Ancient Pagan Lent for Christians? No, Thank You
Mar 15, 2019 04:10:00 #
One of the practices those who receive Christ as Savior should leave behind is the keeping of the “Lenten season.” It imposes self-sacrifice, unrequired penance without value or virtue in God's eyes, for Jesus said "It is finished."
Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher of our faith. The book of Hebrews tells us "there is no further sacrifice for those who are in Christ Jesus."
The wholesale adoption of this Romanized version of ancient pagan practice by what was once Protestantism is indicative of the departure, the Biblically prophesized "falling away" that marks our day.
Anyone’s religious practice can be as they choose, within legal bounds. If someone wants to re-enact the 40 days of "weeping for Tammuz," or some other pagan practice, they are free to do so.
The issue with “Lent” is the Christianizing of it: the attempt by ignorant or dishonest men to sell the practice to the unsuspecting as if it had to do with faith in Jesus Christ.
It has been acknowledged: “The Teutonic word, ‘Lent,’ which is now employed to denote the forty days’ fast preceding Easter, originally meant only the reoccurring spring season of nature,” and indeed, had no Christian connotation. Throughout the world, one can find ancient (heathen) ritual practices – many rejected in the Bible as not acceptable for worship – which accommodate themselves only to the earth's changes of season and the worship of Gaia (the earth).
Nothing pinpoints the ascension of Bible-condemned heresy, i.e., “the paganization of Christianity, the development of worldly Christendom, and the confusion reigning today than the promulgation of “the Easter season” (or “the Christmas season!”).
As is the case with so many “religious controversies,” the fountainhead of this one traces historically to the rise of Constantine as the unified emperor of Rome after 312 A.D., and the politicizing of the Christian faith as part of an attempt to consolidate a political base in the face of a fragmenting body politic.
By the time of Constantine, shortly after the 4th century A.D. commenced, the Roman empire featured a splintered leadership (4 ways) – ironically similar to the way the Greek Empire had split after Alexander – demonstrating that primogenitor had failed. Constantine was the son of a politically motivated general (certainly something not lost through the ages) who had found his way into the emperor’s broad household via a second marriage.
Constantine employed a form of politics that has since been heavily replicated. He did not invent the form. Because he needed to break into an status quo political hegemony, he needed to appeal to the disenfranchised – without substantially offending the bourgeoisie – in order to gain requisite political support. Those disenfranchised groups could be substantially found among Christians who were spread throughout the empire, and eastern empire factions who were regarded as second or even third class entities in the empire.
Today, the ever increasing unjustified adoption of the “Lenten season” by professed “Protestants” and “Evangelicals” is astounding and distressing! What was once distinctly Sacramental – and pagan – has become commonly accepted in nearly all churches.
The gospel has been nearly lost by churches, whereby it now becomes “God’s do over,” or “a second chance,” instead of God’s gracious declaration and imputation of actual righteousness to the believer on the basis of faith alone in the meritorious works of Christ alone. As it has become mired in works-based adopted forms of the Roman Empire's historical paganism, it’s no surprise that abominable dramatic ritualistic practices with roots in heathenism are taught to God’s people. All Christians familiar with God's Word want no part of such abominable practices.
As a master stroke, Constantine “sanctified” Christianity, declaring it the religion of the empire, but satisfying traditionalists by incorporating traditional pagan sites into the new religion. A second master stroke, he declared the “new Rome” to be in Istanbul, in the east, the city which after his death was called “Constantinople.”
“Lent” is one of the pagan practices which migrated into Christianity, and can be traced to the worship of the sun god, Mithras. By the time of Constantine, it was a tradition in the empire, adopted as it was from the ancient Babylonian system via the mystery religions extant throughout the empire before Christianity was born.
The “strength” of the Roman empire was its ability to rapidly absorb the cultures it conquered. For instance, Greek philosophy and language had much more impetus under Rome than under Alexander and his generals, because Rome adopted and seized upon the system of thought and language for the privileged class: it was no big deal to speak Latin, but if one spoke, read, and wrote (classical) Greek, he was considered highly educated. This snobbish elitism, hinted at in Romans, continues to this day.
