Religion Essays – Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity

Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity

First of all we shall get down the definitions of the cardinal words as used in the research inquiry.

Astrology can be defined as the survey of how events on Earth correspond to the places and motions of astronomical organic structures which are the Moon, Sun, planets and the stars.

Paganism in general is a term for the antediluvian and modern faiths which identify nature as the organic structure of the Godhead e.g. Taoism is the pagan religion of China, Hinduism is the Paganism of India, Shinto the pagan religion of Japan and Santeria, Voudon & A ; Macumba are the pagan religion of the African Diaspora ; etc

On the other manus symbolism is the applied usage of symbols i.e iconic representations that carry peculiar conventional significances. Symbolism besides refers to a manner of taking representative symbols that are in line with the abstract instead than actual belongingss, leting for the broader reading of a carried significance than more actual concept-representations can let. A faith can be described as a linguistic communication of constructs related to human spiritualty. Symbolism hence is an of import facet of most faiths.

Christian religion is the monotheistic system of beliefs and patterns that are based on the Old Testament and the instructions of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and that emphasizes the function of Jesus as savior and Christ.

Discussion

Zodiac is one of the oldest conceptual images in human history. It reflects the Sun as it figuratively passes through the 12 major configurations over the class of a twelvemonth. It besides reflects the 12 months of the twelvemonth, the 4 seasons, and the solstices and equinoxes. The term Zodiac relates to the fact that configurations were anthropomorphized, or personified, as figures, or animate beings.

Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary on December 25th/a & gt ; in Bethlehem, his birth was symbolized by a star in the E which three male monarchs or Wise Men followed to turn up and decorate the new Jesus. He was a kid instructor at age 12 and at the age of 30 he was baptized by John the Baptist, and therefore began the ministry. Jesus had 12 adherents whom he traveled about with executing miracles such as mending the sick, raising the dead, walking on H2O, he was besides known as the King of Kings, the Son of God, the Light of the World, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God e.g. After being betrayed by Judas his adherent and sold for 30 pieces of Ag, he was crucified, placed in a grave and after 3 yearss resurrected and ascended to Heaven.

The birth sequence of Jesus is wholly astrological. The star in the E is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky at dark, which on December 24th aligns with the three brightest stars in Orion ‘s Belt. These three bright stars are referred today what they were called in antediluvian times, The Three Kings. The Three Kings and the brightest star Sirius, all point to the topographic point of the dawn on December 25th. This is why the Three Kings follow the star in the E, in order to turn up the dawn or the birth of the Sun.

Virgin Mary is the configuration Virgo, besides known as the Virgo the Virgin which in Latin means virgin. The ancient glyph for Virgo is the altered “ m ” . This is why Mary with other virgin female parents, such as Adonis ‘s female parent Myrrha and Buddha ‘s female parent Maya Begin with an M. Virgo is besides referred to as the House of Bread, and the represents of virgin keeping a bundle of wheat. The House of Bread and its symbol of wheat represent August and September, the clip of crop. In bend, Bethlehem literally translates to “ house of staff of life ” . Bethlehem therefore refers to the configuration Virgo, a topographic point in the sky, non on Earth.

Another really interesting phenomenon that occurs around December 25^Thursdayis that from the summer solstice to the winter solstice, the yearss become shorter and colder. From the Northern hemisphere perspective, the Sun appears to travel south gets smaller and more scarce. The shortening of yearss and the termination of the harvests when nearing the winter solstice symbolizes the procedure of decease to the ancients. By December 22nd, the Sun ‘s death was to the full realized, for the Sun holding moved south continually for 6 months, makes it to its lowest point in the sky. And here a funny thing occurs, the Sun stops traveling south, at least for 3 yearss. In the three twenty-four hours intermission, the Sun corsets in the locality of the Southern Cross, or Crux, the configuration. After this clip on December 25th, the Sun moves 1 grade, this clip north, adumbrative longer yearss, spring and heat. And therefore it was said, the Sun died on the cross, was dead for 3 yearss, merely to be resurrected or born once more. This is why Jesus and legion other Sun Gods portion the crucifixion, 3 twenty-four hours decease, and Resurrection construct. It’s the Sun ‘s passage period before it shifts its way back towards the Northern Hemisphere conveying spring and therefore redemption.

