Why do Christains deny that they borrowed many pagan traditions?

Question

Christainity borrows so much from Paganism. Why do they deny it?

Actually, it is a proven fact that there are many pagan ideals and traditions woven within Christainity. It's a whole field of research on its own. I just want to know why Christains deny it, or why it is that those who aren't Christain know more about this religion than its own followers...

Answer 1

for gorgeoustxwoman- that does not cast doubt on the Bible because most of the stuff that most christians practice is not even in the Bible- If most Christians even read their Bible today, the whole thing, OT and NT- they would not take part in most of what they do today. It is sad when atheists know more about the foundations of what Christians practice than christians themselvess do. This kind of wuestion does not make me worry about what the Bible says, it only convicts me to ask why am I doing this or that, why am I celebrating this holiday or that feast. When I educated myself about the origins of what most christians practice in the name of Jesus, I did not give up my religion, just gave up the false practices. God gave us perfect instruction and gave us feasts that give us perfect pictures of Him and the relationship He wants with us- there is much blessing in observing these things and not offering up the strange fire of the pagan holidays. Christians really do need to take heed at what some of the atheists are asking here and get into the Bible and see what the scriptures REALLY say about God's laws and feasts- notice I said GOD's laws and feasts not Jewish laws and feasts.
It is a huge deception to think that these things were done away with. Why would Jesus come and walk perfect Torah only to say htat now Christians are allowed to live in anarchy and practice paganism?? does not make a whole lot of sense!
There is nothing to deny- Christmas and Easter are pagan feasts that still hold fast to many pagan traditions- if you only knoew what easter (the feast of Ishtar) represented and the horrific truth about the tradition of children hunting for 'painted' eggs you would never want to celerate it again.
It is time for the followers of Christ to turn back to the pure, true and holy feasts that God instituted as a gift to us!


Orchid- do your research- Christians instilled very little of their own traitions- MOST of the traditions practiced in Christmas and easter are very similar if not the same as the pagan traditions- take easter for example- the feast of Ishtar (or Diana) the fertility goddess- who floated down from the sky in a giant egg- massive orgees were held- the next year, many babies were born as a result of these orgies- they were sacrificed and eggs were dipped in their blood- these eggs were then hidden for their siblings and other family members to find- oooh what fun- now we use colored dyes today- that makes it sooo much better - it still very much mirrors the pagan tradition.
Exactly what was wrong with the feast God gave us to give us a picture of our salvation in Christ- why was Passover not quite good enough that we had to trade it out for a feast that celebrates the sacrificing of children and a flesh feeding frenzy??

Answer 2

I do not precisely deny it, however I do query it on account that there may be scant proof to help that declare, although it's frequently mentioned as even though this is a reality --it's not founded upon scholarship. For argument's sake, shall we embrace it's real that Christian vacations have been set at the dates of prior pagan vacations. So what? It might now not make the occasion of the start of Christ any much less significant or respectable. However, the old documentation to help the declare that Christians stole this date simply is not there. In reality, in relation to Christmas, the opposite is proven. For illustration, the earliest written point out of Sol Invictus being on December 25 dates from 274 (a proclamation of Emperor Aurelian). But, the earliest point out of the occasion of Christ's start being on that day dates from the 12 months 202 (St. Hippolytus of Rome's Commentary on Daniel). Obviously that's good earlier than Constantine discovered the scene. Likewise, prior than the date stated at the Philocalian calendar. So although it used to be now not but the "legit" date, it used to be already being celebrated earlier to any old point out of Sol Invictus (et al) being celebrated on that day. It is a robust probability, then (Roman emperors being Roman), that Aurelian attempted to usurp a commonly-held Christian holy day, instead than the opposite direction round. Also the Catholic church didn't have got to make it less complicated for pagans to transform via overtaking the pagans' vacations. Pagans had already changing in droves lengthy earlier than the legit status quo of the Catholic church without difficulty founded upon the message of the gospel. ________________ @ Freedom: Again with the unsubstantiated drivel? Christ has not anything to do with Mithras. There aren't any similarities which may also be honestly documented. Candles? Really? Please give an explanation for how ELSE have been early Christians meant to mild their properties and assembly areas? It's an absurd premise. Virtually the whole thing you're claiming can not be substantiated via any old record, and notably any alleged connections to Christianity and the practices thereof.

Answer 3

Because Christianity and Paganism existed side-by-side in places and often were mixed together. Also, Pagans were said by some overzealous Christians to be witches, and witchcraft and Paganism became intertwined. Go figure.

I try to respect all religions, but those who push their religion on others drive me crazy. You have no idea how many times I've been asked if I believe in God. I just ask, "Which one?" and walk away, or when asked if I've found Jesus, I say "How can you have a religion if you keep losing you're main figure?" Shuts most of them up.

Answer 4

Christendoom--not the real Christians--try hard to deny that many of their beliefs (like the immoratlity of the soul, hell-fire, trinity) are from Pagan (unChristian) sources.

But reputable reference materials like the World Book Encyclopedia, Britannica, and even the Catholic Encyclopedia admits that many of Christendoom's teachings are of pagan origin.

Too, try to get this book: "Babylon's Mystery Religion" by Ralph Edward Woodrow and you will know more of pagan teachings incorporated in Christendoom's beliefs. By the way Mr. Woodrow is an Evangelical Christian.

Answer 5

We have never 'borrowed' pagan traditions. The earlier Christians were always trying to convert non-believers. Especially in areas of land where majority of the people were pagans. In order for the early Christians to convert, they held holy days (we now call them -holidays) during the pagans' feast days. They harvested at the end of the year, October was the last month on the ancient calendar. Christians decided to celebrate Christ's birth during that time in order to diminish their pagan feast and teach them about Christ. As the calendar changed by adding Nov and Dec, Christmas still was celebrated at the end of the year, the new year, so then it was in December.

Pagan worshipped the sun god in the spring because their sun god shone more during the day and gave them new crops. The Christians wanted to teach them about Christ's death and resurrection. So they picked the spring to overshadow their sun god and that why we celebrate Easter in the spring time. We didn't take any of the pagan traditions on how they celebrated their feasts and gods. We instilled our own traditions but held our holy days during their god celebrations to overshadow their gods and show them our God. It was the way the early Christians choose to convert non-believers.

Answer 6

Actually the early church was trying to eradicate pagan beliefs and started to put holidays on pagan days and take some of their symbols to turn people off to their pagan ways...

Answer 7

they've been conditioned to feel ashamed of their Pagan/Heathen ancestry. they would prefer to think that they miraculously sprouted, like Brahma from Vishnu's bellybutton, from Hebrew rootstock instead of from Christian conquered Pagan tribes.

"grafted to the Hebrew vine" Christian just means you have no heredity of your own. rootless and living on borrowed or usurped traditions.

hey orchidmg! that's called usurpation of traditions, cultural diminishing, undermining of indigenous social structures. and you make it sound so nice and gentle too. Christianity committed torture and massacres to force Pagan tribes into religious submission. and not so long ago either ... remember the Native Americans? a bad rewrite of history on Yahoo Answers convinces not the well educated.

Answer 8

Christians didn't "borrow" anything from paganism.

Pagan beliefs and practices have no real meaning, as they are based on the worship of false gods.

If the Christian church decided to "retask" existing practices for the express purpose of bringing people to the knowledge of the one, true God, so be it.

Answer 9

The true question is where are all the pagans to support this argument and to take the Catholic church to court? Oh that's right..they were slaughtered in the Crusades...oh well.

Answer 10

Because they try to hide the weakness of the religion and the pagan traditions give less authenticity to the value of the faith....