Why do other faiths believe we have pagan roots?

[Church_Militant]

Apparently Carmen thinks we don’t know the full Gospel and need to be told of who this Jesus is ??

Maybe…more likely she is parroting the stuff she has been taught by various anti-Catholic preachers and teachers and has not yet discovered (as I did. See My Testimony) that they are either grossly ignorant of Christian history and doctrine or they willfully choose to misrepresent Catholic teachings for the sake of filthy lucre and deceive people about Catholicism.

I found that most of them were badly misinformed but very sincere.

I think Carmen, you really have to get educated on what the Catholic Faith is and what the Catholic Faith is not because in doing so it shows a real ignorance. But of course, people who tend to think Catholicism began with Constantine and has Pagan roots are truly ignorant of the Catholic Faith. Obviously.

Indeed. And at least she has come to a good place to get schooled as to the facts so that she can then decide for herself. If she’ll only listen and not stick to the party line she has been taught.

And of course, Carmen, if you keep telling us the “4 Spiritual Laws” we’ll keep trying to fill in the massive gap you’ve left behind

Yeah…I’ve probably known those longer than she’s even been alive.
My response to them and most all of the rest of n-C evangelistic material can be summed up in my blog article called Who REALLY Preaches “A Different Gospel”?

 

[SjMelnychuk]

Maybe…more likely she is parroting the stuff she has been taught by various anti-Catholic preachers and teachers and has not yet discovered (as I did. See My Testimony) that they are either grossly ignorant of Christian history and doctrine or they willfully choose to misrepresent Catholic teachings for the sake of filthy lucre and deceive people about Catholicism.

I found that most of them were badly misinformed but very sincere.
Indeed. And at least she has come to a good place to get schooled as to the facts so that she can then decide for herself. If she’ll only listen and not stick to the party line she has been taught.
Yeah…I’ve probably known those longer than she’s even been alive.
My response to them and most all of the rest of n-C evangelistic material can be summed up in my blog article called Who REALLY Preaches “A Different Gospel”?

Ya, I understand…

I’ve been there. My family is Catholic. My Grandmother was a devout Catholic and so were her parents. I also come from a pioneering family originally from a part of Ireland that still to this day is about 98% Catholic in population. Though, the Norwegian side of my mothers family is Lutheran / Anglican. My Grandfather’s generation became Freemasons… that said, in my family history, the first Lutheran Priest to ever attend Catholic Mass in all of Lutheran history was at my parents wedding. I think I was destined to be involved in Protestant / Catholic dialogue

My older sisters were involved in a Pentecostal Youth Group. That’s how I got connected with the Pentecostal Church. I got involved with ministry, went to Bible College. At first I was believing the anti-Catholic dogma. Then prior to my days in Bible College I began to research the Catholic faith. I went to sources that at the time I was comfortable with. I grew in knowledge of the Catholic faith to the point where, as a Protestant instead of becoming anti-Catholic I respected the Catholic faith and basically said, I don’t know enough of the Catholic faith to really judge. So I remained open to learning what I could when I could. Then a few years back a few of my friends were starting to convert to the Catholic Church. I wanted to find out the reasons why. So I asked them. I didn’t engage in the conversation with the notion that I knew more than they did and didn’t believe they were walking away from salvation or anything. By then, I had the opinion that it didn’t matter if you were Protestant or Catholic. Well, in conversation with them I learned about Catholic Apologists and eventually found Catholic Answers. So, last Easter I came into the Catholic Church. I mean, I had such a strong belief that the bible was authority and I couldn’t argue against the Catholic Apologists and despite my fondness of the Evangelical Church I had been attending by that time, and despite the fact that in the past Mass always made me fall asleep and I just really enjoyed the worship in the Protestant Church … I followed in obedience. I couldn’t deny the Catholic Church being the Church Jesus founded so it didn’t make sense for me to remain in partial truth anymore. I surprised myself as much as I surprised those around me. If you had told me that I’d join the Catholic Church a few years ago I would have laughed. Now that it’s been a year I see things differently and I really enjoy Mass and of course Eucharist Adoration. I mean, I always hungered and thirst for more … I’d spend hours in worship and it never felt like enough. I always felt like I was missing something. And sure enough I realized what that was. That all said, I’ll always respect the Protestant tradition because if it were not for the Pentecostal and Missionary - Alliance Church and the Charismatic movement I’d not be a Christian today let alone Catholic. All this to say, is that I remember the time I was very ignorant of the Catholic faith. My journey home took 22 years. It was a slow process but I appreciate the process. My choice to become Catholic wasn’t based upon feelings like all the times I went up to the alter calls to get saved again and again and again and again and again … anybody else been there? Then I came to appreciate the Sacramental life of a Catholic and grace and mercy discovered. I soon realized that all the resources I were comfortable with were really materials written by fundamentalists who had either a very poor catechises growing up or they were just misinformed… seriously misinformed.

