Catholicism and Paganism

I posted this last Sunday, and an anonymous visitor questioned my remarks about Catholicism drawing from pagan culture and practices, and had some good questions. Enough so that I thought I would post my answer here so as to get more reader comment and hopefully show clearly why I believe Catholicism in general teaches a false gospel of works rather than by faith. I am not bashing Catholics. I love many Catholic people and my mom, whom I loved dearly, was Catholic her entire life. However, the RCC itself teaches false doctrine, and the saved people within that church are saved in spite of the teachings, not because of them. A Catholic that believes they must partake of the sacraments in order to receive the grace to be saved is following a works salvation, which is unscriptural. If what I say offends anyone, I ask that you consider the evidence for what I said, and search for yourself to see whether it is true.

First you'll need to read the post I linked to in the first sentence of this post, then here are anonymous's questions and my response about the connection between Catholicism and paganism.

Anonymous asked: Hi.

Actually Lent is 40 days of fasting and prayer representing the time Jesus spent in the desert enduring temptation by Satan. Christians all over the world, including numerous Protestant denominations, recognize this period of devotion that leads to Easter. Many mark the time by giving up something so that they may focus more deliberately on their relationship with Jesus. (Btw, if you are condemning Christian observances that have ties to paganism, I presume you do not celebrate Christmas or Easter?) It is really not uncommon thruout Christian history to take the pagan holidays and observances and Christianize them...

--Btw, I have no idea who "Tamuz" is. Do tell! Thanks.

And this is my response:

In Ezekial 8:14 -17, it says “Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?”

This was a condemnation from God of the worship of Tammuz.

Here is the history of Tammuz:

At the tower of Babel, Nimrod built a tower to reach to the stars, not just physically but spiritually, to worship the heavens, the sun, the moon and the stars,. Nimrod was Noah’s grandson. He was married to a woman named Semerimus.

After Nimrod died, Semerimus, knowing the prophecy of the Savior to come (Genesis 3:15), claimed that she became pregnant by a sunbeam, and that her son, Tammuz, was the reincarnation of Nimrod. Tammuz came to be worshipped as the Sun God. Semerimus instituted a religion that made her and her son the objects of the worship, which was the beginning of the mother/son cult that spread throughout the world. For instance:

In Babylon, they were called Asteroth and Tammuz

In Egypt, they were called Isis and Osiris (or Horus or Re)

In Rome, they were called Venus and Cupid or Venis and Jupiter

In China, it was Shing Moo and her child.

When Constantine declared Christianity as the official religion of his empire, he went into the temples and declared that the mother/son statues of false gods were now to be worshipped as "Mary and Jesus".

Etc.

Semirimus was considered “the way” to God. She was called the “queen of heaven”(sound familiar? – Catholicism calls Mary the “queen of heaven”).

Semerimus alone could administer salvation, through various “sacraments” such as the “sprinkling of holy water”. (sound familiar? The RCC has a list of “sacraments” through which “grace” is received.)

The religion taught that Tammuz was slain, and that he was resurrected from the dead 40 days later. Every year after that, the temple virgins (sound familiar? As in “nuns”) would enter a forty – day fast in mourning over the death of Tammuz, and awaiting the resurrection. At the end of the 40-day fast, the feast of Ishtar was celebrated, where they exchanged colored eggs, eaten as a symbol of Tammuz’ resurrection, and an evergreen tree was displayed. Hot cakes with the letter “T” were baked and eaten. They believed that these hotcakes were literally transformed into the actual body of Tammuz. This is called transubstantiation. (Sound familiar? As in the “literal body and blood of Christ" of the RCC).

You make an interesting observation, in pointing out that other Christian practices seem to have their roots in pagan practices. I think the difference is that the RCC took totally pagan practices and claimed them as Christian, when there was no Scriptural basis for them, and in fact, they contradicted Scripture (mother/son worship, transubstantiation, prayer beads, virgins in places of service, sacraments as the means for receiving grace, etc.) However, there are some practices that, in using them, do not contradict Scripture, such as decorating a Christmas tree. For that matter, the calendar we use today has its roots in paganism. January is from “Janus”, the two-headed pagan god. Should we abandon our calendar? There is nothing unscriptural about our calendar.


I live in Louisiana, and “Mardi Gras” is a big thing here. It is totally rooted in the Tammuz religion. In fact, here locally, they celebrate the crewe of Janus, and actually display the god’s image as part of their celebration. I’m always amazed at the number of people who call themselves Christians who participate in this pagan ritual. I have to assume that they have no idea where it came from.

While in Paris this weekend, Pope Benedict XVI spoke out against what he called unbridled pagan passion for power, possessions and money.

He said “"Has not our modern world created its own idols?" Benedict said in his homily, and wondered aloud whether people have "imitated, perhaps inadvertently, the pagans of antiquity?"

Although there is a lot of truth in what the Pope said, I suggest that the Pope take a look at his own church if he wants to see imitations of the pagans of antiquity. Here's a few:

Transubstantiation – The belief that during Communion, the bread and wine LITERALLY becomes the body and blood of Christ.

Prayer beads – (the Rosary)

Lent – 40 days of sorrow and weeping for Tamuz

Maryolotry – Part of mother/child worship and the worship of the “Queen of Heaven”

Gargoyles – demonic looking “protectors” found on the cathedrals of Europe

None of the above pagan practices are supported by Scripture.

Additional Catholic Teachings on Salvation

A continuation of the RCC doctrine of salvation.


