Am I Christian or Pagan?

[gottalovemoses]

Mary, in her popular cult, has been built up into a quasi-goddess

obviously not a Catholic and I cant believe you call yourself a Christian either

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

obviously not a Catholic and I cant believe you call yourself a Christian either

I'm an ex-Catholic and I like to study the roots of things. I actually think that those aspects of Catholicism and Orthodoxy are to their strength. Makes it very vibrant and diverse.

As for the "Christian" label, I like Jesus. I just don't give a damn about theology or dogma. If it's so important to you, though, you can keep it.

 

[gottalovemoses]

I'm an ex-Catholic and I like to study the roots of things. I actually think that those aspects of Catholicism and Orthodoxy are to their strength. Makes it very vibrant and diverse.

As for the "Christian" label, I like Jesus. I just don't give a damn about theology or dogma. If it's so important to you, though, you can keep it.

I respect your individualism and need to be true to your own conscience but I'd be wary of making yourself sole authority. This is where so many Protestants go wrong. Atheists too really. They think they can work it all out in their head through intellectualism. They choose self-sufficiency over faith.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I respect your individualism and need to be true to your own conscience but I'd be wary of making yourself sole authority. This is where so many Protestants go wrong. Atheists too really. They think they can work it all out in their head through intellectualism. They choose self-sufficiency over faith.

I didn't say I was the sole authority (although we all have to decide our own perspective on things). I'm informed by scholars and such.

 

[Shiranui117]

obviously not a Catholic and I cant believe you call yourself a Christian either

Just saying, when you have Catholic Saints urging people to consecrate themselves to Mary, when you have alleged visions of the Virgin saying that the whole world (and especially Russia for some odd reason) should be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart, and when you have the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal and the Virgin of the Brown Scapular promising to come to the faithful wearing these things at the time of their deaths with all the graces needed for their salvation, and when you have millions of Catholics calling Mary the "Mediatrix of all graces" and "Co-Redemptrix", and when it's Catholic dogma that Mary was conceived in a way unlike any other human being, it's safe to say that popular Roman Catholic piety has elevated Mary above a merely human status, to something approaching a "Fourth Person of the Trinity". That goes double when Our Lady of La Sallette complains of having to hold back the wrath of her Son from smiting the world. Mary is thus made more merciful and compassionate than the Savior of the world and the Lover of mankind.

The best way for the Catholic Church to stop and reverse this trend would be to denounce those who call Mary "Co-Redemptrix" and "Mediatrix of all graces", and also to at the very least downplay visions like Fatima, Lourdes, La Sallette and others.

 

[Shiranui117]

I am monotheist in that I believe all spirits come from one original creator spirit.

I believe however that the Pagan Deities really were spirits speaking to people who were in touch with the spirit world.

I've prayed to Woden, Thor, Dionysus, Freyja, Frigg, and various Pagan Deities. Also pray to the dead and find it spiritually satiating.

I believe that a human being can become a god or goddess , and that some of the Deities are spirits that once had a body.

I think much of the Bible is irrelevant today, and I see it as having many errors. It simply goes against my conscience, is irrational in places, and horrifying + depressing in others, but I'm open to the possibility that it is all the word of God.

It is Biblical that I see God has changed his mind over time , and therefore I don't believe a lot of the Bible is supposed to be followed today.

I study and respect all faiths and take from them what my judgement tells me is good fruit. I believe the occult, voodoo, black magic, witchcraft, sorcery, and necromancy is dangerous , but can be used for the greater good.

I accept Jesus as my Lord and savior and believe he died for my sins and rose from the dead. I pray most of my petitions in his name.

Do you think I'm Christian? It's an honest question, because I'm unsure... guessing Christian

I decided not to vote, because I think labels applied by others about us can limit how we see ourselves. I suppose a better question would be: Which do you want to be, and why?

 

[Grandliseur]

I believe however that the Pagan Deities really were spirits speaking to people who were in touch with the spirit world.

I've prayed to Woden, Thor, Dionysus, Freyja, Frigg, and various Pagan Deities. Also pray to the dead and find it spiritually satiating.

First, spirits have bodies, just not bodies of our created reality, universe. This we are clearly told:

39 Every flesh is not the same flesh, but one is of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes. 40 And there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies: but different is the glory of the heavenly, different that of the earthly:​

The spirits you mention here may or may not be real; that is, some were real and people are communicating with some of these even today, verbally and with visions. These spirits the Bible tells us are the fallen angels who set themselves up as gods to the peoples they serve. Zeus seems to have been satan himself.

The dead are no more. They have ceased to exist so that anyone communicating with the dead, that is, getting answers back from them, is actually communicating with a fallen angel.
-----------
Prayer is only permitted to God and to his son, Christ Jesus. We are not permitted to pray to other deities, i.e. fallen angels. If you adjust your ways, perhaps you might be considered Christian by Christ.

