Did the Early Christians BORROW from Pagan Myths?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- In this talk, Dr. Licona explores 6 reasons to think that early Christians did NOT borrow from pagan myths.
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Super super weak. Good thing he is not in a debate.
They didn't borrow, they destroyed and distorted it.
Can you give example of traits that would be taken from myths? So far it hasn't actually been similar when I've studied the examples that people have given and compared to the bible myself.
@@sandrapihlskott3262 christmas and easter and about every other "christian" holiday.
@@sandrapihlskott3262 Christmas and Easter are the two main ones. For example, a lot of our Christmas traditions come from the pagan festival of Yule.
@@tswear6717 I was thinking about the Bible, not church and holidays. We all know many of them are of pagan origins. Being a Christian I don't celebrite easter, but passover; Jewish origin. It was then that Jesus was crucified and redeemed us on the cross.
Manyl of us Christians don' t at all agree with how some so called churches have behaved through out history or with the mixing of traditions.
State church is in part a political project and doesn' t excist in the New Testamentet teaching.
@@fredkay6743 I was thinking about the Bible, not holidays. You can read my reply to Brink :-) Also, we often forget that pagan worship & traditions sometimes included for ex human sacrifise. Such as the germanic and norse religions that yule comes from. Archeology has also shown this. ( Also, for ex here in Sweden we actually call it jul, not Christmas. But you can chose what you want to celebrate.)
Simple answer, yes.
Did you watch the video or check out any other critique against that idea? Personally, when someone has given examples of myths or mythic characters I've found them NOT to be similar. Some just believe in theories on the internet without even checking the bible / bliblical caracters themselves. Then there ARE some traits that can occur in some myths. So far I've found those things to be for ex things that symbolise something particular in real life too, and that can symbolise the same in different cultures. For ex riding on a donkey, symbolises humility. And for ex there's the story of the arch and the great flood; a story that has actually been found in many parts of the world. In so many and such different parts of the world that probably were not in reach of each other. Which could indicate that it actually happened.
@@sandrapihlskott3262 Christianity is based off the holy Bible. The holy Bible isn't a book, it's a collection of books scribed from different people, many of which had different beliefs coming from different religions. Hell, we don't even know who the authors of some were. And yes, I watched the video, and they were nothing but excuses. Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's true or false. I've looked into this pretty heavily, not just the origins, but whether or not to believe. Best thing you can do is actually read the book. I started out as a Christian BTW so don't assume I have a bias on this subject. If anything, this guy has a major bias.
Give us the not so simple answer. Which myths specifically did early Christians borrow from?
@@histguy101 this man commenting looks like muslim.
Im sure you watched the video and came to a reasonable conclusion....
Apologetics is pagan Catholicism!
If there are so many parallels what makes the Christian story unique? And also what makes it more true than the other stories that are so similar?
That's the point, it's not.
This person didn't watch the video.
FireFirePow I did actually! The entire thing
What everyone above me said...
In addition, I think it’s the fear mongering and psychological effect. You’re told nothing you could ever do could make you good enough and you were born filthy and destined to hell. The fear of hell is what makes it unique.
@@Erin__D I just happened to see this filthy comment now and I hold my stance; you DID NOT WATCH THE VIDEO and or you didn't get the picture if you did. Mike Licona is trying to show that the concept that Christianity is no different from pagan myths is false. The idea that these stories are the same as Christianity in concept and have all these supposed parallels is false, it's just not true when you actually compare the stories. The Word of God also clearly states in Ecclesiastes 1:1-10 "The words of the Teacher, [1] son of David, king in Jerusalem: "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless." What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. All things are wearisome, more than one can say. The eye never has enough of seeing, nor the ear its fill of hearing. What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time."
This means clearly that ideas such as resurrection and virgin birth aren't surprising to see in stories across time. The issue is that people are claiming these are parallels between Pagan myths and Christianity. They are similar traits, but not at all are the stories the same at all if you compare them side by side!