Rome absorbed the Bablyonian’s religion, the Persian system of roadways and commerce, and the Greek language arts and military strategies.
Consequently, it is no surprise that Constantine readily “absorbed, co-opted and usurped Christianity,” and co-opted the Indo-European people as well with his New Rome at Constantinople.
Now, Lent is a piece of that Persian derived Mithraism underlying the mystery religions, “continuing” as it does the season of “weeping for the false messiah of Babylon, Tammuz” which is condemned by God's Holy Scripture. In fact, this was one of the ancient abominable practices Israel had adopted resulting in the punishment by God that was the Assyrian captivity.
It should come as no surprise that a heathen practice like Lent – once found only among those deprived of the Bible – has now become commonplace among undiscerning “Protestants” and “Evangelicals.”
These who have abandoned the simple gospel of the grace of God, He who graciously imputes real righteousness to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ – on the basis of faith alone - in the meritorious substitution of Christ alone – and replaced it with a system of works to be saved, to prove you are saved, or to stay saved, will readily adopt empty and abominable ritual practices which also hearken to some lame strata of historical Romanism's multiple religions of their empire!
Anyone who is eternally anchored in Christ Jesus should have not the slightest bit of interest in adopting such pagan, anti-grace, abominable practices.
BibleStudy.net
Jesus Christ is the author and the finisher of our faith. The book of Hebrews tells us "there is no further sacrifice for those who are in Christ Jesus."
The wholesale adoption of this Romanized version of ancient pagan practice by what was once Protestantism is indicative of the departure, the Biblically prophesized "falling away" that marks our day.
Anyone’s religious practice can be as they choose, within legal bounds. If someone wants to re-enact the 40 days of "weeping for Tammuz," or some other pagan practice, they are free to do so.
The issue with “Lent” is the Christianizing of it: the attempt by ignorant or dishonest men to sell the practice to the unsuspecting as if it had to do with faith in Jesus Christ.
It has been acknowledged: “The Teutonic word, ‘Lent,’ which is now employed to denote the forty days’ fast preceding Easter, originally meant only the reoccurring spring season of nature,” and indeed, had no Christian connotation. Throughout the world, one can find ancient (heathen) ritual practices – many rejected in the Bible as not acceptable for worship – which accommodate themselves only to the earth's changes of season and the worship of Gaia (the earth).
Nothing pinpoints the ascension of Bible-condemned heresy, i.e., “the paganization of Christianity, the development of worldly Christendom, and the confusion reigning today than the promulgation of “the Easter season” (or “the Christmas season!”).
As is the case with so many “religious controversies,” the fountainhead of this one traces historically to the rise of Constantine as the unified emperor of Rome after 312 A.D., and the politicizing of the Christian faith as part of an attempt to consolidate a political base in the face of a fragmenting body politic.
By the time of Constantine, shortly after the 4th century A.D. commenced, the Roman empire featured a splintered leadership (4 ways) – ironically similar to the way the Greek Empire had split after Alexander – demonstrating that primogenitor had failed. Constantine was the son of a politically motivated general (certainly something not lost through the ages) who had found his way into the emperor’s broad household via a second marriage.
Constantine employed a form of politics that has since been heavily replicated. He did not invent the form. Because he needed to break into an status quo political hegemony, he needed to appeal to the disenfranchised – without substantially offending the bourgeoisie – in order to gain requisite political support. Those disenfranchised groups could be substantially found among Christians who were spread throughout the empire, and eastern empire factions who were regarded as second or even third class entities in the empire.
Today, the ever increasing unjustified adoption of the “Lenten season” by professed “Protestants” and “Evangelicals” is astounding and distressing! What was once distinctly Sacramental – and pagan – has become commonly accepted in nearly all churches.
