Don;t get me wrong, I have no argument with Martin Luther’s stance against corruption.
Just realize that technically he is a heretic and Protestantism is heretical.
Also, the point was not about Martin Luther’s revolt against corruption, but to show that, like the original version of Christianity, it was derived from other religion(s) that preceeded it and was DESIGNED to be popular and win people over. You take Nationalist pride elements, some things from earlier religions that have done well, stir until well blended, and VOILA!
When you trace the origins of Christianity, and compare it to various other religions that existed at the time, it is painfully obvious that Christianity was just a blending of existing religions with a few new elements. And knowing that, and when looking at the story of the ressurection of Christ in particular and comparing it to the Mithraic myth cycle… well, the “truth” of it becomes a bit hard to believe. I just don;t see TWO religions in the same area having identical tales of a ressurection, seperated in history by 300 years, and the LATER one is the Gospel Truth. Far more likely, the later religion stole the entire myth and integrated into their own new religion (Occams Razor).
And if you acknowledge that the ressurection was a “myth theft”, then there is not a hell of a lot of “truth” left to anchor Christianity anymore, is there?
NC - there was a lot more to Christ than his resurrection. (also note that Christ is not the first Biblical person to have died and resurrected according to the Bible).
Also i’m not so sure that Protestants are really considered heretics - unless perspective is the important key here. I have belonged to the Mennonite sect. They have removed any vestige of Catholic or Protestant artifact-of-faith and try to adhere to the New Testament in theology as closely as possible. I suppose that we could be considered heretics, however from a purely doctrinal stance, this is an inaccurate label.
Just going in terms of chronology as far as who is and who is not a heretic.
I mean, most Christians in this area are dead certain that Mormons are heretics, probably almost as certain as the Papacy was that Martin Luther was a heretic (I think they even formally charged him as a heretic).
Yes, there are other resurrections, but the resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christianity. The rest is fluff in all honesty. It is the resurrection that shows without doubt that Christ is the savior of mankind, that demonstrates his divinity, that provides the foundation of everlasting life through salvation, etc.
Remove that anchor point, remove that myth that was taken as whole cloth from Mithraism, and you have stories about a great philosopher and moral leader… perhaps one not too different from Martin Luther King. The resurrection is what MAKES Christianity a successful religion, it embodies all that Christianity is and believes. Without it, you have nothing.
Well, you really need Christ to be God as well. Otherwise he is there with the three others in the Bible who died and were resurrected.
Yes, the mid-winter festival included holly, but holidays come from the conjunction of Holy and Day. You did not work on a Holy Day because it was against the tenaments of the Catholic Church. Thus you had HolyDays or Holidays.
BTW, the original midwinter festival was about being lude, drunk and rude. Christians turned it around into a day of remembrance for Christ and of sharing gifts and good will. Though, it was still a day of drunken lewdness for many centuries until around the turn of the century, last. That’s why America did not officially recognize the day originally, and, in fact, required the government to remain open on that day for decades after our creation.
Remove that anchor point, remove that myth that was taken as whole cloth from Mithraism
why do you suppose that Christianity flourished even though everyone was trying to kill them off and Mithraism died out?
It flourished because it was based on the original religion of the world. A monotheistic deity that based it’s stance on godhood by advocating love, peace and friendship which are aspects that man outwardly desire, even if inwardly we act for war, violence and hate.
Heck, even the Muslims worship the same God the Christians do. It’s just a different prophet they cling too.
Jews, Muslims and Christians worship God.
Pagans worship everything, including themselves. (Depends on your flavor of paganism.)
Polytheists worship multiple gods
Buddists/Scientologists worship themselves
Most scientists worship themselves
Athiests/Agnostics don’t worship anything, but they may or may not conceed that a God exists.
Jen, your last post shows just HOW LITTLE you know of other religions.
You can’t lump Agnostic and Atheist together. They are actually almost diametrically opposed.
And you OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO CLUE about Paganism.
If you can lump Catholics, Mormons, Luthrens, Church of Christ, etc together, I most certainly can lump all pagans together including Wiccans, Druids, etc, as well as Agnostics and Athiests.
Athiest: No God
Agnostic: God, but I don’t care.
Net Effect: Same thing.
Again you show that you know nothign about those religions. Quit while you are behind.
@ncscswitch:
Again you show that you know nothign about those religions. Quit while you are behind.
Just because you are confused on the facts does not mean I do not know what I am saying.
Aethist: no god
Agnostic: there may be a god but i don’t know
Agnostics (in practice) believe that no single religion has a monopoly on Truth, thus they follow no organized religion. Many however are still deeply spiritual and the majority have a strong belief in the Divine.
Atheists believe that NO GOD EXISTS, PERIOD.
Hell of a difference between the two.
@ncscswitch:
Agnostics (in practice) believe that no single religion has a monopoly on Truth, thus they follow no organized religion. Many however are still deeply spiritual and the majority have a strong belief in the Divine.
that sounds more like Bhai(spelling)
@ncscswitch:
Agnostics (in practice) believe that no single religion has a monopoly on Truth, thus they follow no organized religion. Many however are still deeply spiritual and the majority have a strong belief in the Divine.
Atheists believe that NO GOD EXISTS, PERIOD.
Hell of a difference between the two.
if indeed there is a hell . . . :evil:
@ncscswitch:
Agnostics (in practice) believe that no single religion has a monopoly on Truth, thus they follow no organized religion. Many however are still deeply spiritual and the majority have a strong belief in the Divine.
Atheists believe that NO GOD EXISTS, PERIOD.
Hell of a difference between the two.
Treat others as you would be treated (that is common to most religions isn’t it?) Be nice. Be fair. Act with integrity and honor.
I need to learn this from a god or God? If it is from a god, I need to squirm in church on Sunday’s or commune with the Goddess or slaughter some bulls or a lamb or a few infidels?
I would agree with your assesment Switch. No religion has a monopoly on truth. That of course begs the question, “What is the truth?”
Frimmel, being totally honest, I think the only “truth” that REALLY matters is your first sentence above.
@ncscswitch:
Jen, your last post shows just HOW LITTLE you know of other religions.
You can’t lump Agnostic and Atheist together. They are actually almost diametrically opposed.
And you OBVIOUSLY HAVE NO CLUE about Paganism.
The comparison of Buddhism and Scientology is quite humorous, though.
@ncscswitch:
Agnostics (in practice) believe that no single religion has a monopoly on Truth, thus they follow no organized relig
ion. Many however are still deeply spiritual and the majority have a strong belief in the Divine.that sounds more like Bhai(spelling)
Could be Baha’i faith, or Unitarian Universalism…
Back on track…
Another holiday song for everyone…
@ncscswitch:
Agnostics (in practice) believe that no single religion has a monopoly on Truth, thus they follow no organized religion. Many however are still deeply spiritual and the majority have a strong belief in the Divine.
Atheists believe that NO GOD EXISTS, PERIOD.
Hell of a difference between the two.
My brother’s an agnostic. They believe that there may be a God or many gods. They don’t care. They do NOT believe that there is no single monopoly on the Truth. They DON’T CARE.
Athiests believe that they are gods in that they are the pinnacle of life as we know it. No supreme beings exist.
recap:
Agnostic: There are supreme beings, they just don’t care about them.
Athiests: There are no supreme beings.
Net effect: Neither care about surpreme beings. Thus they can be lumped together just as you lump Luthrens, Mormons, Protestants, Christians and Catholics together.
