Mixed belief system - any views?

I guess like a lot of religions/belief systems one has to separate the wheat from the chaff.

There does seem to be a big business bandwagon going on catering to people's need for religion - the prices in some of the New Age shops for basically pieces of rock, wood etc..that can be used as 'Gods, channelling devices, astral energy generators, orgone magnifiers etc..major scam!

still , you don't have to buy them!

back to the topic - the mixture of Christianity and Paganism , is it possible?

Originally Posted by New-Simon

I agree there - a variation of the same thing except perhaps for the traditionalists.

God made man, man made religion. But you'll find fundamentalists and traditionalists in every belief system, including Spirituality. Every religion has one very important thing in common - people. Any belief system is fine until someone gets their hands on it then it's downhill after that.

Originally Posted by New-Simon

I guess what I find lacking in Paganism is an overall theology - making your own one up is easier said than done!

let's see what happens....

You don't need to make one up the same as you don't have to jump into a box. Not a single person on this planet has all the answers, not everything any one guru will say will resonate with you completely. But then, if you believe it's supposed to then are you missing the point? If you subscribe to any particular system then all you're doing is putting blinkers on. If part of being human is for Spirit to manifest, are you curbing that manifestation by jumping into the belief system box? Making one up is simple, just walk your own Path. Take what resonates with you as your own Truth, leave the rest behind because it is not yours.

Originally Posted by New-Simon

back to the topic - the mixture of Christianity and Paganism , is it possible?

Christianity is repackaged Paganism. It started with the Sumerians, went via Egyptian sun worship and Mithraism then Constantine and the Council of Nycea. Is it possible? If you listen to the fundamentalists then no. If that's where your beliefs lead you then yes.

I think the fundamentalists died with the Stone Age didn't they?

yes, for sure - making your own blend seems to be the way to go.

I just bought a copy of The Koran today - never really fancied Islam as it seems so strict - yet I really know nothing about it so am now looking forward to finding out. I thought Christianity seemed ever so rigid too until I studied it in depth and found that not to be the case.

A lot of learning and searching still needed.

Too many questions, too many answers!

Originally Posted by New-Simon

I think the fundamentalists died with the Stone Age didn't they?

Nope, 'fraid not. While the Stone Age died long ago, it's still very much alive and kicking. Time as humans understand it has moved on, some humans haven't.

Originally Posted by New-Simon

yes, for sure - making your own blend seems to be the way to go.

I just bought a copy of The Koran today - never really fancied Islam as it seems so strict - yet I really know nothing about it so am now looking forward to finding out. I thought Christianity seemed ever so rigid too until I studied it in depth and found that not to be the case.

A lot of learning and searching still needed.

Too many questions, too many answers!

There are some good nuggets in every religious/Spiritual book, all you have to do is look at it with an open mind. The Bible and the Koran are good books, the only problem is what people do with it. Every religion was right for that culture at that time, but the world has changed and many still want to hold onto the old ways. Christianity is well over 2,000 years old and a few religions are even older. In context of a people 2,000 years ago Christianity had its place, but this is not 2,000 years ago. However, having said that it seems there are people who may well still be living back in that time as far as their beliefs and attitudes are concerned. Sometimes, the more things change the more they stay the same.

Walk your own Path and trust the Universe. It'll give you what you need when you need it and if your head is full of questions and answers, how are you going to recognise when what you need drops into your lap?

New-Simon, you will find that your belief system will change over time.

I"m sure it will - there has always been a grounding and conncetion with nature for me though so I feel that Paganinsm is certainly the foundation - just need to refine it.

I very much like the Hellenic Pagan ethics that Animus27 showed me - some good sense there.

One of the rules is: 'Know thyself' -

Originally Posted by New-Simon

back to the topic - the mixture of Christianity and Paganism , is it possible?

In my opinion - no. But not a full no.

It depends how much you want to be Christian. If you take the orthodox view of Jesus as being the Son of God, sent to redeem the fallen creation and grant immortality to those who embrace him as the messiah - then you cannot really blend much pagan belief into it, theologically, that is.

But you can work Jesus into a pagan framework if it floats your boat. I remember the reference that one Roman Emperor had a statue of Jesus on his private Lararium, along with Roman divinities. There's also the mention of an Icelander (I forget which saga; I'd have to dig) who called himself a Christian, but when he was leaving for a journey, he prayed to Thórr for protection

My point is that you can believe whatever you want, but there is a inherent belief in Christianity that makes it exclusive to other religions. So it's all a matter of how purely "Christian" you wish to be.

I was thinking more of Mystic Christian Gnosticism + Paganism.

I feel that is possible - the orthodox Christianity I don't really care for too much as it's too rigid but some of the more metaphysical Christian beliefs are interesting.

[sound]

Hi New-Simon ... a belated welcome to the community :)

I have not been indoctrinated and I can assure you that no harm has come to me purely because I have not adopted any specific/particular religious beliefs ...

Originally Posted by New-Simon

I was thinking more of Mystic Christian Gnosticism + Paganism.

Or you could jump from one box into another :-) Personally, I'd rather forget the labels and the names and the systems and....... You are the product of six billions years of evolution. Act like it and use your Sovereignty