Catholicism derived from Paganism?

[desertwoman]

[url="http://www.holycultureradio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3807"]http://www.holycultureradio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3807[/url]

This is the question that is being asked, and it baffled me that people think this? I'm not Catholic, but even though so... I"m not that confused. What will yall say.



"Honeslty taking into acocunt that the Catholic Church emerged out of an empire that was known for emperor worship, polytheism, and a pagan life style and then suddenly forced to become Christian under Constantine. With that said it always led me to wonder how sincere where those people that converted? Was it Just on the surface? Where they assimilating Christian doctrine into other religious traditions? Could Catholocism be a prodcut of the aformentioned things fam? I'm trying to see some view points and learn a thing or two"...

Edited April 7, 2006 by desertwoman

[Peccator]

[quote name='desertwoman' date='Apr 7 2006, 09:28 AM'][url="http://www.holycultureradio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3807"]http://www.holycultureradio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3807[/url]

This is the question that is being asked, and it baffled me that people think this?  I'm not Catholic, but even though so... I"m not that confused.  What will yall say.
"Honeslty taking into acocunt that the Catholic Church emerged out of an empire that was known for emperor worship, polytheism, and a pagan life style and then suddenly forced to become Christian under Constantine. With that said it always led me to wonder how sincere where those people that converted? Was it Just on the surface? Where they assimilating Christian doctrine into other religious traditions? Could Catholocism be a prodcut of the aformentioned things fam? I'm trying to see some view points and learn a thing or two"...
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LOL...the old "Catholicism = Paganism" attack again. Here an article I think every Fundamentalist should read:

[url="http://www.catholic.com/library/is_catholicism_pagan.asp"]Is Catholicism Pagan?[/url]

[Era Might]

Incidentally, atheists routinely accuse Christianity of paganism, including Protestants. They claim the Jesus story and other stuff (like the Virgin Birth) were stolen from old pagan myths.

[indescribable]

i think universal truths are found in Catholicism and Christianity that certainly have been in motifs of other religions... simply because God made all of us.

i used to read a lot of symbolism books like that. so many interesting things. and i thought it was inspiring that God allowed all humans to know some of his divine plans in certain ways. maybe again i'm not being clear or factual enough but i just wanted to help

:

[phatcatholic]

"the Church is pagan"
[url="http://www.phatmass.com/directory/index.php/cat_id/265"]http://www.phatmass.com/directory/index.php/cat_id/265[/url]

[prodigalson]

May I First say that there is nothing new under the sun!! This arguement has been posed for centuries and modern liberal anti-christians believe they have just stumbled on the ground breaking arguement against the Church- what a crock! Once again these people show their knack for turning something so beautiful into something that seems so evil and base. Sure, as time got closer to Christs birth there were many pagan cults that spoke of things that are eerily "connected" to what Christ and Christians would profess in the century to come- this is, of course because in the pagan's heart of hearts he too, was LONGING! For what? He didnt know, but it is profound to see that even these who were participating in Human Sacrifice had some inner longing for something greater. Anyone who debates this needs to read some Plato! Plato was pre- Christ but if you read him you will swear he had to have some clue of Christian Virtue- in truth he too was setting the stage for what was to come. Remember that the Holy Spirit was not stagnant until Christ's birth, but even before Christ was born the spirit was on the move. Is it so hard to believe that the Spirit worked as much in the souls of the ancient pagans as he does in todays pagans to show them The Way? As far as our Holidays being pagan- such as christmas- remember who the first Christians were trying to evangelize---ROMANS! Romans who were persecuting them, so if it meant celebrating Christs birth on the same day the Romans celebrate the sun goddess so not to be detected, Then thats what had to be done.

[amandaplus5]

Of course certain practices of Catholicism are going to parallel to some pagan practices. But that's just what they are: practices and not doctrine. Practices can change with the times. Official Church doctrine does not (since truth does not change with the times, either). And Church Doctrine does not have connections with paganism. It is only certain practices that are similar.

But it is not because Catholicism stemmed from these cults. It is because Catholicism is a broader religion. And if the existance of similarities between the Church and paganism mean that the Church derived from paganism, then you can say the same thing about Christianity in general, can you not (i.e. one of the pagan practices was to use rings in marriage ceremonies. Catholics, non-Catholic Christians, and pretty much everyone else does this. Does this mean that all religions derived from paganism)?

[Era Might]

[quote]The Catholic Church has neither scorned nor rejected the pagan philosophies. Instead, after freeing them from error and all contamination she has perfected and completed them by Christian revelation.

--Pope Pius XII, Encyclical Letter "Evangelii Praecones"

[url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xii_enc_02061951_evangelii-praecones_en.html"]http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xii...aecones_en.html[/url][/quote]

[ironmonk]

[quote name='desertwoman' date='Apr 7 2006, 03:28 AM'][url="http://www.holycultureradio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3807"]http://www.holycultureradio.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3807[/url]

This is the question that is being asked, and it baffled me that people think this?  I'm not Catholic, but even though so... I"m not that confused.  What will yall say.
"Honeslty taking into acocunt that the Catholic Church emerged out of an empire that was known for emperor worship, polytheism, and a pagan life style and then suddenly forced to become Christian under Constantine. With that said it always led me to wonder how sincere where those people that converted? Was it Just on the surface? Where they assimilating Christian doctrine into other religious traditions? Could Catholocism be a prodcut of the aformentioned things fam? I'm trying to see some view points and learn a thing or two"...
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Check this article out: [url="http://www.catholic.com/library/is_catholicism_pagan.asp"]http://www.catholic.com/library/is_catholicism_pagan.asp[/url]

Karl Keating has a great library of the common attacks and their answers.

God Bless,
ironmonk

[amandaplus5]

Karl Keating is amazing and everyone should read "Catholicism and Fundamentalism."

[MC Just]

[quote name='amandaplus5' date='Apr 8 2006, 10:01 AM']Karl Keating is amazing and everyone should read "Catholicism and Fundamentalism."
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ive read it from beginning to end. Amazing book!

[MC Just]

LOL. Funny it just so happens that atheism and secular humanism is pagan. They worship the State. This is a very old thing. Why do you think they are fighting for seperation of church and state?

Edited April 8, 2006 by MC Just

[Jaime]

the key to making a religion pagan is the fact that the religion believes that through worship, it can manipulate gods. The proper act or sacrifice will result in a blessing on their house or conversely a curse on their enemy's.

The Canaanites were pagan
The Romans were pagan
The Greeks were pagan

Judiasm and Christianity, believe the exact opposite. These religions believe that we are here in servitude of God.

There is nothing more antithetical to paganism than Catholicism.