I know before you tell me the spirituality forum is that away,(I only have space for one forum tab on my browser and the debates forum happens to be it) has Christianity suffered due to the undue influence that the Roman Empire had over the Church when with Constantine's 'conversion' the Empire became a crucible wherein Chrisitian and pagan ideas melded to form a corporate social state entity that has had little to do with the model of selfless love professed by Christ?
Originally posted by kmax87I raised this debate to provide a contrast to the converse thread firstly, but also because of a famous quote made by Ghandi, that the only problem with Christianity was the people who practiced it had little or no concept of the Christ they purported to follow! Its a paraphrase of what he said, but it always impresses me of the blatant paradox of most organized Christianity.
I know before you tell me the spirituality forum is that away,(I only have space for one forum tab on my browser and the debates forum happens to be it) has Christianity suffered due to the undue influence that the Roman Empire had over the Church when with Constantine's 'conversion' the Empire became a crucible wherein Chrisitian and pagan ideas melded to fo ...[text shortened]... l state entity that has had little to do with the model of selfless love professed by Christ?
Okay, heres a more explicit opinion. Rome seeing that Christianity would not go away decided to exploit it by incorporating it into its Empire, and in order to control it set about to mortally wound it by introducing as many pagan rituals as they could into a once fairly pared back religion.
Discuss
Originally posted by kmax87This is all true -- what we call "Catholicism," has very little in common with the early Church. Because they couldn't control it, the Romans co-opted as many pagan festivals onto Christianity as they could. Easter, for instance, is really the festival of Ishtar -- ever wonder what Easter eggs and the Easter Bunny have to do with Christ dying on the cross and being resurrected three days later? Christmas combines the best of the pagan Saturnalia (feasting and gift giving) and the Germanic Winter Solstice (Christmas tree, Yule log).
Okay, heres a more explicit opinion. Rome seeing that Christianity would not go away decided to exploit it by incorporating it into its Empire, and in order to control it set about to mortally wound it by introducing as many pagan rituals as they could into a once fairly pared back religion.
Discuss