I’ll have to check out your blog article you posted. Looks like an interesting one

 

[carmenp1]

Maybe…more likely she is parroting the stuff she has been taught by various anti-Catholic preachers and teachers and has not yet discovered (as I did. See My Testimony) that they are either grossly ignorant of Christian history and doctrine or they willfully choose to misrepresent Catholic teachings for the sake of filthy lucre and deceive people about Catholicism.

I found that most of them were badly misinformed but very sincere.
Indeed. And at least she has come to a good place to get schooled as to the facts so that she can then decide for herself. If she’ll only listen and not stick to the party line she has been taught.
Yeah…I’ve probably known those longer than she’s even been alive.
My response to them and most all of the rest of n-C evangelistic material can be summed up in my blog article called Who REALLY Preaches “A Different Gospel”?

Your mean comments about me are very insulting and hurtful. If I have made personal assaults on you or anyone, I apologize. But I know I have not!

How can you go making assumptions about me? You have no idea what I have learnt and Who taught me. I have not, as you, proclaim so glibbly that I am spouting what anti-catholics have fed me.

I have not said anything except what God has done for me, that is my testimony. The other things I have spoken about are scripture. The two things are interactive. My testamony is a result of putting my faith in God’s Word. You are close minded to my testimony.

I was raised a catholic. I was taught by nuns. I attended catholic schools. This thread is asking why do other faiths believe we have pagan roots? I submitted a post of why I came to believe that it did have pagan roots. It is incredibly uncharitable to attack and try to humiliate me because I dared to answer the question. It was after reading the book I cited that I believed I had made the right decision in believing scripture and I did get saved.

This forum is biased when I see how you are free to ridicule me without any repurcusions.

You flatter yourself, making yourself superior to me by putting me down. I know I am nothing special. Without God, I am nothing. I am disappointed and hurt to see such un-Christian demeaning comments made about me.

I will tell you who taught me. God taught me. My husband had spent one year selling off our possessions before he left me in Launceston with a disabled son and $5.

God had started to teach me to depend on Him before my world fell apart. He knew what was going to happen. Because He did that, I just clung to Him. Spent hours in prayer at home. I spent 13 years in Tasmania, on my own and cried every day. I had my children and I had God. I still had my children because of God.

I don’t think you want me to elaborate and tell you my whole testimony. My testimony is about how God salvaged my broken life, delivered me from a demon that had attached itself to me when I was a child living in a house that had a lot oif demonic activity. He changed me and brought me into a close relationship with Him through devastating and heartbreaking life experiences that ensued after my husband left to today.

That is my defends. God instructed me. How does this make me anti-Catholic? My whole family are catholics. It was my idea for the whole family to take our mother to midnight mass when she turned 80 years. Her birthday is on Christmas day.

You don’t know anything about me.
Carmen:crying::crying::bighanky::blackeye:

 

[Randy_Carson]

Let God be true and every man a liar

Carmen

Carmen-

Between AD 30 and AD 50, before the books of the New Testament were written, what was the practice of the Earliest Christians regarding the baptism of infants?

And how do you know?

