Any Help?
2006-09-03 22:18:45 · 11 answers · asked by ˆ îmago ˆ» 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Most Christian groups, I think. have elements of paganism probably because pagans took their ideas or Christians took pagan ideas. So it's hard to distinguish sometimes. Before Christianity, Judaism is ancient Israel had issues with paganism which caused it to divide.
From what I understand about paganism is that it involves the worship of other gods such as animals. demons, planets, ancestors, and so on. Some of these gods relating to celestial bodies were replaced by apostols and saints and are prayed to, thus you have Christian paganism. Then there is the practice of Christmas and Easter.
2006-09-03 22:21:22 · answer #1 · answered by Cyber 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok... half the people here are retarded and can't do basic research... so...
First of all, Paganism is mostly polytheistic. Christianity is not. And Catholics are also monotheistic, because they still worship the same idea. Also, the word was popularized by the Muslims and now it basically means 'doesn't believe in God.'
And tell me, what Christian holidays and rituals are based off paganism? Christmas is now a Pagan holiday, not a Christian one, because Santa Claus was from Roman origins and Jesus wasn't even born in winter. Modern day easter is also pagan, because of the easter bunny. Thanksgiving was created by both Native Americans and the English and it wasn't really Christian to begin with, it was just to give thanks.
PWNT.
2006-09-04 06:40:46 · answer #2 · answered by MrAndersonMan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The term pagan is from Latin paganus, an adjective originally meaning "rural", "rustic" or "of the country." As a noun, paganus was used to mean "country dweller, villager." In colloquial use, it would mean much the same as calling someone a 'bumpkin' or a 'hillbilly'. Paganus was almost exclusively a derogatory term. (It is from this derivation of "villager" which we have the word "villain", which the expanding Christians called the Pagans of Northern Europe/Scandinavia)
2006-09-04 05:28:55 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The word pagan comes from the Latin word "pagus", meaning "of the countryside", or of rural origin. Thus in any real definition of the word, it means a folk religion that had small beginnings in the country.
In case you haven't guessed, christianity *is* a pagan religion.
2006-09-04 05:25:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Pagan" actually means country dwellers. It is the old religion before the HUGE boom of Christianity. If you look closely you will see that most of the traidtions/rituals/holidays/trinity/resurrection/birth ENTIRETY of the Christian faith is based on many others. MANY MANY others. You need to add a few more details to get any more specific info...
2006-09-04 05:24:13 · answer #5 · answered by Ancient Forever Lost 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
i know one was paganism was before christianity, and two, would be the pentigram., vs the cross. but then again look up the meaning of the pentigram, also if you are studying the Jehovah ways, and sometimes in(other) bible classes they will tell you that it is that paganism is satan worshipping(not entirely true) and christianity is the study of God and all things good I believe.
2006-09-04 05:23:27 · answer #6 · answered by bettyboop24 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
An example of paganism can be the ancien greek or roman people who worshiped "gods" like the venus is for love,etc. Christianity is worshiping of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
2006-09-04 05:35:42 · answer #7 · answered by tolquit 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Pagans worship things, Christians worship an idea
2006-09-04 05:25:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Not very much, Christianity got all of its holidays from paganism, then burned the remaining pagans calling them witches and devil worshippers. Christianity pretty much just took over the pagan beliefs of the europeans, by stomping them out.
sad but true
ADDED: Easter came from the pagan holiday worshipping the goddess of spring and fertility, Eostre. the rabbit and eggs represent that fertility, before chrisianity adopted it from the pagans. it was there before Easter.Halloween came from a pagan harvest festival and was changed to Hallows Eve, the day before all Hallows day(All saints day) the day before hallows day is halloween, also they added another day after hallows days known as souls day. Christmas came from the pagan festival of Saturnalia all of the gift giving, merry making and cheer of the holidays originate from this, the church just threw in jesus birth. these holidays were pagan THEN christianed, not the other way around. Back in the dark ages, the catholic church was the only christian church and they adopted many "Saints" from pagan gods, so basicly christainity was all polytheist as people prayed to these saints and held them reverently until the protestant break off, the catholics still pray to these saints today. You see the church added these holidays and saints to make the change for the newly converted christians of europe easier as they abandened their old beliefs for the new.
And the word pagan originated from europe, meaning someone who lives in the country, who happened to be the last people to convert to christianity, so they were labeled "pagans"
P.S. i already knew this, but thanks for freshening my memory! I have been thinking of getting a tattoo of the goddess Eostre, she looks alot like my fiancee, and i like to be original
2006-09-04 05:27:36 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Almost nothing. They are based on the same myths. The king integrated the two so we could "get along".
Technically, Chrisitianity is a hatred of nature and earth, and paganism is the appreciation of nature and earth.
2006-09-04 05:23:27 · answer #10 · answered by Mere Mortal 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