A few other things to consider: the devil knew the plan of God to have his Son Jesus Christ go to the Earth. He has copied Christianity and God. Christianity didn't begin when Christ died! Christianity always existed, it just changed names to Christianity. If we look at the entire Old Testament we see prophecies and signs pointing to Christ throughout. The Old Testament is all about the coming of Christ if one reads it with the true perspective. It mentions pagans in the Old Testament, the Hebrews had a relationship with the world as a nation that existed! God spoke about the other peoples and nations. God bless you and I hope you look into what i.am saying.
Standard Christian argument tactic: take something that is obviously true, declare it’s not true, walk away...
Uh, yes.
campbellscollision. which made it easier for the pagans to convert. When Christians currently celebrate holidays has no bearing on the veraciousness of Christ.
@@Justin-on8fi I mean you’re literally celebrating pagan holidays so...
@@cnacma no idea why you guys think the history of a celebration is of any relevance.
@@Justin-on8fi because your guys lie constantly about your holidays. Christians say Christmas is Jesus’s birthday when In reality is the pagan Yule festival date.
@@cnacma On Christmas we celebrate Christ’s birth. Doesn’t matter what used to be celebrated on that day, it’s absurd to say that just because someone else used the same day to celebrate something else that’s what it’s perpetually used for.
Literally all Christian holidays were originally pagan holidays. You can’t tell em scholars say they do not parallel when they are very clearly parallel
I just got into an argument with a so called Christian on another channel about this. She said I was misguided. I feel so sorry for people that do not know the history of their religions. Guess they will fall for anything. I even started out saying the early Christians were not dummies. The way the did it was very intelligent. But no I was wrong.
How many Christians so called holidays exist?
@@danielmann5427 there are technically 10 in the Bible but I’m talking about the ones they still celebrate like Easter, Christmas and Halloween
Keep reading maybe someday you will know what you are actually talking about. Why don't you actually read something other than some internet thing.
@@danielmann5427 wtf are you talking about?
What many of you don’t understand clearly is.. that the Jewish God predates every other God known to man beginning in the garden with the first man and woman. The Jewish God just so happens to be the same God as the Christian God because Christianity is simply the fulfillment of the Torah and of Judaism. With that being said.. in the garden of Eden it was said from God to Adam and Eve after they ate from the tree of good and evil that a second Adam (Jesus) would be coming to earth from the seed of Adam to destroy the serpent .. and Jesus was already in heaven even when Lucifer was there. It says in Genesis “let us make mankind in OUR image” (referring to the trinity) and that God “walked in the garden with Adam and eve” meaning he had actual legs! Jesus was already in heaven but In a heavenly body. The Bible also says when we go to heaven we have a new heavenly body. He was in his. So when Satan heard Gods plan to send Jesus to earth to destroy him and the other prophesies about the coming messiah he copycatted to the best of his ability what was about to take place so as to deceive the whole world! But he never once got it right! Taking a little bit of the truth and completely distorting it.
To me it's not important who copied from whom, the only thing is everything's been fabricated by humans, and so we're talking about stories. And this guy seems to be heavily biased.
What’s been fabricated the narratives of Jesus, the miracles he did or the fact he existed?
I’m trying to work out what it is you believe is made up and why?
What makes you think everything is made up? Evidence or presumption.
We are all biased. Out of everyone I have ever heard speak, Mike is the person who does the most to lay his biases down and seek the truth. This can be at the expense of "winning" arguments.
In this talk, to Christian's, his aim is not to prove Christinity. That us taken as a given for thus particular question. To start to prove it would be to be side tracked. You will notice his next talk was to be evidence for the resurrection.
You do Mike a disservice by calling him hugely biased, though he himself would admit to be biased because we all are.
TY
Very bad arguments
Saying “really bad arguments” is ironically, a really bad argument. Because it offers no substance
In addition because Satan knew of the trinity he also copycatted that in false gods to deceive the whole world.
Yes, and it’s obvious they did. Probably not in a sinister sense........just natural evolution of religion.
What would be your best examples to prove that's the case?
Sandra Pihl Skott one of the best examples of a religion evolving from another is Christianity from Judaism mingled with Greek mythology . Another example is Islam coming out of Christianity . There is lots of examples of religions evolving from others . Take Mormonism . And so on .
