What Christians Should Know About Paganism
One of the things that many Christians are misinformed about is the idea that Paganism is mentioned in the Bible. It is not. The word Heathen is mentioned, which is a group of religions falling under the term Pagan, but not all Pagans are Heathen. The word Witch is mentioned, however, this word in the Bible was originally supposed to be sorcerer, and even if it is taken to mean or stand for a religion similar to Wicca, it must be understood that not all Pagans are Wiccans. The word mentioned in the Bible with the closest meaning to Pagan is Gentile, which was basically anyone of any non-Semitic/non-Biblical religion and/or culture. This term was at the time mostly used for Pagans, as there were few religions besides Pagan ones, which were not Semitic. Moreover, the only references to this word are in the New Testament, and advise those of the Semitic faiths to respect, tolerate, and understand those of such faiths, as in the case of the “Good Samaritan Parable”. Thus, according to the Bible, you are to have understanding and acceptance for Pagan beliefs, the idea of hatred and intolerance for others is supported only by the human mind.
The second most common misconception is that Satanism is Paganism, or a form of it, or vice versa. Satan, or Lucifer, falls into the legends of the Semitic religions, and no others. Within the Bible itself, Satan is not seen as being as many people picture him today, with the goat head, forked tail, and cloven hooves. In the Bible he is seen as the Angel of light (and knowledge), the most beautiful of beings created by Jehovah. He does not show anywhere in any texts, legends, or myths of any but the Semitic religions. His “goat form” only came into being long after the death of Christ in an effort to persuade those of indigenous religions to stop worshipping deities of fertility and passion, which were often seen with some resemblance to a goat or similar creature. Thus, the idea of Satan being connected with deities of fertility and passion is unsupported by the Bible, only by men.
The third thing that many do not know is that the Bible itself does not state that there are no other deities, but Jehovah, and in fact, implies, or directly states to the contrary. In the Ten Commandments given to Moses, it states, “Thou shall have no other God before me.” That implies that there are other Gods to be had. In addition, the word Elohim, one of the first used to represent the deity in the Bible, does not mean God, but Gods, Deities, plural, more than one. In fact, the wording of the commandment given Moses actually shows not that there shall be no other deity worshipped, but that no other deity will be held above Jehovah, as supreme ruler of the gods. Just as the Greeks had Zeus, the Norse had Odin, and the Egyptians had Ra, so the original Hebrews had Jehovah. In fact, the commandments were given to the Hebrews as a people, not to the Jews as a religion, thus no one of any faith must follow that, except those of Hebrew lineage. Thus the idea of singular worship, or even a single deity, is not within the Bible but a creation of men.
I have used the Bible as my only reference, in writing this article, because it is, to Christians, the word of God passed, by inspiration, to human authors. The human mindset, with its own jealousies, insecurities, and desires, has placed words into the mouth of God, which never existed. Those of you who are Christian, whose word will you take? That of a human, who has not divine knowledge and understanding, or the Word of God?
