Learn not the ways of the heathen- forsake all for Christ Jesus

 Jeremiah 10:2

Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, affirms that Christians cannot worship the true God with pagan, occult rituals and holidays. “But that which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God; and I do not wish you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord, and the table of demons. Now do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?” (I Cor. 10:20-22).

As we will see, the same pagan holidays that were celebrated by the apostate children of Israel and Judah thousands of years before Christ are the same days apostate Orthodox Christendom hallows today. Yet, God has commanded His people to not learn the way of the heathen: “Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the LORD, ‘Do not learn the way of the heathen [occult practices and the worship of false gods], and do not be terrified at the signs of the heavens [as in astrology and witchcraft]; for the nations are terrified at them’ ” (Jer. 10:1-2).

The Worship of Tammuz: The son of Nimrod, Tammuz was the ancient false messiah who allegedly died and was resurrected each year. On the worship of and weeping for Tammuz, Frazer writes: “Nowhere, apparently, have these [magical] rites been more widely and solemnly celebrated than in the lands which border the Eastern Mediterranean. Under the names of Osiris, Tammuz, Adonis, and Attis, the peoples of Egypt and Western Asia represented the yearly decay and revival of life, especially of vegetable life, which they personified as a god who annually died and rose again from the dead. In name and detail the rites varied from place to place: in substance they were the same. The supposed death and resurrection of this oriental deity, a god of many names but essentially [of] one nature, is now examined. We begin with Tammuz or Adonis.

“The worship of Adonis was practiced by the Semitic peoples of Babylon and Syria, and the Greeks borrowed it from them as early as the seventh century before Christ. The true name of the deity was Tammuz…. In the religious literature of Babylonia, Tammuz appears as the youthful spouse or lover of Ishtar, the great mother goddess, the embodiment of the reproductive energies of [Mother] nature…. [E]very year Tammuz was believed to die, passing away from the cheerful earth to the gloomy subterranean world, and every year his divine mistress journeyed in her quest for him … that the two might return together to the upper world, and that with their return all nature might revive.

God’s Warnings Against Serving Other Gods
or Practicing Any Form of the Occult

Thousands of years ago, before God brought them into the Promised Land, He warned the Israelites not to follow the customs of the nations around them. “You shall not do according to all that we do here today, each doing whatever is right in his own eyes…. Take heed to yourself that you do not become ensnared by following them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not ask about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods [the customs of the heathen], that I may also do likewise?’ You shall not do so to the LORD your God, for every abomination to the LORD, which He hates, they have done to their gods; even their sons and their daughters they have burned in the fire to their gods. Whatsoever thing that I command you, be careful to do it. You shall not add to it, nor take away from it” (Deut. 12:8, 30-32).

The Scriptures do not make a distinction between using witchcraft or sorcery to achieve a “good” purpose or an evil purpose. Despite the intention, all such practices are inherently evil because they make an appeal to a forbidden source of power—Satan and the demons. The Church has the obligation to disfellowship the person or persons committing such sins (Matt. 18:15-17; I Cor. 5:4-13). Individuals themselves are obligated to separate from a congregation where the majority have accepted false doctrines— or where the worship of other gods or images, or other occult practices, are involved. As Paul wrote to Timothy, “If anyone teaches any different doctrine, and does not adhere to sound words, even those of our Lord Jesus Christ…. From such withdraw yourself” (I Tim. 6:3-5).

Meditation and Yoga

We are not to even inquire after their gods to find out how they served their gods, because it may become a snare to us. So, for this reason, it is not good to study eastern meditation and yoga or any other pagan idea and adapt it to our beliefs. Yoga and meditation is done in Budism, Hinduism and New Age and forms part of their religious practices, we can not loosen it from that. We see many new age and budistic practices being introduced to the faith. People are attracted to “new” things even though these things are not new, but are part of ancient pagan practices.

Reflexology

Reflexology is another example of participating in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, we would like to expose.

Reflexology, also called zone therapy or compression massage, is a technique which involves the massaging of one’s feet at specific points to bring relaxation or relief of pain in another part of the body. Other interrelated techniques are “zone therapy, polarity therapy, acupuncture, Shiatsu, etc.” Other reflexologists include Jin-Shin, Do-In, and acupressure, as well as other methods.

The theory upon which ALL of the above methods is based is called the Five Element Theory. These Five Elements are known as wood, fire, water, earth, and metal. Every part of the body is associated in some way to one of these elements. Also, everything in the world, including our bodies, is divided into one of two energy forces known in the Orient as yin and yang.

Reflexology is presented to the public as a method of relieving one’s aches and pains. That sounds very good. However, there just happens to be a “catch” so that people will become involved innocently and unsuspectingly. You may ask in surprise, “A catch?” Yes! Reflexology, although unknown to many people, is an ancient OCCULT technique! The above theories of yin and yang and the Five Elements are taken right out of ancient OCCULT teachings from China. “But,” you may respond, “how can it be wrong if it helps someone feel better?” Well, should one go into a hypnotic trance in order to be helped of headaches? Should one practice the Hindu OCCULT religion of Yoga for the promised benefits of good health and beauty? Satan also heals, so just because one is made better through a practice DOES NOT mean that God is in it.