@@jerichosharman470 Judaism borrowed allot from the Egyptians as well. Stories have allot of similarities. Also Christmas comes from I believe a mainly Germanic pagan Tradition. This makes sense tho because the Roman Empire was spread out across the whole of Europe so you could even argue this might have been simply evolution and not something that was directly changed by the forces that were in power.
Let's not forget Zoroastrianism
@@jerichosharman470
Christianity did not _evolve_ from Judaism. It burst onto the scene amongst the Jewish community with Christ at the center and when the Jews rejected him it began to be preached to the gentiles, not through evolution, but through Christ’s commission. This can be seen in early church history.
Does anybody here read the Bible?
Dear Jannet I fully agree with all that you have said on my comments. Yah bless you dear sister
I am pagan and your right no Christianity did not Barrow from the mythology per say. But thay did incorporate pagan practices and symbols into Christianity. Not to mention the Holliday's that use pagens celebrated for thousands of years and passed down the knowledge of them verbally way before evan jewdisam came about.
Min 3:40 scholarship.... Argumentum ad Verecundiam = Fallacy. The Descent of Inanna is not an agricultural myth and is one of the first (and most beautiful) myths ever. Same for some resurrection variants in vedic literature (Ganesha, Banasura, Vishnu, Krishna, Kama Deva and Rati...)
I agree that authority is not a good basis for logical argument. Giving the benefit of the doubt, I believe his point was mainly about a lack of authority from an anonymous individual online today. Still, a bad point, or at least a weak point to my mind. I've delved deeply into Jewish and ancient Hebrew culture, his point about early Jewish Christians being vehemently opposed to adopting non-Hebrew myth should really have taken up much more of the conversation. The comparisons, both similarities and oppositions between Hebrews and the other Semitic tribes is both rigidly clear and extensive.
As for the Descent of Inanna, it is an interesting poem that has had several varied interpretations. I don't claim to know all the historical context, but it does end with a pair of gods taking turns in the underworld, very similar to the story of Persephone. Thus it can be argued that is is an explanation of the seasons. However, considering that Inanna caused the death of the god to whose funeral she is trying to attend (see the Epic of Gilgamesh), it seems more a story about the consequences of bad behavior, where she is judged and killed (even if only temporarily) due to her rash and uncarring behavior. If this is an inspiration for the death and resurrection of Jesus, then his story is a reversal of the Descent of Inanna. Stiil, if there was less evidence for the historical death of Jesus, then I might consider this connection. After all, we see lots of connections between the poem of creation (genesis 1) and the cosmology of other Semitic civilizations, more importantly, the connection is actually an opposition, what Dr. David Neeman called the polemic story of creation. The similarities between Gen.1 and ancient sumerian and babylonian cosmology points to the ancient origins of writing of that part of the Bible. However, Jesus' story is divorced by several thousand years. More importantly, Gen.1 clearly communicates an opposed viewpoint, a separateness of the ancient Hebrews from their city dwelling cousins (both the other Semetic tribes, and the Sumerians). However, no such message exists in the story of Jesus, it does closely follow previous Hebrew writings promising a blessing for all nations, a message of unification, of crossing cultural boundaries. Again, I can see connections, but they are frail and lack the evidence I would expect from a historical perspective. On the other hand, the connections between the new testament and the old Hebrew scriptures are direct, clear and precise. If the story of Jesus is fiction, then it would surely be based on Hebrew writings. Those writings clearly compared and opposed certain elements of their surrounding cultures. So the clearest connection to non-Jewish myth is a historical opposition and distinction that the Jews had to try and keep themselves apart from others, at least for a time.
@@ruathawylderkin2268 Myth of Inanna, Queltzalcoatl, Ra and Apep, Kamadeva and Rati, banasura, Hanuman, Mayan Ixquic princess, Hades and Persephone, Balder resurrection, Anath and Baal are the same stories about planets going down to the netherworld (under the horizon, pole shift), nothing to do with actual beings. All these legends follow the same ARCHETYPES.