The gospel has been nearly lost by churches, whereby it now becomes “God’s do over,” or “a second chance,” instead of God’s gracious declaration and imputation of actual righteousness to the believer on the basis of faith alone in the meritorious works of Christ alone. As it has become mired in works-based adopted forms of the Roman Empire's historical paganism, it’s no surprise that abominable dramatic ritualistic practices with roots in heathenism are taught to God’s people. All Christians familiar with God's Word want no part of such abominable practices.
As a master stroke, Constantine “sanctified” Christianity, declaring it the religion of the empire, but satisfying traditionalists by incorporating traditional pagan sites into the new religion. A second master stroke, he declared the “new Rome” to be in Istanbul, in the east, the city which after his death was called “Constantinople.”
“Lent” is one of the pagan practices which migrated into Christianity, and can be traced to the worship of the sun god, Mithras. By the time of Constantine, it was a tradition in the empire, adopted as it was from the ancient Babylonian system via the mystery religions extant throughout the empire before Christianity was born.
The “strength” of the Roman empire was its ability to rapidly absorb the cultures it conquered. For instance, Greek philosophy and language had much more impetus under Rome than under Alexander and his generals, because Rome adopted and seized upon the system of thought and language for the privileged class: it was no big deal to speak Latin, but if one spoke, read, and wrote (classical) Greek, he was considered highly educated. This snobbish elitism, hinted at in Romans, continues to this day.
Rome absorbed the Bablyonian’s religion, the Persian system of roadways and commerce, and the Greek language arts and military strategies.
Consequently, it is no surprise that Constantine readily “absorbed, co-opted and usurped Christianity,” and co-opted the Indo-European people as well with his New Rome at Constantinople.
Now, Lent is a piece of that Persian derived Mithraism underlying the mystery religions, “continuing” as it does the season of “weeping for the false messiah of Babylon, Tammuz” which is condemned by God's Holy Scripture. In fact, this was one of the ancient abominable practices Israel had adopted resulting in the punishment by God that was the Assyrian captivity.
It should come as no surprise that a heathen practice like Lent – once found only among those deprived of the Bible – has now become commonplace among undiscerning “Protestants” and “Evangelicals.”
These who have abandoned the simple gospel of the grace of God, He who graciously imputes real righteousness to anyone who believes in Jesus Christ – on the basis of faith alone - in the meritorious substitution of Christ alone – and replaced it with a system of works to be saved, to prove you are saved, or to stay saved, will readily adopt empty and abominable ritual practices which also hearken to some lame strata of historical Romanism's multiple religions of their empire!
Anyone who is eternally anchored in Christ Jesus should have not the slightest bit of interest in adopting such pagan, anti-grace, abominable practices.
BibleStudy.net
Mar 15, 2019 04:33:17 #
Boo_Boo
Loc: Jellystone
Zemirah wrote:
One of the practices those who receive Christ as S... (show quote)
Great topic. May I ask just one question. Do you think that fasting and praying is a bad thing? I often take breaks from eating and I find it easy, of course I have done this through out my life. I take the time to read the scripture and to talk with G*d, or as some say pray. I do not do it anticipating some reward or to "look" pious, I do it when I feel the need. So, have I been wrong for 70 years?
Mar 15, 2019 04:44:17 #
Pennylynn wrote:
Great topic. May I ask just one question. Do you think that fasting and praying is a bad thing? I often take breaks from eating and I find it easy, of course I have done this through out my life. I take the time to read the scripture and to talk with G*d, or as some say pray. I do not do it anticipating some reward or to "look" pious, I do it when I feel the need. So, have I been wrong for 70 years?
I know that the question was not directed at me... And beg pardon for interrupting...
But I think fasting and prayer are excellent practices for people of all faiths...
It amazes me how so many Christians have fallen away from this practice...
The benefits (Even if one is an athiest and substitutes meditation for prayer) are truly worth the effort...
And I have found that the effort involved lessens greatly over time... To the point where one looks forward to the fast...
