Paganism versus Christianity

[david rodriguez]

What is the difference between other faiths and Christianity? What is the difference between Paganism and Christianity? Why did Jesus tell us to 'treat them (those who say they are in Christ but who refuse to listen to the Church) as a heathen man?" in Matthew 18:17? If there is a way to treat heathen, how was it ? What is the difference between world religions and Christianity? James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." 1 John 2:15-19, speaks of the World and the things of the world. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST.... 1 John 2:22-23 "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." 2 John 1:7 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

How are Christians to treat Worldly religions or otherwise, World Religions? Are World Religions, Pagan Religions? Isn't it strange how James calls them adulteresses and adulterers? Now days, children are learning how to be adulteresses and adulterers before they reach their puberty through public schooling.

 

[Eryk]

Are World Religions, Pagan Religions? Isn't it strange how James calls them adulteresses and adulterers?

He was speaking to believers. His own congregation.

Now days, children are learning how to be adulteresses and adulterers before they reach their puberty through public schooling.

No, they're getting a jaundiced view of marriage at home by watching their own parents.

The world doesn't make anyone behave badly. Everyone makes their own choices. The idea that public institutions mold our behavior is a Big Government way of thinking.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

I have got a slight suspicion that the OP does not know what the term "world religion" means. It refers to religions with a sufficiently large impact to be instantly recognizable globally - and Christianity numbers among them, thanks to colonial history.

 

[david rodriguez]

He was speaking to believers. His own congregation.

No, they're getting a jaundiced view of marriage at home by watching their own parents.

The world doesn't make anyone behave badly. Everyone makes their own choices. The idea that public institutions mold our behavior is a Big Government way of thinking.

and I am part of His congregation.

 

[LoAmmi]

It would not be correct to call all religions other than Christianity as Pagan.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

It would not be correct to call all religions other than Christianity as Pagan.

Bible translations are problematic here, reflecting nearly 2,000 years of shifting terminology and evolving interpretations.

Interestingly enough, 2 John 1:7 references one of the earliest dogmatic schism within early Christianity, where Gnostic sects with a dualist view best summed up by the formula "matter=evil/spirit=good" asserted that God had NOT come in the flesh, but merely created the illusion of an incarnation.

 

[Zoness]

What is the difference between other faiths and Christianity? What is the difference between Paganism and Christianity? Why did Jesus tell us to 'treat them (those who say they are in Christ but who refuse to listen to the Church) as a heathen man?" in Matthew 18:17? If there is a way to treat heathen, how was it ? What is the difference between world religions and Christianity? James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." 1 John 2:15-19, speaks of the World and the things of the world. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST.... 1 John 2:22-23 "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." 2 John 1:7 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

How are Christians to treat Worldly religions or otherwise, World Religions? Are World Religions, Pagan Religions? Isn't it strange how James calls them adulteresses and adulterers? Now days, children are learning how to be adulteresses and adulterers before they reach their puberty through public schooling.

Paganism, in the modern sense, has a specific meaning and is an umbrella term that encompasses a large number of religions but not all non-Christian religions. Which ones are you specifically asking about?

I'm not really sure what you're asking about, to be honest. "World religions" just means religions of the world. As in, any and all of them or in some cases, none.

 

[david rodriguez]

It would not be correct to call all religions other than Christianity as Pagan.

so which religions could be classified as 'pagan?'

 

[awitch]

so which religions could be classified as 'pagan?'

Druidism, Asatru, Santeria, Wicca, Hinduism...it's a pretty long list

 

[david rodriguez]

and which of the world religions wouldn't be called pagan..??? sorry for the questions...

 

[awitch]

and which of the world religions wouldn't be called pagan..??? sorry for the questions...

Judaism is not a Pagan religion. Buddhism, depending on the flavor, is not considered Pagan and there's a bit of distance with "new age" and the flavors of Satanism.

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

and which of the world religions wouldn't be called pagan..??? sorry for the questions...

Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Iranian religions, Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism. To name a few examples.

 

[LoAmmi]

and which of the world religions wouldn't be called pagan..??? sorry for the questions...

Certainly not any religion the worships the deity of Abraham. Judaism, Christianity, Islam and so on.

 

[Eryk]

I think some of this is a throwback to colonialism when the non-Christian world was considered primitive. A world of superstition and demonic magic. And the assumption that people who are foreign to us are foreign to God - the being who creates them and sustains them.

One thing to be gained from the study of other traditions is a respect for all that is good and true in them. We can debate truth-claims. But there's no denying that other people have souls and they are seeking the truth with the intellect that God gave them, a God they love, a God who hears them. He loves everyone. Why should we be jealous?

What is the "outside" world? There is no denying that Christianity has been influenced from without: Greek philosophers and Zoroastrianism have left their mark and Evangelicals have moralized Austrian economics in our own time. Certain crucial ideas emerged in a cosmopolitan, global culture. There has always been some syncretism because that's what happens when people are exposed to ideas.

Lastly, I have to say that American Christians are every bit as enthralled by visual culture (sports and tee vee) as any idol-worshiping pagan. Celebrities are our idols, and some of them are pastors.

 

[Arthra]

"Pagan" originally referred to earlier religions in the country because Christianity spead first through urban centers in the Roman Empire...

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=pagan

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

"Pagan" originally referred to earlier religions in the country because Christianity spead first through urban centers in the Roman Empire...

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=pagan

Another suggested etymology is that Christians regarded themselves as "soldiers for Christ" and derogatorily refered to non-members as "civilians" ("paganus")

http://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/paganus.html

 

[juvenissun]

What is the difference between other faiths and Christianity? What is the difference between Paganism and Christianity? Why did Jesus tell us to 'treat them (those who say they are in Christ but who refuse to listen to the Church) as a heathen man?" in Matthew 18:17? If there is a way to treat heathen, how was it ? What is the difference between world religions and Christianity? James 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." 1 John 2:15-19, speaks of the World and the things of the world. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time." WHO IS THE ANTICHRIST.... 1 John 2:22-23 "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also." 2 John 1:7 "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

How are Christians to treat Worldly religions or otherwise, World Religions? Are World Religions, Pagan Religions? Isn't it strange how James calls them adulteresses and adulterers? Now days, children are learning how to be adulteresses and adulterers before they reach their puberty through public schooling.

Strengthen your Christian faith is the best way to deal with anything in this world, include all other religions.
When your Christian faith is strong enough, you may relate yourself to anything else in your own way.

Before your Christian faith is strong enough, leave the world religions far away.

 

[juvenissun]

Another suggested etymology is that Christians regarded themselves as "soldiers for Christ" and derogatorily refered to non-members as "civilians" ("paganus")

http://faculty.georgetown.edu/jod/paganus.html

There are defending soldiers and offending soldiers. Not every soldier (for Christ) is aggressive in nature.

 

[juvenissun]

It would not be correct to call all religions other than Christianity as Pagan.

Judaism is tied to Christianity.
Other religions ARE pagan. Why not?

 

[Jane_the_Bane]

Strengthen your Christian faith is the best way to deal with anything in this world, include all other religions.
When your Christian faith is strong enough, you may relate yourself to anything else in your own way.

Before your Christian faith is strong enough, leave the world religions far away.

Is it just me, or is this just a fancy way of saying: "Don't expose yourself to other points of view until you've sufficiently indoctrinated yourself"?