Western Christianity comprises Catholicism, Protestantism, and Anglicanism (Episcopalian) celebrates Christmas that contains pagan origins.
Eastern Christianity can be described as comprising four families of churches: the Assyrian Church of the East, the Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodoxy, and the Eastern Catholic Churches celebrates Easter that contain pagan origins.
Can you think of any religious group (based on Christ teachings) that do not have pagan practices, beliefs or merged with pagan celebrations? Do any exist? Are there more then one?
2006-12-01 05:39:27 · 25 answers · asked by keiichi 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
think about when christianity came around, where it originated from, and then the dominate religion before hand.
most of christianity will have ties to pagan celebrations.
2006-12-01 05:41:10 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
One has to wonder whether Christianity has been influenced by pagenism, or whether pagenism has been converted by Christianity. While Christmas may be celebrated on the same day that a pagen feast once was (and I defy anyone to find a single day in the year when some religion somewhere was not already celebrating something), I have yet to see any Christians offering sacrifices to Zeus or bowing down to the Roman gods. Christianity has taken what was a pagen feast day and turned it into what is a celebration of Christ's birth. Christmas is still be celebrated, the pagen holiday is not. That what it is suppose to do. Same with Easter. It is now the celebration of Christ's resurrection. Same with many of the images and items that were once associated with those practices. They now represent Christian teachings and values. They have become Christian, the church has not become pagen.
The Christian doctrines of salvation through faith has not changed in 2000 years. Whether a person celebrates Christ's birth on December 25, in January like the Orthodox church, in March like some of the second century churches did, or not at all, the doctrine of salvation through faith has not changed.
Pagenism has not altered the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith. But the Christian faith has converted most of the pagen feast, tradition and holidays into celebrations of Christ. That is what it is suppose to do. Christianity has not been influenced by pagen beliefs. Rather it has conquered them.
2006-12-01 05:51:32 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Impossible, as Judaism was based on pagan faiths originally.
Yahweh (the so-called "God" of the bible) was a pagan god.
Yahweh was originally a sky god - a god of thunder and lightning. He was associated with mountains and was called by the enemies of Israel 'a god of the hills'. His manifestation was often as fire, as at Mount Sinai and in the burning bush.
Originally, the four consonants YHWH represented the four members of the Heavenly Family: Y represented El the Father; H was Asherah the Mother; W corresponded to He the Son; and H was the Daughter Anath. In accordance with the royal traditions of the time and region, God's mysterious bride, the Matronit, was also believed to be his sister.
2006-12-01 05:42:54 · answer #3 · answered by Sweetchild Danielle 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are absoutely NO 'christian religions' that do not have pagan element in them. The reason is that christianity, by its very nature and way of being founded and spread was done so by two types of people...converted Jews and converted Pagans. They both brought elements of their past with them in the creation of this NEW religion. Judaism and Paganism are the seeds from which the Tree we call Christianity is sprung. There is nothing bad in this, it is just the way it is. Jesus was a Jew, his teaches are based on the truest of the Jewish beliefs of equality, honesty, generousity, etc. Of the early churches founders, several were converted pagans, with them they brought ceremony and a way to convert the Romans and others who did not have the Jewish background of the apostles. Luke (who wrote one of the gospels) was a converted Greek Pagan. So were many others.
2006-12-01 05:45:28 · answer #4 · answered by harpertara 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christianity, is the belief in Christ and His atoning death on the cross. That is not pagan. That is what matters to Christians. The fact we have fun at Christmas and celebrate only proves that we as people have fallen for pagan things. That does not take away what Christ has done for us. What you are doing is saying because we put up a Christmas tree that what Christ did doesn't matter. Jesus never put up a Christmas tree. He came to save lost men and look to Him. He is not reduced because of us celebrating Christmas.
2006-12-01 05:49:33 · answer #5 · answered by angel 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Try the Church of Christ (not mormon).
I was raised in this church. No statues. No musical instruments allowed. No dancing. No fun. No crosses allowed either.
Lots of sermons, lots of condemnation. We weren't even allowed to acknowledge Christmas as being any more special than any other day.
I would say many Calvinist based denominations, and lots of fundalmentalist faiths right here in the good old USA (including Baptists).
2006-12-01 05:52:48 · answer #6 · answered by Darlene G 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Though Christians celebrate Christmas on a pagan Holiday and display a tree there is no evidence they are influenced by it. They celebrate Christmas in memory of their Lord Jesus. Why am I telling you something you already know. I am an Atheist what is it to me if you stir up hatreds. Peace and Love Mary Christmas. XX Betty.
2006-12-01 05:50:28 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
As an FYI: The integration of a culture's existing religions and practices is always an intentional aspect of the spreading of a new religion: it uses the familiar to present the teachings (by reinterpreting the existing rituals and symbols, of course). Buddhism did this. All religions intentionally do this because it's logical.
2006-12-01 05:42:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The organization of Jehovah's Witnesses come about as close as you will get. Contact your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses if you have questions, and they will happily study the Bible with you and you can then make an informed decision as to whether you think they are as free as is possible from pagan influences!
2006-12-01 05:43:19 · answer #9 · answered by themom 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The story of christ is itself a legend based on the combination of many various gods. Mithras was a Persian god who was born of a virgin on December 25, healed the sick, raised the dead, died on Easter and rose to heaven.
The earliest Christian writings have no mention of a historical Jesus, let alone any miracles. The New Testament was written decades after Jesus is now considered to have lived.
2006-12-01 05:56:34 · answer #10 · answered by Andy P 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas just happened to be on the same day as a pagan festival. Christians didn't actually celebrate the pagan festival.
2006-12-01 05:42:50 · answer #11 · answered by epbr123 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