 

[carmenp1]

Carmen-

Between AD 30 and AD 50, before the books of the New Testament were written, what was the practice of the Earliest Christians regarding the baptism of infants?

And how do you know?

Randy, I have no idea.

I have read some comments posted about me which have really upset me. If I post any more responses and attract further humiliating and deeming assumptions of my character and what and who I have been taught to believe Scripture or God or accuse me of anti - catholic or deliberately making spewing lies to attack the Catholic church… I can’t cope emotional. I cry every time I remember what has been said about me.
So, I have no idea. I can’t answer your question.
Sorry. I think you are great. Its been good having these discussions with you. Without our different view points becoming personally denegreating.
Carmen

 

[benotagoat]

Carmen ,it is the same Catholics who defended the scandals who attack you because the truth hurts . The RCC does not have pagan roots ,but does have many pagan attitudes and practices .As a result many people in the Church do not know their God ,nor what He said, because they are told what to think by the clerical structure . They are encouraged to go to priests ,to read the catechism,to follow additions, to that which God ordained .Like me you have found what it is to be supported by Him ,to get to know Him without the filter of saints and clergy ,and it is a joyful thing, and changes your life .

The structure of the Church was necessary in the past when there was no universal education , travel and so on . It is however like any structure ,schools etc ,parents meant to be a basis from which when we are mature and we evolve beyond . Through the use of fear and rigid structures we have been made to believe that if we leave the Church it is because we are ‘bad’ .
You were not allowed to mature spritually in the church ,because even the priests have been not allowed to do so as a result of the 'infallibility ’ structure of the Pope which was strengthened in the late 19th century and has been a disaster for the whole Church ,especially well meaning priests who cannot develop their creative relationship with God, and their parishioners , for fear of offending some of a distant hierarchy .

 

[slh3016]

You were not allowed to mature spritually in the church ,because even the priests have been not allowed to do so as a result of the 'infallibility ’ structure of the Pope which was strengthened in the late 19th century and has been a disaster for the whole Church ,especially well meaning priests who cannot develop their creative relationship with God, and their parishioners , for fear of offending some of a distant hierarchy .

This absolutely makes no sense. How has anyone not allowed Carmen to grow spiritually? That is an insult to the church and to Carmen. I am on my way into the Catholic Church from outside of her, and I can tell you firsthand, that there are much more spiritual truths and richness in the history and teaching of the Catholic Church than all of Protestantism. One just has to make an effort to search for it. Without seeking it in the church, you’ll never find it.

As for “creative relationship”, what exactly does that mean?

 

[Church_Militant]

Your mean comments about me are very insulting and hurtful. If I have made personal assaults on you or anyone, I apologize. But I know I have not!

I posted nothing mean and if you took it that way then you are not reading what I am writing. My arguments are objective and impersonal. They are factual based upon my own experience with other n-Cs I have interacted with here on CAF and in real life.

How can you go making assumptions about me? You have no idea what I have learnt and Who taught me. I have not, as you, proclaim so glibbly that I am spouting what anti-catholics have fed me.

One can only assess your posts based upon what you have so far offered and almost all of it has been a rehash of the anti-Catholic propaganda that has been widely fed to people like you. It’s not your fault, but at the same time you need to realize that we’ve been answering that sort of stuff since it first came out. Look at the answers we have given and then compare your sources with objective historical facts and you’ll soon see there’s a big difference.

I have not said anything except what God has done for me, that is my testimony. The other things I have spoken about are scripture. The two things are interactive. My testamony is a result of putting my faith in God’s Word. You are close minded to my testimony.

Which is fine so far as it goes, but it is not relevant to this discussion of why some n-Cs “believe we have pagan roots” which, so far, you have tried to tell us was true, when we know better.

I was raised a catholic. I was taught by nuns. I attended catholic schools. This thread is asking why do other faiths believe we have pagan roots? I submitted a post of why I came to believe that it did have pagan roots. It is incredibly uncharitable to attack and try to humiliate me because I dared to answer the question. It was after reading the book I cited that I believed I had made the right decision in believing scripture and I did get saved.

