Why is it that christanity uproots other religions?

Question

And places their holidays on top of other religious holidays...Examples: Yule-Christmas, Samhain-All Saints day, Ostara-Easter. Litha was converted by the christians to the feast of St. John the baptist, these are just a few examples, it seems as if anothers religion does not fit the christians point of views they change it so that it does, even those these religions were around before christianity.

Answer 1

Its just the old paganism/polytheism taking on a NEW name.

Its not that Christianity is uprooting polytheism its replacing it with a newer version.


The "New Testament": Pagan revenge

Between G-d's own miracles and the Jewish teaching of His Word, the pagan priesthoods of Egypt, Greece, and Rome were steadily losing their power over the gentile populations. They decided to fight back by creating a new religion, one that would claim to be the fulfillment of the Hebrew "Old Testament," yet would bring back the pagan lies in a new disguise.

Thus the "New Testament" was written, in Greek rather than Hebrew, and attached to the original Hebrew scriptures to try to change their meaning back toward paganism.

The "New Testament" tried to change G-d from One, as in the Hebrew scriptures, into a "trinity" as in Egyptian cults or the eastern religions of Hinduism and Buddhism. It described Jesus as G-d in a human body, like the pagans always described Pharoah and other wicked kings. It declared G-d's Law to be a "curse" that no one can truly obey, announced that there must be a "mediator" between G-d and man, and pretended that salvation could now be achieved outside the Law.

To blind the gentile nations, the "New Testament" also warned people not to learn from the Jews, declaring that Israel no longer possessed the true, complete Word of G-d.

In the Bible, the book of Daniel warned of an evil power--a false religion--that would believe in the true "G-d of fortresses... plus a god its fathers did not know." This religion would "speak bizarre words about the Most High, wear out the holy ones (the Jews), and plan to change the festivals and the religious Law."7 The Christian Church has indeed replaced Passover with Easter (the pagan holiday of Astarte and Ishtar) and Hanukah with Christmas (the pagan winter holiday).

Since then, Christian paganism has expanded to include Christmas trees, Easter eggs, and so forth.

http://www.noahide.com/paganism.htm


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Answer 2

Historically there was a period where Pagan religions and Christianity co-existed peacefully and whereby it became apparent to the Church (Catholic church to be exact) that they weren't going to get people to stop celebrating the holidays (be they Christian or not) so work was done to make it "okay for Christians" to celebrate the holidays by Christianizing the holidays for Christians. Ostara and Easter, while the name Easter is derived from Ostara, the date of Easter follows the Jewish Passover and there is actually a set of calendrical calculations that must be done (it's actually easy to know in advance when Ostara...the first day of spring...is than it is to know when Easter will be the next year.....unless you own a calendar that has already figured that out or can calculate it yourself). In fact the Orthodox church calls "Easter" Pascha which is from the Hebrew word Pesach...which means Passover. Anyways, today there are Christian groups who refuse to celebrate Christmas and many of these other Christianized holidays for the very reason that they were once Pagan holidays and these groups/sects believe that to celebrate them would be to approve of Paganism. But if we traveled back in time we'd see a population of people who were so used to celebrating these holidays and who often didn't fully know the meaning, it was just tradition (sound familiar to how some folks celebrate holidays today???) Christians just made those holidays acceptable to those who had converted (you know, remove the guilt and if possible use it as a way to teach about Christianity itself). Today we see people who celebrate holidays not because they understand the deeper religious/spiritual meaning behind them, but because it just traditional in the culture. Imagine for a moment if a new religion popped up and people started converted. Do you really think we'd stop buying presents in December or going door to door with our kids in costumes letting them get candy in October? Nope, it's tradition and chances are the new religion would simply adopt those traditions and then just change the meanings to teach lessons about the new religion. That's what Christianity did. Instead of fighting against the culture and traditions, it embraced them. Of course today many Christian groups now choose to fight against the culture and traditions (which if they'd just study their own history they learned that just doesn't work too well).

Excellent question.

Peace be with you.

*oh and my favorite changed Pagan to Christian holiday is Candlemas (it's in February). I just like saying Candlemas. That and it sort of reminds me, a Hindu, of Diwali (in meaning, not in celebration....Christmas is celebrated a lot like Diwali, but in meaning Candlemas comes closer to the meanings of Diwali).

Answer 3

Instead of being built on what Jesus stood for and doing their own thing so to speak, Christianity felt it was necessary to "Christinize" everything and anything in an attempt to convert anyone and everyone. At some point in time, it turned into this hugh pyramid scheme. Now, it's too late to go back and restructure it. I think that's why alot of people are looking toward other paths besides mainstream organized religion.

Answer 4

Its assimulation. The Church realises that these practices have been going on for centuries so in order to convert people into their belief, they just gave it a new name and either used or the nearest date.

This way people would still carry on tradition (much of which revolved around the seasons) but under the banner of Christianity.

Answer 5

all the denominations are 'precise'... to a pair degree. mormonism besides the undeniable fact that may not a denomination it is a seperate sect and is a cult, and isn't any longer precise. their ideals contradict the Holy Bible and carry the training and revelations of Joseph Smith larger and extra authoritative than Jesus Christ and His apostles. why do i say all of them are precise? Christianity is like an aeroplane. If we've been each and every of a similar area we does no longer get everywhere could we? each and every denomination has it is perspectives...the only reason there are maximum of denominations is becoz human beings could no longer discover ways to stay which includes their different comments on scripture. even now church homes are nevertheless "spliting" over little comments (like: can women communicate in the church?). anyhow, each and every denomination is almost a different piece of the aeroplane, the lutherans paintings the lighting fixtures fixtures...however the baptist paintings the brakes. if each and every of the denominations could paintings together (like how we've been meant to on the beginning up fairly of spliting everywhere) this aeroplane ought to function conveniently. yet becoz of the uproar with different comments there is relatively some disfunction. you need to declare each and every denomination are all area of one greatest dysfunctional familys! till they discover ways to paintings together they're going to in no way see each and every of the God has for them! so, after asserting all that. all denominations have a facet of trueness. i'm no longer asserting that they are incorrect, nor am i asserting a million denomination is suitable. without one yet another they won't be able to hold the genuine fullness of God.

Answer 6

Why ask questions for which you already know the answer? To reward those who agree? Christianity adopted, perverted and otherwise assumed pagan traditions as the only way to assimilate the "new church" into pre-christian cultures.

And why do you call yourself "Warlock?" You know, I assume, that appellation has no historical roots in paganism or old English in general other than signifying an individual who cheats at cards or lies on job applications.

Answer 7

In the cases you are speaking of yes, when Christianity took hold in Europe religious and political leaders placed holiday nears the old pagan ones to try and "draw the heathens out of the fields so to speak"

Just as they came in and saw the people who were worshiping a horned god with hooves, and then told them that they were worshiping the devil.

Answer 8

Makes converting people easier if things don't have to change so much. Also, those festivals came about for very practical reasons beyond even the spiritual ones, and those reasons did not shift just because the dominant religion did.

Answer 9

Historically many Christians restrained Christmas celebrations because of the pagan/Catholic tradition. But I never see any Christians worshiping the sun, Easter eggs, bunny rabbits, etc, so how can you call it pagan? That would be like me sitting cross legged and you calling me a Buddhist.

Answer 10

The reason they did that was so that it would be easier to convert those who did not believe in christianity. Same as how they tore down pagan temples and built their churches. They thought that people would go to the churches out of habit to going to their temples, and eventually convert to christianity.