Brief overview of the history of Paganism

The term Pagan comes from the Latin paganus which refers to those who lived in the country. When Christianity began to grow in the Roman Empire, it did so at first primarily in the cities. The people who lived in the country and who continued to believe in “the old ways” came to be known as pagans. Pagans have been broadly defined as anyone involved in any religious act, practice, or ceremony which is not Christian. Jews and Muslims also use the term to refer to anyone outside their religion.

Some define paganism as a religion outside of Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism; others simply define it as being without a religion. Paganism, however, often is not identified as a traditional religion per se because it does not have any official doctrine; however, it has some common characteristics within its variety of traditions. One of the common beliefs is the divine presence in nature and the reverence for the natural order in life.

In the strictest sense, paganism refers to the authentic religions of ancient Greece and Rome and the surrounding areas. The pagans usually had a polytheistic belief in many gods but only one, which represents the chief god and supreme godhead, is chosen to worship.

Types of Paganism. The website, Lost Civilizations (http://www.lost-civilizations.net/celts- wicca-paganism-page-4.html) has defined the following types of Paganism:

Paleo-paganism: the standard of paganism, a pagan culture which has not been disrupted by ‘civilization’ by another culture, e.g., ancient Celtic religion (Druidism); religions of the pre- patriarchal cultures of Old Europe, Norse religion, pre-Columbian Native American religions, etc.

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Civilo-paganism: the religions of ‘civilized’ communities which evolved in paleo-pagan cultures: Classical Greco-Roman religion, Egyptian religion, Middle-Eastern paganism, etc.

Meso-paganism: a group, which may or may not still constitute a separate culture, which has been influenced by a conquering culture but has been able to maintain an independence of religious practice, e.g., many Native American nations.

Syncreto-paganism: similar to meso-pagan but having had to submerge itself into the dominant culture and adopt the external practices and symbols of the other religion, like the various Afro- diasporic traditions.

Neo-paganism: attempts to reconnect with nature, using imagery and forms from other types of pagans but adjusting them to the needs of modern people. Some examples: Wicca -- in its many forms; neo-Shamanism; neo-Druidism; Asatru and other forms of Norse neo-paganism; neo- Native American practices; the range of practices labeled ‘Women's Spirituality.’

Modern Paganism has been described in this way: “In the present day, the Pagan tradition manifests both as communities reclaiming their ancient sites and ceremonies (especially in Eastern Europe), to put humankind back in harmony with the Earth, and as individuals pursuing a personal spiritual path alone or in a small group .... under the tutelage of one of the Pagan divinities. To most modern Pagans in the West, the whole of life is to be affirmed joyfully and without shame, as long as other people are not harmed by one’s own tastes.” Source: Pagan Federation International (http://www.paganfederation.org/what-is-paganism/)

In addition, there are other Pagan belief systems which are highly relevant: Secular Paganism, Naturalistic Paganism, and Humanistic Paganism.

Secular Paganism

Secular Paganism is a set of principles shared by diverse groups around the world. It is a natural outgrowth of many peoples’ personal ethics and beliefs about life. It is not a religion but rather an ethical view based on the belief that nature is sacred and must be respected and treasured. Secular Pagans believe that we are a part of nature, not her master. There are no particular religious views connected with Secular Paganism. While there is no organization or group designating these beliefs, there are commonly held principles.

There are many reasons why people call themselves Secular Pagans. Many have a deep and abiding love for the natural world and the environment. Many believe that all things in nature have a spirit or soul that is unique to them. Many are people whose ethical code is built on their respect for Earth and the environment. Many are scientists who have come to the belief through their research. Secular Pagans include environmentalists, farmers, academics, retail workers, scientists, students, artists, performers, teachers, laborers, writers, teenagers and children. Many are atheists or agnostics. Meditating on nature and one’s place in it is a ritual of many Secular Pagans as is protecting the environment.

     

TRADITIONS:

Knocking on wood

Christmas (is not Jesus’ correct day of birth)

Halloween

Days of the week (English/Gregorian calendar) months also-

In many languages, the days of the week are named after gods and celestial bodies. In English, the day name origins come from the Anglo-Saxons, the Germanic, and the Norse.

Monday stems from the Anglo-Saxon word “monandaeg” which translates to “moon’s day” celebrating the moon — much like the French “lundi” or Spanish “lunes” relating to luna.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday all come from Norse gods. Odin, or Woden, became Wednesday, Thor turned into Thursday, and Freya is clearly Friday. Tuesday’s god is Germanic Tiu, the god of war.

Again, Christians attempted to rename the days of the week after their saints, but the pagan names stuck.

