Is the Catholic Church really based on Pagan teaching?

Question

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-S6YMuFYyaa9ESBoW5DFwEjL_HhqA

Answer 1

Claims of pagan influence on Catholicism (and more generally, on Christianity) are usually asserted without proof. If there is actual documentation supporting the claim of a pagan parallel, we should ask at least four questions:

1. Is there a parallel? Not usually. For example: "The Egyptians had a trinity. They worshiped Osiris, Isis, and Horus, thousands of years before the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were known" (Robert Ingersoll, Why I Am an Agnostic). In fact, the Egyptians had a pantheon of nine major gods and goddesses. Osiris, Isis, and Horus did not represent the three persons of a single divine being, as Christians understand the Trinity. They were simply three fictitious gods.

2. Is the pagan practice independent of Christianity? Two groups may develop similar beliefs, practices, and artifacts independently. The idea that similar forms are always the result of diffusion from a common source has long been rejected by archaeology and anthropology. For example, some have made much of the fact that Catholic art includes Madonna and Child images and that non-Christian art also frequently includes mother and child images. No surprise there: In every culture, there are mothers who hold their children.

3. Did the pagan practice occur before or after Christianity? Some pagan parallels are borrowed from Christian ideas. For example, ideas in the Norse Elder Edda about the end of the world were influenced by the teachings of Christians with whom the Norse had been in contact for centuries (Guerber, The Norsemen, p. 339f).

4. Is the parallel positive, neutral, or negative? For example, early Christians did not adopt the cross because it was a pagan religious symbol. The cross was used as a Christian symbol because Christ died on a cross—his execution being regarded as an infinite injustice—but one that brought life for the world. Christians did not adopt it because it was a pagan symbol they liked and wanted to copy.

Reports of Christian holidays coinciding with pagan ones are often inaccurate; for example, Christmas does not occur on Saturnalia. Christian holidays were introduced to provide a wholesome, non-pagan alternative celebration, which thus comments on and rejects the pagan holiday.

Evangelicals offended at the alleged pagan derivation of Halloween do the same thing. For example, some celebrate "harvest festivals" to mark the season of autumn and the gathering of crops. These substitutions are no more "pagan" than the celebrations of days or seasons that may have been introduced by earlier Christians.

Cheers,
Bruce

Answer 2

Let me tell you something. I watched a program on TBN last night which was one of the best programs I have ever seen. It was called: "Common Ground". A priest, Father John Riccardo, St. Anastasia Catholic Church, and the pastor, Steve Andrews, of Kensington Community Church, both in Troy, Michigan, carried on a full-out dialogue.

"It was not a debate, but a respectful pairing of presentations about how Evangelical-Protestants' and Roman Catholics' understanding differs on the subjects of "Divine Revelation," "The Eucharist," and "Salvation." The goals of that evening were summarized by the speakers:

1. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, to see each other as brothers and sisters who love the Lord, Jesus.
2. To shatter some misconceptions and have a more profound appreciation for who the others are and their love for our Lord.
3. To begin serious dialogue. Arguing in love is a way to get at the truth about God.
4. To lead the two groups to hold other events together, perhaps a prayer meeting.
5. To increase understanding and remove fear."

Anyone interested seeking the truth, in my opinion, would do well to do whatever it takes to watch this presentation.

I am a former Catholic, now attending an independent bible-believing Protestant church, and I would have no trouble at all attending a Catholic mass all over again. Father Riccardo and Rev. Stan Andrews are brothers in the Lord. No doubt about it.

To Mahen: Paul was an editor!? Not even! Have you READ the Acts of the Apostles?

Answer 3

In the very beginning Christianity was persecuted by the Romans, but when Constantine converted it became a legal religion. What many don't realize is the fact that Constantine, in spite of protestations of being converted, was not baptized until he laid on his deathbed. Catholicism was the result of the uniting of Roman military and the religious. While conquering the pagan world the conquered were forced to convert to Catholicism, however most did not want to give up their pagan gods. In order to make the conversion process easier priests would change the name of a god or goddess to that of a saint to be venerated. This way Catholicism was united with paganism.

gatita_63109

Answer 4

there are dissimilar issues approximately this, that with the aid of actuality that this is previous the typical teachings of the Bible, is out of attain for dissimilar. including an know-how of the Trinity. although many haven't any theory how companies artwork as separate individual entities the two so i'm no longer surprised how this too is slightly out of variety. The Bible would not say the full factor. that's before everything-fee a clue as to what greater is additionally available than purely what's written in the Bible. The Bible would not aid you realize rigidity a vehicle or bypass the objective rigidity try although yet you do it in case you elect to rigidity. So too, strategies equivalent to those seem to conceal among some very no longer basic meanings and whilst one seems deeply into it, one unearths out purely how perplexing issues particularly are up there on the bigger greater no longer basic planes of actuality.

Answer 5

The Catholic Church is based on God's teaching.

Answer 6

The early Catholic church "adopted" many Pagan festivals and customs such as Solstice celebrations (Easter and Christmas both dont actually fall on the anniversary of the events they celebrate, but on the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, roughly). Early Christians were persecuted for their beliefs for several hundred years, so they adopted "pagan-looking" rituals, changing the meaning and symbolism of the ceremonies and making them Christian, so that they could worship as they wanted without as much fear of being crucified or stoned or thrown to the lions....once Christianity became mainstream, they kept the customs to help others make the transition more smoothly from paganism to Christianity, and they grew to be part of the Christian catechism.

Answer 7

It is a mixture of early Christian and pagan beliefs. Even more disturbing is the fact that many of the pagan beliefs that were adopted by the Catholic church are held as biblical truth in many protestant churches. Belief in eternal torment of the wicked and the immortal soul are just two of many.

Answer 8

All religions are based on some prior beliefs and later,
modified/developed by great teachers such as Christ.

Later the priests, Bishops, Kings, Influential leaders of the Society; at different times and ages edit the scriptures (they think they know all) to suit a certain climate.

Why was Jesus really put to death? - to satisfy the Influential among the Jews so they they may not revolt/rebel/retaliate against the Romans and to please the Jews - It was a diplomatic/political action by the Romans.
Later they editors said that he died for our sins!

Answer 9

The Catholic Church was influenced heavily by Pagan custom and tradition. The Roman Emperor Constantine, who made Christianity the official religion of the Empire, was Pagan up until the time of his death.

Answer 10

The Catholic church is based on the teachings of the Apostles. The leadership and much of the doctrine was established by Jesus Himself. For instance he imparted the power to forgive sins to the apostles, "whatsoever you bind on earth is bound in heaven and whatsoever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven."