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African spirituality

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
I saw this article about some so called "black christians" and was appalled.

African spirituality offers Black believers 'decolonized' Christianity

Should one follow a syncretic religion? Is it OK to blend the Bible with ideas from pagan nations?

If anyone thinks this is acceptable, perhaps they haven't read Deuteronomy 12:1-3: "These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live upon the earth. 2 You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their elohim, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 3 and you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall hew down the carved images of their elohim; and you shall destroy their name out of that place."

What are your thoughts about this, and does it appall you as much as it appalls me?
 

Brian2

Veteran Member
I saw this article about some so called "black christians" and was appalled.

African spirituality offers Black believers 'decolonized' Christianity

Should one follow a syncretic religion? Is it OK to blend the Bible with ideas from pagan nations?

If anyone thinks this is acceptable, perhaps they haven't read Deuteronomy 12:1-3: "These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live upon the earth. 2 You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their elohim, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 3 and you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall hew down the carved images of their elohim; and you shall destroy their name out of that place."

What are your thoughts about this, and does it appall you as much as it appalls me?

The Christian Church has integrated old religious dates and festivals etc into the Western form of Christianity and even have images which some may regard as idols. Whether they meant something to Christians back then I don't know, but these days they mean nothing to Christians unless you are on a campaign to get back to pure and original Christian practice from the first century and want to denigrate Western Christianity.
It is understandable that Christians in some countries want to get away from the European traditions and rituals and develop their own. They may seem, from our perspective, to be going overboard and worshipping what their ancestors worshipped and believing what their ancestors believed. This may be true, but it is hard to tell unless you are on the inside in those places and know what is really going on.
I'm sure the Church in those places can deal with any issues about truth that are involved in the practices.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
I saw this article about some so called "black christians" and was appalled.

African spirituality offers Black believers 'decolonized' Christianity

Should one follow a syncretic religion? Is it OK to blend the Bible with ideas from pagan nations?

If anyone thinks this is acceptable, perhaps they haven't read Deuteronomy 12:1-3: "These are the statutes and the ordinances which you shall observe to do in the land which Yahweh, the Elohim of your fathers, has given you to possess it, all the days that you live upon the earth. 2 You shall surely destroy all the places in which the nations that you shall dispossess served their elohim, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree: 3 and you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and you shall hew down the carved images of their elohim; and you shall destroy their name out of that place."

What are your thoughts about this, and does it appall you as much as it appalls me?
You are alarmed by the syncretistic combination of Christianity with African paganism/idolatry. But really, you are doing the same thing by syncretistically combining Judaism with Christianity.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
The Christian Church has integrated old religious dates and festivals etc into the Western form of Christianity and even have images which some may regard as idols. Whether they meant something to Christians back then I don't know, but these days they mean nothing to Christians unless you are on a campaign to get back to pure and original Christian practice from the first century and want to denigrate Western Christianity.
It is understandable that Christians in some countries want to get away from the European traditions and rituals and develop their own. They may seem, from our perspective, to be going overboard and worshipping what their ancestors worshipped and believing what their ancestors believed. This may be true, but it is hard to tell unless you are on the inside in those places and know what is really going on.
I'm sure the Church in those places can deal with any issues about truth that are involved in the practices.

Hi Brian2, good afternoon. Perhaps it's so much of a shock to me because we are taught the Law of Yahweh. We don't believe in deviating from what the Bible teaches. Taking pagan practices and merging them with the Bible and still calling it Chr-stianity is something that is done all the time, but I am still appalled by it. It's appalling. The Word of Yahweh clearly tells us not to do this, it's incorporated in the Torah, yet Chr-stians have no problem doing this and with impunity. I am all for a purer worship. We believe in going back to the beliefs of early so called Chr-stians who did not keep Xmas, and rejected other pagan festivities which have no basis in the Bible but have come through the pagan practices of heathen nations through sun and tree worship for example.

I am upset that people think they can integrate their own ideas and ideas of pagan people's in to a faith that is supposed to be based on the Bible. And I'm certain that such things are an annoyance to Yahweh who has stated candidly that we are not to add or diminish from the Word of Yahweh (Deut 12:32).

Horrible.

There should be no European Chr-stianity, or other type of Chr-stianity, it all should all be based on the Bible. Look at what Chr-stianity has become in Mexico. Religiosity is most visible in festivities, events and also the placement of idols throughout people’s homes and public places. Many contemporary religious practices intermingle indigenous traditions with Catholicism in Mexico to suit modern needs. A well-known example is the growing veneration of the pseudo-saint, 'Santa Muerte' (Saint Death).

In my eyes, people are playing games with religion specifically the Bible. Blending together idol worship and foreign mighty ones in the worship of the only true and living Elohim Yahweh is a provocation that Yahweh shouldn't have to put up with since He has outlined in His word that such things are most definitely not to be done.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
You are alarmed by the syncretistic combination of Christianity with African paganism/idolatry. But really, you are doing the same thing by syncretistically combining Judaism with Christianity.
Hi IndigoChild5559. Good afternoon, I hope you are well. No, we don't blend Judaism and Chr-stianity, although that's what it may look like on the surface. We believe in following the Bible, which makes us appear to be a blend of Judaism and Chr-stianity, but we do not follow either. When Yahshua our Savior was on this earth, He was ostracized for not being a Pharisee or Sadducee. He stood alone because he knew what the Bible taught. Although being an Orthodox Jewish rabbi, Yahshua also may have appeared to have blended different ideas from different sects, but he wasn't, he was simply standing on what the Bible teaches.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Hi IndigoChild5559. Good afternoon, I hope you are well. No, we don't blend Judaism and Chr-stianity, although that's what it may look like on the surface. We believe in following the Bible
Every single Christian group, from the Catholics to the evangelicals, claims they are following the Bible, but they are following their interpretation of the Bible.

IMHO, if it walks like a duck, has feathers like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
Every single Christian group, from the Catholics to the evangelicals, claims they are following the Bible, but they are following their interpretation of the Bible.

IMHO, if it walks like a duck, has feathers like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck.

Hi IndigoChild5559. Good afternoon. I would say looks can be deceiving IndigoChild. Don't you remember the inhabitants of Gibeon, how they deceived Yahshua and the congregation of Israel by putting on old clothes, and carrying mouldy bread and burst wine-skins and old shoes in Yahshua chapter 9? Many people want to say they are following the Bible, they want to look sincere, but after a sufficient inquiry you'll find that they are masquerading as true worship. Take for example the majority of Chr-stian groups that celebrate Xmas, yet is found nowhere in the Bible and comes from pagan practices. They may say they are following the Bible, but they have incorporated the customs of pagan people's in to their worship, exactly what the scripture warns against (Deuteronomy 18:9, Psalm 106:35).
.
You are right. All these groups interpret the Bible differently. Isaiah 4:1 describes a people who want to keep their own practices - wear their own apparel - but use the Name. That's another thing you have to be wary about. This will happen in these end times.

The only thing that will stand the test of time is the doctrines based on the Bible, the Word of Yahweh - not other texts and not other practices incorporated in to worship. Diligently observing the Laws of Yahweh will keep us from blending the practices of different belief systems together.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Hi IndigoChild5559. Good afternoon. I would say looks can be deceiving IndigoChild. Don't you remember the inhabitants of Gibeon, how they deceived Yahshua and the congregation of Israel by putting on old clothes, and carrying mouldy bread and burst wine-skins and old shoes in Yahshua chapter 9? Many people want to say they are following the Bible, they want to look sincere, but after a sufficient inquiry you'll find that they are masquerading as true worship. Take for example the majority of Chr-stian groups that celebrate Xmas, yet is found nowhere in the Bible and comes from pagan practices. They may say they are following the Bible, but they have incorporated the customs of pagan people's in to their worship, exactly what the scripture warns against (Deuteronomy 18:9, Psalm 106:35).
That is not what is going on with these diverse Christians. I have talked to them and they all are fervent and sincere in their interpretations, not trying to deceive anyone.

This is why it behooves all Christians, yourself included, to have some humility in your own interpretations, knowing in the back of your mind that you MAY be incorrect, as you are no more sure or spirit filled than those who disagree with you.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
That is not what is going on with these diverse Christians. I have talked to them and they all are fervent and sincere in their interpretations, not trying to deceive anyone.

This is why it behooves all Christians, yourself included, to have some humility in your own interpretations, knowing in the back of your mind that you MAY be incorrect, as you are no more sure or spirit filled than those who disagree with you.
Good evening IndigoChild. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." and Proverbs 16:18 says: "Pride goeth before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall." Indeed, it is important to consider that we may be wrong in our interpretations. But the Holy Spirit is given to them who keep the commandments of Yahweh " And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom Yahweh hath given to them that obey him." (Acts 5:32). As a result, we believe that in our faith, in which is the Holy Spirit, that our interpretation of scripture is correct because we use the Bible to interpret itself, using references to other scriptures to show us what the scripture means. We allow the Word of Yahweh to interpret itself.

Everything isn't all up in the air. They are absolutes. There is doctrinal error and truth and John 8:32 tells us this. I'm mentioning the Holy Spirit because you say "you are no more sure or spirit filled than those who disagree with you", but we believe the Holy Spirit is in our faith and that we receive(d) the Holy Spirit at baptism.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
As a result, we believe that in our faith, in which is the Holy Spirit, that our interpretation of scripture is correct because we use the Bible to interpret itself, using references to other scriptures to show us what the scripture means. We allow the Word of Yahweh to interpret itself.
There is no such thing as the Bible interpreting itself. Sure there are parts of the Bible where the meaning is obvious, but there are other parts where it is not so clear, and in such cases, YOU provide the interpretation, Holy Spirit or not Holy Spirit.
 

Messianic Israelite

Active Member
There is no such thing as the Bible interpreting itself. Sure there are parts of the Bible where the meaning is obvious, but there are other parts where it is not so clear, and in such cases, YOU provide the interpretation, Holy Spirit or not Holy Spirit.

Hi IndigoChild. I agree that some scriptures are more obscure than others, but many times we can understand scripture from what the Bible says. Take for example the subject of oil. In the Bible, oil represents a name. Song of Solomon 1:3 says: "Thy name is as oil poured forth; Therefore do the virgins love thee." In Ecclesiastes 7:1 there is a relationship drawn between oil and a good name, just as in other Proverbs between precious treasure and the fear of Yahweh. Therefore we can conclude that in the parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25, 5 wise-hearted took oil in their lamps, 5 foolish didn't and the foolish weren't able to enter in to the marriage feast. The Name of Yahweh is far more precious than oil, but there is a comparison to be made between the two and in the parable it is only those who carry the Sacred Names that are prepared to enter in to the Kingdom. I should add that Chr-stianity erroneously interprets oil as the holy spirit even though there is no Biblical backing for this.

Deuteronomy 29:29 says: "The secret things belong unto Yahweh our Elohim; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Things are revealed to those who are trying to observe the commandments to help them keep the law.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
Hi IndigoChild. I agree that some scriptures are more obscure than others, but many times we can understand scripture from what the Bible says. Take for example the subject of oil. In the Bible, oil represents a name. Song of Solomon 1:3 says: "Thy name is as oil poured forth; Therefore do the virgins love thee." In Ecclesiastes 7:1 there is a relationship drawn between oil and a good name, just as in other Proverbs between precious treasure and the fear of Yahweh. Therefore we can conclude that in the parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25, 5 wise-hearted took oil in their lamps, 5 foolish didn't and the foolish weren't able to enter in to the marriage feast. The Name of Yahweh is far more precious than oil, but there is a comparison to be made between the two and in the parable it is only those who carry the Sacred Names that are prepared to enter in to the Kingdom. I should add that Chr-stianity erroneously interprets oil as the holy spirit even though there is no Biblical backing for this.

Deuteronomy 29:29 says: "The secret things belong unto Yahweh our Elohim; but the things that are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law."

Things are revealed to those who are trying to observe the commandments to help them keep the law.
See this is why I say YOU interpret the Bible.

Oil is being used as a simile, a kind of figurative speech. In Song of Songs, the name of the bridegroom is said to be LIKE oil.

Although Song of Songs is first and foremost a love poem between husband and wife, it is within the canon of Scripture because the Love is analogous to the Love God has for Israel.

There is no connection to the oil in the parable of the virgins. That is a completely separate thing, by a completely separate author (Jesus rather than Solomon) about a completely separate matter.

So I say to you, just because both use oil as part of their imagery, do not conflate the message.
 
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