No…it’s not, and you have not been “attacked”. In fact, I and everyone else here has been quite charitable in that we have only dealt with your arguments and said nothing about you personally aside from expressing the suspicion that these are all just things that you have read and/or been taught.

Your “conversion” away from your Catholic faith is another matter, but again, that’s most often a case of not being well taught in it to begin with. I too grew up in the faith and in Catholic schools, and yet (if you read My Testimony) you see that I did not pay much attention and so was easy prey for n-C “witnessing” and evangelism. That’s just how it is. However, it was because I sought truth at all costs and wherever it led that I discovered the errors I had been taught and came home to the Catholic faith. There are a lot of us here on CAF and you can expect to routinely be challenged on any and all errors and encouraged to come home as well. If that upsets you, then perhaps you need to decide if these discussions are for you…I know there are a lot of n-C/a-C forums where you might feel very comfortable…but you can rest assured that you will not find the truth about the Catholic faith there.

This forum is biased when I see how you are free to ridicule me without any repurcusions.

That’s silly…and something you need to take up with the moderator Michael Francis because CAF has specific rules and guidelines .

You flatter yourself, making yourself superior to me by putting me down. I know I am nothing special. Without God, I am nothing. I am disappointed and hurt to see such un-Christian demeaning comments made about me.

No one has done any such thing. If you don’t believe that stuff then why did you post it. I mean, what else do any of us have to go by? Our Lord even tells us, "…from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. " (Luke 6:45)

I will tell you who taught me. God taught me. My husband had spent one year selling off our possessions before he left me in Launceston with a disabled son and $5.

I’m very sorry that happened to you Carmen. It was unjust…but…that has nothing to do with this discussion, okay.

…snip…

That is my defends. God instructed me. How does this make me anti-Catholic? My whole family are catholics. It was my idea for the whole family to take our mother to midnight mass when she turned 80 years. Her birthday is on Christmas day.

You don’t know anything about me.
Carmen

:console: Look…no one here hates you or wishes you ill, and we certainly rejoice in your steadfast faith that has helped you in your very difficult times. Thanks be to God for that! But if you present arguments against the Catholic faith that are erroneous and denigrating, whether you meant them that way or not…I hope you can also understand how we find that they “are very insulting and hurtful”

 

[Church_Militant]

Randy, I have no idea.

I have read some comments posted about me which have really upset me. If I post any more responses and attract further humiliating and deeming assumptions of my character and what and who I have been taught to believe Scripture or God or accuse me of anti - catholic or deliberately making spewing lies to attack the Catholic church… I can’t cope emotional. I cry every time I remember what has been said about me.
So, I have no idea. I can’t answer your question.
Sorry. I think you are great. Its been good having these discussions with you. Without our different view points becoming personally denegreating.
Carmen

Carmen, you have no idea because you have not been taught to look at what the early Christians wrote. That’s why I offered the article I wrote on infant baptism…it shows that the early church were indeed Catholics and even called themselves that. this is not your fault, but if you want truth you have to go find the facts so you can make an informed prayerful decision.

Carmen ,it is the same Catholics who defended the scandals who attack you because the truth hurts . The RCC does not have pagan roots ,but does have many pagan attitudes and practices .As a result many people in the Church do not know their God ,nor what He said, because they are told what to think by the clerical structure . They are encouraged to go to priests ,to read the catechism,to follow additions, to that which God ordained .Like me you have found what it is to be supported by Him ,to get to know Him without the filter of saints and clergy ,and it is a joyful thing, and changes your life .

The structure of the Church was necessary in the past when there was no universal education , travel and so on . It is however like any structure ,schools etc ,parents meant to be a basis from which when we are mature and we evolve beyond . Through the use of fear and rigid structures we have been made to believe that if we leave the Church it is because we are ‘bad’ .
You were not allowed to mature spritually in the church ,because even the priests have been not allowed to do so as a result of the 'infallibility ’ structure of the Pope which was strengthened in the late 19th century and has been a disaster for the whole Church ,especially well meaning priests who cannot develop their creative relationship with God, and their parishioners , for fear of offending some of a distant hierarchy .

