Baptism is a religious ceremony performed by Christians and is considered an essential part of the Christian faith. It is a rite of initiation into the Christian community and symbolizes the forgiveness of sins and the spiritual cleansing of the individual. While baptism is primarily associated with Christianity, its origins can be traced back to pagan rituals and practices. Many ancient religions and cultures had similar rituals involving the submersion or sprinkling of water as a form of purification or initiation. In ancient Egypt, the ritual of purification through water was commonly practiced. This involved bathing in sacred pools or rivers to cleanse oneself of impurities and sins.
The Church teaches that if someone is not baptised with water, they will not be able to enter heaven. 146 There is no mention of this in the bible.
During the ritual (of water being poured on head or full water immersion) a cross was marked on their foreheads. 147 The Christian ritual mimic a pagan ritual. 109
Early church writer Tertullian states in the early third century The Devil, whose business it is to pervert the truth, mimics the exact circumstances of the Divine Sacraments in the Mysteries of Mithras. Though not in so many words, their excuse for rejecting the Gospel is the same as the circumcised Jew- We be Abraham s seed, and were never in bondage to any man how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free.
This involved bathing in sacred pools or rivers to cleanse oneself of impurities and sins. Similar practices were also found in ancient Mesopotamia and Assyria, where ritualistic washing with water was believed to cleanse an individual of evil spirits or sins. The ancient Greeks and Romans also had their own version of baptism.
The pagan origins of three Catholic practices
By the fourth century, the Christian Church had established itself as the official faith of the Roman Empire through a successful grassroots campaign to dominate, and almost exterminate, paganism. But did it?
In reality, the early Church had to merge itself with pagan practices and beliefs in order to blend into Roman society. In the rites and symbols of the Roman Catholic Church, we can find surviving, though rebranded, pre-Christian myths, deities, festivals, and rituals. Here are three Catholic practices that can be traced back to ancient pagan religions and cults.
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Transubstantiation
One of the more fascinating elements of Catholicism is the ritual cannibalistic consumption of their “demigod” known as Holy Communion or Eucharist. During Catholic mass, bread and wine are transformed into the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ, who is considered the son of God, in a rite called “transubstantiation.” This isn’t a symbolic transformation. A core teaching of the Catholic faith is the belief in literal transubstantiation. Practitioners eat the body and blood of Christ to become one with God.
Similar rituals were practiced in the underground “mystery religions” of the Greco-Roman world. In a few of those occult religions, celebrants shared a communal meal in which they symbolically feasted on the flesh and got drunk on the blood of their god. For example, the Mithraic Mysteries, or Mithraism, was a mystery cult practiced in the Roman Empire in 300 BC in which followers worshipped the Indo-Iranian deity Mithram, the god of friendship, contract, and order. Mirroring the Catholic Eucharistic rite, the idea of transubstantiation was a characteristic of Mithraic sacraments that included cake and Haoma drink. But the ritual probably wasn’t original to Mithraism either. In Egypt around 3100 BC, priests would consecrate cakes which were to become the flesh of the god Osiris and eaten.
Holy Days and Carnivals
The survival of ancient communities was intimately dependent upon the fertility of the land, so their religious symbolism and festivals reflected this fundamental bond between humans and the cycles of nature. A number of Catholic holidays and myths parallel the timeline and adopt the symbols of pre-Christian fertility festivals. In Catholicism, Jesus Christ is thought to have been born on December 25, Christmas Day. In pre-Christian Roman religions, the Winter Solstice was a core sacred event that took place on December 25 at the time of the Julian calendar. The best known custom was the Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was celebrated similar to Christmas with drinking, fires, gift-giving, and tree worship.
Similarly, the Catholic Fat Tuesday, otherwise known as Mardi Gras, is rooted in the pre-Christian Roman celebration of Lupercalia. A February holiday honoring the Roman god of fertility, its customs involved feasting, drinking, and “carnal behavior.” Today, the same can be said of Mardi Gras, when Catholics (as well as non-Catholics) eat festival foods and party before abstaining for 40 days during Lent.
