Why are there so many pagan traditions within Catholicism?

Question

You canonize random people to be saints of random things who you have to pray for.
You worship body parts of these random "saints."
And you eat and drink the blood of Jesus (as)?

I'm confused....

Answer 1

The Bible and the Church were corrupted by people who didn't want to follow the rules and true monotheism.

There is no "Pope" in the Bible nor is there trinity or Jesus being the son of God.

All of these things are additions and corruptions, but Christians continue to "rationalize" it.

Answer 2

One way to convert the pagans to Christianity was to use some of the practices that they were familiar with and change them to be used by the Church. As to your comments about the RC church, they are not the only ones with Saints. And Saints are not "randomly chosen". There is a long process. It is true that in the middle ages people went a little crazy with the bone of this Saint or that. Again the RC's are not the only church that believes in the real presence of Jesus in the bread and wine. Perhaps you need to study the history and practices of the early church.

Answer 3

+ Modern Canonization (after 1500s) +

Here is the modern method of canonization:

In order to allow greater objectivity and less emotion, no petition for sainthood can be made until at least 5 years after the candidate’s death.

+ Diocesan Investigation +

A diocese, parish, religious congregation, or association asks the bishop of the diocese in which the candidate died to open the investigation. After Vatican approval, the bishop forms a diocesan tribunal.

Witnesses are called before the tribunal to recount the candidate’s heroic exercise of Christian virtues. All documents regarding the candidate must be gathered.

At this point he is entitled to the title of Servant of God.

+ Vatican Investigation +

All documentation is passed on to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints at the Vatican.

The cause undergoes an examination by nine theologians.

If passed, the cause is for examined by the Congregation.

If passed, the cause is presented to the Pope for approval. A decree is published and read publicly.

+ Beatification +

A miracle attributed to the Servant of God is necessary.

The miracle must be proven through an appropriate investigation and another decree is issued.

Then the Pope decides on beatification.

With beatification, the candidate receives the title of Blessed.

+ Canonization +

Another miracle occurring after beatification is needed for canonization (sainthood), attributed to the Blessed’s intercession.

This miracle must again be proven through an appropriate investigation.

Papal infallibility is involved with canonization.

The Blessed acquires the title of Saint.

Making Saints: http://www.usccb.org/comm/SaintsFinal.pdf

+ Canonization before the 1500s +

Before the formal canonization process began in the fifteenth century, many saints were proclaimed by popular approval. This was a much faster process but unfortunately many of the saints so named were based on legends, pagan mythology, or even other religions -- for example, the story of the Buddha traveled west to Europe and he was "converted" into a Catholic saint!

In 1969, the Church took a long look at all the saints on its calendar to see if there was historical evidence that that saint existed and lived a life of holiness. In taking that long look, the Church discovered that there was little proof that many "saints", including some very popular ones, ever lived. Christopher was one of the names that was determined to have a basis mostly in legend. Therefore Christopher (and others) were dropped from the universal calendar.

This action did not kick Christopher out of heaven. Remember everyone in heaven are saints whether the Church canonizes them or not. The Church, once again, was just trying to clean up its act.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt3sect2chpt2art6.htm

+ Eucharist +

At the Last Supper, Jesus said, “Take this bread. It is my body.” Then he said, “Take this and drink. This is my blood. Do this in memory of me.”

Catholics believe this was the First Eucharist, that through a miracle the bread and wine actually became the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

Catholics reenact the Last Supper during every Mass, where God, acting through the priest, changes the bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

This is a great sacrament of thanksgiving and unity of Catholics.

http://www.usccb.org/catechism/text/pt2sect2chpt1art3.htm

+ With love in Christ.

Answer 4

Frist, All Christians are saints. See acts 9:13,32,41; 26:10; Rom. 8:27; 12:13; 15:25,31; 16:2,15; 1 Cor. 6:1,2; 14:33;
16:1,15. etc. but the Catholic Pope says only very special dead Catholic people qualify to be called "saints".

