy, massage, Qigong, acupressure/shiatsu, and matrix energetics. One particular practice of the Pentecostals is called speaking in tongues.

What is God called in the Bible?

Most people do not realize, but within the Old Testament of the Holy Bible, “God” is called by more than one name. The first name of God revealed in the book of Genesis is “Elohim” and is used the most throughout the Old Testament. Following, God is called “El” which many claim is just a shortened version of Elohim.

How many incarnations of the Sun God are there?

There’s over 40 incarnations of the sun god that predate Jesus and share the same story as Jesus, light of the world, son of God, virgin birth, performs miracles, rises from the dead after three days, has 12 helpers (signs/constellations of the Zodiac), etc…. Adad, Adnos, Alcides, Amon-Ra, Attis, Baal, Bali, Beddru, Bremrillah, Budha Sakia, Cadmus, …

Why did Emperor Aurelian celebrate the birth of the unconquered sun?

As scholar Thomas Talley points out in his book The Origins of the Liturgical Year, Emperor Aurelian inaugurated the festival of the Birth of the Unconquered Sun trying to give new life – a rebirth – to a dying Roman Empire. It is much more likely, he argues, that the Emperor’s action was a response to the growing popularity and strength of the Catholic religion, which was celebrating Christ’s birth on December 25, rather than the other way around. (3)

Why did the Catholic Church start Christmas on December 25?

The second claim is that the Catholic Church established Christmas on December 25 to replace a solar feast invented by Emperor Aurelian in 274 AD, the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti ( Birth of the Unconquered Sun).

Why did the Puritans oppose the Christmas feast?

Since the Bible gave no specific date of Christ’s birth, the Puritans argued that it was a sinful contrivance of the Roman Catholic Church that should be abolished.

Why was Christ born on Sunday?

… Christ was born on Sunday night, in keeping with the order of His marvels, so that the day on which He said Let there be light, and there was light, was the same day on which, at night, the light shone in darkness for the upright of heart, that is, the sun of justice, Christ the Lord.” (7)

When did Christmas become a Roman holiday?

The fact that Christmas entered the world calendar (the accepted Roman calendar) in 354 – which was after the establishment of the pagan feast – does not necessarily mean the Church chose that day to replace the pagan holiday. Two principal reasons concur with this conclusion:

When did Christians celebrate Christmas?

First, one must not simply assume that the early Christians only began to celebrate Christmas in the 4th century. Until the Edict of Milan was published in 313, Catholics were persecuted and met in catacombs. Hence, there was no public festivity. But they celebrated Christmas among themselves before that Edict, as hymns and prayers of the first Christians confirm (2).

Was December 25 a pagan feast?

Later, Protestant preachers like the German Paul Ernst Jablonski tried to demonstrate in pseudo-scholarly works that December 25 was actually a pagan Roman feast, and that Christmas was yet another instance of how the medieval Catholic Church ‘paganized’ and corrupted ‘pure’ early Christianity. (1)