When it comes to Easter, celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox, the symbolic story of the death of a god (or sun/son) and springtime rebirth is a tale as old as time. The spring equinox was recognized by various pagan cults as a festival marking the resurrection of light triumphing over darkness and the fresh fecundity of the land. One such festival was Eostre, which celebrated a northern goddess of the same name. Her symbol was the prolific hare representing fertility.
Speaking of goddesses…
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Goddess Worship: The Virgin Mary and Saint Brigid
Though theoretically monotheistic, the Catholic practice of praying to saints has been called “de-facto idolatry” and even a relic of goddess worship. Rebranded pagan goddesses can be found in the Catholic Church today in forms of Saint Brigid and the Virgin Mary.
Mary, the Virgin Mother of Christ, is arguably the most important Catholic icon save for the Holy Trinity. She’s likely the amalgamation of pre-Christian mother goddesses from antiquity whose ranks include Artemis, Demeter, Diana, Hera, Isis, and Venus. The cult of the Egyptian goddess Isis may have had a particularly strong influence on Christian myth. While historical records can not substantiate this entirely, there is physical evidence of statues of Isis cradling Horus that were converted and reused as the Virgin Mary holding Jesus.
Brigid, the beloved Celtic goddess associated with fertility and healing, is perhaps the clearest example of the survival of an early goddess into Catholicism. Practitioners, particularly in Ireland, pay tribute to Saint Brigid of Ireland who shares many of the early goddess’s attributes. Her feast day on the first of February falls around the same time as the pagan celebration of Imbolc.
The appropriation of these pagan practices and symbols by the Catholic Church shows how, as social interests change and new institutions are established, religious myths and practices are not so easily exterminated. Today, millions of Catholics eating the body and blood of their god, bowing their heads to feminine idols and celebrating natural cycles on the Liturgical Calendar are still worshiping in the ways of the ancient pagans.
If one truly believed that only the ‘elect children’ will be regenerated then why don’t they WAIT till their children can say with the Ethiopian Eunuch ‘I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God’ and THEN baptize them according to Scripture?
In Greek mythology, the River Styx was considered sacred and believed to have the power to purify and cleanse. Romans practiced the ritual of immersing newborns in water as a way to ensure their protection and purification. The influence of these pagan beliefs and practices can be seen in the early Christian church. As Christianity spread and incorporated converts from various cultures and backgrounds, elements of these pre-existing rituals were adapted and incorporated into Christian baptism. For example, the act of immersion in water during baptism can be traced back to the ancient practices of submersion or bathing found in the pagan rituals. Similarly, the idea of cleansing and purification through water is a common theme found in both pagan and Christian beliefs. However, it is important to note that while baptism may have pagan origins, it has taken on new meaning within the Christian faith. For Christians, baptism represents not just a physical cleansing but also a spiritual rebirth and initiation into the community of believers. It is a symbolic act that represents the individual's commitment to their faith and their union with Christ. In conclusion, while the origins of baptism can be traced back to pagan rituals and practices, it has evolved and taken on new meaning within the context of Christianity. It is a vital sacrament that represents the forgiveness of sins and the spiritual rebirth of the individual..
Reviews for "The Pagan Concept of Spiritual Transformation and its Influence on Baptism"
- John Doe - 1 star
I found "Bap5ism pagan origins" to be a completely pointless book. The author's arguments were superficial and lacked any clear evidence to support his claims. It seemed like the author was trying to create controversy rather than provide meaningful insights. I would not recommend wasting your time with this book.
- Jane Smith - 2 stars
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- Michael Johnson - 2.5 stars
" Bap5ism pagan origins" was a mixed bag for me. While I appreciate the attempt to explore the origins of baptism, the author's arguments fell flat. Many of the claims made were speculative and lacked solid evidence. Additionally, the writing style was often confusing and hard to follow. While the topic is intriguing, this book did not do it justice.
- Emily Davis - 1 star
I regret reading "Bap5ism pagan origins". The author's arguments were poorly constructed and lacked any substantial evidence. It felt more like a personal opinion piece rather than a scholarly exploration. I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for a well-researched and comprehensive analysis of the topic.