Thumbs up Pennylynn
Mar 15, 2019 10:31:33 #
Fasting and praying is a personal thing, between one and one's God.
What has God said?
The Old Testament law specifically required prayer and fasting for only one occasion, which was the Day of Atonement. This custom became known as "the day of fasting" (Jeremiah 36:6) or "the Fast" (Acts 27:9). Moses fasted during the 40 days and 40 nights he was on Mount Sinai receiving the law from God (Exodus 34:28). King Jehoshaphat called for a fast in all Israel when they were about to be attacked by the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chronicles 20:3). In response to Jonah's preaching, the men of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5).
Prayer and fasting was often done in times of distress or trouble. David fasted when he learned that Saul and Jonathan had been killed (2 Samuel 1:12). Nehemiah had a time of prayer and fasting upon learning that Jerusalem was still in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4). Darius, the king of Persia, fasted all night after he was forced to put Daniel in the den of lions (Daniel 6:18).
What I was addressing in an apparently overly obtuse manner, is the most common aspect of observing Lent among Christians, which is the folly of "giving up something," anything, a sacrifice on one's part, but especially something one values, an every workday morning Starbucks coffee, for instance, presumably as "penance."
Christians are indeed already in a safe state and condition; they are encircled in the arms of everlasting love, they are fixed in the hands of Christ, secured in an everlasting covenant, established on the rock of ages, and settled in a state from whence they can never fall: yet, notwithstanding this, they are sometimes very unstable in their hearts, in their frames of Biblical reference, in the exercise of grace, and the discharge of duty, and in professing and adhering to the doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Historical religious sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or humans to one's deity, as an act of worship for the purpose of propitiation or in solicitation of godly favor in the accumulation of crops, livestock or even children. While sacrifice often implies the ritual killing of an animal, the term "offering" (Latin oblatio) can be and often is used for the bloodless sacrifices of food or artifacts.
This concept of the necessity of purifying oneself before God through one's own effort, as one self-imposes punishment for whatever one chooses, for the traditional 40 day period of Lent, believing this makes one more righteous in God's eyes, and thus more worthy of participating in the approaching celebration of Resurrection Day, commonly mislabeled "Easter," ignores what Christianity is at its very core.
The core Christian belief is that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, as payment in full for their debt of sin, formerly sin laden human beings can be reconciled to God, and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life.
How then can a Christian turn and wrest back from God these forgiven sins, and attempt to blot them out through their own effort, i.e., by foregoing a cup of coffee?
What has God said?
The Old Testament law specifically required prayer and fasting for only one occasion, which was the Day of Atonement. This custom became known as "the day of fasting" (Jeremiah 36:6) or "the Fast" (Acts 27:9). Moses fasted during the 40 days and 40 nights he was on Mount Sinai receiving the law from God (Exodus 34:28). King Jehoshaphat called for a fast in all Israel when they were about to be attacked by the Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chronicles 20:3). In response to Jonah's preaching, the men of Nineveh fasted and put on sackcloth (Jonah 3:5).
Prayer and fasting was often done in times of distress or trouble. David fasted when he learned that Saul and Jonathan had been killed (2 Samuel 1:12). Nehemiah had a time of prayer and fasting upon learning that Jerusalem was still in ruins (Nehemiah 1:4). Darius, the king of Persia, fasted all night after he was forced to put Daniel in the den of lions (Daniel 6:18).
What I was addressing in an apparently overly obtuse manner, is the most common aspect of observing Lent among Christians, which is the folly of "giving up something," anything, a sacrifice on one's part, but especially something one values, an every workday morning Starbucks coffee, for instance, presumably as "penance."
Christians are indeed already in a safe state and condition; they are encircled in the arms of everlasting love, they are fixed in the hands of Christ, secured in an everlasting covenant, established on the rock of ages, and settled in a state from whence they can never fall: yet, notwithstanding this, they are sometimes very unstable in their hearts, in their frames of Biblical reference, in the exercise of grace, and the discharge of duty, and in professing and adhering to the doctrines of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Historical religious sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or humans to one's deity, as an act of worship for the purpose of propitiation or in solicitation of godly favor in the accumulation of crops, livestock or even children. While sacrifice often implies the ritual killing of an animal, the term "offering" (Latin oblatio) can be and often is used for the bloodless sacrifices of food or artifacts.