However, I strongly disagree about the real existence of Jesus as a material being; there is NO evidence of he living, his talks, miracles, or even crucifixion. Most of the legends in the gospels are different from each other (400.000 differences are accounted). There is NO PRIMARY SOURCE (not Josephus or Tacitus were contemporary to him, and they dont really provide any corroboration to evangelists tales, which by the way, were written several decades after the alleged existence of the person by quite old men. The only contemporary source, Philo of Alexandria, living in the court of Herodes (his nephew was married with Herodes Agripa's daughter), does NOT TALK about him or christians. Only mentions the derision of Carabbas, and in 'Flaccus' does not appear the Sadducee or Pharisee, just Essenians and therapeuts.
Lol
So why are there so many parallels to Jesus life from a Bible source and a non Bible source? Parallels to a Bible source, a Christian would call that a prophecy. Parallels from a non Bible source, Christians say that's non sense or argue that it came after Jesus’s life so they were copying. Jesus life came after Samson's life in the Hebrew text.
The internet is just a magnifying glass for the human heart. Everything you see on the internet is just a magnified reflection of the heart multiple times over. I have little doubt that "borrowed from" has been around to some extent since the Resurrection. The internet only gives more visibility and numbers to it.
The question I have for Mike is given the subject of this video and the fairly recent appearances of WLC on your show coupled with his recent "new paper" claiming the Creation account in Genesis is "Mytho-history" borrowed from other ancient writings, have you discussed this with him or looked into it?
My first thought is why does WLC go so quickly to that instead of assuming that the other ancient writings were derived from either ancient Pre-Mosaic texts we no longer have or Oral Tradition passed down until Moses was moved to write Genesis.
Hi Mike. I would respectfully ask for a conversation or debate about this archetype. Let me know.
Dear Bacon Sizzle Scholars are blinded by the god of this age. Bible gives many clues as to when Yahshua was born. Scriptures says those that have the love for the truth and tremble at his Word and truly seek will be given the truth as you seek scriptures. Most scholars are all Sunday/pagan practicing scholars enjoying what they want to believe, so how will God reveal to such. I and many have found the truth right in the Scriptures. English translation make it dim but look for Greek words like Succoth and you will know. God does every thing and has only on his days right in the Scriptures, he hate paganism. Scholars are even blinded to see the 7th day Sabbath clearly mentioned in the Bible, so how could they find the truth looking a little here and there.
Okay and does it say that Jesus was born in December and resurrected in the spring time. Cause the Winter solstice is in December and the spring solstice is around Easter - oh yah another pagan goddess. I really think that the early Christians were highly intelligent for incorporating paganism into converting people. If you think about it maybe Christianity would not have existed. The early Christians may have been wiped completely out, but by giving their religion similarities to the pagan ones made it so much easier to spread the word of God. I respect them for that. God gave humans the ability to think and be creative.
As much as your sarcasm os funny ; not adressing the myths that disturbed the early churh fathers and wete some what embarrased with the simularities .
To the poimt that there scholarly and incredible grasp of ancient religions ; is the profound responce , the devil did it
GOD BLESS
please provide a source to substantiate that church fathers were disturbed
Nope. Christianity brought in a lot of Pagan culture but not myths as the religion was based solely on the scriptures of Tanakh and Jesus. They also took the 25th December for Christmas because nobody knew when Jesus was born.
Early Christians did not celebrated Christmas dear.
Ozzy Augusto correct. There was no information of when he was born unlike when he died. As such Constantine 300 years later used a Pagan date to celebrate it. Being mid-winter it attracted many cultural activities some of Christian and some Pagan origin to become a dominant cultural event. Yet despite all this the religious part has not changed and remains fully bedded in the scriptures.
The Pharaoh - exactly. It is Pagan culture but the Christmas Tree has nothing to do with the Christian belief, it is purely a cultural symbol but not a myth that has affected the Christian faith. People believe that the culture defines the religion but that is a false assumption. Christmas is enjoyed and is a way for the family to come together in joy and happiness, but that is not part of Christianity itself except for the 'joy and happiness' of celebrating the birth of Jesus.
Christians are fully aware of what is purely culture and what is actually true Christianity. Christianity incorporated a lot of Pagan cultures in order to help enjoy a festival, but it did not incorporate any myths into its actual beliefs.
