Pagan/Occult ties to Catholicism?!

[Mamastrocity]

Ok, ok, so I’m not the most well-versed Catholic, I admit, but I have been doing my homework and tonight I read something on a secular message board that reeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaly made my blood boil:

And not only do Christians hate it when you remind them that their holidays were deliberately placed on/around pagan ones (Christmas:Winter Solstice, Easter:Spring Equinox/May Day [hehehe…Hare Club for Men], All Saints Day/Samhaine to name a couple) but they really hate it when you tell them they’re in a blood cult…

Then ask them what they’re drinking after the transubstantiation ritual.

Now, I understand transubstantiation perfectly, and I believe it completely, but I think it’s completely ridiculous to accuse us of being in a “blood cult” because of it. It’s definitely anti-Catholic rhetoric, of that I have no doubt.

It was always my understanding with regard to holidays that we celebrated certain holidays according to the liturgical calendar…and I guess I’m just going to have to study this a bit harder, but please, anything anyone can do to give me a few short cuts would be greatly appreciated…

Perhaps I’m just overly bothered because the guy who said this makes repeated anti-Christian and anti-Catholic statements, and I suspect this guy is a satanist as he’s got a title of “disciple of discordia” on his profile as well as “polygnosticism and the end of the world as we know it” as a catch-phrase.

How do I even begin responding to something (and someone) like this?

 

[Mannyfit75]

And not only do Christians hate it when you remind them that their holidays were deliberately placed on/around pagan ones (Christmas:Winter Solstice, Easter:Spring Equinox/May Day [hehehe…Hare Club for Men], All Saints Day/Samhaine to name a couple) but they really hate it when you tell them they’re in a blood cult…

Then ask them what they’re drinking after the transubstantiation ritual.

Tell them that the wedding ring is pagan in origin as well. Second, early Christians were accused by Pagan Romans of cannibalism because it was believe that Christians ate their God in the Holy Communion.

Pagan origin no. Jesus told us to eat his flesh and drink his blood, and do to this in remembrance of me. The early Mass was often referred to as the breaking of the bread.

Early Christians go to synogues and hear the priests and bishop read Liturgical readings from Scripture then they go their homes and break Bread.

 

[Fidelis]

How do I even begin responding to something (and someone) like this?

Start here:

Is Catholicism Pagan?
catholic.com/library/Is_Catholicism_Pagan.asp

 

[BeeSweet]

Christian’s holidays were not deliberately placed on and around pagan holidays, but instead pagans were converting to Christianity, and brought their traditions with them. They, the pagan converts, the new Christians, Chritianized their pagan traditions. Folks outside the faith want to make it seem as if the church was imposing on the people, when it was the people who were bringing their family traditions in to the church. It’s just backwards thinking, that’s all.

 

[Steadfast_love]

Perhaps I’m just overly bothered because the guy who said this makes repeated anti-Christian and anti-Catholic statements, and I suspect this guy is a satanist as he’s got a title of “disciple of discordia” on his profile as well as “polygnosticism and the end of the world as we know it” as a catch-phrase.

How do I even begin responding to something (and someone) like this?

“disciple of discordia…” The principia discordia is the “bible” of joke religion Discordianism. You can read it online for free, it’s a quick read with some dirty jokes, fairly well written as joke religions go. Anyway, I don’t think its an indication of satanism as much as it is a declaration of irreverence. I mention all this because if you’re not careful, you will be a punchline to his joke religion.

In his own words, his ideal candidate is someone who gets their feathers ruffled **"…they really hate it when you tell them they’re in a blood cult." **

Keep calm, don’t play into his jokes.

 

[Malcolm_McLean]

Christian’s holidays were not deliberately placed on and around pagan holidays, but instead pagans were converting to Christianity, and brought their traditions with them. They, the pagan converts, the new Christians, Chritianized their pagan traditions. Folks outside the faith want to make it seem as if the church was imposing on the people, when it was the people who were bringing their family traditions in to the church. It’s just backwards thinking, that’s all.

What happens is that a legitimate theory or speculation is snipped and then reported by atheist or Wicca type people as an undisputed fact.
For instance Christmas was probably derived by saying that Jesus died on the 25th of March, and would have been conceived on the same day that He died. Add nine months and you obtain 25th December. However some people think it might have been chosen to coincide with Saturnalia. The second theory is picked up, the first one, which has more going for it, is ignored.
Bede reports that the word “Easter” was derived from the name of a Pagan goddess. Naturally that is only of interest to that small proportion of us who speak English - in French it is “Paques”. However Bede might be wrong here, it could be that it is derived from “East” - from where Christ will return on the Last Day.
What we are seeing is actually the reverse. Non-Christians taking over Christian festivals and giving them Pagan meanings.

 

[Maureen44]

  For instance Christmas was probably derived by saying that Jesus died on the 25th of March, and would have been conceived on the same day that He died. Add nine months and you obtain 25th December.

I’m interested in this subject as I am in contact with people who are self proclaimed pagans. I am curious as to why Jesus would have been conceived on the same day he died? I’ve never heard this and just wondered where it comes from. Thanks!

 

[water]

Perhaps I’m just overly bothered …

How do I even begin responding to something (and someone) like this?

Sometimes the best way to deal with this kind of people is not to talk to them directly but to God. Praying for them will be better for you if you find it difficult controlling your emotion when talking with them.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Ok, ok, so I’m not the most well-versed Catholic, I admit, but I have been doing my homework and tonight I read something on a secular message board that reeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaly made my blood boil:

Now, I understand transubstantiation perfectly, and I believe it completely, but I think it’s completely ridiculous to accuse us of being in a “blood cult” because of it. It’s definitely anti-Catholic rhetoric, of that I have no doubt.

It was always my understanding with regard to holidays that we celebrated certain holidays according to the liturgical calendar…and I guess I’m just going to have to study this a bit harder, but please, anything anyone can do to give me a few short cuts would be greatly appreciated…

Perhaps I’m just overly bothered because the guy who said this makes repeated anti-Christian and anti-Catholic statements, and I suspect this guy is a satanist as he’s got a title of “disciple of discordia” on his profile as well as “polygnosticism and the end of the world as we know it” as a catch-phrase.

How do I even begin responding to something (and someone) like this?

My advice: ignore those sites and spend more time here! :dancing:

 

[Mintaka]

Re: “I am curious as to why Jesus would have been conceived on the same day he died? I’ve never heard this and just wondered where it comes from.”

It was just one of those old beliefs running around the ancient world – that famous people often died on their birthdays or the days they were conceived. There was probably some truth to it, as people often try to hang on to life until they’ve celebrated some holiday. (And if you ate food the way some Romans did on their birthdays, you might die, too!) People once made a lot of the fact that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the same July 4th.

There’s probably more to find out about this belief, but I’m not sure where you’d look.

 

[SPH1]

The person making this charge is obviously not a Christian, not merely an anti-Catholic Protestant. Probably a neo-Pagan or atheist.

The seasons do not belong to Pagans: they belong to God. The Holy Catholic Church can set it’s liturgical calendar any way it sees fit.

Nor do Christians engage in pagan worship. Christmas and Easter celebrate Christ…not some pagan deity. I’m certain that real pagans of old did not see Christmas and Easter as furthering their cause.

The Church was largely successful, as paganism largely disappeared until fairly recently.

Tell this guy that he engages in a cult of death: eating meat and even blood (if he takes his steak rare.)