The RCC teaches: Salvation is a lifelong process. (Catechisms 161-162, 1254-1255) The Bible teaches: Salvation is an instantaneous once for all time act of God. "Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him." Romans 5:9


The RCC teaches: Salvation is gained by cooperating with grace through faith, good works, and by participating in the sacraments. (Catechisms 183, 1129, 1815, 2002). The Bible teaches: Salvation is attained by grace through faith apart from works "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:Not of works, lest any man should boast."

The RCC teaches: Grace is merited by good works. (Catechisms 2010, 2027). The Bible teaches: Grace and works don't mix. "And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Romans 11:6.

The RCC teaches: Catholics guilty of mortal sin are justified again through the sacrament of penance. (Catechisms 980, 1446) The Bible teaches: There is no second justification. "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." Romans 8:30

The RCC teaches: Venial sins will not send one to hell. (Cathechisms 1855, 1863). The Bible teaches: Every sin is punishable by eternal death. "For the wages of sin is death; " Romans 6:23.


The RCC teaches: No one can know for sure if he/she is going to heaven. (Catechisms 1036, 2005). The Bible teaches: The believer can know that he has eternal life by the Word of God. "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life...I John 5:13.

Does the Catholic Church Teach a True Gospel?

Marshall was concerned about my statement that the RCC does not preach a pure and true Gospel. He grew up in a Catholic church that taught salvation by faith alone in Christ. However, that is not the official teaching of the Roman Church. The following statements from Catholic Church fathers and popes, along with statements from Vatican II can all be found in Catholic documents online, including the Catholic Encyclopedia and websites about the different popes through the ages. The following clearly shows that the RCC does not teach salvation by faith alone in Jesus Christ as proclaimed, for example,in Ephesians 2:8-9.

I want to emphasize that I have known many wonderful people who were Catholic, and I believe sincerely that some of them are saved, but I believe they are saved IN SPITE OF their church's teaching - not because of it.

"… it is clear that Jesus and the Church are the same thing: indissoluble, inseparable. Christ and the Church are only one thing. It is not possible to say: 'I believe in Jesus, I accept Jesus, but I do not accept the Church."
Pope John Paul I, September 13, 1978

"A man cannot have salvation except in the Catholic Church. Outside the Catholic Church he can have everything except salvation. He can have honor, he can have Sacraments, he can sing Allelulia, he can answer Amen, he can possess the Gospel, he can preach faith in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: but never except in the Catholic Church will he be able to find salvation."
St. Augustine, Discourse to the People of the Church at Caesarea, and The Faith of the Early Fathers.

"O Mary Mother of Mercy and Refuge of Sinners! We beseech thee to look with pitying eyes on poor heretics and schismatics. Do thou, who art the Seat of Wisdom, enlighten the minds wretchedly enfolded in the darkness of ignorance and sin, that they may clearly recognize the Holy, Catholic, Roman Church to be the only true Church of Jesus Christ, outside of which neither sanctity nor salvation can be found. Call them to the unity of the one fold, granting them the grace to believe every truth of our holy faith and to submit themselves to the Supreme Roman Pontiff, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, that, thus being united with us by the sweet chains of charity, there may soon be but one fold under one and the same Shepherd; and may we all thus, O Glorious Virgin, exultantly sing forever: 'Rejoice, O Virgin Mary! Thou alone hast destroyed all heresies in the whole world!' Amen."
Pope Pius XII, The Raccolta, Benzinger Brothers, Boston, 1957

"According to the words of St. Augustine, who takes up an image dear to the ancient Fathers, the ship of the Church must not fear, because it is guided by Christ and by His Vicar. 'Although the ship is tossed about, it is still a ship. It alone carries the disciples and receives Christ. Yes, it is tossed on the sea, but, without it, one would immediately perish." (Sermon, Only in the Church is salvation. 'Without it one perishes.' Pope John Paul I, August 27, 1978

"The mystery of salvation is revealed to us and is continued and accomplished in the Church... Dear young people and members of the faithful, like Brother Francis we have to be conscious and absorb this fundamental and revealed truth, consecrated by tradition: 'There is no salvation outside the Church.' From her alone there flows surely and fully the life-giving force destined in Christ and in His Spirit, to renew the whole of humanity, and therefore directing every human being to become a part of the Mystical Body of Christ."
Pope John Paul II, Radio Message October 3, 1981, and L'Osservatore Romano, October 12, 1981.

"They, therefore, walk in the path of dangerous errors who believe that they can accept Christ as the head of the Church, while not adhering loyally to His Vicar on earth. They have taken away the visible bonds of unity and left the Mystical Body of the Redeemer so obscured and so maimed, that those who are seeking the haven of eternal salvation can neither see it nor find it."
The Papal Encyclicals 1939-1958, Claudia Carlen, I.H.M., McGrath Publishing Co., 1981, p. 45.

From the Second Vatican Council


"But the task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the Church alone." (Vol. 1, p. 755)

"... the Church in its pilgrim members, from the very earliest days of the Christian religion, has honored with great respect the memory of the dead; and because it is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from their sins' (2 Mac. 12:46) she offers her suffrages for them." (Vol. 1, p. 410)

"The faithful who use with devotion an object of piety (crucifix, cross, rosary, scapular or medal) after it has been duly blessed by any priest, can gain a partial indulgence." (Vol. 1, p. 77)


"By baptism men and women are cleansed from original sin and from all personal sins, they are born again as children of God, are made part of the Church and are made holy by the gifts of the Holy Spirit." (Vol. 2, p. 561)

"Basing itself on scripture and tradition, it teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation: the one Christ is mediator and the way of salvation; he is present to us in his body which is the Church. He himself explicitly asserted the necessity of faith and baptism (cf. Mk. 16:16; Jn. 3:5), and thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through baptism as through a door. Hence, they could not be saved who knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it, or to remain in it." (Vol. 1, pp. 365 and 366)