You do know that the story of jesus is extremely similar to many other stories of a "savior" that are way older right? In fact many stories, holidays, and rituals are stolen from pagan religion's. And they didn't just pick that date because they needed one, they took it as to weed out the rest of the pagan holidays that were celebrated on that day. So yes, Christianity took a lot of inspiration from pagan religion's.
@@Charzilian false, jesus is not a copy of pagan gods that claim has been debunked a long time ago.
A very encouraging service.
Lawlessness is Lawlessness any way you spin it.
Yahweh was intertwined with the deity El from the Canaanite Pantheon, El was married to Asherah. Feel free to prove me wrong. El is the god of Abraham.
Haha, "El" is the general name for any God. Yahweh is not intertwined with El. Yahweh has MANY other names as well such as a "I am."
FireFirePow Anything to refute this? I feel archaeology can demonstrate this quite easily and given when these accounts were written it’s far more likely. The Christian perspectives give the notion that El, Elohim, Elyon, El Shaddai, are all various names associated with the god of the Bible and I think that is simply false. All these names were associated with El, El was his own supreme being from the Canaanite pantheon, makes sense of the references to Asherah and Baal in the Hebrew Bible. Check out the history of Yahweh let me know what you conclude.
I am isn’t any specific reference to a particular god rather it is a reference to something akin to being self sufficient.
@@kennyehm3971 Canaanite pantheon... Uhm, every man came from Adam, including the founder of Canaan. The devil and his demons deceived mankind into worshipping other false gods, therefore all other gods and names of those gods have their origin in the one true living God, if that makes sense.
I am is definitely a name of God, if you read the Old Testament stories of where this name came from and tie it to Jesus' claim of being the "I am," this is very clear. It's not a metaphorical term symbolizing something, it's a literal name. One must read the Bible to understand the context. The Word of God contained and not contained in the Bible is the truth and it holds the answers to all questions, not only this but the Word of God IS God. (I say contained and not contained because as we know the "Bible" is what the corrupt Roman Catholic Church compiled and decided on as 'canon.')
FireFirePow Well you’re evidently a radical Christian fundamentalist and evidently only your method of interpretation is correct so your ideologies can prevail. I can’t help you. Good day.
El or elohim used to refer spiritual beings in ancient times. God said to Moses I am who i am . Means ehyeh in Hebrew. Then It became yhwh . So you are biased
I'm fascinated with apologetics. They are willing to stand up strong in a court room and defend, defend, defend. The truth doesn't need to be covered or defended. Only a lie or something that's bad need to be defended.
Mike is cherry picking
So they dismiss parallels to pagans but say parallels to old testament Samson is prophecy.
Do I need to defend the fact that I didn't contradict when I said that Pufferpeeps can't jump up on my couch due to being disabled at birth, but the day before I said that Pufferpeeps jumped up on my couch? Yes. Even though it doesn't contradict. She CANT jump up on TOP but CAN jump up on the SIDE with 4 paws. And pagan lies are why he's speaking
You just made the most idiotic statement I’ve ever heard. That the truth doesn’t need to be defended. As it liars and unbelievers who are filled with and children of the devil wouldn’t challenge to the truth! Hello 👋🏽 you there?
I love you licona forever.
Recently finds in ugaric really makes the arguments in this video foolish.
pleas elaborate how exactly
They were always foolish. Splitting hairs and specially pleading their particular superstition while condemning others.
Hinduism: Trimurti defines God as a being who eternally exists as three persons, Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the Destroyer.
Christianity: Trinity defines God as a being who eternally exists as three persons, Father the Creator, Son the Redeemer and Holy Spirit the Inspirational.
Greek mythology: god Zeus visited the human woman Danae in the form of golden rain and fathered Perseus, a god-man.
Christianity: God visited the human woman virgin Mary in the person of Holy Spirit and beget Jesus another god-man.
In fact, the early Christian apologist Justin Martyr, considered a saint in the Catholic Church, said the following in response to pagan criticisms that Christianity borrowed from their beliefs about the sons of God:
*When we say that the Word, who is our teacher, Jesus Christ the first born of God, was produced without sexual union, and that he was crucified and died and rose again, and ascended to heaven, we propound nothing new or different from what you [pagans] believe regarding those whom you consider sons of Jupiter.*
*-Justin Martyr, The First Apology, Chapter 21*
According to ancient Roman mythology Jupiter was the king of all the gods. Here Justin Martyr is telling Roman pagans that what the Christians believe about Jesus being the son of God is nothing different than what they believe about the sons of the god Jupiter.
