why did Christianity see Paganism so worthy as to Christianize many of our holidays, practices etc? I realize it was to make it easier for the Pagans to convert but if it is so wrong wouldn't the Christians have tried to eliminate Paganism all together?
If Pagans are flawed, does that not mean Christians are too based on the history of Christianity?
2006-11-13 16:01:32 · 9 answers · asked by Ersabette 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Slave to JC, Christmas is also based on a Pagan holiday called Yule or the Winter Solstice.
2006-11-13 16:15:27 · update #1
A lot of Christian doctrine is based on Aristotle and the works of other Pagan philosophers too. It's really funny how so much of Christianity came from Pagan traditions and knowledge, and how at first they had to prove themselves amongst the Pagans. I wish Christians would study the history of their own religion so they would become more tolerant.
2006-11-13 16:04:47 · answer #1 · answered by Mrs. Pears 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Wasn't Christianity designed by a pagan emperor to better manipulate the Roman populace? The desires of the Vatican (Rome) was never to get the details perfect, but to more perfectly manipulate others. Hence, syncretism is certainly fair game. Why tell give the Norse the image of the crying Jesus on the cross when they prefer the reincarnation of Thor looking you straight in the eye and daring you to crucify him all over again? They will only slaughter your missionaries if you don't agree anyhow and what is religion if not backed up by some sort of reward or threat? The violent Norse were needed to put some muscle behind Christian veiled threats, so now we have a Norwegian pine and lighting the darkness as any good viking would enjoy in the midst of winter solstace.
They say St. Patrick "threw the snakes out of Ireland," but look at Easter! The Irish "saved Christianity" during the dark ages, but I assure you there was a cultural price to be paid for that preservation. They too had vikings to placate, so the scandiavian traditions held as well.
And, yes, I still have not determined if Jesus lived at all or was just a Roman fabrication to disempower the Jews. Certainly it was about power and manipulation the whole way through though in terms of the religious organizations, if not the entire story...
2006-11-13 16:22:55 · answer #2 · answered by Cheshire Cat 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes the old Dragon is correct. Fundamentalist Christians would like nothing more than to destroy all knowledge of there ever being a religion called Paganism and other similar religions names. Even though ALL religions started from Pagan beginnings. Beginning with the worship of the Sun(Son) and Moon(feminine).Or the other way around . depending on wither the society was Matriarchal or Patriarchal.
Based on the Religion of Judaism yes . As they have their mystery belief called the Kabalah(cabala).
And Christianity is a Sept of Judaism. to keep the words and deeds of Jesus "the Christ" pure and unchanged until the Jewish people reconsise that Jesus was the true promised Messiah.
And yes the early Christian Church took in many of the rites and rituals of the Pagans and changed their Holy Days to fall on or near those of the Pagans. Just as they built Monasteries and Churches on or near Pagan religious sites to block them from practicing their religion anywhere near a Christian site. As they had desecrated the site.
2006-11-13 16:30:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Christians would like nothing more then to eliminate Paganism. Don't fool your self into thinking they wouldn't.
2006-11-13 16:06:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ersabette, Ersabette, Ersabette! Ok, let's see. How about this....
Paganism was designed by god to pave the way for christianity!? Yeah, that's it! And so the goddess Eastre and Mithra and all of that were part of His Divine Plan so that when Christ came along, the way would be made for him!
Well, yes, I did just directly pull that from where Bill O'Reilly normally pulls things. But...hopefully it made you smile :)
2006-11-13 16:04:50 · answer #5 · answered by Black Parade Billie 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
And why did Christian holidays get paganized. - Christmas is now just marketing with no real meaning.
But I don't want to be argumentative - you are not flawed by being a Pagan.
2006-11-13 16:05:27 · answer #6 · answered by Slave to JC 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Slave to JC:
Christmas was christianized from the winters solustus. dont be an ignorant *****, get your facts. jesus wasnt born in winter, according to your oh-so-reliable accounts in the bible, the star of bethlehem wouldnt have been in the sky. winter was taken over to make it convenient.
same with all hallow's eve and st valentines day, to name a few.
2006-11-13 16:15:02 · answer #7 · answered by HW-7 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes christians are flawed, at least the ones that invented christianity and persecuted wiccan followers. Christians today just don't know any better.
2006-11-13 16:05:04 · answer #8 · answered by jjewel 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Christians are not very good at creative thought so they needed to borrow from others.
2006-11-13 16:05:06 · answer #9 · answered by The Chaos Within 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