Pagan and Christian Creeds: Their Origin and Meaning-Review

[Booklover83]

The book by Edward Carpenter was a great read for understanding how the different religions all borrowed from one another.

The author gave great anecdotes from both the Pagan and Christian perspective that covered Egyptian, Roman, and many other faiths that were both poly and monotheistic in nature. I would recommend this to anyone interested in religious studies. The last couple sections were a bit bland and I found myself pushing through it until I got done but the main text itself was good.

[Simworm]

It does sound interesting. I just read a historical novel mainly based in Ancient Rome with the combined religions - Pagans, Jews(most of these slaves) and Christians(most who had to hide their religion at the time). I found it really interesting but I felt the author had the book in favour of the Christians. I really liked the books but I think it would be interesting to read something with a different perspective on Pagan religions.

[Booklover83]

SimWorm,

I do recommend the book. It was an eye opener on many levels. I grew up in a Christian home and even though I hold many of the beliefs still, I do not hold the contempt that some Christians hold for other religions. I believe that there is wisdom to be gained from all faiths and that they all have merit.

[Simworm]

Thanks, I will look it up to see if they hold it my local library

[Fran]

SimWorm,

I do recommend the book. It was an eye opener on many levels. I grew up in a Christian home and even though I hold many of the beliefs still, I do not hold the contempt that some Christians hold for other religions. I believe that there is wisdom to be gained from all faiths and that they all have merit.

You are absolutely right ... it is the similarities that strike you rather than the differences. We have much more in common than it suits many fundamentalists to admit. This is why most religions do not encourage their members to explore other belief systems & indeed do everything thy can to prevent it.

[Maud Fitch]

Pagan rituals were often hijacked and made into squeaky clean Christian symbols. A well-known example is Easter. A time of rebirth. The original fertility rites festivals to welcome Springtime gradually morphed into the cute little bunnies and chocolate eggs we know today.

[Vogin]

I've explored a few religions since my book had a chapter about it. All I can say is it confirmed that not only a lot of them say basically the same, but most of them also tend to relinquish control of one's life in favor of some imaginary higher power.

[Fran]

I've explored a few religions since my book had a chapter about it. All I can say is it confirmed that not only a lot of them say basically the same, but most of them also tend to relinquish control of one's life in favor of some imaginary higher power.

I agree with you to a point ... I'm no expert on world religions though. But it has always amazed me that all the religions I know anything about seem to emphasise that each person is a unique individual ... what I find difficult to understand then is why they all proceed to do their best to enforce conformity. Indeed conformity to whatever their creed is seems to be the central core of all the religions I know anything about ... seems like a total contradiction to me if your at the same time insisting that each member is a unique individual.

[Vogin]

You can't get there by reason Fran. You either have "faith" or you don't, there's pretty much nothing in between, at least according to "them"

[Fran]

You can't get there by reason Fran. You either have "faith" or you don't, there's pretty much nothing in between, at least according to "them"

It's not faith in God I have a problem with ... just faith in a particular man made set of dogmas.