This is totally untrue. I was never in any such situation. I was just a dumb kid that never listened and so when I did begin to value truth and seek God the Holy Spirit led me home to the Catholic Church.

Your statements are untrue, and I challenge you to list these so called “many pagan attitudes and practices” so we can expose them to the light and show them to be false.

This absolutely makes no sense. How has anyone not allowed Carmen to grow spiritually? That is an insult to the church and to Carmen. I am on my way into the Catholic Church from outside of her, and I can tell you firsthand, that there are much more spiritual truths and richness in the history and teaching of the Catholic Church than all of Protestantism. One just has to make an effort to search for it. Without seeking it in the church, you’ll never find it.

As for “creative relationship”, what exactly does that mean?

Agreed! I’ve always said that asking n-Cs about the Catholic faith is about like asking a garbageman about rocket science. Truly as the Bible says , "My people are ruined for lack of knowledge!" (Hosea 4:6)

 

[benotagoat]

This absolutely makes no sense. How has anyone not allowed Carmen to grow spiritually? That is an insult to the church and to Carmen. I am on my way into the Catholic Church from outside of her, and I can tell you firsthand, that there are much more spiritual truths and richness in the history and teaching of the Catholic Church than all of Protestantism. One just has to make an effort to search for it. Without seeking it in the church, you’ll never find it.

As for “creative relationship”, what exactly does that mean?

I am sorry but your experience of the Church is recent and of short history .The Church has certainly improved ,but it had to be pushed to do so . I know more about her positives and lacks than you do and we will leave it at that .I am glad that you are having a positive experience really I am ,and there is much that is positive indeed .

 

[slh3016]

I am sorry but your experience of the Church is recent and of short history .The Church has certainly improved ,but it had to be pushed to do so . I know more about her positives and lacks than you do and we will leave it at that .I am glad that you are having a positive experience really I am ,and there is much that is positive indeed .

No, I’m looking at the WHOLE history of the church, which Protestantism does not give a person. Church history (warts and all) didn’t just occur in the last 500 years. I’m sorry you had a bad experience in the Catholic Church, but I know plenty of people that had bad experiences in a Protestant church. I’d rather have Truth than some “feel good”, yuppyish, shallow faith that is prevalent in our culture today.

 

[Ignatius]

Randy, I have no idea.

I have read some comments posted about me which have really upset me. If I post any more responses and attract further humiliating and deeming assumptions of my character and what and who I have been taught to believe Scripture or God or accuse me of anti - catholic or deliberately making spewing lies to attack the Catholic church… I can’t cope emotional. I cry every time I remember what has been said about me.
So, I have no idea. I can’t answer your question.
Sorry. I think you are great. Its been good having these discussions with you. Without our different view points becoming personally denegreating.
Carmen

Really? In all Charity, Try being a Catholic posting on the CARM website!

 

[Mousey]

Carmen ,it is the same Catholics who defended the scandals who attack you because the truth hurts

.
Would you like to defend this statement by providing proof? I don’t think you could provide any evidence of it being true. No one has attacked her and I know of no one who has defended the scandals. She has been asked to defend her false statements which she can’t do so she plays the hurt person who can’t answer because she so misunderstood.

The RCC does not have pagan roots ,but does have many pagan attitudes and practices

.
I am glad that you recognize that she was wrong. Now can you provide proof of pagan attitudes and practices?

As a result many people in the Church do not know their God ,nor what He said, because they are told what to think by the clerical structure . They are encouraged to go to priests ,to read the catechism,to follow additions, to that which God ordained .Like me you have found what it is to be supported by Him ,to get to know Him without the filter of saints and clergy ,and it is a joyful thing, and changes your life .

Really? Hmmmm I don’t recall anyone telling me what to think. How do you know this?

