celebrating holidays are from Pagan Orgins..So, how do we know if something is Pagan that we do now..? I hope you understand the question.
2007-09-24 08:02:58 · 17 answers · asked by Katelynne 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Ole Baby B...explain more on that..Where they Pagans? Were they bad people?
2007-09-24 08:10:43 · update #1
JR..With all due respect..Have you really done your research on the founder of your religion..Mr. C.T.Russell? If you have..you would know that he indeed did have Pagan roots with the Pyamids. Look it up..and do your research..That is why I believe that JW's now deny that he is their founder..If I am not mistaken..? At one time, they were very proud of this man..but now..that the pyramids have been brought to light along with other things about him..They deny him..I have seen it with my own eyes right here in the R&S section.
2007-09-24 08:49:38 · update #2
Geezah..Very interesting..Is this true about the days of the week? Do you have a sorce that I can look that up and read about that more? thanks..
2007-09-24 09:32:04 · update #3
HEAVENly EYES..Why did you block me when I answered your question in regards to the trinity? It was not an offensive answer at all..I was not rude in the least..So why do you block me from answering your questions, but feel its ok to answer mine?..Because I said something that you didn't agree with in my answer? Is that why you blocked me? Makes no sense..That is why we are all here..to give each one our thoughts about the Bible and God..is it not?
2007-09-24 09:40:17 · update #4
A practice is "pagan" when it originates from worship of any god but Jehovah.
Most so-called "holy days" originate from impure worship. For example, Easter derives from the pagan god Oestre and celebrates "rebirth" and "fertility". True Christians (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) instead commemorate Christ's Last Supper and death as Jesus commanded (see Luke 22:1-22).
Regarding mere names which have pagan origins, Jehovah's Witnesses look to the bible pattern established by the godly men Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. These faithful Hebrews submitted to the Babylonian government's insistence that they themselves use personal names which tended to honor pagan gods (that is, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). Like those faithful Hebrews, Jehovah's Witnesses refer to many units and places despite these having names which fail to honor God and Christ. Jehovah's Witnesses well-recognize that the names of planets and places and stars and weekdays were originally chosen to honor paganisms, such as the pagan worship of the Sun (Sunday), Moon (Monday), Oden (Wednesday), Thor (Thursday), and Saturn (Saturday). Yet, Jehovah's Witnesses recognize that secular governments have formally or informally established these names, and the Scriptural precedent allows true worshippers to tolerate their use.
http://watchtower.ca/bible/da/chapter_001.htm?bk=da;chp=1;vs=7;citation#bk7
http://watchtower.ca/bible/da/chapter_003.htm
http://watchtower.ca/e/20031208a/article_03.htm
C.T.Russel (a prominent Jehovah's Witness a century ago) did not practice pagan worship. Like thousands of his turn-of the-century contemporaries, Russell believed that the dimensions of the Great Pyramid simply echoed statistics and prophetic dates that were already recorded elsewhere in the bible itself. Russell's ideas about the significance of the pyramid's dimensions were wrong, of course, but not pagan.
Interestingly, the bible plainly indicates that even the apostles made mistakes which were sometimes communicated for decades before being corrected. For example, the apostle Peter enjoyed remarkable privileges in the early congregation, but it seems that he was the source of an incorrect teaching about the apostle John; John himself finally corrected that wrong idea about 98 C.E., with his gospel.
(John 21:21-23) Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, what will this man do [that is, the apostle John]?” Jesus said to him: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” In consequence, this saying went out among the brothers, that [the apostle John] would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?”
Learn more:
http://watchtower.ca/e/20030815/
http://watchtower.ca/e/jt/index.htm?article=article_02.htm
2007-09-25 08:45:57 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 1⤊ 3⤋
No true christian pretends to be cleansed from this worlds contaminated state(in the sense of paganism). 2 Cor 4:4 reiterates who really is the god of "this world". Many misconceptions arise with the bible, this book does not miraculously transfom a human being into a perfect state. On the contrary, it shows imperfect human beings fighting to find themselves at peace with God Almighty.
(NIV) 2 Cor 13:7, 9 "7Now we pray to God that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed." "9We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong;..."
Since its apparent christians cannot stray from paganism always. One must show complete awareness and making sure one is balancing his conscience and one with biblical truth. (NASB) 1Cor 13:5 "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?"
It seems apparent through the scriptures that Christ never instituted these so-called "Christian" holidays let alone did anyone of his followers sanction it. Why?... Because, how can a follower consent to introduce something never established by the person their following? (The Message Bible) Mathew 15:9 "These people make a big show of saying the right thing, but their heart isn't in it.They act like they're worshiping me, but they don't mean it. They just use me as a cover for teaching whatever suits their fancy."
Take Care Everyone.
2007-09-25 12:46:51 · answer #2 · answered by YXM84 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
All holidays as we know them are based on a "Pagen" Ritual of some sort .. Even Passover has its history in the spring Equinox.. the Concept of Pagan being of the Devil is simply Ignorant. History is full of multiple gods .. multiple beliefs and all of these beliefs have a antagnonist i.e. the Devil.. They also have Protangonists i.e. God
The reason why the JW do not pratice these holidays, rituals etc.. has more to do with Rutherford's understanding of human manipulation then there historys ... If I want to control a group of people .. the first thing I need to do is instil a sense of seperation .. .. "You are better then others because".. Thus lets not celibrate birthdays .. oh and by the way here is some references in the bible that, if I twist them just the right way will show you that
SisterCF.. you need to visit a libray and read a history book .. pick one any one ..
