Roman Catholicism, a fusion of Christianity and paganism?
Constantine was a lifelong pagan who was baptized on his deathbed, during his time, Rome?s official religion was Sol Invictus or the Invincible Sun, and Constantine was its head priest, unfortunately for him, a growing religious turmoil was gripping Rome, as Christians and pagans began warring, and the conflict grew to such proportions that it threatened to rend Rome in two, so he decided to unify Rome under a single religion, Christianity...
Constantine converted the sun worshiping pagans to Christianity, by fusing pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into the growing Christian tradition, he created a kind of hybrid religion that was acceptable to both parties, as Egyptian sun disks became the halos of Catholic saints, pictogram of Isis nursing her miraculously conceived son Horus became the blueprint for our modern images of the Virgin Mary nursing Baby Jesus, virtually all the elements of the Catholic ritual, the miter, the altar, the doxology, and communion, were taken directly from paganism, even Christianity?s weekly holy day was from the pagans, originally, Christianity honored the Jewish Sabbath of Saturday, but Constantine shifted it to coincide with the pagan?s veneration day of the sun, Sun day, and Christ's birthday was taken from the pagan god, Mithras, who was born on December 25...
Yes, as the Catholic church tried to convert the pagans around them they would incorporate some of their religious holidays into there's in order to convert them. Also, some doc tines. When the missionaries were trying to convert the savages on the British Isles they incorporated one of their doctrines. The savages had a belief in a purgatory ,and the missionaries incorporated that into Christianity to convert them. The problem was in time it bled back into the RCC and became a regular doctrine of the Church.
EDIT
The switch to Sunday came long before Constantine. Many of the Jews became angry and even violent at Christians worshiping on the day they regarded as their Sabbath, and the switch by the early church to Sunday was a strategic one out of fear of the Jews. The Bible doesn't teach a switch from Saturday to Sunday, but the belief that it originated from some mandate by the RCC is hogwash, even if there was such a decree, because that had already been a long practice.
I was raised Catholic too, yet When i found out the truth, I was really upset, Christianity does come Catholicism yet, and all this came from ancient History and ancient religions, IT all makes perfect Sens! yet Knowledge is the answer! ~ so it is Buddhism, " All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him." ~Buddha I hope you find the truth In Science and knowledge. ~ peace my friend.
Maybe, I always thought on that since I was child, loosing faith of Catholicism as I grow up learning the concept of the other religion and I think they preach more proper than Catholic.
Well I suppose it could be said that all Christianity and evolved from paganism. Here is one of many articles as well as books on the subject. The Catholic church is not alone in this accusation so to speak:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/pcc/pcc03.htm
Anyway Constantine did two big things. He legalized Christianity in the Empire and got all of the different leaders of the Christian churches throughout the Empire to get together and hammer out some consistency in their beliefs in the meeting at Nicea partially for political unification reasons. What you mention I have heard before but it seems more speculation to me.
All religion contain an element of beauty and truth, some more than others.. the only problem I have with mainstream religion and I am not talking about Catholics here, they as still persecuted and considered second class citizens by some.. but my problem is with those who shove their views down your throat and threaten with fire and brimstone as if they know how the world works.. and what's good for everyone else.. with that said .. to those of us who look to our own faith and adhere to it I say..
Blessed Be..
Roman Catholicism, a fusion of Christianity and paganism?
