Do you really still think Paganism is Devil Worship?

Question

Christians, you have more in common with Pagans then you could ever possibly know. Every time you decorate a Christmas tree, every time you paint, hide, or hunt an Easter egg, every time you sit your child on Santa’s lap, and every time you send a Valentine’s Day card you become just like them. You become a practitioner of Paganism through Pagan traditions.

Oh, but it’s what you mean by it that matters, right? The star on top of the Christmas tree, that’s the star of Bethlehem. Well, maybe you’re right. It is the intent that matters! And if you don’t INTEND to worship the Devil by continuing Pagan traditions, then what gives you the right to tell Pagans that they are worshipping the Devil through their practices that YOU practice also?

Answer 1

Wrong on so many levels. There aren't many people around that don't know Paganism isn't Satanism. Many of the things Neopagans claim are throwbacks to Paganism are in fact, not. Read Stations of the Sun by Ronald Hutton.

Here's a past answer I gave before on this question:

It’s been said that the Roman Catholic Church made Christmas officially fall on Dec.25th, partly to make a Pagan holiday called "Saturnalia" celebrated a couple of days later less popular.No one really knows when Christ was born, we just remember His birthday on that day. Because of persecution of the early Christians from the Pagans, the date of his birth cannot be known with certainty, but Dec. 25th was being observed as early as the 2nd A.D., so it isn’t impossible that this is on or close to the correct date. There are three reasons the ancient Christians decided to celebrate Christ’s birth on this day. One reason was the Roman Empire recognized Dec. 26th as the birth of Mithras. In protest, persecuted Christians began to celebrate the birth of Jesus the day before. Another reason Christians derived this day to be the birth of Christ is that Jewish tradition held that a prophet died on the day he was conceived. Since we know Christ was crucified during Passover, which is close to April, counting down 9 months would take us to December, if they thought He was concieved in April. Another reason (and perhaps the most important) was that the Jewish festival of C'hanukka was celebrated for the very first time on what would hae been the equivalent of Dec. 25th on the Western calendar. C'hannuka is a festival of lights. We Christians too, celebrate Christmas with many lights. Christmas is simply our C'hanukka, just as Easter is our Passover. Christians should celebrate Christmas for these reasons if nothing else.

Some folks think symbols of the heathen past have worked their way into Easter celebrations, such as colored eggs, bunnies, baby ducks and other newborn animals. However, in the book Stations Of The Sun, historian and author Ronald Hutton says he discovered many things about Easter like those just mentioned were added during the Christian Era, and have no connection to ancient Paganism. It's just Witch-ful thinking, and misinformation! There is no conclusive evidence of any festival or holiday connected to the spring solstice in ancient Pagan times. The reason Christians celebrate Easter in the springtime is because we know from the scriptures that Christ’s death and resurrection happened after the Jewish holiday of Passover. It wasn’t done to stamp out some Pagan springtime holiday! "Easter" is just an Old English word for "Spring", the time Easter occurred. There is the false idea that "Easter" is the name of a Germanic goddess and this is why the word "Easter" is the same in German and English. Many Wiccans are quick to quip that Easter is an ancient Pagan religion, and that even the very name is derived from the name of a Pagan goddess. However, Caedmon Parsons, an Eastern Orthodox and scholar of Middle Age writings, clarifies the true history of the word Easter. Apart from a misinterpretation of one mention in St. Bede's scientific treatise, De Temporarum Ratione, there is absolutely no mention of a Germanic goddess with a name in any way resembling the word Easter. Every other recorded use of the term is in a Christian context. In an article on the true origins of the word and holiday "Easter", he notes:

"Every other recorded use of the term is in a Christian context. Rather than the term being derived from a goddess, the supposed goddess is derived from the term. She was postulated by certain 19th century Germanic scholars in an attempt to explain the etymology of the word. These same scholars (foremost among them the Grimm brothers, famous for their folk-tale collections and less well-known as the discoverers of the ‘Indo-European’ linguistic family) had a very definite nationalist/ethnic agenda in which they were trying to rediscover the "real" roots of German culture. Thus the folk-tale collection's avowed purpose was to search for ‘survivals’ of pre-Christian Germanic religion and culture."

Every ancient recorded instance of the usage of the word "Easter" has definite Christian connotations. So the Pagan goddess "Easter" is as non-existent as the Easter Bunny!

Sadly, a lot of Christians also cling to misinformation about Easter and Christmas. Much of this due to books like "Babylon Mystery Religion" by Hyslop...a book short on scholarship but deep on speculation and imagination. The book has been discredited by serious scholars, and only the Jack Chick types accept it nowadays.

Answer 2

You don't sound like you're too schooled on witchcraft if you don't know what it is, or where it comes from. Neither paganism or witchcraft is satan related. Only satanists work with satan (and even some of them don't). Yes, there are some Christian witches, but not very many, considering the bible condemns it. Paganism is an umbrella term used to describe any non-abrahamic faith. So anything but islam, judaism, and christianity is pagan. Simple as that.

Answer 3

I agree with you comments. If Christianity could even start to realize that their own religion is based purely on misrepresentation of Pagan rituals, they may be a little more kind to the Pagans. This all started with Constantine's sons. They banned a lot of the rites...but then they used stuff such as the tree to lure Pagans into the Christian religion.

Answer 4

Paganism is so not devil worship. Even so, wasn't the devil one of God's right-hand men.. along the likes of Michael?

Answer 5

You're absolutely correct. Paganism is primarily nature-worship, and the "devil-worshippers" slander was given them by the early xtian missionaries - you know, the ones who destroyed all their temples and sacred groves, then renamed their existing gods as xtian saints - all while they were murdering as many pagans as they could despite that certain commandment about not killing.

Christianity and Paganism (or Wicca, etc) are both full of frankly idiotic superstition and they both perform(ed) blood sacrifices, however I'd take my chances with pagans over xtians any day of the (pagan) week.

Answer 6

You are correct about the tree, easter eggs, santa, and Valentine's Day. All people that call themselves Christian should learn and know these things. You have rightly called out Christian hypocrisy. That being said, if you practice things which are contrary to God and His word, you are the enemy of God. The chief enemy of God is the devil. There is no in-between; you are either for Him or you're against Him.

Answer 7

Well, let me start off by telling you that I am a Born Again Believer in Christ, and that I agree with you 100%. Yes, the truth does hurt and I hope that you will open their eyes on this matter!
By the way, have you experienced Acts 2:38? It is a wonderful experience. I can guarantee that you will enjoy it!!

Answer 8

I know I don't worship the devil! I don't even believe in such a thing. I revere the Earth and all the plants and animals and the ocean and the land and the elements. I respect people who have respect for others, justice, love, loyalty, and making ourselves to be the best people we can be. If there's something wrong with that in anyone's opinion there's not much I can do about it.

Answer 9

Well, this goes both ways. Christians intend to worship God, but seem to be accomplishing nothing at all. Intent is only one aspect. But your beliefs are self contained, and don't need the approval of people who cannot even grasp that the Bible is self contradictory and untenable.

Answer 10

My sister in-law is Pagan. But before she explained it to me I did think it was evil. That was what I was taught when I went to church. Good points in your question. Hopefully people will read the WHOLE thing.