If the Egyptians were so Pagan then why is there an obelisk in St. Peters Squar?

Answer 1

It didn't look pretty enough next to the Pyramid, so the ancient Egyptians travelled all the way up to up north, and though - once day this will be a site of intolerance and hate masquerading as peace and understanding. Let's put this huge effigy of the true God Horus' penis here to make fun of them eternally.

Answer 2

Don't try and read to much into the location of the obelisk.

The obelisk was built in Pagan Egypt and transported to Pagan Rome and erected by the Pagans of Rome prior to the Christian Era. In all likeliness the obelisk had no real meaning and was nothing more than a bit of urban decoration for the Roman citizens. When St Peter's Basilica was rebuilt in the 1500s the Church moved the obelisk into what is now St Peter's Square. Again the obelisk has no real meaning, but is nonetheless a worthy piece of ancient urban art that should be preserved.

Answer 3

They were pagan from a Christian perspective, but their religion was nowhere near simplistic or philosophically barren. Quite the contrary.

And the obelisk in St. Peters Square is not meant to have the same direct significance as an Egyptian obelisk. Rather, it was revived as an archetectural feature in the Renaissance as part of the whole Classical archetectural craze. One can disagree on the symbolism generally associated with it today, but it's often thought to represent manhood or power/status (the latter two obviously having the closest relevance to the Basilica obelisk).

Answer 4

Except this obelisk, all the obelisks in Rome toppled down in the Middle Ages. The Egyptologist Labib Habachi writes a reason in his book; "Legend has it that in the Vatican Circus innumerable Christians, including St. Peter, were put to death and that the reason this obelisk was not later overturned as were all the others in Rome was that it was looked upon as the last witness to the martyrdom of St. Peter." (Source: "The Obelisk of Egypt" by Labib Habachi, 1977 Charles Scribner's Sons)

Answer 5

Paganism only refers to beliefs other than christianity.

Islam refers to non-islamic people as infidels.

Other religions may also have similar terms (i.g. unenlightened).

The obelisk was considered an engineering marvel, not a religious object. There is also an Egyptian obelisk in Istanbul across the square from the Sultan Ahmet Mosque.

Remember, ancient Egyptians were not Islamic, they were polytheists (many gods).

Answer 6

Pagans also walk, but that does not make walking a sin.

Did you know that wearing a wedding ring on your finger comes from a Pagan custom?

Yet, most Christians wear a wedding ring whether they are Catholic or Protestant. The Catholic Church was the first to "Baptize" that custom to make it a Christian custom. But I don't ever hear Protestants saying anything about that probably because they know that they do it too.

Innocent Pagan customs are ok as long as the Christian is not going against the doctrines of Christianity.

Human sacrifice and the other historical evils of various kinds of Paganism are NOT ok.
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Answer 7

It was a Trophy. A part of the Spoils of War. It was brought to Rome by Caligula (40ad), one of the most perverse of the Emperors
But it was Pope Sixtus V in who ordered it moved and put up in St. Peters Square (1586).

Answer 8

It was TAKEN from Egypt, not built there by ancient Egyptians.

Answer 9

87% Muslims, 11 Christians, and the rest is a combinations of other religions, this is one; Egypt is a Muslim country.

Answer 10

because that is a center of Paganism, under a thin cover of Monotheism.