 

[gottalovemoses]

Just saying, when you have Catholic Saints urging people to consecrate themselves to Mary, when you have alleged visions of the Virgin saying that the whole world (and especially Russia for some odd reason) should be consecrated to her Immaculate Heart, and when you have the Virgin of the Miraculous Medal and the Virgin of the Brown Scapular promising to come to the faithful wearing these things at the time of their deaths with all the graces needed for their salvation, and when you have millions of Catholics calling Mary the "Mediatrix of all graces" and "Co-Redemptrix", and when it's Catholic dogma that Mary was conceived in a way unlike any other human being, it's safe to say that popular Roman Catholic piety has elevated Mary above a merely human status, to something approaching a "Fourth Person of the Trinity". That goes double when Our Lady of La Sallette complains of having to hold back the wrath of her Son from smiting the world. Mary is thus made more merciful and compassionate than the Savior of the world and the Lover of mankind.

The best way for the Catholic Church to stop and reverse this trend would be to denounce those who call Mary "Co-Redemptrix" and "Mediatrix of all graces", and also to at the very least downplay visions like Fatima, Lourdes, La Sallette and others.

Mary is on my bucket list to understand and defend. Not there yet. sorry

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Zeus seems to have been satan himself.

How so? What does an Indo-European sky god have to do with a Semitic evil spirit?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

and especially Russia for some odd reason

Isn't that from Fatima? That was a response to the Bolshevik revolution.

 

[Shiranui117]

Isn't that from Fatima? That was a response to the Bolshevik revolution.

Nowadays it's commonly also used as justification for strong Catholic missionary efforts in Russia. Russia must become Catholic and cease to be Orthodox, as many Fatimites (copyright Shiranui117 2017, all rights reserved) believe.

 

[Laika]

I am monotheist in that I believe all spirits come from one original creator spirit.

I believe however that the Pagan Deities really were spirits speaking to people who were in touch with the spirit world.

I've prayed to Woden, Thor, Dionysus, Freyja, Frigg, and various Pagan Deities. Also pray to the dead and find it spiritually satiating.

I believe that a human being can become a god or goddess , and that some of the Deities are spirits that once had a body.

I think much of the Bible is irrelevant today, and I see it as having many errors. It simply goes against my conscience, is irrational in places, and horrifying + depressing in others, but I'm open to the possibility that it is all the word of God.

It is Biblical that I see God has changed his mind over time , and therefore I don't believe a lot of the Bible is supposed to be followed today.

I study and respect all faiths and take from them what my judgement tells me is good fruit. I believe the occult, voodoo, black magic, witchcraft, sorcery, and necromancy is dangerous , but can be used for the greater good.

I accept Jesus as my Lord and savior and believe he died for my sins and rose from the dead. I pray most of my petitions in his name.

Do you think I'm Christian? It's an honest question, because I'm unsure... guessing Christian

In so far as you're violating the commandment "thou shall worship not god but me", I think you are a Pagan. Youcan followed Jesus without being a Christian (known as Jesusism I think). You seem to be describing what might be called "henotheism" (worship of one god whilst not excluding others). I'd say its very creative either way and I think that's a good thing. The forum would be more interesting if more people were like this.

 

[Grandliseur]

How so? What does an Indo-European sky god have to do with a Semitic evil spirit?

Well, I did say 'seems to have been'. But, here are the details:

The people of Pergamum were known as the "Temple-keepers of Asia." The city had three temples dedicated to the worship of the Roman emperor, another for the goddess Athena, and the Great Altar of Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. Many scholars believe this altar is the “Throne of Satan” mentioned in the book of Revelation.

In Revelation this statement is found:

" 2:12 And to the angel of the assembly in Pergamos write: These things says he that has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is ; and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in the days in which Antipas my faithful witness was , who was slain among you, where Satan dwells."
​

I am sure satan now has moved on and lives in some religious headquarter that is elsewhere. At the moment, I think he has several locations where he stays intermittently.

 

[Nakosis]

Yeah... true...I guess it was once important to me to not be Pagan. That's an ugly word amongst Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

Yes, well... Too Bad.
Maybe the pagan view was closer to the truth.

Since we can't confirm religious claims, we are left to rely on what we personally feel is correct.

Kind of my beef against indoctrination into authoritarian religious beliefs. They're taught as if their doctrines have been proven.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

I can also see why he was against the other Deities. People were sacrificing humans to them.

People have sacrificed many humans to Yahweh, too. Just because it didn't happen on an altar doesn't mean it didn't happen.

However, the Bible says Yahweh is a jealous God.

Much like how the priests got upset with Ankhenaton, I suspect the majority of the jealousy resides with priests who wanted a monopoly, spiritually and economically and politically.