The structure of the Church was necessary in the past when there was no universal education , travel and so on . It is however like any structure ,schools etc ,parents meant to be a basis from which when we are mature and we evolve beyond . Through the use of fear and rigid structures we have been made to believe that if we leave the Church it is because we are ‘bad’ .

Interesting, not based in fact but interesting.

You were not allowed to mature spritually in the church ,because even the priests have been not allowed to do so as a result of the 'infallibility ’ structure of the Pope which was strengthened in the late 19th century and has been a disaster for the whole Church ,especially well meaning priests who cannot develop their creative relationship with God, and their parishioners , for fear of offending some of a distant hierarchy .

Wow! Where is your proof? How do you know what kind of relationship they do or do not have? The disaster was deciding that you can make your own religion and say that it was what God wanted. That was a disaster that led to the splintering of people away from the truth of Church Christ established.

 

[Mousey]

Agreed! I’ve always said that asking n-Cs about the Catholic faith is about like asking a garbageman about rocket science. Truly as the Bible says , "My people are ruined for lack of knowledge!" (Hosea 4:6)

Doubly true of those who left the faith.

 

[Randy_Carson]

Anyway, I did want to pass on some info re your question.

Mother and child worship: Babylon had goddess mother Semiramis, her child Tammuz in her arms. Chinese had Shingmoo or the "Holy Mother. Child in her arms, rays of glory around her head. Germans worshipped the virgin Hertha, with child in her arms. The Etruscans Nutria, Scandinavians Disa, with a child. The Druids, the Virgo-Patitura was worshipped as the “Mother of God”

In pagan religion, the mother was worshipped more than the son. Catholic teaching: pray to Mary, she will take your petition to her son. Inferring she is more compassionate than Jesus.

Checked my bible. John 14:6 "Jesus said to him “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” I guess that means you shouldn’t be going thru Mary but directly to Jesus…hmm

Attempts to exalt Mary eg “immaculate conception” to make Mary more closely resemble the goddess of paganism. Myths had the goddess having a supernatural conception. Church doctrine says Mary was born without the stain of sin. Bible search: Romans 3:23 “All have sinned (except Jesus)” Luke 1:46 "And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior” Mary says she needed a Savior.

Prayers to saints. Buddhists had their deities, goddess of sailors, the god of war on and on. Ancient Rome had Brighit, goddess od smiths and poetry. Juno Regina, goddess of womanhood and marriage. These merged into the church. Gods & goddesses renamed saints. Bible search: Ephesians 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus”. Saints were alive not dead. I read Isaiah 8:19 “Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living?” If we want a saint to pray for us, it must be a living person. Pictures of saints have halos. Artists, sculptors of Babylon used the disk or aureola around gods and goddesses. Buddha too.

In 63 BC Julius Caesar was recognized as “Pontifex Maximus” In 378 Demasus, bishop of Rome, was elected Pontifex Maximus" official high priest of the mysteries. Title “Pontifex Maximus” repeatedly found on inscriptions at Vatican. Above statue of Peter, in the dome.

Keys to the Kingdom. Pagan god Janus, goddess Cybele had mystic keys. When the Roman emperor claimed to be the successor of the “gods” and the Supreme Pontiff of the mysteries, the keys came to be symbols of his authority. In 378 the bishop of Rome became Pontifex Maximus, he automatically became the possessor of the mystic keys.
Anyway, there is lots more. I have a book “Babylon Mystery Religion” which has far more information than I can pass on throuth the forum.

Hope this helps helps. Reading or researching the bible will also provide a lot of answers.
Carmen

Carmen, in that last line, you strongly imply that we don’t know the scriptures.

Randy, I have no idea.

I have read some comments posted about me which have really upset me. If I post any more responses and attract further humiliating and deeming assumptions of my character and what and who I have been taught to believe Scripture or God or accuse me of anti - catholic or deliberately making spewing lies to attack the Catholic church… I can’t cope emotional. I cry every time I remember what has been said about me.

I’m sorry if you were upset by some of the posts that have been given in response to your own.