The Qur’an confirms that those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God are imitating an ancient pagan concept:
*“...The Christians said, ‘The Messiah is the son of God’: they said this with their own mouths, repeating what earlier disbelievers had said...” [Qur'an **9:30**]*
Sounds like they were trying to grow the religion
What you don’t understand clearly is.. that the Jewish God predates every other God known to man beginning in the garden with the first man and woman. The Jewish God just so happens to be the same God as the Christian God because Christianity is simply the fulfillment of the Torah and of Judaism. With that being said.. in the garden of Eden it was said from God to Adam and Eve after they ate from the tree of good and evil that a second Adam (Jesus) would be coming to earth from the seed of Adam to destroy the serpent .. and Jesus was already in heaven even when Lucifer was there. It says in Genesis “let us make mankind in OUR image” (referring to the trinity) and that God “walked in the garden with Adam and eve” meaning he had actual legs! Jesus was already in heaven but In a heavenly body. The Bible also says when we go to heaven we have a new heavenly body. He was in his. So when Satan heard Gods plan to send Jesus to earth to destroy him and the other prophesies about the coming messiah he copycatted to the best of his ability what was about to take place so as to deceive the whole world! But he never once got it right! Taking a little bit of the truth and completely distorting it.
The fact you can't see the false equivalence in context, that because supernatural beings have supernatural beginnings or lives means that they're the same? That things like virginity, the eternal, divinity that begets itself being valued cross culturally means they all have the same implications? Low hanging fruit and the lazy Zeitgeist grab-bag cherry picking of mythology means the systems are the same theologically, when it's obviously not the case. People thinking this is grounds to dismiss as simply a forgery or in the spirit of perennialism, is truly retarded.
Yes, yes, and yes!
No,No and No!
@@kendrickgabriel2858 lol what in the Dante's inferno Greek hell? Its not hell iys Sheol.
There so much pagan it's hard to find YAHshua!
Praise YAH firmly Worship YAH humbley Give thanks for Messiah YAHshua. Halalu-YAH !
1st century Christians were no part of pagan festivals or worship. It was only from the 3rd and 4th centuries that the churches incorporated pagan gods and festivals and beliefs like Easter, Christmas, the Trinity, and the Cross, in to Christianity which is contrary to God's will or his word. By doing this they fulfilled prophecies about false teachings replacing truthful ones. Churches have become the weeds that were planted in with the wheat in Jesus parable of the wheat and the weeds.....
About Easter, the Encyclopedia Britannica clearly explains the pagan traditions associated with the egg. “The egg as a symbol of fertility and of renewed life goes back to the ancient Egyptians and Persians, who had also the custom of colouring and eating eggs during their spring festival.” In ancient Egypt, an egg symbolised the sun, while for the Babylonians, the egg represents the hatching of the Venus Ishtar, who fell from heaven to the Euphrates. Inanna (known also as Ishtar by other cultures) was the patron deity during the Uruk period (4000 - 3100 B.C). She became one of the most widely venerated deities in the Sumerian pantheon, with temples across Mesopotamia. The Canaanites, Philistines, Edomite’s, Ammonites, Sidonians also worshiped her before the Israelites crossed into the promised lands. The name Ishtar is likely Semitic in origin, and was identified in ancient times with Canaanite goddess Ashtoreth or Astarte (Biblical Hebrew עשתרת). The Sumerians worshipped Inanna-Ishtar as the goddess of both warfare and sexuality.
The worship of Ashtoreth possibly existed in Canaan as early as Abraham’s time, for one of the cities there was called “Ashteroth-karnaim.” - Genesis 14:5. Also mentioned in Scripture is the city of Ashtoreth, the dwelling place of the giant King Og of Bashan. Its name would indicate that this city may have been a center of Ashtoreth worship as mentioned in Deuteronomy 1:4; Joshua 9:10; 12:4. In the sixth century B.C.E., the great Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II constructed the mammoth "Ishtar Gate" in honour of the goddess.
