Did you notice how christians never answer this question?

Question

Did you notice how christians never answer why there religion stole its ideas from Pagan mythology and how christianity could be true after that fact? And being that paganism predates christianity, why do christians keep saying there religion is the oldest? We already know that christianity isnt the oldest cause they stole its ideas from paganism which predates christianity. They cant answer the question, why is that?

Answer 1

Did you notice that no one cares about your question?

Answer 2

At first, this sounds like a good reason not to be Christian. But, not quite! Christianity doesn't need pagan religions to get beliefs, as all are found in the Old Testament, in the form of prophecy. Read Psalm 22 for the crucifixion prophecy. Psalm 22 was written by someone who didn't know the practice of crucifixion before crucifixion was even practiced. Isaiah 9:6 is the prophecy of Jesus' divinity. Psalm 16:10,11 and 49:15 foretell of his Resurrection. Psalm 2:7 tells us he would be the Son of God. Isaiah 7:14 tells us he would be born of a virgin. There are numerous other prophecies that all refer to the coming of Christ. So it's likely that the pagans who had their religions similar to Christianity actually came in contact with the Jews and read some of the Jewish scriptures containing these prophecies, and used the prophecies to develop their religions. This can be believed because all of the pagans who believed in the Christian-like religions were in the Mediterranean, and Canaan (Palestine) was on the Western Mediterranean. Christianity doesn't claim to be the "oldest religion". Christianity is a relatively new religion. Judaism, Hinduism, Paganism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism all existed before Christianity.

Answer 3

We answer, you just don't listen. While Christianity is not the oldest religion (of course), The God we worship is the God of the Jews. Based on that, and a belief that the earth is only 6-10 thousand years old, then the God we worship has been worshiped since the Earth was created.

You mention that Christianity stole it's ideas from Paganism. This is impossible to prove. What is true is that I can take anything and make inferences and assumptions and make it almost fit something else. All that takes is effort and persistance, it does not prove one thing or another except that you have an inventive mind.

Answer 4

Naughty Lisa, criticizing Catholicism for being closer to paganism than YOUR religion. There are religions that predate Judaism.
Seriously though, it is possible that Christians were guided by the Holy Spirit to incorporate features of pagan ritual or stories to help explain the mysteries of faith to the cultures they were trying to convert.
The reason Christians never answer the question about borrowing from other religions is that it is not an issue or a concern.
It may be that there is no conflict in borrowing or creating new forms of celebration and giving things a religious twist.
Sweetest Day may become a religious holiday if enough of us want it. St. Patric's day has become the green beer holiday. Thanksgiving derived from traditional harvest festivals.

Answer 5

Not all Christians are historians. They don't all have all the answers, even if they act like they do. Knowledgeable Christians will not say Christianity is the oldest religion. Ask somebody who actually represents the faith, such as a priest or a minister!

We know that most of the Eastern religions existed long before Christianity. I'm a Christian, but not a clergy, and I know that.

I don't know who you are talking to.

What difference does it make anyway? Who cares how old it is?

Yes, it has been said that some traditions did come from pagan practices... such as the Easter bunny. But none of that can really be proven, any more than Christianity can be. Mostly, it is a matter of faith, and that's what really matters. You cannot prove or disprove faith... you either believe or you do not.

Answer 6

The only way one could conceive that paganism could predate Christianity is by presupposing that Christianity started when Jesus began his ministry on the earth. That would be a false assumption. By the word(Christ), were the worlds created. How could paganism predate Christianity when Christ predated paganism? Christ helped create the world on which the pagans started practicing. Where do you think the pagans came from. They came from the seed of Adam and his descendants that did not follow the Gospel given them by Adam after he was cast from the garden of Eden. Their descendants mocked Noah as he built the ark.
But then, if you believe the bible is just a bunch of fictional stories. Then, the things I've said aren't really going to matter anyway.

Answer 7

Okay, for the umpteenth time... I'll answer your questions you say I never answer.

1) We never claim that Christianity is the oldest religion. Judaism pre-dates Christianity and every Christian believes that.

2) Paganism actually stole a bunch of "ideas" and "rituals" etc from Judaism (or more specifically the Jewish Calendar). Some of those "ideas" that are continued in Christianity came from Judaism, not Paganism.