This concept of the necessity of purifying oneself before God through one's own effort, as one self-imposes punishment for whatever one chooses, for the traditional 40 day period of Lent, believing this makes one more righteous in God's eyes, and thus more worthy of participating in the approaching celebration of Resurrection Day, commonly mislabeled "Easter," ignores what Christianity is at its very core.
The core Christian belief is that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, as payment in full for their debt of sin, formerly sin laden human beings can be reconciled to God, and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life.
How then can a Christian turn and wrest back from God these forgiven sins, and attempt to blot them out through their own effort, i.e., by foregoing a cup of coffee?
Pennylynn wrote:
Great topic. May I ask just one question. Do you think that fasting and praying is a bad thing? I often take breaks from eating and I find it easy, of course I have done this through out my life. I take the time to read the scripture and to talk with G*d, or as some say pray. I do not do it anticipating some reward or to "look" pious, I do it when I feel the need. So, have I been wrong for 70 years?
Mar 15, 2019 11:22:41 #
It is, IMHO, Canuckus, impossible to "interrupt" on an open forum. The joy of an open forum, is the intercommunication often received from unanticipated sources... Just as Forrest Gump's Momma observed, "life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
I, personally have not experienced the "practices of people of all faiths," though I have read of them, nor was I aware of the "multitude of Christians" who have forsaken fasting and praying. This would, I presume, be since the medieval period?
The effort of which you speak, is, of course all on the part of those who fast, for it is no effort to God, though He might well watch in wonderment, having centuries ago informed mankind in the prophet Isaiah's time, that these “righteous acts” are considered by God as repugnant as the ... mind of man is that somehow he can make himself good enough to deserve to live ...
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind" (Isaiah 64:6).
After the people grumbled that "they had fasted, yet God did not answer in the way they wanted" (Isaiah 58:3-4), Isaiah responded by proclaiming that the external show of fasting and prayer, without the proper heart attitude, was futile (Isaiah 58:5-9).
In the New Testament covenant with Jesus Christ, Matthew 6:16-18 declares, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
This would seem to preclude the wholesale public application of ashes to one's face, regardless of the form those ashes take.
I, personally have not experienced the "practices of people of all faiths," though I have read of them, nor was I aware of the "multitude of Christians" who have forsaken fasting and praying. This would, I presume, be since the medieval period?
The effort of which you speak, is, of course all on the part of those who fast, for it is no effort to God, though He might well watch in wonderment, having centuries ago informed mankind in the prophet Isaiah's time, that these “righteous acts” are considered by God as repugnant as the ... mind of man is that somehow he can make himself good enough to deserve to live ...
"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like a polluted garment; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind" (Isaiah 64:6).
After the people grumbled that "they had fasted, yet God did not answer in the way they wanted" (Isaiah 58:3-4), Isaiah responded by proclaiming that the external show of fasting and prayer, without the proper heart attitude, was futile (Isaiah 58:5-9).
In the New Testament covenant with Jesus Christ, Matthew 6:16-18 declares, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."
This would seem to preclude the wholesale public application of ashes to one's face, regardless of the form those ashes take.
Canuckus Deploracus wrote:
I know that the question was not directed at me...... (show quote)
Mar 16, 2019 06:04:21 #
Zemirah wrote:
It is, IMHO, Canuckus, impossible to "interru... (show quote)
I agree that it is impossible to interrupt on an open forum, but it can be annoying when one asks a question to a specific individual and another member jumps in... Good manners are the foundation of civil dialogue...
Quote:
I, personally have not experienced the "practices of people of all faiths," though I have read of them, nor was I aware of the "multitude of Christians" who have forsaken fasting and praying. This would, I presume, be since the medieval period?
I have had the pleasure of fasting with both Christians (Russian Orthodox) and Muslims, as well as with some Buddhist monks at a nearby temple.. All were different and enlightening in their own way...
I (personally) have never encountered Christians in the West who engage in the practice... Though I am sure that there are those who do... I am not sure when the practice fell out of fashion... I do intend to look it up... Bet it will be an interesting read...
Quote:
The effort of which you speak, is, of course all o... (show quote)
I quite agree that one should not make a spectacle of oneself while fasting (or engaging in prayer or charity)... Remain humble and remember that all things serve God...
I also agree that there is no effort on God's part...
The effort is entirely on ourselves... And the reward is not a greater chance at Heaven, but a greater awareness of our strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps a greater relationship (clarrity) with our Lord...
A pleasure to meet you Zemirah... Look forward to your future posts and further dialogue...
Your friend, Kyle
Mar 16, 2019 10:29:49 #
Zemirah wrote:
One of the practices those who receive Christ as S... (show quote)
Excellent Zemirah thanks for the bible study I do not participate in lent and have tried to persuade people to give up the practice of Easter and Christmas as well as Halloween since they are all anti christian in nature but most of my friends and family still trudge down those old familiar roads to no where. I am surprised that Radiance3 and Doc110 have not jumped in here and called you every name in the book for discriminating against the Roman Catholic Church in some manner or other. Then Doc110 could write about ten different topics on why lent is good and justifiable and that we are all going to hell and then throw in something about Sola Scriptura or something.
Mar 16, 2019 10:50:00 #
bahmer wrote:
Excellent Zemirah thanks for the bible study I do ... (show quote)
Hi Bahmer...
Forgive my confusion....
How are Christmas and Easter anti-Christian?
That is news to me...
Mar 16, 2019 11:07:22 #
Canuckus Deploracus wrote:
Hi Bahmer...
Forgive my confusion....
How are Christmas and Easter anti-Christian?
That is news to me...
Forgive my confusion....
How are Christmas and Easter anti-Christian?
That is news to me...
Christ was most likely born in the spring or fall months as the shepherds were out in the field watching there flocks at night. It is to cold to be out watching there flocks at night around Dec. 25th and the sheep are all kept in there pens and barns around the towns and not out in the open so the angels couldn't announce the coming of the savior as stated in the bible around Dec.25th. that was a pagan tradition of the rebirth of the sun god or solar equinox that was celebrated at that time and was incorporated into the Roman Catholic religion to appease the pagans.
Easter was much the same with the chocolate bunnies and marshmallow chicks these are all emblems of fertility and that is what Easter is it is a celebration to Easter the goddess of fertility and the Christians if they were to celebrate anything they should celebrate Passover with the Jewish people because Jesus died and rose again thus we who accept Christ as our personnell savior are buried with him and we are assured of rising with him on the last day. We are not a fertility symbol. Christ is our Passover from death unto life and that is life eternal.
Mar 16, 2019 11:14:25 #
bahmer wrote:
Christ was most likely born in the spring or fall ... (show quote)
Thanks Bahmer...
I find it rather interesting where and how our traditions originate...
A blessed day to you my friend...
Mar 16, 2019 11:33:49 #
Zemirah wrote:
Fasting and praying is a personal thing, between o... (show quote)
I don’t personally believe fasting and prayer of recognition to our Father is seeking “righteousness before God”..If that is in your heart when started then you may as well not follow the practice..
I agree with you when you said: The core Christian belief is that through belief in and acceptance of the death and resurrection of Jesus, as payment in full for their debt of sin, formerly sin laden human beings can be reconciled to God, and thereby are offered salvation and the promise of eternal life... ~~ but I do so with this in thought as well.. Given what you ascribe here I believe I am already saved and anything I so chose to do in recognition of my faith is between He above and myself...
