AAT, here is a copy and paste from a website, I think you should become familiar with: http://www.religioustolerance.org
Now I do not go door to door with my book of shadows trying to shove my religion down your throat, so kindly refrain from doing such to us!
Many early Christians celebrated Jesus' birthday on JAN-6. Armenian Christians still do. In Alexandria, in what is now Egypt, the birthday of their god-man, Aion, was also celebrated on JAN-6.
Christians and most Pagans eventually celebrated the birthday of their god-man on DEC-25.
According to an ancient Christian tradition, Christ died on MAR-23 and resurrected on MAR-25. These dates agree precisely with the death and resurrection of Attis.
Baptism was a principal ritual; it washed away a person's sins. In some rituals, Baptism was performed by sprinkling holy water on the believer; in others, the person was totally immersed.
The most important sacrament was a ritual meal of bread and wine which symbolize the god-man's body and blood. His followers were accused of engaging in cannibalism.
Early Christians initiated converts in March and April by baptism. Mithraism initiated their new members at this time as well.
Early Christians were naked when they were baptized. After immersion, they then put on white clothing and a crown. They carried a candle and walked in a procession to a basilica. Followers of Mithra were also baptized naked, put on white clothing and a crown, and walked in a procession to the temple. However, they carried torches.
At Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were recorded as speaking in tongues. At Trophonius and Delos, the Pagan priestesses also spoke in tongues: They appeared to speak in such a way that each person present heard her words in the observer's own language.
An inscription to Mithras reads: "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." 1 In John 6:53-54, Jesus is said to have repeated this theme: "...Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (KJV)
The Bible records that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. One went to heaven and the other to hell. In the Mithras mysteries, a common image showed Mithras flanked by two torchbearers, one on either side. One held a torch pointed upwards, the other downwards. This symbolized ascent to heaven or descent to hell.
In Attis, a bull was slaughtered while on a perforated platform. The animal's blood flowed down over an initiate who stood in a pit under the platform. The believer was then considered to have been "born again." Poor people could only afford a sheep, and so were literally washed in the blood of the lamb. This practice was interpreted symbolically by Christians.
There were many additional points of similarity between Mithraism and Christianity. St. Augustine even declared that the priests of Mithraism worshiped the same God as he did:
Followers of both religions celebrated a ritual meal involving bread. It was called a missa in Latin or mass in English.
Both the Catholic church and Mithraism had a total of seven sacraments.
Epiphany, JAN-6, was originally the festival in which the followers of Mithra celebrated the visit of the Magi to their newborn god-man. The Christian Church took it over in the 9th century.
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Implications of the Pagan-Christian similarities
Conservative Christians accept the inerrancy and inspiration of the Bible. The writings of the authors of the gospels are without error. The gospels describe the life of Jesus with precision. Thus ancient Pagan practices in the Middle East and around the Mediterranean are of no concern to the believer. They cannot impact on the credibility of the Bible which is God's word.
To some liberal Christians, the Pagan-Christian parallels are convincing proof that much of the magical components of the gospels are of Pagan origin: the virgin birth, bringing dead people back to life, the many miraculous healings, exorcisms, transfiguration, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension, Jesus' anticipated return to judge humanity, etc. These stories were derived from Pagan material that had been circulating for centuries when Jesus was born. Except for the occasional coincidence, that material cannot refer to real events in Jesus' life. Many key Christian beliefs have to be questioned and perhaps abandoned.
One comforting factor may be a recognition that some of the basic teachings of Christianity and some of the traditionally accepted events of Jesus' life may actually be over 4,500 years old, grounded in the pre-history of humanity. Another is that, when we strip away the miraculous and supernatural legends in the gospels which came from Pagan sources, we are left with the natural. What remains is a story of an itinerant Jewish teacher who taught through parables and by example. It is the core teachings of Jesus which emerge from the gospels -- undiluted by Pagan material.
So if we bother you so much... Leave us to our devices
I never force religion to ANYONE. So, if someone wants 2 sell their soul, fine...its on them. As for judgment day; well, all I can say is that its going to tell a completely different story.
LOL Att i think you will find you are trying to force your beliefs down our throats here!
Like suggested in previous replies do some research on the different types of satanism!
The fact of the matter here is that *Not* all satanist worship satan as a entity LeVayans just see him as a figure,infact they worship themselves to obtain godhood and awareness.
Actually no, lol I really do not wish to convert anyone because that would be a bit rude of me especially if someone doesn't have the same beliefs as I do. I was just seeking to distribute some advice that probably didn't seem to assist the one who needed it the most due to the fact that they are not willing to receive it, since they have a particular mindset which is fine because not everyone will believe what you have to say. So at least I tried to help them...
I think you guys should lighten up on ATT. Yeah, some research would be nice before getting on a topic that you don't know much about. But her intentions are good. I don't think shes trying to convert anyone just by saying "read the bible" because that's what her religion suggests to those who need help. Just like if I wanted to help someone who doesn't believe in magic I would still suggest trying a spell to cure their problems. But that doesn't mean I'm trying to get them to fully convert to it. And in her first statement she clearly states that its advice, not an order. And aside from that I'd like to point out that one of the 10 commandments says not to worship false gods. So even if satanism doesn't constitute the worship of the christian deity named Satan, it would still be an evil practice from the view point of Christianity due to the fact that they worship something other then the Christian god. Not sure if that gets my point across, so I'll state it in less words. Quit bashing someone who's just trying to help in the best way they know how.
the person who wants to sell their soul please go talk to someone first close to you.
and as for satanists being evil come on,im a mother of three children who i love very much,ive been married twenty years,im levayen ,im not evil please stop the tar and feather attitudes ,am i going to hell i dont think so,the stereo typing is what gives us a bad name so leave it out,and please dont try preaching me,it would be waste of time