3) Some of the "ideas" are indeed used, specifically the calendar dates. Christmas, for example, is traditionally celebrated on December 25th because the Christians wanted to have a holiday to compete with the winter solstice. Christmas is a great holiday to celebrate, so I'm okay with that. And the way it iis celebrated is uniquely Christian.

So... other than "calendar dates of celebrations" what exactly did Christianity "steal" from Pagans?

Answer 8

Why are you so angry? Who are these mysterious Christians you keep mentioning, I mean, did you ask everyone? How does a religion 'steal' ideas from another religion? Have you ever noticed that the bible claims many times that all men know of God by what is created (nature) and that people have a built in need for him? Have you ever noticed that the Bible explains paganism as people confusing the creation for the Creator? Is it only Christianity that explains paganism, or does paganism have as good of an explanation for Christianity? Did you know that Christianity is the fulfillment of Judaism, and there is no known older religion? I think you need to stop believing what you read, and find out for yourself. It is easy to just swallow the theories that your philosophy professor told you to believe, but use your brain. You clearly don't know what Christian thought is all about, you have made assumptions that have lead you to ignorance. Take the time to think for yourself, you may just find God!

Answer 9

Actually, you have it backwards. The truth of God has been known since the time of Adam and Eve; and those who did not accept and follow the whole truth became 'pagan'. This deviation from the truth continued throughout history to this day. So, it's not that Christianity is made up of pagan religions, but pagan religions have remnants of Christian truth still left in them.

Another possible explanation of your query is that you are using false Christianity as a guide (which IS made up from pagan religions), and assuming that these are true Christians. There are many churches in the world that claim to be Christian, but they have rejected much of the truth of God just as pagans have.

It is often remarked, by theologians and biblical scholars, that the form of Christianity that gained ascendency is NOTHING like the Christianity of Christ and the Apostles.

Answer 10

I have never heard anyone say that Christianity pre-dates paganism. Judaeism pre-dates everything and Christianity is a branch from that. It is possible that Christianity pre-dates some pagan religions, as new ones seem to pop up everyday.

Okay, there are two branches of Christianity, Catholicism and Protestantism. Catholicism came from the Conference of Nicea, which was ordered by the Emperor Constantine. He wanted a state religion to control "his" people thru. In order to do this, one religion had to be created that would satisfy all his people or most of them anyway. Jews, early Christians, pagan whatevers where basically put into a room and told to agree to something. Anyone who refused to participate or caused a delay were killed. So, Catholicism is a mixture of Bible, idol worship which became saint worship and Mary worship (in place of different gods and mother earth worship), and some Judaism. You are right in saying that most people (Catholics) will not own up to this. The other branch of Christianity is Protestantism. This came about because the people in Europe were tired of being controlled thru a state run religion and they were tired of being told to worship regular people (saints) in place of worshipping/ praying to God. They realized this was wrong. So they "protested" (hence, the name Protestant) and formed their own church, where only God is prayed to. There is no "Mother Mary" worshipping or praying to this saint who supposedly is over one thing or another. God is over it all and that is all that matters. I do find it strange that both branches have the same book, the Bible, but Catholicism adds all this other stuff people have to do that isn't in the Bible. There are former priests who will tell the truth and former Catholics who will tell the truth, but the rest of them, who knows why ? Maybe they are too proud or scared to admit what they've been doing all these years, plus I'm sure that all the money people are told to pay to "buy" their way into heaven hasn't hurt the catholic church.

I hope this has helped you or at least made you want to research this issue further.

Answer 11

To answer your question as a Christian: No christianity is not the oldest religion. However Christianity is not some high school student. It doesn't "steal ideas".
Jesus Christ died and rose again. I believe He did, therefore I am going to heaven. Also, anyone who trusts in God and believes in His son, will have abundant life, not only on this side of heaven, but after we die as well.

Furthermore, I am a college graduate that read all the books you did. I have had science classes that teach that the bible cannot possibly be true, starting with the whole dying and rising thing. So I understand that this kind of talk sounds "crazy" and 100% irrational. (Bet you never heard a Christian say that). But you know what? That's OK!