Second, your "incorporates pagan elements" charge is not well defined. If by "pagan elements" you mean "elements of human culture not Christian in origin," a reasonable response would be "of course we incorporate pagan elements, those which are not contrary to the Gospel." This means, non-Christian customs which,purified of error are rendered harmonious with faith in Jesus Christ.
Within the world of classical antiquity, Christian poets used the existing traditions of Greek and Latin poetry. For instance. Paul quotes the pagan poets Aratus and Epimenides in Acts 17:28: "For in him we live, and move, and have our being: as certain also of your own poets have said, 'For we are also his offspring.'"
So St.Paul actually incorporated pagan poetry into the New Testament.
The hymnodist Venantius Fortunatus wrote poems that are still used in the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church, such as the Vexilla Regis ("The Royal Standard") and Pange, lingua, gloriosi proelium certaminis ("Sing, O my tongue, of the glorious struggle"). These hymns are based on the rhythmic marching songs of Roman armies.
You can see that it's not enough to say someone "incorporates pagan elements." You have to examine the matter more closely, to see if the "element" is harmonious with the deposit of Faith which comes to us from the Apostles.
An example might be holding weddings in church. Do you think church weddings are objectionable? I don't suppose you do. Yet this is a custom not described in the Bible --- not anywhere, not once! --- not described and not prescribed. But we do it because it is a custom which is congruent with the doctrines of the faith. A church wedding fits in well with the Sacrament of Matrimony.
Here's something you'll like about Pagan roots of Christian Church practices.
Hat tip to our friends the Lutherans.
:o)
It has been shown over and over again the declaration by the Catholic Church that salvation outside that organization is not possible. That is a declaration that anyone not subject to that organization is consigned to hell. That is a doctrine not found in scripture.
>>You have to examine the matter more closely, to see if the "element" is harmonious with the deposit of Faith which comes to us from the Apostles.<<
What an interesting comment for a Catholic to make. A great percentage of Catholic belief and practice did NOT come from the apostles. For a base let's look at what God said.
Deuteronomy 12:30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. 31 Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God:
It should be evident to anyone that taking something the pagans did to serve their gods was not to be used to serve the one true God unless He has specifically instituted a practice. So as an example let's take the "queen of heaven" concept which Catholics are required to believe. Was it a belief and practice by pagans? The answer is obviously yes.
Jeremiah 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Did the apostle teach such a thing as the queen of heaven? Absolutely not. The belief and practice is pagan and a direct disobedience of God's command.
Your wedding analogy is a mute point. A Jewish wedding was attended only by members of the Jewish faith. The ceremony and the process is well documented. Jesus attended at least one of those ceremonies as did Mary and the apostles.
Then you suggest I watch a satire on Christmas. I'll remind you of your comment "You have to examine the matter more closely, to see if the "element" is harmonious with the deposit of Faith which comes to us from the Apostles". Where did the apostles teach the celebration of the birth of Christ? And on Dec 25th no less. Actually we only have examples of birthday celebrations for evil kings and this:
Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
It is indisputable that God said not to incorporate things the pagans did to serve their gods into worship of the one true God. It is also indisputable that the Catholic Church does exactly that. And they certainly were not taught by the apostles.
Cynical Bear has posted many times a direct quote from Catholic sources which admit that pagan elements are incorporated into Catholicism.
I see no exceptions in Scripture where pagan elements are acceptable if they are *purified* or *sanctified* by the church.