Posted on 08/15/2004 10:12:22 PM PDT by missyme
I find neo-paganism to be quite amusing. The ancient Greco-Roman religion was pretty cool.
***There's nothing wrong with nations keeping their indigenous cultures intact***
I think this doesn't really fall under the heading of keeping other cultures intact. It's more like pure paganism, worhipping other gods, breaking the first commandment.
That's the beauty of living in a free country.
***That's the beauty of living in a free country.***
If we turn from the God of the Bible, we won't be free for long.
Mixing government with religion is always a recipe for disaster.
Of course, you're not proposing supression of other beliefs, are you?
***Mixing government with religion is always a recipe for disaster.**
No, it's a personal choice issue. Governments shouldn't impose worship (though many in government are working to replace worship of God with worship of the State. The supression of other beliefs that won't bow to the State won't be long in coming).
Political freedom minus personal righteousness will result in the loss of freedom. This will be the natual consequence on the national level of the culmination of millions of personal choices.
Look at America. The less righteous we have become, the less free we are.
>>I think this doesn't really fall under the heading of keeping other cultures intact. It's more like pure paganism, worhipping other gods, breaking the first commandment.
I used to be a Pagan and my best friend was a Christian. I took him to a gathering once and he watched us as we basically "toasted" the Gods and honored them. He didn't feel he was betraying Jesus because he merely observed. People are not worshipping the old Greek Gods. If I were you, I'd pay more attention to the worship of money of so many around you. God cares more about that than silly statues who no one worships. Some may call it idolatry, but some Christians even believe the cross is a graven image, and they might have a scriptural point. But regardless, it is what is in your HEART that is important, not the trappings of religion. John very clearly and eloquently explains this. I also should point out that Christmas is not a Christian holiday, it is a Pagan holiday which the Pope turned into a Christian holiday to assimilate the Pagans into the new religion. Jesus was born at a time when the sheep were kept out of doors. That wouldn't be in late December. He never told us to celebrate holidays, only to commemorate His death. Are we engaging in idolotry when we celebrate Christmas? It is a cultural tradition of western peoples, and it is harmless. Before we judge others, we have to take the log out of our own eyes. Unless the Greeks fall at the feet of these statues, this isn't a big deal considering the sin in the world today.
I have no Gods before my own, but I do have Pagan jewelry showing images of the Gods and if I thought for a minute that Jesus was offended by the contents of my jewelry box, I'd dump them on ebay. I believe that when the Lord says have no Gods before Him, He means do not worship any other Gods, and worship is quite different than having Pagan trinkets around or a statue of Venus at the Olympics.
I fudged on my post Moderman. I read another similar article related to the Olympics and didn't fully read this one, so you are right, the post is out of context to this article. Next time I will not make ass---umptions.
My only comment to this article would be that this is a small group of people and that we should worry about becoming better Christians (taking the log out of our eyes, and we all have them) than about what Pagans are doing.
I have had experience with revival Pagan religions, and can assure you most of these people are in it for the cultural aspects. They feel their identity culture has been taken from them, and in a multicultural society, those who are "just white" or "just American" are merely looking for an identity. Don't fret. Paganism got me thinking about God and in time, I turned to the true God and so will many of them who were atheists prior to their involvement.
People will try every counterfeit under the sun, yet not the only truth in the entire universe...amazing.
And the majority of believers then deny any of God's power in their lives by denying God's Word and God's Holy Spirit.
Shame...
***I used to be a Pagan and my best friend was a Christian.***
I agree with much in your post and disagree with a few things.
***People are not worshipping the old Greek Gods.***
The people in the article claim to be. Revival of the old religions is a bad sign for the Western world.
***I'd pay more attention to the worship of money of so many around you.***
Agree! You can not serve God an mammon.
***Are we engaging in idolotry when we celebrate Christmas?***
Well, to use your point, if you are consumed with the greedy, gift-oriented side of it... then yes! :)
***but I do have Pagan jewelry showing images of the Gods and if I thought for a minute that Jesus was offended by the contents of my jewelry box, I'd dump them on ebay.***
I too came out of deep spiritual darkness. As one how has seen the other side, I would seriously caution you about keeping (especially wearing) items from a Pagan (read demonic) background. I have done quite a bit of reading into the expericence of people coming out of the occult/paganism and seemingly harmless things can have unexpected consequences years later. Freepmail me if you want to know more.
>>I too came out of deep spiritual darkness. As one how has seen the other side, I would seriously caution you about keeping (especially wearing) items from a Pagan (read demonic) background. I have done quite a bit of reading into the expericence of people coming out of the occult/paganism and seemingly harmless things can have unexpected consequences years later. >>
While it is true that false religions come from the devil, the old Pagans did not know the word because it hadn't been spoken yet. Their intentions were not demonic, because they knew of no Christian devil at that time. Their religions were not based on any bible characters and that is what Christians don't understand. They didn't and don't believe in satan and their religion does not reflect him in its practice. They have their own evil deities, but few would worship or honor them. I detect some leftover Paganism in the old testament too, myths and characters from the region which parallel that of Pagan religions prior to knowledge of Yahweh. The Old testament was oral for so long, I find it hard to believe that every word was verbatum, and inspired by God.
Reviving paganism can't really be done. Even Julian the Apostate couldn't pull it off, and he had a generation of actual pagans to work with. He ended up with a bizarrely trinitarian solar monotheism overlaid with the cult of the old gods. The 'new age' neo-pagans end up the same: odd little bits of Christianity mixed in with a romanticized version of some half-understood old pagan religion. (Notice neo-druids don't sacrifice deer anymore, let alone humans, out of some sort of sentimentality which has more in common with Victorian Anglicanism than any sort of historic paganism.)
No, it was indeed Odin who hung himself in the tree for nine days in return for being granted nine magical powers.
INTREP - see Romans 1:18 to the end of the chapter!
***The Old testament was oral for so long, I find it hard to believe that every word was verbatum, and inspired by God.***
You are doing yourself a great disservice by holding that opinion of the Word of God. (In the long run) it will greatly harm you spiritual life and ability to walk with the Lord.
I am not speaking as one who doesn't know or refuses to face the issues some bring up regarding the veracity of the Scriptures. There are good, solid, reasonable arguments for believing that all the Scriptures are worth our trust.
I hope I don't come off as too pedantic in these posts - I am motivated by a genuine desire for your good.
This is an interesting fact "overlooked" by the most of mass media. The holiday of Dormition of Mother of God (The Feast of the Assumption in the Roman Catholic Church) is celebrated on August 15 and 14th on the eve. (In Russia and Serbia because of difference in calendar it takes place 13 days later.)
Personally, when faced with a moral crisis, I always ask WWOD -- What Would Odin Do? A messy resolution usually follows.
Rights are merely abstractions that do not exist unless vigorously defended by those who hold them. This is why parity between government and civil society is so important.
I certainly would not like to rely on the pagan pantheons as the guarantors of our freedom.
I certainly would not like to rely on Divine Intervention. Byzantium's Church of St. Sophia ring any bells?
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