It’s very likely that the Greeks worshiped her as Aphrodite,and the Romans called her Venus (derived from the shortened Babylonian goddess of Venus Ishtar). According to the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary says: “The word Easter is of Saxon origin, Eastra (sourced from the goddess Ishtar), the goddess of spring, in whose honor sacrifices were offered about Passover time each year. By the eighth century, Anglo-Saxons had adopted the name to designate the celebration of Christ’s resurrection.
In a issue of Natural History magazine, Cornell University professor Carl Sagan observes that many “religions have shamelessly” borrowed rituals from their predecessors. He said: “Consider, for example, the Christian festival of Easter, in which the ancient fertility rites of the spring equinox are today cunningly disguised as chickies, eggies, and bunnies. Indeed, the very name Easter is a corruption of the name of the great Near Eastern earth mother goddess, Astarte.” Yes, Easter is derived from the goddess Ashtoreth, who the Israelites called Ishtar.
A quick google search will verify this fact via jw.org or independent sources.
wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1978003#h=29:208-30:428Note
Note how Jehovah God feels about the incorporation of pagan worship into true worship to him...Easter is even named after Astarte, the Phoenician goddess of fertility and sexual love! Concerning similar festivals in Jeremiah’s day, “the utterance of Jehovah” was as follows:“The sons are picking up sticks of wood, and the fathers are lighting the fire, and the wives are kneading flour dough in order to make sacrificial cakes to the ‘queen of the heavens’; and there is a pouring out of drink offerings to other gods for the purpose of offending me. . . . Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘Look! My anger and my rage are being poured forth upon this place.’”-Jer. 7:18-20.
The warning to Christians today is..., Their Christmas, their Easter and many other of their festivals find their origin in religions of pre-Christian times. Time and again, God warned his people in the bible to avoid worshiping other god’s. “Do not turn to worthless gods or make for yourselves gods of cast metal. I am Jehovah your God” - Leviticus 19:4. Like the Israelites, many Christian religions fail to heed God’s warnings today and in Judges 10:6 it states- Again the Israelites did what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah, and they began to serve the Baals, the Ashtoreth (Ishtar) images, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines.
They abandoned Jehovah and did not serve him. Even wise king Solomon also disobeyed God's command to his detriment as stated in 1Kings: 4-6- “In Solomon’s old age, his (pagan) wives inclined his heart to follow other gods, and his heart was not complete with Jehovah…. And Solomon followed after Ashtoreth (Ishtar), the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the disgusting god of the Ammonites. And Solomon did what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah, and he did not follow Jehovah completely as David his father had done. If God put it in his word and used Solomon as an example then it must be important that we learn the lesson and not do the same bad things. Solomon who was favored by God, but he became disobedient to the point that God promised his next generations would have the kingdom taken away from him, because he worshiped Ashteroth/Ishter among other gods.
True Christians/worshipers of God have also been warned many times not to mix false worship with true worship. The Apostle Paul warned in 1Corinthians10:20 says - “No; but I say that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons”.
Not only did Jesus reject false religion but he also showed what true religion involves. He declared: “Go away, Satan! For it is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’” - Matthew 4:10.
The above is the reason why Jehovah’s Witness do not celebrate Easter. We encourage others to find worship that is acceptable to the true God, Favorable, Free from Pagan and false demonic influences. Below is a short video highlighting the importance in sticking to the things that God teaches. and why it matters. www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODBibleTeachings/docid-502018853_1_VIDEO God does not want us to be mindless and go along with the majority of others on the broad and spacious road that leads off into destruction, but he will reward the few who keep searching for the truth, to seek out the narrow road that leads to life.
Lmfao, this dude is just pissed of at evolution and the fact humans can have influence on a book he adores so much.
Actually, HISTORICALLY there is no evidence of Jesus. It’s a matter of faith.
Atheist scholars would laugh at you for saying that.
