Pagan religions

[vedickings]

Ok i've notes that christians look down on pagan religion (non Bible religions). But I came upon some info about pagan regarding christians.

Did you know that christian theology and philosophy relies heavily on Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus, who were pagan philosophers?

 

[ukok]

I think that the word 'rely' is innapropriate. Christianity has it's foundation in Christ and therefore has no need of relying upon non-Christian philospohers. There are some great philospophers around today, i can think of one particularly, whose work i greatly respect, at least, the little i know of it.

Could you elaborate a little on how you perceive that 'christian theology and philosophy relies heavily on Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus'.

Thankyou.

God Bless.

 

[Bevlina]

Christians are followers of Christ. They rely entirely on their Bible. Please eloborate on where you got your information vedickings?

 

[peaceful soul]

Ok i've notes that christians look down on pagan religion (non Bible religions). But I came upon some info about pagan regarding christians.

Did you know that christian theology and philosophy relies heavily on Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus, who were pagan philosophers?

Quite the opposite. Most of Christianity goes against, for example, Aristotle. Christianity is built upon paradoxical truths, which certainly oppose man's reasoning and logic but yet makes sense.

We do not necessarily look down on other religions. We see the religions as deceptive in spirtual terms. We hate the fact that others have put their faith in something that will lead them away from God.

 

[vedickings]

Christians are followers of Christ. They rely entirely on their Bible. Please eloborate on where you got your information vedickings?

Here you go:
http://www.philosophy.ccsu.edu/adams/Classes/Medieval/History.html
Some stuff in here to.
http://www.biblicalanswers.com/CalvinismUnmasked_ch3.htm

 

[Bevlina]

Thankyou vedickings. But, I'm afraid I would view those sites as being rather suspect.
You see, we rely on the Bible alone. Our pastors, preachers and evangelists rely on the Bible. Christianity is built upon the Truth in the Bible. It always has been, and it always will be.
We don't look down upon pagans. But don't like to see other's leading Christians away from the truth in Christ.

 

[vedickings]

This site is even better IMO:

http://www.mikeblume.com/bodysoul.htm

 

[Bevlina]

No, maybe catholics may lean more towards Aristotal because of Thomas Aquinas, but not Protestants. We are aligned with the complete Word of the Bible and with Jesus through knowing His Word.

 

[HadouKen24]

You have to make a fine distinction between the Bible and your interpretation of it. The text lends itself to many different interpretations. One would have to look closely at what your church teaches to see whether its interpretation was influenced by pagan thought or not, but I'd say the odds are good.

Not that I'm saying it's a bad thing or anything.

BTW, vedickings, you need to make sure you distinguish between ancient classical paganism and neo-paganism. The two aren't the same thing.

 

[wandering_paladin]

Strange that no one mentioned that Plato and Aristotle were absolved by the Catholic Church because they lived before Christ, and judged that they would enter heaven for the truths and wisdom they imparted to future generations. And, if we are talking about the roots of Christianity, I am particularly surprised that no one mentioned Judaism (you know, that religion that came before us that we base almost everything we know upon).

 

[Breetai]

Could you elaborate a little on how you perceive that 'christian theology and philosophy relies heavily on Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus'.

As a Catholic I would've thought that you would already know the answer to this. Roman Catholicism relies heavily on Aristotelian thought and always has. It was during the 16th century that this started to change.

 

[vedickings]

May I ask what is pagan?

 

[ChrisLockhart]

Do you mean Pagan as in polytheism?

 

[vedickings]

Do you mean Pagan as in polytheism?

Well yeah, I guess.

My understanding of pagan is that it mostly means anti Bible, or better, heathen, which mean believeing in no God of any kind.

So pagan is not the right word for hinduism, as hindus believe in God and many Gods as well.

So christians please stop calling hinduism pagan, because is just show that you are being misinform.

peace

 

[ChrisLockhart]

On the surface, Hinduism appears to be polytheistic, because the concept of 'part and parcel' is a difficult one to grasp, especially for those of definite monotheistic religions.

Christians are warned to avoid the worship of other or multiple gods. And with the worship of Krishna, Kali, Ganesh, etc.. it is easy to understand how Christians could misunderstand this. Add to this the practice of diety worship, which to an outsider can appear to be the worship of idols.

Misinformed is correct.. Hinduism is not a Pagan religion. All of these gods (that Christians perceive as multiple gods) are aspects of Brahman. And the diety worship is not worship OF the statue, but rather worship of God by using the statue as a focal point. I'm really reaching here with my (obviously) limited understanding, but it sort of like a girl who's boyfriend is away on vacation, and she keeps a picture of him.. sometimes she will stroke his cheek in the picture and say 'i love you'. She doesn't love the picture.. she loves the boyfriend. It's a poor analogy, but I hope it helps.

I'm trying to explain the way I see things, I hope I'm doing justice. Please clear up any misconceptions that I may have.

 

[vedickings]

I'm really reaching here with my (obviously) limited understanding, but it sort of like a girl who's boyfriend is away on vacation, and she keeps a picture of him.. sometimes she will stroke his cheek in the picture and say 'i love you'. She doesn't love the picture.. she loves the boyfriend. It's a poor analogy, but I hope it helps.

I'm trying to explain the way I see things, I hope I'm doing justice. Please clear up any misconceptions that I may have.

Well, thats about how it works really.

Whats the different between a statue of Jesus and that of Shiva? Christians call us hindus idol worshipper, but an't that of christians as well? Idol mean image of god, so that would mean a statue of Jesus is an image of god right?

 

[Ave Maria]

Well yeah, I guess.

My understanding of pagan is that it mostly means anti Bible, or better, heathen, which mean believeing in no God of any kind.

So pagan is not the right word for hinduism, as hindus believe in God and many Gods as well.

So christians please stop calling hinduism pagan, because is just show that you are being misinform.

peace

Actually, the word Pagan is fairly accurate in describing Hinduism. Check out the dictionary definition of Pagan:

pa·gan (p

g

n) (Religion)
n.1. One who is not a Christian, Muslim, or Jew, especially a worshiper of a polytheistic religion.
2. One who has no religion.
3. A non-Christian.
4. A hedonist.
5. A Neo-Pagan.

adj.1. Not Christian, Muslim, or Jewish.
2. Professing no religion; heathen.
3. Neo-Pagan.

Don't confuse it with Neo-Paganism though:

Ne·o-Pa·gan·ism (n

-p

g

-n

z

m) (Religion)
n. Any of various religious movements arising chiefly in the United Kingdom and the United States in the late 20th century that combine worship of pagan nature deities, particularly of the earth, with benign witchcraft.

Anyway, nice links. I'll check them out later!

 

[JohnnyV]

Pagan originally meant 'Country dweller' .
Now days it means what Holly posted.

 

[Fiendishjester]

The term "Pagan" has a derogatory connotation when used as according to the Christian religion. It's an essentialization of everything non-Abrahamic. It encourages that kind of generalization, which can and does become an extension of ignorance.

 

[AudioArtist]

Why are there Christians who blindly deny even Plato's influence in Christianity?

Even Paul (who was well versed in Greek literature and philosophy as he was well educated) quoted from Plato's "The Republic." What's wrong with admitting that? Paul simply used ideas from Plato to explain the mysteries of Christ in more easy terms (for example, "the things here are but a dim reflection of what is to come" could also be applied to Plato's World Of Forms...of course, here Paul has used it for a different purpose-to explain how Heaven will compare to our experiences with Christ on earth.)