I can say safely what makes a christian, a "christian", is the believing and living the authority of the bible.

I disagree, as I find that kind of attitude idolatry, but then again, many Christians deny I'm one as well, so whatever, LOL.

If you are willing to follow christ from the bible I would suggest learning the authority of the bible and how it relates to god and vis versa. If the bible has errors, in christian view, that's like saying god made errors.

Again, I don't worship a book. God should never be made slave to a printed page.

My honest first reaction was...look how confused some people get when they don't focus on Jesus Christ as the way, the truth and the life.

I consider the Way to be the Way. Who is talking about is rather irrelevant.

functionally pagan? what?

Christianity, I'm willing to bet, couldn't even be a thing had Judaism not Hellenized.

but I feel he doesn't want me to pray to them anymore because some of them can be malevolent spirits.

I've recently had a bunch of nightmares. Turns out, my late grandparents have been acting stranger than usual in my dreams. Well, a couple of nights ago, my grandmother revealed herself to either be a cousin of mine or a demon sent on behalf of a cousin (I don't do my father's side of the family). I was terrified, though at first we had a Battle of Sarcasm, which to me is far more amusing than the Exoricst stuff. I even tried to go for the "Loving Exorcism" introduced in the Exorcist TV series. He wasn't having it. I shrugged and was like, "What the hell, worth a shot, LOL." He revealed himself and grabbed me from behind, and I started screaming. However, suddenly I was shouting out the chant Om Mani Padme Hum and the demon's strength left him and I woke up, my sheets wrapped around me just as his arms had been. For some strange reason, this Buddhist chant does wonders against demons.

I've been lazy in my spiritual discipline. I acknowledge this. I should do better. No one is so powerless that with practice, even Satan would fear your strength.

I respect your individualism and need to be true to your own conscience but I'd be wary of making yourself sole authority. This is where so many Protestants go wrong. Atheists too really. They think they can work it all out in their head through intellectualism. They choose self-sufficiency over faith.

I fail to see the difference in trusting my human thoughts and trusting some other humans' thoughts. Unless you have a relationship with God, most people claiming to listen to God only listen to authors and clergy, all humans.

I decided not to vote, because I think labels applied by others about us can limit how we see ourselves. I suppose a better question would be: Which do you want to be, and why?

And why bother giving it a name? True power has no name.

These spirits the Bible tells us are the fallen angels who set themselves up as gods to the peoples they serve. Zeus seems to have been satan himself.

Didn't stop Christian art from borrowing from the Greeks and Romans.

Borrowing from the Neighbors - Biblical Archaeology Society

Depiction of Jesus - Wikipedia

Prayer is only permitted to God and to his son, Christ Jesus. We are not permitted to pray to other deities, i.e. fallen angels. If you adjust your ways, perhaps you might be considered Christian by Christ.

That's not technically what the First Commandment says.

n so far as you're violating the commandment "thou shall worship not god but me", I think you are a Pagan.

That's not technically what the First Commandment says.

In Revelation this statement is found:
" 2:12 And to the angel of the assembly in Pergamos write: These things says he that has the sharp two-edged sword: 13 I know where thou dwellest, where the throne of Satan is ; and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in the days in which Antipas my faithful witness was , who was slain among you, where Satan dwells."

One shouldn't take political dog whistles literally, though.

 

[DavidFirth]

Pope, it is a lot more important what you think of yourself than what other people think about you. Do you think Jesus considers you a Christian or a pagan?

 

[Spiderman]

Pope, it is a lot more important what you think of yourself than what other people think about you. Do you think Jesus considers you a Christian or a pagan?

Christian because my beliefs are actually Christocentric and I only believe in one God. I consider every grace I receive to come through Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit

 

[DavidFirth]

Christian because my beliefs are actually Christocentric and I only believe in one God. I consider every grace I receive to come through Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit

Good answer. What others think is not what makes the man but the thoughts that come from the heart of a man is what makes the man who he is.

 

[DavidFirth]

1 Samuel 16:7
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

 

[Unveiled Artist]

I disagree, as I find that kind of attitude idolatry, but then again, many Christians deny I'm one as well, so whatever, LOL.

Authority of the bible just means you believe the bible is the word of god. Whether you choose to believe the bible speaks to you or god speaks to you Through the bible depends on he person.

Catholics dont worship the bible but no catholic would say the bible is not important to the foundation of their faith as a christian. Maybe you fall under the catholic category? Shrugs.

Again, I don't worship a book. God should never be made slave to a printed page.

Worship a book? I consider The Buddha's suttas an authority because I agree with his teachings and view of life. I want to mirror my life off his teachings. He has over a thousand Pali suttas alone on top of the sutras later on. I dont worship them.

Like my parent, they do have an authority. Not god just authority.

Do you believe in the authority of the bible as the word of god as a christian?