You mean, just like the Christaians adopted Paganism?

Yes Priscillian but the Christians were worse. At least the practitioners of Voodoo do not deny their influences or denounce Christianity. Christians both deny and denounce.

Bozz and Priscillian, I'm truly wondering on what your rather fanciful speculations are based on ? Is it of a calibre of "The Davinci Code" or "Chariots of the gods" or.. is there something mildly relating to serious academic observation ?

I just cannot seem to find much 'meat' in what you guys are saying, it seems to be a kind of 3rd hand repitition of every media myth or popularist writer opinion you have ever heard. If I'm being too harsh here, please feel free to correct me, but why dont we look at a particular issue, for example, "The Church adopted pagan practices" and subject it to real scrutiny ? Or, lets try 'The Resurrection of Christ, myth or history" ?

As for Voodoo, have u guys ever seen any of their ceremonies ? with the shamans spitting mouthfuls of whatever over the 'patient' to be healed, and having a smoke in the other hand, .. have u looked at their eyes ? what do u see in there ?

Its no wonder that God condemns contact with the dead, spirits, etc, because all such activity is unquestionably 'Satanic/demonic'. Why would one consult the dead on behalf of the living ? The fact that we 'condemn' many pagan practices should be CLEAR evidence that we have not adopted them.

The early Christians WERE accused of eating babies but it was not factual, the pagans were said to sacrifice their children to the god molech, and they DID. There has always been a clear and unmistakable distinction between the pagan and the Christian

A few initial points.
1. I am not an apologist for Voodoo. Like most religions I see it as unfathomable superstitious twaddle. Bozzie makes some good points about the origin.
2. I did not suggest that Christian ever ate children. There is absolutely no evidence for such a practice. Followers of Mithras apparently did eat the cooked heart of a child and Cathaginians sacrificed children. I concede you have a point here, some Pagan practices were really quite revolting (but others quite beautiful).
3. I tried to read that literary slop the Da Vinci Code but stopped at the beginning of chapter 54. I have only 350 words here so I may write my own article on why I coudn't go on with it.

"Chariots of the Gods" caused me nearly to snap a rib laughing (in 1974).

Let me take up your challenge and scrutinise the proposition "The Church adopted Pagan practices".
(No space for resurrection discussion, maybe later).
According to the gospels John Baptised, Some people say that perhaps John was an Essene as they seemed to conduct a water immersion practice as well as keeping bees and eating locusts. The Jews practiced a similar water based "sin cleansing" rite. As for Pagan religions I quote from "Origins of Christianity and the Bible" by Andrew Benson

"Long before Christianity the Eleusinians instituted the ritual of baptism as part of initiation into the mystery. The initiates were required to undergo a preparatory purification; they marched in a procession to the sea and washed their sins away by baptism. The Roman historian Livy (64/59 BCE to 17 CE) mentions that ceremonial washing preceded initiation into the mysteries of Dionysus. Through baptism they secured glorious immortality in the afterlife. Their message was "new life grows out of every grave." ....."

Sound familiar?
Is Andrew Benson wrong?

Who do you think invented Baptism...John?

Hi David – thanks for the welcome – I was not aware I had been away – I guess just we have been snorting up our 5 hits a day on different topics of indulgence.

As you know, I have no regard for “organised religions”, so tend not to express a view on what has no relevance to me, except to point out the obvious.

Within organised religions, it is not the word of God or Jesus or anyone’s faithfulness in them, which disturbs me but the “interpretation” and the "manipulation" of those words which is and has always been the tool of the priest class in beguiling their "audience". I find, personally, to have “belief” and “faith” does not need the intercession of an interpreter.

I further find I can stand along side a pro-lifer without the need to scream about their short comings in their ear. The problem is – pro-lifers do not extend the same respect to “pro-choicers” but insist, instead, in pursuing their manic obsession to a very unhealthy degree, including a few who have gone on murderous shooting sprees in the name of God, believing they have possibly been previously blessed by the vigour and passion expressed by their clergy.

I would guess, if we are counting numbers it should be noted the biggest ever protest march in UK was not against some War or socio-political outrage but against the banning of fox hunting – I would suggest, whilst we are not in the UK, if you found a pursuit which similarly enflamed Australian passions as much as fox hunting does the poms, it would fill the Telstra dome 10 times over – and leave a mere 37000 looking positively lonely.

Sincerely, enjoy your faith and take strength from it.

Col, on the 'interpretation' etc, I take your point. I think every Christian today has to face this issue no matter which tradition he follows. Bear in mind though, that outside the Catholic tradition, most of us would agree that we have 'unity in diversity' and while there are some strong minded opinionated members of our 'family', we just have to do as the disciples did, 'get along' in spite of differences, I think Jesus choice of the 12 was symbolic of the challenge. Simon the 'insurgent' :) (zealot) and Matthew the Tax collector. If it was Iraq, Simon would be hunting matthew down with a suicide bomb attached to himself. But still, Jesus chose these.
Church of Christ are pretty strong on Baptism, (for salvation) I think they are wrong, but we get along fine. Baptists say "Baptidzeo- I immerse" , Anglicans say "I sprinkle" but again, we get along fine.
On the mission field, we (interdenominational mission) trained some Anglicans sent officially for that purpose. The trenches are no place for denomnational pettiness :) Specially when u walk past the Malay guy who was planning to slaughter each and every one of us during a revolution attempt some years before.

Pricillian, I'll follow yours up as able, I'm swamped with work right now, and your comments deserve an informed response, which I can't give right now as I'm so dosed up on penicilan, Ease-a-Cold Max strength and the old panadol mixed in, *cough...splutter*.... the old grey matter is only on 2 out of 4.