However, they didn’t celebrate the Resurrection of the Sun until the spring equinox, or Easter. This is because at the spring equinox, the Sun officially overpowers the evil darkness, as daytime thereafter becomes longer in continuance than dark, and the renewing conditions of spring emerge.

Therefore the obvious astrological symbolism around Jesus regards the 12 adherents. They are merely the 12 configurations of the Zodiac, which Jesus, being the Sun, travels about with.

In fact, the figure 12 is seen more frequently throughout the Bible which has more to make with star divination than anything else.

Looking at the cross of the Zodiac, the nonliteral life of the Sun, this was non an artistic look or tool to track the Sun ‘s motions. It is a Pagan version of the cross of the Zodiac. That is why Jesus in early supernatural art is shown with his caput on the cross the Sun of God, the Light of the World, the Risen Savior, who will “ come once more, ” as it is every forenoon, the Glory of God who battles against the plants of darkness, as he is born once more every forenoon, and can be seen coming in the clouds, up in Heaven, with his Crown of Thorns, or, sun beams.

Now, of the many astrological-astronomical metaphors in the Bible, the most of import has to make with the ages. In the Bibles there are legion mentions ‘Age’ . To understand this, we need to familiarise with the phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. Ancient Egyptians along with civilizations long before them recognized that about for every 2150 old ages the dawn on the forenoon of the spring equinox would happen at a different mark of the Zodiac. This is concerned with the slow angular wobble that the Earth maintains as it rotates on its axis. It’s called a precession because the configurations go backwards, instead than through the normal one-year rhythm. The clip that it takes for the precession to travel through all 12 marks is approximately 25 to 765 old ages. This is besides called the Great Year, and ancient societies were really cognizant of this. Each 2150 twelvemonth period was called an age. From 4300 b.c. to 2150 b.c. , it was called the Age of Taurus, the Bull. From 2150 b.c. to 1 a.d. , it was called the Age of Aries, the Ram, and from 1 a.d. to 2150 a.d. it was called the Age of Pisces, the age we are still in to day of the month, and in and around 2150, we shall come in the new age called the Age of Aquarius.

The Bible reflects a symbolic motion through 3 ages, while boding a 4th. In the Old Testament when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments, he was really disquieted to see his people idolizing a aureate bull calf. He reacted by shattering the rock tablets and teaching his people to kill each other in order to sublimate themselves. I would impute this choler to the fact that the Israelites were idolizing a false graven image or something to that consequence. The fact is that the aureate bull is Taurus the Bull, and Moses represents the new Age of Aries the Ram. That is why Jews even today still blow the Ram ‘s horn. Moses represents the new Age of Aries, and upon the new age, everyone should cast the old age. Other divinities mark these passages every bit good, a pre-Christian God who kills the bull, in the same symbol.

Jesus is the figure who ushers in the age following Rams, the Age of Pisces the two Fish. Fish symbolism is really insistent in the New Testament. Jesus fed 5000 people with staff of life and 2 fish. When he began his ministry walking along Galilee, he befriends 2 fishermen, who followed him. I have seen Jesus-fish on the dorsums of people ‘s autos. Yet they do non cognize what it really means. It is a Pagan astrological symbolism for the Sun ‘s Kingdom during the Age of Pisces. Besides, Jesus ‘ assumed birth day of the month is basically the start of this age.

In Luke 22:10 when Jesus is asked by his adherents where the following Passover will be, Jesus replied ‘Behold, when ye are entered into the metropolis, there shall a adult male meet you bearing a hurler of H2O… follow him into the house where he entereth in.’ this Bible is one of the most disclosure of all the astrological mentions. The adult male transporting a hurler of H2O is Aquarius, the H2O carrier, who is ever seen as a adult male pouring out a hurler of H2O. He represents the age after Pisces, and when the Sun leaves the Age of Pisces ( Jesus ) , it will travel into the House of Aquarius, as Aquarius follows Pisces in the precession of the equinoxes. Besides what Jesus is that after the Age of Pisces will come the Age of Aquarius.

