Religious thought
By rebecca1957
@rebecca1957 (265)
United States
April 12, 2008 12:10pm CST
Has anyone ever wondered about their religion and the history revolving around that religion? From the time we are first born we are influenced by the people around us. We believe everything we are taught and when we question that particular religion we are told to just believe. Since modern technology allows us to research on our own, it's time that we do so instead of just believing everything we are told. The Old Testament is still viable today and hasn't changed. Check out your religion's history and see what you can unearth. You will be amazed at what your find.
2 people like this
4 responses
@headhunter525 (3548)
• India
12 Apr 08
Used to question God's existence, but now became an ardent follower of Jesus Christ. Researched a bit on the historicity of Jesus and how the earliest Christians developed... the history is amazing. Even now am learning new thing.
@rebecca1957 (265)
• United States
12 Apr 08
God certainly exists. I'm confident that He does and that everything comes from Him. Another question.....since we all stand by the 10 commandments, and one of the 10 commandments states "Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy", why did Christianity change from sabbath worship to Sunday worship?
@rebecca1957 (265)
• United States
13 Apr 08
Ah...but do you know how the New Testament was formed? That many of the original scrolls were burned by the Romans? The Emperor Constatine (a pagan) demanded that all the bishops gather together (Council of Nicea)and decide who Jesus was and what books to incorporate into the New Testament. Matthew chapter 5 (words of Jesus) states to follow the laws of Moses. The very original Christians actually were converts to Judaism.
@danzer (2723)
• Philippines
12 Apr 08
Yes I wondered how I became a Baptist and so I made a search. And I was amazed how these group were persecuted when the Sadducee's and pharisee's threatened the first Jerusalem Church even until today. I saw the trail of blood that the early believers have to go through but they stay faithful to their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Although religion does not bring one to heaven, I am proud to be a Baptist! A Baptist that is Bible-believing, Independent, Fundamental, Soul-Winning, Hell-fire preaching! It's becoming hotter in here!
@rebecca1957 (265)
• United States
12 Apr 08
Actually, it wasn't just the Christians being persecuted, pagans were being persecuted as well. In fact, it was the Christian Crusades that slaughtered literally thousands of people by making the statement "Confess Jesus Christ or die". If Christianity was such a loving religion why did they have to make people confess Jesus? Over the years people began to confess Jesus out of fear. If God doesn't change, then why did He change?
@danzer (2723)
• Philippines
13 Apr 08
Those that slaughter people in the name of Jesus is not a true christian. They may have a religion but false christian religion. You can see these people everyday and they will tell you they are christians but their life said otherwise. And actions speak louder than words, my friend! Not all religious people are christians!
@rebecca1957 (265)
• United States
13 Apr 08
True...it was the ways of the crusades during that time. Now that we have so many resources to discover truth....it's time to research it for ourselves instead of having traditional beliefs told to us.
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
13 Apr 08
Actually, I've devoted a large portion of my life to the study of my religion's history. Of course, that's kind of necessary since it's a reconstruction of an ancient religion, and the only real way to study it is to study history. While I did have a mentor (my great-grandmother) who taught me some about my religion, I didn't get just one book to tell me everything I needed to know about it, or a church to tell me what to believe.
What I've found about Celtic paganism varies a lot depending on region and time period, but a lot of the core values remain the same: honor, respect for the natural cycles of life, belief in the spirit world, reverence for the Gods. The major difference between my religion as I follow it today and the way my ancestors would have followed it many years ago is that I don't depend quite as much on nature, and I get made fun of because my religion isn't "mainstream".
@rebecca1957 (265)
• United States
13 Apr 08
I think there is a lot of the Celtic paganism found in Christianity. Why do you follow Celtic paganism? Is it because you were born into it?
1 person likes this
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
13 Apr 08
It is true that a lot of the practices of Celtic (as well as other forms of) paganism that have become part of Christianity. In the case of the Celts, even the Goddess Brigid was brought over in the form of a saint. Plus there are the examples of dying and resurrecting gods (usually harvest deities in paganism), celebrating at the same times (Spring Equinox/Easter, Winter Solstice/Christmas, etc).
There are a couple of different reasons I'm a Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan. I wasn't exactly born into it, because my family had several different religious beliefs. My great-grandmother was the only one in that family who was a Celtic pagan, and she learned it from her mother before her, etc etc. She was very kind to me, as was her husband, who was a Native American spiritualist. So I would say her kindness probably influenced me, but...
The major reason I am a Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan is because I feel the Morrigan called me. I had dreams about her as a very small child, before I knew her name or that she was a Goddess. I have called her "Mother" since before I called my birth mother that, and she has been my highest loyalty since I first learned what loyalty was. I do follow the other Celtic Gods (and deal very closely with Taliesin, Brigid, Lugh, Dagda, and a few others), but Morrigan is and always has been my primary Goddess.
