Merry Mithras
Hey krazyleesa, how come Friendster told me it was your birthday today??? I could be wrong, but I swear it was the 12th of October...
First off, let me say that I am not trying to bash on Christians here. Believe it or not, I spent a good portion of my life as a "Jesus Freak" and have no desire to squash people for their personal spiritual beliefs. Don't believe me about my past? I was going to post picture proof but couldn't find the right pic. So three words for you: Amy Grant obsession.
I do, however, find problems in religions which "absorb" pagan and other traditions as their own and then proclaim that their religion is the *only* true religion. Even worse when they vilify the very belief systems they 'borrowed' from.
So that said, let me describe a religion to you:
When you enter it's church, you dip your hand into a holy-water basin and make the sign of the cross. On the altar, you see a representation of the physical form of your God. During the service, you receive a communion of bread and wine. You believe in baptism, confirmation, salvation through good works, and life after death. The physical form of your deity has his birthday on December 25th, and his rebirth occurs during the Easter season. He is called the "king of kings, lord of lords, and the bringer of light."
Catholicism? No, it's Mithraism.
Mithras was born of a virgin on the 25th of December. His worship involved baptism, the partaking of bread marked with a cross and wine as sacrificial blood. Sundays were sacred. He performed miracles cast out demons. And all of this dates as far back as 1400 BC.
Here are a couple links about Mithraism:
http://www.geocities.com/spenta_mainyu_2/mithras.htm
http://www.meta-religion.com/World_Religions/Ancient_religions/Mesopotamia/Mithraism/mithra.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_sel.htm (scroll down to the heading Persian Pagan Religion)
Anywho, history lesson over. Just thought you might find it interesting.
First off, let me say that I am not trying to bash on Christians here. Believe it or not, I spent a good portion of my life as a "Jesus Freak" and have no desire to squash people for their personal spiritual beliefs. Don't believe me about my past? I was going to post picture proof but couldn't find the right pic. So three words for you: Amy Grant obsession.
I do, however, find problems in religions which "absorb" pagan and other traditions as their own and then proclaim that their religion is the *only* true religion. Even worse when they vilify the very belief systems they 'borrowed' from.
So that said, let me describe a religion to you:
When you enter it's church, you dip your hand into a holy-water basin and make the sign of the cross. On the altar, you see a representation of the physical form of your God. During the service, you receive a communion of bread and wine. You believe in baptism, confirmation, salvation through good works, and life after death. The physical form of your deity has his birthday on December 25th, and his rebirth occurs during the Easter season. He is called the "king of kings, lord of lords, and the bringer of light."
Catholicism? No, it's Mithraism.
Mithras was born of a virgin on the 25th of December. His worship involved baptism, the partaking of bread marked with a cross and wine as sacrificial blood. Sundays were sacred. He performed miracles cast out demons. And all of this dates as far back as 1400 BC.
Here are a couple links about Mithraism:
http://www.geocities.com/spenta_mainyu_2/mithras.htm
http://www.meta-religion.com/World_Religions/Ancient_religions/Mesopotamia/Mithraism/mithra.htm
http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_sel.htm (scroll down to the heading Persian Pagan Religion)
Anywho, history lesson over. Just thought you might find it interesting.