However, read what YOU posted above. Based on the extremely inflammatory and erroneous content, what did you expect?

That we would thank you for making false statements about Catholicism?

May I suggest that you go offline for awhile and read a few good books by Catholics for Catholics, and then if you still disagree with Catholic doctrine, we can re-convene to discuss your concerns?

 

[SjMelnychuk]

Your mean comments about me are very insulting and hurtful. If I have made personal assaults on you or anyone, I apologize. But I know I have not!

How can you go making assumptions about me? You have no idea what I have learnt and Who taught me. I have not, as you, proclaim so glibbly that I am spouting what anti-catholics have fed me.

Carmen, we honestly did not attack you personally. We have only challenged what you have posted which ARE very anti-Catholic. FACT, anyone who believes that Catholicism has pagan roots are believing anti-Catholic dogma and we have a right to first defend our faith and second to point out misguided and misleading information. Ignorance is defined as lack of knowledge not a personal attack against ones intelligence.

I have more I’d like to respond to. I will in another comment.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

I have not said anything except what God has done for me, that is my testimony. The other things I have spoken about are scripture. The two things are interactive. My testamony is a result of putting my faith in God’s Word. You are close minded to my testimony.

We are not close minded to your testimony but your testimony is not in line with the context of this thread. If you wish to discuss your belief in the bible as the “authority” there’s another thread called “What’s Your Authority” Then you can state your case there but in this thread we’re discussing "Why people of other faiths believe Catholicism has pagan roots.

I was raised a catholic. I was taught by nuns. I attended catholic schools.

I find it interesting though that the common experience as to why people walk away from their Catholic faith is really because the individual hadn’t been well informed of the Catholic faith. You have highly educated Protestant Theologians converting to the Catholic faith but I have yet to find a highly educated Catholic Theologian convert to the Protestant tradition. Unless you can name a former Catholic Theologian who is now Protestant Theologian?

This thread is asking why do other faiths believe we have pagan roots? I submitted a post of why I came to believe that it did have pagan roots.

And we’re challenging the validity behind your sources and what makes their word according to you, the truth about the Catholic faith, as you seem to trust your sources more than you do the writings of the Early Church Fathers.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

It is incredibly uncharitable to attack and try to humiliate me because I dared to answer the question. It was after reading the book I cited that I believed I had made the right decision in believing scripture and I did get saved.

This forum is biased when I see how you are free to ridicule me without any repurcusions.

You flatter yourself, making yourself superior to me by putting me down. I know I am nothing special. Without God, I am nothing. I am disappointed and hurt to see such un-Christian demeaning comments made about me.

I’m truly sorry if you felt insulted or ridiculed or humiliate you… in any way, I can assure you that’s not our intention. We are and have been responding by challenging your belief about Catholicism having pagan roots.

I will tell you who taught me. God taught me.

Lots of people say God taught them. Mohummad said that, Joseph Smith said that, Chareles Taze Tussle said that. The claim “God taught me” doesn’t validate that what is being said is true. There has to me more then “God taught me” to validate an opinion or an interpretation of Sacred Scripture. However that would be a topic for the thread called “What’s Your Authority” not with a discussion Catholicism and the claims some people have about Catholicism having pagan roots. Many people claim the Catholic faith began with Constantine. There is substantial evidence that proves the Catholic Faith was established by Jesus and His Apostles and carried on through the teachings of the Early Church Fathers.

My husband had spent one year selling off our possessions before he left me in Launceston with a disabled son and $5.

God had started to teach me to depend on Him before my world fell apart. He knew what was going to happen. Because He did that, I just clung to Him. Spent hours in prayer at home.

I’m sorry for the real hardship you faced in life. I thank God and praise God that He made Himself known to you in this dark season you had faced in life. I also Praise God that you found comfort in Gods word during that time in your life and that you learned to depend on Him.