@@sammyt4549 Ikr lol
When I read a comment like this, I wonder what is going on in the author's head. Has someone told them thi and they have blindly believed? Have they made it up as a lie? Do they desperately want to believe Jesus didn't exist so they don't have to face up to the possibility they may be a sinner?
There is evidence that Jesus existed e.g. Josephus even outside the Gospels, which are evidence themselves. Even atheists like Varr Ehrman agrees
People in antiquity worshipped many gods; even the people of Israel. Israel transitioned from gods (paganism) that could be seen and touched to worshipping a god named Yahweh. A god that they could not see. Then the narrative around Jesus life was created and later Christians turned Jesus into a divine figure, a God that people could see and touch again. The struggle of not seeing our god helped developed the narrative about Jesus’s life. Of course who was Paul trying to convert...the Gentiles. Who were the Gentiles? Pagan followers.
I believe that the early Church did not borrow or follow paganism many laid their lives down for their beliefs, but slowly pagan/gnostic teaching start creeping into the church through Simon Megas and Emperor Constantine. Scripture clearly indicates when jesus was born certainly not 25 December but he tabernacled with men so the first day of the feast of tabernacles jesus was born and the 8th day of the feast he was dedicated.
Uh scripture literally does not specify a date of birth. If it did, Scholars wouldn't have been debating these things for centuries.
paulina Dsouza paganism existed long before that, paganism is the oldest religion. The ancient Druids date back a hundred thousand years. and it's spelled Magnus. paganism was the original religion, given to us by the old gods the true creators. 10 by the way the word gnostic comes from the Greek word gnosis meaning having knowledge. I think before Christians should be allowed to speak they should be forced to get at least 10 years of secular education studying all the world religions rather than focusing on just their own. the Christian ego will be its undoing. And by the way those brave people you talked about, would that be the Christian Crusades? When they went out and literally slaughtered everybody who wouldn't convert, men, women, and children?
paulina Dsouza and then let's not forget the Salem trials, where a bunch of people hallucinating on ERG of rye started a bunch of witch hysteria in their Village.
paulina Dsouza and by the way Christians did steal winter solstice and started calling it Christmas. all religious Scholars agree that Jesus of Nazareth was born around late September, but the reason they mark his birth in December, was so that they could Stamp Out the older Pagan tradition of winter solstice when we celebrate the Turning of the seasons. Easter was also stolen from paganism, it used to be called Oester and it was the celebration of the Spring Equinox, the Turning of spring. and Halloween or Samhain has always been our holiday. Christians stole communion, they stole the Christmas tree, they even stole candle lighting and tried to call it their own. they replaced spells and incantations with prayers of groveling and begging for things. yes early Christians did steal from pagans.
@@jenetoconnor7738 Catholics, not Christians
Yes my answer Cristian is from pagan myth
Great succinct presentation 👍
Dear Eugenia. I pray the Lord open your eyes to obedience than man made traditions which Scripture/God says is vain worship and rebellion in his sight. If you desire to disobey God and follow as Scripture says dictates of our own heart that is entirely up to you. Scripture also says My people are destroyed due to lack of knowledge. I gave you the knowledge if you are wise, be a Berean and search Scripture for yourself before God himself puts strong delusions that one so as to believe a lie for lack of LOVE for the TRUTH 2 Thess 2:11. Scripture is clear that God has allowed the wheat and the tares (that resemble the wheat but are useless) mainstream Christianity to grow (parable the mustard seed that grew into a big tree where birds (demons) nested with the true Church i.e. the little flock until the day of harvest Matthew 13:24-30 that is why it is flourishing. Christ said clearly My flock is little Luke 12:32
All I thought about while reading this was all the ppl murdered and cultures wiped out for this. Sad.
Simple answer is no
xD
Didn't think before you spoke huh? Poor thing.
Jesus never exsisted
He historically existed wdym
Samir Pernell proof ?
No he did. There are historical accounts of him. He was a very enlightened person. If you want to call him the son of God, then he was. He was way beyond what we could be or understand. Unfortunately like all humans we destroy things we do not understand.
There is only one God
Rebecca Bermosk I and my Father are one.
@@marysunshine2027 I know that
Thankfully there's no correlation in any dataset that backs up that claim.
Hindus have 33 million gods
Jesus is lord