Christian Paganism?

[essentials]

*Moderator Comment*--- This topic has been split-off from another, unrelated topic. The discussion started with essential's post below:

Well, if they believe in Jesus they are good. Their Law and covenant with God was fulfilled in Christ, they now must abide in Christ. I s'posse if they do not abide in Christ than they are as screwed as any pagan.

What about a Pagan who believes in Jesus? My understanding of Paganism is any belief that has a great respect for the Earth and the creatures that dwell therein. I think it's possible to be a Christian Pagan and it's something I'm looking into...

 

[Cheyenne K]

Well, if they believe in Jesus they are good. Their Law and covenant with God was fulfilled in Christ, they now must abide in Christ. I s'posse if they do not abide in Christ than they are as screwed as any pagan.

What about a Pagan who believes in Jesus? My understanding of Paganism is any belief that has a great respect for the Earth and the creatures that dwell therein. I think it's possible to be a Christian Pagan and it's something I'm looking into...

I used to think so, but I have to respectfully disagree here. I used to fall in this category, and I was very much unsaved. Once one begins to accept outside doctrines, an idol is being placed before them. If the "Pagan" was Christian, the Holy spirit would most assuredly led them from Paganism. Besides, from my understanding of Christianity, Christians should have a great respect for the Earth and its creatures. However, this is not to make the Creation an idol, which is what Pagans tend to do.


And, back to the question at hand...


If the Jew has accepted Jesus, then yes, they will. So Messianic Jews may be included here. But none can come to the Father except through Christ, so I believe that unless the Jew has accepted Christ, they are simply lost as is much of the world. Christ came to fulfill their prophecies. If they didn't accept Him, they are just as the others who do the same.

 

[Pard]

Well, if they believe in Jesus they are good. Their Law and covenant with God was fulfilled in Christ, they now must abide in Christ. I s'posse if they do not abide in Christ than they are as screwed as any pagan.

What about a Pagan who believes in Jesus? My understanding of Paganism is any belief that has a great respect for the Earth and the creatures that dwell therein. I think it's possible to be a Christian Pagan and it's something I'm looking into...

You'd be very wrong. A pagan is someone who does not believe in our Lord, Elohim.

http://eastonsbibledictionary.com/pagan.htm

To be pagan means to be anything besides Christian, Jewish, or Muslom. Mormons are pagans, JW are pagans, Hindis are pagans, ect. ect.

 

[Oats]

I dont know...I think it's definately possible. But then again I don't see God as a human entity, rather nature itself. God is a primal energy and Pagans seem in touch with that primal side of things...

Be careful essentials....

 

[jasoncran]

god isnt primal energy, if he was then he wouldnt be adressable nor reachable as in all panthiestic world views. god isnt approachable and isnt personable.

 

[essentials]

God created the universe didn't he? That means God is an ancient, primal, creative force of nature. He is not a big dude with a beard sitting up in the clouds making things happen.

 

[Mike]

As this had become a form of debate, I'm moving this topic to "Christianity & Other Religions".

Debating is not to be done in "Christian Talk & Advice".

Leaving a shadow, directing traffic to new forum.

 

[jasoncran]

God created the universe didn't he? That means God is an ancient, primal, creative force of nature. He is not a big dude with a beard sitting up in the clouds making things happen.

but that doenst make him a panthiest god, he is seperate from his creation.
you are thinking of the idea of the prime mover.

 

[essentials]

Oh ok. Whats the prime mover?

 

[essentials]

Also, I don't see why there can't be a Pagan Christianity, but that does depend on your understanding of Paganism...

 

[jasoncran]

Also, I don't see why there can't be a Pagan Christianity, but that does depend on your understanding of Paganism...

because of romans 1 excludes the worship of the creation. we are worship god alone.

the prime mover is a philosophical idea of something that inaited the big bang.

 

[essentials]

I can definately see your point, but I always thought Paganism meant having a great RESPECT for the Earth, not necessarily worship of it. I could be wrong though.

 

[jasoncran]

I can definately see your point, but I always thought Paganism meant having a great RESPECT for the Earth, not necessarily worship of it. I could be wrong though.

we are called to be caretakers of the earth, not the worshipers of it.

 

[Pard]

I can definately see your point, but I always thought Paganism meant having a great RESPECT for the Earth, not necessarily worship of it. I could be wrong though.

Again... Paganism means to believe in anything other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.

Pagans do not have to believe in nature and earth and junk, they can believe in a twenty legged elephant with an ostrich head... or they can be a hindu, or a toa, or budhist...

What you are talking about is like that druid religion from Wales... or some form of the new age/environmental religion.

To be a Christian Pagan is literally impossible, because they are mutually exclusive from one another.

 

[seekandlisten]

[
Paganism means to believe in anything other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.

True. To expand a little more, the term 'pagan' is the equivalent of the term 'gentile' to the Jews. It is usually used in a negative way towards religions that aren't of the Abrahamic tradition and is comparable to the terms 'heathen' or 'infidel'. Ethnologists tend to avoid the term and instead use the more precise categories of polytheism, shamanism, pantheism, and animism.

cheers

 

[jasoncran]

the jews dont exactly consider islam a fellow worshiper of yahweh and call muslims worse things then gentiles.

i made sure that i didnt enter my grandparents house with sandals on when my grandpa was alive. he would call me an arab, and it wasnt a compliment when he said it that way.

 

[Pard]

[
Paganism means to believe in anything other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.

True. To expand a little more, the term 'pagan' is the equivalent of the term 'gentile' to the Jews. It is usually used in a negative way towards religions that aren't of the Abrahamic tradition and is comparable to the terms 'heathen' or 'infidel'. Ethnologists tend to avoid the term and instead use the more precise categories of polytheism, shamanism, pantheism, and animism.

cheers

To many words... I'll stick with the one the Bible uses ;)

And Jason,

I believe the adoption of Muslims into the realm of un-pagan is a very new thing, as back in the day they were called pagans, like the rest of 'um. I personally consider the adoption of Muslims into the same grouping as Christians and Jews more of a political correct thing. I don't want to start arguing about this... so let's carry on.

 

[jasoncran]

i know that, i had to adress that comment as being a christian first then also of hebrew lineage/influence i cringe when some call islam an abramahic religion being the same level as judaism. they have things in common but the muslim doenst even read the torah or call the god of isreal yhwh, but allah..
odd when arabic and hebrew are very close, the name should be alot closer the el/allah link.

not back to topic for me.

 

[logical bob]

Paganism means to believe in anything other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.

True. To expand a little more, the term 'pagan' is the equivalent of the term 'gentile' to the Jews. It is usually used in a negative way towards religions that aren't of the Abrahamic tradition and is comparable to the terms 'heathen' or 'infidel'. Ethnologists tend to avoid the term and instead use the more precise categories of polytheism, shamanism, pantheism, and animism.

cheers

To many words... I'll stick with the one the Bible uses ;)

If your Bible uses the word paganism then the translator is paraphrsing too much. With respect to both of you, the word isn't to do with Abrahamic religion. It comes from the Latin paganus which means country dweller. It was the equivalent of calling someone a hick or a redneck. It took on a religious meaning when the educated city folk became Christian while older practices, now looked down on as backward and superstitious, survived in the country. In a religious context it's fourth century at the earliest, so it doesn't feature in the Bible.

 

[jasoncran]

by that definition i'm a pagan then.