None of us discredit your faith and relationship with Jesus. None of us are diminishing your experiences or where God has lead you. I often say that my experience in the Protestant tradition is a positive one. I wouldn’t be a Christian today if it were not for the Protestant tradition. Through the Protestant tradition I found hope in Christ during a very dark season in my life. That hope found in my Christian faith remains an integral part to my faith journey, hope I didn’t walk away from or reject just because I am now Catholic. However, if somebody falsely believes Catholicism has pagan roots I’m going to discredit any claims as best I can.

The difference I find is this …

Protestants often claim Catholics are not saved and claim Catholics have a works based faith and claim Catholicism has pagan roots. Most Catholic claim Protestant ARE our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are not here to discredit your Christian faith or experiences with God. We are here to discredit misleading and misguided beliefs about the Catholic faith. This site is Called Catholic Answers Forum so it kinda necessitates Catholic Answers within the context of a dialogue. Again, sorry if you felt insulted or humiliated in any way. I hope we can move forward in our dialogue in the peace and love in Christ.

 

[SjMelnychuk]

There’s more I’d like to say but I have to get ready for work but when I settle down at my desk and if I have access to the internet I’ll complete what all I’d like to respond to.

PEACE & LOVE IN CHRIST

 

[SjMelnychuk]

God instructed me. How does this make me anti-Catholic? My whole family are catholics. It was my idea for the whole family to take our mother to midnight mass when she turned 80 years. Her birthday is on Christmas day.

You don’t know anything about me.
Carmen:crying::crying::bighanky::blackeye:

***We are not saying that YOU - CARMEN - are anti-Catholic but have stated that the beliefs of Catholicism having pagan roots is anti-Catholic propaganda. ***

Even my pagan friends who are leaders in a Coven make a clear distinction between the Catholic faith and Paganism. These pagan friends are anti-Catholic. Only God knows how our friendship works. I’ve learned a lot about Paganism through these friends of mine. When I witness to friends who are not Christian I make it a point to learn where it is they’re coming from, I learn about their faith and their belief systems. In the process I ask them questions and actually read some of the articles they suggest for me to read. Of course, I have to use discernment and make sure I’m prayed up before reading through such articles. There are times where I become sensitive to the spiritual battle and in such cases I take a step back where needed. But that all said, I’m not about to tell my Pagan friends I know more about Paganism then they do because in truth I don’t.

I was never anti-Catholic but I had wrongfully believed anti-Catholic propaganda when I mixed with the Pentecostal / Charismatic movement. Had you told me then that I’d become Catholic I would have laughed in your face! Because I too had believed that Catholics worshipped Mary. I didn’t get why Catholics prayed to Mary and the Saints… If we could go directly to God why? I didn’t get confession, why confess to a Priest when I can confess directly to God? I didn’t get it. I too had believed that the Catholic faith was a works based faith and that every Catholic needed a personal relationship with Jesus because I assumed Catholics didn’t have a personal relationship with Jesus. I too believed for a short period of time that Catholicism had pagan roots.

I’ve probably read some of the same stuff you have but eventually I saw that the authors behind the anti-Catholic material had ZERO credibility behind them.

***Really, in addressing this topic we have to ask the tough questions… ***

***WHO REALLY FOUNDED THE CATHOLIC CHURCH? ***

***The anti-Catholic propagandists would have you believe Constantine founded the Catholic Church. ***

***WHO ARE THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS? ***

*While attending a Pentecostal Bible College I was told the Early Church Father’s came after the Apostles and their writings were good reading as it gives us a glimpse of what the early Church was like. I was also told that the additional books in the Catholic Bible were good for reading and didn’t take away from the Bible Protestants were reading. *

***WHY DO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO RESEARCH THE WRITINGS OF THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS? ***

**Because what the Catholic Church teaches today the Early Church Fathers were teaching back then. And what the Early Church Fathers were teaching is consistent with what the Apostles were teaching. The writings of the Early Church Father’s establishes that the Early Church was in fact, Catholic. **

You see, the Bible is a Catholic book! The Catholic Church gave the Bible to the world. Don’t you think that Catholic Theologians would understand their own literature?

By the way Carmen - PEACE & LOVE in Christ !!! :hug1: