[MR] new vs. old

[EoganOg at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/27/02 8:18:32 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
cbt4489 at glaxowellcome.com writes:


> > As a matter of fact, Christian apologists may have taken up the "washing" 
> > symbolism specifically to appeal to practicioners of the Mythra religion
> who 
> > would have been familiar with the idea.  
> 
> That's all I was trying to say.  Thank you for spelling it out clearly. 
> 

No prob.  A lot of times we, in the 21st century, have a habit of forgetting 
to put things in their historic context.  People hear of how a particular 
non-Christian custom was adopted by the Church and they tend to think of it 
in one of two ways.  Either the Church "stole" from pagan religions, or pagan 
cults "infiltrated" Christianity.  They forget that most likely the early 
Christians were simply trying to talk to pagans in a language they could 
understand, and often used the symbols of pagan faiths to make a point.

And in fact, we know Christ himself did this!  Take a look at Matthew chapter 
16.  Look at the part where Peter professes Christ to be the Messiah and 
Jesus tells him that "You are Peter (which means rock) and upon this rock I 
will build my church . . ."

It is important to note where this conversation took place.  Jesus had taken 
his disciples to Cesaria Philipi, where a large rock dominated the landscape. 
 They were standing right before this rock.  On the top of this rock was a 
church, a temple to a pagan god.  The god, in this case, was Pan, who was god 
of Shephards.

Jesus was deliberately using this as a backdrop, because he was using this 
pagan temple symbolically.  He was saying here is a large rock upon which is 
built a false church to a false god of shephards.  But you (Peter) are the 
true rock, upon which I, the true shephard, will build my true church.

I could imagine an early evangelist using this same type of metaphor when 
talking to practitioners of the Mythra cult.  Imagine a preacher pn a hill, 
saying, "You wash yourselves in the blood of the sacrificial bull, but all it 
does is render you unclean and unpure.  But when you are washed in the blood 
of Christ, who is the Lamb of God, you will be made clean and pure."

It is easy to see how a phrase like this, that may have originally been used 
as a comparison between a pagan practice and Christianity, could easily enter 
Christian lore, without the above stated assumptions of either Christianity 
"stealing" pagan ideas or pagan practices "infiltrating" the Church.

Fascinating topic.

Aye,
Eogan

Tighearn Eoghan Og mac Labhrainn, CP, OPE
http://www.albanach.org
Sacred Stone Pursuivant
Web Master for the Canton of Hawkwood
"Checky Or & Vert, two lions combatant, tails knowed, in base a mouse 
couchant, all within an orle of roundels, Argent."
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