Hi Cyberwolf
Sense we have many of us talking on here I thought I’d bring this subject up. I am big on cutting to the meat of an issue.
I’ve seen many Why be Catholic articles but most are aimed at Atheists, Jews and Protestants.
So what reasons would a Neo-Pagan need to be Catholic.
Let us skip over the usual, turn or burn deals also. An of course keep it civil my good men and women. ^.^
That is just like asking a “barbarian” asking “civilized people,” “Why civilization? What are the advantages of being civilized?”
Now I am not saying that pagans are barbarians and we Christians are civilized. No, what I am trying to say is that, as all civilized people were once barbarians, so are
all Christian peoples were once pagans. It can be hard for civilized people to convey to barbarians what are the advantages of being a civilized person, because they have forgotten the reasons why their barbarian ancestors became civilized. And so it is with Christians: we can only say the reasons with difficulty for “why Christianity” because we forgot how to be pagans. We forgot the true reasons why our ancestors converted to the ancient Christianity (which is Catholicism).
Therefore, the best way to answer your question, Cyberwolf, is to look at history. It is best to know the answers of our ancestors as to “Why Catholicism?” because they were the true pagans, with no previous knowledge of Christianity, and yet were converted to Catholicism.
Before I go on any further, I would have to say that the reason this is my answer to your question, a look back into history, is because this is the path into which I was fully convinced of Catholicism: history. What will follow is my own findings of that studying of history. I do not know if you will make the same conclusions, or if you would be convinced by the same things that convinced me, but at least hear me out.
Now, Cyberwolf, a preliminary survey of history from ancient times til now showed me the honesty of pagans like you to label yourselves “Neo-Pagans”: your paganism is truly “Neo,” truly new.
There is no historical evidence that any of the Western pagan cults survived from the ancient times til now. There may be rumors here and there of centers of sporadic pagan worship, but
there is no linear progression, no tradition, no generations of worshipers passing down their teachings of pagan rituals and teachings from the ancient times til now. What we have evidence of the recent spread of paganism in the West is people of
Christian ancestry creating pagan cults based on written accounts of ancient pagan worship.
In other words,
the Western world, at one point (specifically the end of the Dark Ages), totally abandoned paganism. That is my first answer to your question. If a whole continent (Europe) abandoned paganism for Christianity, then surely these people, our ancestors, found Christianity, the new religion, better than paganism, the religion they grew up with, right?
But what is this particular quality of Christianity that made it better than paganism? Why is Christianity so much better than paganism that a whole continent abandoned their old beliefs and embraced the new? The answer would be found in reading the accounts of the emergence of Christianity in its birth place: the Roman Empire. And it is an answer that is so strange to those great ancient Romans, but it is as equally strange to all the pleasure-centered people of today.
Joy.
**
Joy is the main difference between paganism and Christianity.** The joy of Catholicism was never seen by the pagan peoples before, and it was frightening to them. Sure, the Romans were courageous; they were the conquerors of the known world, after all. But they have never seen anything like the sight of men, women, and children singing their praises to their God while they were being crucified, eaten by wild beasts, beheaded, tortured. And the Romans knew pleasure; they were famous for their debauchery and feasts, after all. And yet they saw Christians who were more joyful in being dishonored, in being imprisoned, in being killed, than they could ever be.
Joy is the answer and invitation of Christianity to the world, and joy is the challenge for Christians today. It is actually quite sad that Neo-Pagans like you, Cyberwolf, have to ask “why Catholicism?” when the reason should have been in plain sight whenever you meet a Catholic. And yet I am also glad that you
did ask, for we need to remember this today.
Any Catholic has, within his reach, indescribable, radiant joy, joy that can be experienced, not just in Heaven, but in the here and now. If joy is only meant for Heaven, then what of the martyrs and saints who showed us their joy while here on Earth? All Catholics have no excuse to not experience it, for it is their birthright, and no Catholic should hide it, for it is their legacy. It is time for us Catholics to be joyful and share this joy of Christ with our brothers and sisters.