Catholic Pope don't read the bible and it is written,

"Jesus has made us to be a kingdom, "priests" to His God and Father to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." Revelation 1:6

and

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may
proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; " 1 Peter 2:9

The Pope don't know where the voice of God is, then "billions" will become a victim of doubt and fall into the traps of Satan.

Pope is lying creep because he can't distinguish between "the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." (1 John 4:6).

Second, Pagans are who is not a Christian, Muslim or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.

One who is polytheistic is one who believes that there are many gods. For example, The Catholic and Orthodox god, TheTrinity God.

Here, "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:" Exo 20:4

and

"Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: ...Exo 20:5

Tell me, Who practise paganism?

I'm motivated by an honest desire to share the word of God in the "BIBLE" without engaging in the practice of bashing.

Answer 5

Well, I will go ahead and address these three, but in general, many so-called "pagan" ideas were redirected to be in line with the Christian faith. Here's the explanation for the three issues you raised.

1. Saints are honorable people whom we look to as good examples of particular virtues. They are human beings, but because they lived especially holy lives, their prayers are effective for us. We do not "worship" them or "have" to pray with them. The Bible says that the prayers of a just person avail much, so just as we on earth ask our other human friends to pray for us, we can indeed ask other human beings to pray for us. It is only through God that they can hear our prayers and pray with us. It is indeed very Biblical for fellow believers to pray for each other, as Paul prayed for all the early Christians and encouraged them to pray for each other.

2. We do not "worship" relics. We worship only God. However, we do show honor to the earthly remains of the holy people that the church has acknowledged lived exemplary lives. This is also Biblical, both Old Testament and New Testament. The prophet Elisha's bones restored life in the book of 2 Kings. Contact with Peter's shadow and cloth that had touched Paul also imparted healing in the book of Acts.

3. We believe in the true presence of Christ in the Eucharist because He Himself said so. When Jesus promised the Eucharist (ie that He would give us His body and blood) all who heard Him took it literally! What is striking is that Jesus did not correct them. He must have meant what He said or he would have corrected the folks who understood Him literally. Also at the Last Supper, Jesus Himself says "this IS my body" not "this symbolizes my body".

Answer 6

There is a good number of saints that were actually gods and goddesses of other religions sainted in order to bring the heathens into church. The Catholic bishops had the great idea to incorporate some of the indigenous beliefs of stubborn peoples into worship and damn the rest to hell. The worship and celebration of most Catholic holidays are Celtc in origin.

Answer 7

I actually learned this watching a show on India. It is the common practice of a new religion that has taken over to incorporate the rites and ceremonies of the previous beliefs so that those who believed in them will feel a part of the new belief system. It has gone on for eons (yeah, I believe in eons, lol).

The Skeptical Christian
Grace and Peace
PEG

Answer 8

The reason Pagan traditions were adopted by Christianity is that it was easier to convert people. Churches were built on holy sites where Pagan rituals were once held.

Answer 9

I don't know about that whole body part worshiping thing but, I felt the same way growing up, I didn't get it. Then I went to other churches and watched the history channel, and learned that my confusion was justified, it wasn't just me....it's a very messed up man made religion, but GUILT is the foundation so many many people stay in it a follow old rituals...(rituals, isn't that what cults do?) But if you notice you don't see many Bibles in the Catholic church's, they don't want you to have the WHOLE story, just the part they find relevant....or else you'd realize they aren't really what they seem to be.........I'll stop here.

Answer 10

First: we do not have to pray to the saints. We can if we so choose, just as you can pray to anybody in Heaven. Praying to somebody doesn't mean you worship them, it means you're talking to them. Worshipping is completely different. I talk to my dead Dad in Heaven all the time. I sure don't wworship him.

No, we don't worship the relics of saints. We honor them and respect them and treat them with dignity, just as you honor the graves and belongings of those you loved and respected who have gone before you.

To answer your third, we do what Jesus commanded us:

Matthew chapter 26:

26While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is my body."

27Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. 28This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.