We have all heard about the terminal times and the terminal of the universe. Apart from the word pictures in the Book of Revelation, the chief beginning of this thought comes from Matthew 28:20, where Jesus says ‘I will be with you even to the terminal of the world.’ Otherwise, in King James Version, ‘the world’ is a mistranslation, among many mistranslations. The existent word being used is “ aeon ” , which means ‘age.’ ‘I will be with you even to the terminal of the age.’ Which is true, as Jesus ‘ Solar Piscean representation will stop when the Sun enters the Age of Aquarius. The full construct of terminal times and the terminal of the universe is a misinterpreted astrological allegation. Let ‘s state that to the about 100 million people in America who believe the terminal of the universe is coming.

Furthermore, Jesus character, a literary and astrological loanblend, is most explicitly similar to the Egyptian Sun God Horus e.g. , inscribed about 3500 old ages ago on the walls of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt are images of the diction of the immaculate construct, the birth, and the worship of Horus. The images begin with Thaw denoting to the virgin Isis that she will gestate Horus, so Nef the sanctum shade shall impregnant the virgin Isis, and so the virgin birth and the worship. This precisely entails Jesus’ miracle construct. In fact, the literary similarities between the Egyptian faith and the Christian faith are reeling.

The plagiarism is uninterrupted. The narrative of Noah and the Ark is taken straight from the traditions. The construct of a Great Flood is common throughout the ancient universe, with over 200 different cited claims in different periods and times. However, one needs look no further for a pre-Christian beginning than the Epic of Gilgamesh, written in 2600 b.c. In this narrative is told of a Great Flood commanded by God, an Ark with saved animate beings on it, and even the release and return of a dove, all held in common with the scriptural narrative, among many other similar happenings.

Then there is the plagiaristic narrative of Moses. Upon Moses ‘ birth, it is said that he was placed in a reed basket and put adrift in a river in order to avoid infanticide. He was subsequently rescued by a girl of a male monarch and raised by her as a Prince. This babe in a basket narrative was lifted straight from the myth of Sargon of Akkad of around 2250 b.c. Sargon was born, placed in a reed basket in order to avoid infanticide, and set adrift in a river. He was in bend rescued and raised by Akki, a royal mid-wife.

Furthermore, Moses is known as the giver of the Ten Commandments. However, the thought of a Law being passed from God to a prophesier on a mountain is besides a really old motive. Moses is merely a jurisprudence giver in a series of jurisprudence givers in fabulous history. In India, Manou was the great jurisprudence giver. In Crete, Minos ascended Mount Dicta, where Zeus gave him the sacred Torahs. While in Egypt there was Myocardial infarctions, who carried stone tablets and upon them the Torahs of God were written.

The Ten Commandments are taken outright from Spell 125 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. What the Book of the Dead phrased “ I have non killed “ Thou shall non kill, ” “ I have non told prevarications ” became “ Thou shall non bear false informant ” “ I have non stolen ” became “ Thou shall non steal, ” and so forth. In fact, the Egyptian faith is likely the primary foundational footing for the Judeo-christian divinity. Baptism, hereafter, concluding judgement, virgin birth and Resurrection, crucifixion, the Ark of the Covenant, Circumcision, Jesuss, Holy Communion, the great inundation, Easter, Christmas, Passover, and many more, are all properties of Egyptian thoughts, long preceding Christianity and Judaism.