Pagan rituals be damned when someone formulates their chosen belief system.. Who are we to question their beliefs and practice?? If it makes them feel closer to He above then how does that hurt you or anyone else??
I take recognition of Lent and Easter and see it as a time to rejoice.. I do not give anything up persay in recognition of our savior but rather try adding to my spiritual awareness of God by adopting a better behavior mode, or extended more love or trying to shake off my judgements of others etc.. Trying the operative word here..
Considered pagan rituals by you does not mean others feel the same or that what they practice in commitment before God is wrong... it is a moral reinforcement of what our heart and mind defines “ in their belief of our Lord”..At least it is for me..
I also decorate for Easter... Yes, easter bunnies, colored easter eggs, a special meal, along with my bible opened to the pages in reading of Jesus’ crucifixion ..When my son was younger I read to him what I believed important in his knowledge of the bible teaching.. Just last year he came for Easter and guess what he read?? (Matthew 27:32-56)...Is that a pagen ritual in what I taught my son to consider.. I say consider because what he ultimately chooses to believe is his choice.. Just as you have yours, I have mine etc..
You call fasting paganistic while citing many examples of when it was done and why...”Prayer and fasting was often done in times of distress or trouble“... Distress and trouble to oneself is also a very private matter and doing something to ease those emotions can only be good later...Yes???
Mar 16, 2019 12:55:12 #
padremike
Loc: Phenix City, Al
Zemirah wrote:
One of the practices those who receive Christ as S... (show quote)
Yawn! Another vain attempt by
a bigoted, spigoted, overpercolated prig telling people how they should practice their ancient faith; a faith that also incorporates Christian disciplines that focus' on and follows the life of Christ in their worship. Do you recall that Christ fasted for 40 days?
Mar 16, 2019 14:47:06 #
padremike, Your rude, crude dialogue besmirches your claimed title!
Jesus commanded no one to fast for forty days, but rather pointed them to the study of the Word of God.
Neither the disciples of Jesus or His Apostles are ever recorded as having fasted so.
The story of Jesus’ 40-day fast is recounted in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, and is associated with his famous temptation by Satan the devil who personally spoke with Jesus.
“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward became hungry,” the Scripture states in Matthew 4:1-2.
“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:2-3)
Colossians 2:23
"These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."
Colossians Verses 6 through 15 explained the supremacy of Christ over deceptive, human-based thinking.
These rules, the ordinances concerning touching, tasting, and handling,which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.
In this passage, Paul explicitly states that man-made rules, rituals, and self-denial are not the path of spiritual growth.
Such rules were not imposed upon Christ's followers until after 312 A.D., when Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire took it upon himself to do so.
In doing so, Caesar misappropriated unto himself attempted rule over the church of Jesus Christ which belonged to God alone.
You are continuing in it.
Jesus commanded no one to fast for forty days, but rather pointed them to the study of the Word of God.
Neither the disciples of Jesus or His Apostles are ever recorded as having fasted so.
The story of Jesus’ 40-day fast is recounted in the 4th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, and is associated with his famous temptation by Satan the devil who personally spoke with Jesus.
“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he afterward became hungry,” the Scripture states in Matthew 4:1-2.
“And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:2-3)
Colossians 2:23
"These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh."
Colossians Verses 6 through 15 explained the supremacy of Christ over deceptive, human-based thinking.
These rules, the ordinances concerning touching, tasting, and handling,which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.
In this passage, Paul explicitly states that man-made rules, rituals, and self-denial are not the path of spiritual growth.
Such rules were not imposed upon Christ's followers until after 312 A.D., when Emperor Constantine of the Roman Empire took it upon himself to do so.
In doing so, Caesar misappropriated unto himself attempted rule over the church of Jesus Christ which belonged to God alone.
You are continuing in it.
padremike wrote:
Yawn! Another vain attempt by
a bigoted, spigoted, overpercolated prig telling people how they should practice their ancient faith; a faith that also incorporates Christian disciplines that focus' on and follows the life of Christ in their worship. Do you recall that Christ fasted for 40 days?
a bigoted, spigoted, overpercolated prig telling people how they should practice their ancient faith; a faith that also incorporates Christian disciplines that focus' on and follows the life of Christ in their worship. Do you recall that Christ fasted for 40 days?