 Birthday candles

Pagan markings of the year generally centered around solstices, and personally around birthdays.

Much like during solstices, birthdays are a time that brings out spirits, but with a target on the birthday boy or girl.

In order to ward off evil spirits and beckon upon the good spirits, candles were placed on a cake. One candle for each year the person has been alive and an additional candle in hopes of another healthy year.

Today we still put candles on birthday cakes out of blind tradition, the fun of fire, and indulgence in cake.

Don’t forget about the spiritual origins, maybe you’ll count the candles more carefully. 

American weddings and rings-Even the placement of wedding rings has pagan meaning. It was common for the exchanging of rings to signify the sealing of a deal. In weddings, the rings would be placed on the fourth finger of the left hand because it was thought to contain a vein connected to the heart.

Easter eggs

Easter closely aligns with the Spring equinox. Germanic pagans would celebrate the goddess of Spring, Eostre. Eostre symbolized fertility as the world blooms again and animal mating season ensues.

Eostre was also thought to bring colorful eggs as presents for the Spring celebration, thus creating the Easter egg.

This is another holiday Christians tried to dominate by adding their own stories and meaning to the same time so that people would celebrate their holiday over the pagan one. While the Christian connotations did dominate, many of the practices remained pagan.

Example of the Corinthians

In the first-century Church, Gentile Christians were told to avoid meat that had been sacrificed to pagan idols (Acts 15:29). However, Paul told the Corinthians that they could eat meat sold in the public market even though that meat may have been sacrificed to an idol (1 Cor. 10:25). He told them not to eat in the pagan temple. In other words, he told them to avoid blatant paganism, but they did not have to superstitiously avoid everything that paganism might have touched at some time in the past.

In Corinth, some Christians were more careful than others, and some more liberal than others. Paul told them they could eat the meat, but he also told them to be cautious about causing offense (verses 32-33). However, love does not mean that we all have to abide by the strictest person’s conscience. No matter how many people think we ought to be circumcised and to keep the law of Moses, we don’t have to (Acts 15). Even if some Christians think we should be vegetarians (and some do), we don’t have to abide by their conscience (Rom. 14:1-8). Paul says that we have freedom, but we are to use our freedom in a sensitive way.

Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome

When a pharaoh was crowned in ancient Egypt, it was believed that he or she was transformed or reborn into a god. As early as 3,000 BCE, Egyptians celebrated the pharaoh’s coronation day as the birthday of a god. The Greeks may have inherited this custom of celebrating the birth of a god from the Egyptians. In many pagan belief systems, days of major change in the world or in a person’s life were thought to invite evil spirits into the world. When birthdays began to be celebrated for common people rather than just religious figures, a widespread belief was that evil spirits would visit people on their birthdays, so a party must be held to scare them away. Party-goers helped the birthday person feel cheerful, made a racket with noisemakers, and brought candles as a light in the darkness to ward away the sprits. These early birthday parties were thus considered a form of protection against evil.

But what’s a birthday party without some cake?

The candles came first. In ancient Greece, round cakes were baked in honor of Artemis, the moon goddess. Candles were placed on top to represent the glow of the moon. In Greece, as in many ancient societies, it was believed that the smoke of the candles would carry their prayers to heaven (in this case, to the moon).

The birthday cake came second.Ancient Romans may have been the first to celebrate birthdays of non-religious figures. Birthday celebrations included a sweet, bread-like pastry made from flour, nuts, honey, and yeast. (Cake and bread were largely interchangeable terms until more recently in history, and sugar in its many refined forms was not used in the Mediterranean until about the thirteenth century.) These honey cakes were typically found at birthday celebrations for members of the imperial family, private birthday celebrations for family and friends, and also at weddings. Fiftieth birthday celebrations merited a special pastry made from flour, grated cheese, honey, and olive oil.

Rome may have had the first birthday celebrations and birthday cakes for the common man, but it was really justthe common man. Blatant inequality between the sexes meant that women’s birthdays were not acknowledged until the twelfth century, hundreds of years later.

Germany’s Kinderfeste

Early Christians considered these celebrations inappropriately pagan and did not observe birthdays until about the fourth century, when they began to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In medieval Germany, a sweet bread was baked in the shape of baby Jesus to commemorate His birth.

Sometime between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries, Germans began to celebrate a child’s birthday with a Kinderfeste party. In the morning, a cake called a Geburstagstorte would be topped with the number of candles corresponding to the child’s age, plus one candle representing the “light of life,” the hope for another year of life to come. The candles were lit and left to burn all day until after dinner, at which point the child would make a wish, try to blow out all the candles, and then eat the cake.  Blowing out the candles signified that the birthday wishes would reach God as the smoke floated to the heavens—a highly Christian interpretation. At the Kinderfeste, the child was surrounded by family and friends, which was supposed to provide protection from evil spirits who might attempt to steal their soul—a relic of pagan superstition.