Justin Martyr, one of the first Christian historiographers and guardians, said: “ When we say that Jesus Christ, our instructor, was produced without sexual brotherhood, was crucified and died, and rose once more, and ascended into Heaven, we propound nil different from what you believe sing those who you esteem Sons of Jupiter. ” In a different authorship, Justin Martyr said “ He was born of a virgin ; accept this in similarity with what you believe of Perseus. ”

It ‘s rather obvious that Justin and other early Christians knew how similar Christianity was to the Pagan faiths and patterns. However, Justin had a solution, every bit far as he was concerned, the Devil did it. The Devil had the foresight to come before Christ, and make these features in the Pagan universe.

The Bible is merely but an astro-theological literary crease loanblend, merely like about all spiritual myths before it. In fact, the facet of transference, of one character ‘s properties to a new character, can be found within the bible itself. In the Old Testament there ‘s the narrative of Joseph. Joseph was a paradigm for Jesus. Joseph was born of a miracle birth ; Jesus was born of a miracle birth. Joseph was of 12 brothers, Jesus had 12 adherents. Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of Ag ; Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of Ag. Brother “ Judah ” suggests the sale of Joseph, adherent “ Judas ” suggests the sale of Jesus. Joseph began his work at the age of 30 ; Jesus began his work at the age of 30. The analogues go on and on.

At the clip of Jesus, the Mediterranean universe was ruled by the Roman Empire. The Romans were heathens, who had their ain Gods viz. ; Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and so on. The names of these Gods have survived to day of the month in the names of the planets, the yearss of the hebdomad, names of months and general lingual use. The other civilizations in the country besides had their ain Gods and goddesses, who corresponded more or less to the Roman pantheon. Hellenic was the linguistic communication of civilization in the Middle East ; the chief Centre was Alexandria in Egypt and the Roman universe was one in which trade and faith passed quickly between the metropoliss and towns along the marvello.

Observing the Solstice was forbidden by the Church, but many imposts survived anyhow. In the fourth Century, Pope Julius I declared that 25th December was Jesus ‘ birthday and so jubilations were in order. This efficaciously transformed the Pagan juncture into a Christian sanctum twenty-four hours (vacation) . This was non, nevertheless, simply a convenient manner to ‘Christianize ‘ a Pagan jubilation. There is no historical grounds to turn out what day of the month Jesus was born on, or the season, or even the twelvemonth. But after many old ages of computation, contemplation and statement, 25th December was assigned. And since the ‘why ‘ is more of import than the ‘when ‘ , that day of the month has been good plenty for Christians of all time since.

Decision

Paganism has a wider influence on our lives than we might care to believe. Take for illustration, the simple nuptials ring. This has profound Pagan origins yet is considered an indispensable portion of the nuptials ceremonial by many Christians. Overemphasizing the relevancy and importance of spiritual symbols can take to conflict. See the tensenesss that rose in France during 2004/5, following the forbiddance of Muslim headscarves, Sikh turbans, Judaic skullcaps, big Christian rood, and other conspicuous spiritual symbols that do n’t intermix into secular province schools⁵. The ‘headscarf issue ‘ resulted in merely a smattering of school ejections but more damagingly generated ill-feeling, divided the state and achieved nil positive.

Paganism has had a broad influence on Christianity given the many illustrations of rites and regalia that support this averment. And this raises the inquiry:So what?Christians should be cautious about reprobating patterns as Pagan, merely because of their beginnings. The beginnings may be interesting, but non so of import. What istrulyof import, nevertheless, is what wemakewith these things.

Mentions:

• J. G. Frazer ( 1993 ) The Golden Bough, Macmillan & A ; Co. Ltd, London
• R. Graves ( 1961 ) the white Goddess, Faber & A ; Faber, London
• A. His lop: ( 1990 ) The Two Babylon’s, Loizeaux Brothers ; 2nd edition.
• M. D. Magee Sun Gods as Atoning Saviors an online resource look intoing the beginnings of Christian and Jewish instructions
• Strabo: ( 1982 ) The Geography of Strabo, Loeb Classical Library
• Tertullian: ( 870 ) Adversus Judaeos, trans. Rev. S. Thelwall, 1870
• B. G. Walker: ( 1983 ) the Woman ‘s Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Harper & A ; Row, NY