Mar 16, 2019 15:29:47 #
padremike
Loc: Phenix City, Al
Zemirah wrote:
padremike, Your rude, crude dialogue besmirches yo... (show quote)
I guess you already know how much stock I put into your words and comments. I am, however, obliged to allow you to practice your faith anyway you want without the constant criticism you feel obligated to impose on others. I can excuse your ignorance because you have no history except from 1517. I can even excuse your understanding of that history you have been wrongly taught regarding ancient Christianity and the Church, which you believe in your heart, because I can observe the very same thing happening to our youth in what they are being taught in the revised American history classes.
If you need to build up your own faith by thinking you are doing God's work in tearing down the faith of the vast majority of Christians, who is stopping you? It is not hateful to bring these things to your attention. You won't change the minds of the faithful.
Mar 16, 2019 16:40:38 #
Kyle,
when you were fasting with the Buddhists and the Muslims, other than the obvious, i.e., abstaining from food and possibly drink, how does that work exactly?
Were you having a joint fast, while fasting in honor of your own Deity?
Allah, the god of the Muslims, traces back to al Ilah, the oldest name for a god used in the Semitic world. We're talking Sumer, 4,000 - 5,000 B.C., the oldest settlement in Mesopotamia. He was the phallic, crescent moon god of fertility... Eternal value wise, nothing has changed for those who worship Allah.
The Buddha developed his ministry, mission, philosophy, whatever, because he was fed up with the gross idolatry of the Hindus, in whose midst he found himself, and wished to reverse their multi-god worship of everything and anything as one more god (pantheistic polytheism).
He rejected the possibility of supernatural power or any deity at all. Buddha was an atheist.
Ironic that he is now worshipped as though he were a god. He is probably not resting easily.
Soooo, how does that fit in with worship of the Creator of the Universe who has declared Himself to be a jealous God, before or beside whom one is to place no other gods?
or Jesus' command transmitted through the Holy Spirit to Paul in 2nd Corinthians 6:14-15:
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
"What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"
Howbeit, if your fast was not to please or deepen your ties to the God of the Bible, but rather just a politically correct, feel good fast of no religious significance, surely your "civil, courteous" relationships profited accordingly.
Friendship offered, friendship accepted.
when you were fasting with the Buddhists and the Muslims, other than the obvious, i.e., abstaining from food and possibly drink, how does that work exactly?
Were you having a joint fast, while fasting in honor of your own Deity?
Allah, the god of the Muslims, traces back to al Ilah, the oldest name for a god used in the Semitic world. We're talking Sumer, 4,000 - 5,000 B.C., the oldest settlement in Mesopotamia. He was the phallic, crescent moon god of fertility... Eternal value wise, nothing has changed for those who worship Allah.
The Buddha developed his ministry, mission, philosophy, whatever, because he was fed up with the gross idolatry of the Hindus, in whose midst he found himself, and wished to reverse their multi-god worship of everything and anything as one more god (pantheistic polytheism).
He rejected the possibility of supernatural power or any deity at all. Buddha was an atheist.
Ironic that he is now worshipped as though he were a god. He is probably not resting easily.
Soooo, how does that fit in with worship of the Creator of the Universe who has declared Himself to be a jealous God, before or beside whom one is to place no other gods?
or Jesus' command transmitted through the Holy Spirit to Paul in 2nd Corinthians 6:14-15:
"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
"What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?"
Howbeit, if your fast was not to please or deepen your ties to the God of the Bible, but rather just a politically correct, feel good fast of no religious significance, surely your "civil, courteous" relationships profited accordingly.
Friendship offered, friendship accepted.
Canuckus Deploracus wrote:
I quite agree that one should not make a spectacle... (show quote)
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