Posted on 12/31/2015 4:29:48 PM PST by NYer
Channeling SOMEone who USED to post here a lot?
I was looking for another “playing with pigeon” photo and saw that “classic”...
Tell us what Calendar you use.
Traditional Christian doctrines
Unfortunately, some of the most basic things believed by most professing Christians derive from ancient paganism rather than from the Bible. The idea that people have immortal souls was first taught in ancient Egypt and Babylon. The Greeks likewise taught that at death the soul would separate from the physical body ( Jewish Encyclopedia , 1941, Vol. 6, pp. 564, 566, "Immortality of the Soul"). That idea was merged into Christianity from Greek philosophy. It did not come from inspired Scripture.
The ancient Egyptians developed the concept of going to heaven. In their mythology, the god Osiris was killed but then raised back to life, whereupon he went to a distant heavenly realm. The Egyptians concluded that if he could do this, then human beings could follow ( Lewis Browne, This Believing World , pp. 83-84). This heavenly reward was a central teaching of several ancient mystery religions—but not the religion of the Hebrews or early Christians.
Even some Christian teachings about Jesus have origins in paganism rather than the Biblical record. Babylonian mythology regarding Ishtar claimed that she had a son named Tammuz. He died each year, but then would be reborn again in the spring. The Babylonian veneration of both the mother and child influenced later versions of Christianity that deified Jesus' mother Mary as much as Jesus Himself (Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough , 1993, p. 326). This stands in contrast to Scripture, which honors Mary, but reveres no ordinary human being—only Christ.
The Chaldean symbol for Tammuz was the letter tau , which appears as a san-serif "t" and is commonly considered a cross ( Babylonian Mystery Religion , p. 51; Vine's, "Cross, Crucify"). While the Bible does indeed teach that Jesus was crucified, there is no record of the shape of the crucifix. At that time, Romans used various forms of upright stakes, some with crossbeams and some without. The Bible gives no indication that the early Church ever used the cross as a religious symbol, but several pagan religions had been doing so for centuries before Christ was born.
This sounds similar to Rev. Alexander Hislop's book:
The Two Babylons, or The Papal Worship Proved to be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife
It is unfortunate that the Sadducees/Pharisees conflict was won by the Sadducees:
Matthew 22:23-34 (NASB)
On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him,
asking, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER.'
"Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh.
"Last of all, the woman died.
"In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her."
But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.
"For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
"But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God:
'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."
When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching. But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together.
Act 23:6-9 (NASB)
But perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, Paul began crying out in the Council, "Brethren, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!"
As he said this, there occurred a dissension between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
And there occurred a great uproar; and some of the scribes of the Pharisaic party stood up and began to argue heatedly, saying, "We find nothing wrong with this man; suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?"
About the same bunch don't believe in transubstantiation either....that's why they are protestants.
As many times as I can say rubber baby buggy bumpers. Actually, I was pretty good at it, in an alternate life I used to have.
:-)
My money’s on Arthus
:-)
So, your made-up statistic is hokum.
You're absolutely correct....i should have said TRUE CHRISTIANS.
Amen
Except only 88% of catholics do.
I suppose it's one thing to oppose what Paul taught regarding body soul and spirit, but to assert that what he wrote to the Thessalonians and Corinthians is not inspired is like calling Paul a conjurer ... sort of like defending the conjured blasphemies in catholiciism while accusing inspired writers in the New Testament of being under the influence of paganism. "It did not come from inspired Scripture." verga
actually, the perverted protestant form of Christianity does....real Christianity does not.
What it shows is the universal desire for everlasting life after our time in this world. Fortunately, we have found the true path, the WAY, in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
If you believe this then we have a completely different understanding of Christianity.
Mine is based on the Word.
Not sure what that is based on.
The other 12% rarely, if ever attend Mass.
I didn't write that.
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