how do you feel about the fact that quite a few of your biggest holidays were taken from pagans? or do you choose not to acknowledge that? there are religions older than christianity. just curious..so don't start fights.
2006-07-07 10:32:13 · 15 answers · asked by Kismet 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
yoda i was trying to be nice so no one had a seizure..lol
2006-07-07 10:40:47 · update #1
petra maybe you should talk to elizabeth then. and elizabeth please come into the real world. a negative tone would have been my saying "you ******* christians take everything from pagans"..but i did not say that now did i? and back then, there was not always an option to choose.
2006-07-07 10:51:46 · update #2
mick: Christmas, for example, is a pagan adoption of a Christian tradition....how is that likely?..paganism was around before christanity so how do they adopt something that was already theirs?
2006-07-07 10:53:45 · update #3
what do you mean by "quite a few"? they are ALL taken from pagan holidays!
It's how christianity works, by subverting established rituals and holidays. Look at the catholic rosary for example, until the Portugese and Spanish visited Japan, they had never thought of using necklaces to count prayers. After seeing the Buddhist rosaries and how they were used, the christians had a new "tradition" that they made up all by themselves and no one else helped them....
2006-07-07 10:37:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 3⤋
Yes, a lot of the holidays were done by Constantine to help move people to Christianity. Christianity is newer compared to a lot of other faiths, having been an offshoot sect from Judaism.
Even the nation of Israel and Judaism are younger than the older Pagan forms that the Cannanites followed. Abram (Abraham) was originally a pagan before he became the father of Judaism in a sense. I don't think anybody denies these things...that is just a misconception.
I'm a Christian and I know these things...does that help!?
2006-07-07 10:37:20 · answer #2 · answered by asciikerr 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know that a lot of holidays are celebrated on days that are more accepted by the pagan world. Christmas, for example, is a pagan adoption of a Christian tradition. That doesn't disprove that Christ was born or any of their claims that question Christianity. People have been worshipping idols since long before the coming of Christ. His coming did not change any of that. In fact, it only underscores the importance of faith that people need to have, rather than rely on popularity or proof, that God exists, and certainly Jesus Christ was born to be our Savior.
2006-07-07 10:41:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I actually, as a Christian, find it rather cool that many of our holidays are taken from the pagans. I like to acknowledge all other religions and try to find something in all of them to help me and guide me towards greater enlightenment or understanding. Too many Christians get defensive and are so intolerant of others, so I can see why you said that you didn't want any fights. I think something can be learned from everyone if everyone would just stop and listen to the other person. Good question!
2006-07-07 10:40:08 · answer #4 · answered by Lilah 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems silly to say "don't start fights" when you have such a negative tone about your question...But I won't fight. I WILL say that "taking" holidays doesn't actually happen. You can choose to celebrate something on the same day as another religion, and people can CHOOSE to celebrate yours or continue with their own. You can't take their holidays away though. In that respect, what you're saying doesn't make any sense. You're right though, early Christians chose Pagan holidays to celebrate theirs, perhaps to take advantage of everyone's partying spirits.
2006-07-07 10:37:58 · answer #5 · answered by elizabeth_ashley44 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, I don't mind. Constantine, had to mix both for his empire's sake and to be honest I see it all the same because they are all showing you the same. I do believe Christ was our Messiah and leader of goodness. However, I don't mind if people see devil horns really not bad since they originally weren't. They were the horns of the pagan god of fertilitiy so whenever I see hrns I jusst an increase in male or female sex hormones. The Christmas thing, I just saw it as Jesus birth. To me everyday Jesus is with me and I can celebrate it anytime I wan't whether it was or wasn't. I believe what I choose to believe.
In the end they are promoting goodness, faith, and family. Although I always stick by Jesus's side. I meant actual Jesus, not the church.
2006-07-07 10:37:21 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes some of our holidays were taken from pagans. The reason is, when trying to convert pagans, they needed to see how their beliefs could be used to help them understand Christianity.
I do acknowledge the fact, and also show my kids so they understand.
2006-07-07 10:37:19 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I bet you went/go to High School in the little town where My husband and I once visited. They don't study History and sounds like you don't either
2006-07-07 10:55:08 · answer #8 · answered by PREACHER'S WIFE 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christianity is the biggest con business in the world!
http://www.alternet.org/story/38467/
2006-07-07 10:37:11 · answer #9 · answered by RON C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Read Romans 14. God doesn't care about what day we do what as long as what we do doesn't cause a brethren to fall or leads us to dishonour God.
2006-07-07 10:38:00 · answer #10 · answered by the comet 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