JR I would love to see that proof
JR ... ok so you spend about 150 lines showing the CTR never used a pyramid in his calculations .. then you go on ad say
well Russell thought ....
Russell though the Pyramid was the one talked about in Isaiah 19:19-20, but it wasn't until later (December 1, 1928) that the found out the Pyramid was of a pagan source.
lets just start with the fact to follow a man that took untill 1928 to figure out that the Pyramid in Gaza was from a pagan source .... ( the rest of the thinking world already knew that )
but did CTR us a pyramid in his calculations or didnt he ... you know he did otherwise why did you write that ..
The fact that CTR was an idiot to do so doesnt strenthen your argument...
How many times do I need to write this BEWARE FALSE
PROPHETS WHOS PROPHECIES ARE PROVEN FALSE
2007-09-24 08:30:34 · answer #3 · answered by Wondering Faith 2 · 2⤊ 4⤋
Russell WAS RIGHT about the year 1914 Being a SIGNIFICANT Year in Bible Prophecy and ANY World History Book will bear out the FACT that He WAS RIGHT "about that" !
Yes Russell was Wrong About SOME of The DETAILS about the year 1914; but then again he was Human.
Nevertheless let's give Credit Where CREDIT IS DO and Thank Mr. Russell at his VERY DILIGENT attempt to HONEST HEARTED LY trying to Understand the Bible; though he was a Bible "STUDENT"
p.s. A STUDENT is someone who DOESN'T Know EVERYTHING and is HUMBLY "still LEARNING" ! ! !
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FOLLOW UP: My SINCERE Apologies ! I Should NOT of Blocked You ! You've been Unblocked ! Be good Girl ! ! !+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
2007-09-24 09:13:43 · answer #4 · answered by . 7 · 4⤊ 3⤋
To mention only the "Christian" calendar:
The festival of St. George in April replaced the ancient pagan festival of the Parilia; the festival of St. John the Baptist in June replaced the heathen Midsummer festival of Water; the festival of the Assumption of the Virgin in August replaced the festival of Diana; the feast of All Souls in November replaced the old heathen feast of the dead; the Nativity of Christ himself was assigned to the winter solstice in December because that day had been deemed the Nativity of the Sun; and, of course, Easter replaced the old pagan celebration of the Phrygian god Attis at the vernal equinox.
The practical reason that the Christians hijacked all the old pagan feasts was, of course, to facilitate conversion. But it was appropriate, because "Christ" himself was little more than a convenient synthesis of pagan rites and legends. Anybody who believes that the "Gospels" are historical accounts is simply ignorant of history on the one hand, and comparative religion on the other.
2007-09-24 08:14:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
When Jesus was on the earth, he established a spiritual organization that is no part of this world. When Jesus stood before Pilate, having been accused of making himself a king in rivalry to the Caesar, Christ said that his authority as a king was not derived from any earthly political source.
Furthermore, Jesus revealed that Satan the Devil is really the unseen power behind the thrones of this world, because Satan is in fact the god of this world. True Christians are called out of this world, in the sense that they no longer allow the world to dominate their lives, dictate their values and mold their attitudes.
As far as celebrations go, the principle of being no part of the world applies. Nearly all holiday celebrations have political or false religious meanings that we simply find unacceptable.
Instead of celebrating certain holidays simply because it is expected that everyone should, we celebrate more personal occasions, like births—with baby showers, marriages, baptisms, anniversaries, graduations and things like these.
2007-09-25 03:18:16 · answer #6 · answered by keiichi 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Jesus tells us that Satan planted weeds among the wheat, and that until the harvest they would be similiar.
Bible scholars tell us now, that the KJV has over 20,000 errors.
C.T. Russell was humbly searching thru the teachings of the bilbe and the many teachings that were going around, add to this the errors of the best bible he had available at the time to find the truth.
Russell did not 'borrow' from the masons, but was lead astray by a mistranslation in the KJV when reviewing the pyramid.
Did CT Russell get it 100% right? No.
Did he get it 100% wrong? No.
===
I think the answer to your question is:
If we know something is Pagan and it is still dishonoring God, by it's practices, then we should reject it.
Example: wind chimes, Just because wind chimes are used in Africa to ward off evil spirits, doesn't mean that in the US we have to get rid of them,
Yet if our neighbor happen to be from Africa, or we lived in Africa, we would want to take them down, because of their conscience.
.
2007-09-24 09:35:30 · answer #7 · answered by TeeM 7 · 4⤊ 4⤋
Whether you like it or not, we are all descended from pagan ancestors, because early in man's history, that's all there was!
Nearly all religious holidays are from pagan festvals, the names of the week are from pagan gods. even much of the carving in christian churches throughout the 'old world' is pagan in origin (greenmen etc)
And we're making a comeback!
Edit: Sister CF, you know nothing at all about paganism do you? Wedon't worship satan, cos we don't even believe he exists!
2007-09-24 08:21:00 · answer #8 · answered by Diane 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Many of our religious holidays (at least in christian/western cultures) are or once were pagan holidays re-purposed to make them christian. I would not worry about what a day was, but would evaluate your intent in celebrating it from your religion's perspective.
2007-09-24 08:10:30 · answer #9 · answered by Pirate AM™ 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Wondering Faith has an excellent point..Even the Witness celebrate passover on the night of the first full moon after the spring equinox...They also follow a lot of traditions that are of pagan beginnings..
Wedding rings
Wedding dresses
Honey moons
anniversaries...I can go and get more examples. but the point is made. http://www.escapefromwatchtower.com/holidays.htm
2007-09-24 13:40:55 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