That is impossible for anyone who believes that the Bible is, every word, absolutely true (as interpreted by the general Christian dogma). I have tried too many times to show people evidence and they refuse to even look in earnest. Too much cognitive dissonance. Nevertheless, I'll give it a go.
Why bother if its all the same religion?
Controlled Opposition. You can't control a society without an adversary. You can however, easily control the entire world if you create different religions and set them against each other, each naming the others as "evil."
The Catholic church was started by Jesus Christ
The Catholic church (or rather, just The Church at the time) was started by the ecumenical council at the Nicene convention in 325 AD. The tenets held by the Catholic church (that are still held by all Christian religions today) were made into Roman Law at that time. Because there were several religions in the various regions, they combined numerous pagan and Christian beliefs into one single entity. This was done to ensure that everyone believed the same thing, making the Roman Empire easier to rule. In order to create certain beliefs, they had to leave out most of the books that were canon at the time (that list is not comprehensive). The entire concept of Trinity wasn't an agreed upon part of Christian beliefs until the Catholic church demanded that it be so (see the link on the laws). Jesus as the only Son of God wasn't a part of the tenets until that time. The Holy Spirit wasn't added as "the Trinity" until the next council in 383 (or whatever year it was).
By separating out Jesus from the rest of us (we are ALL the Children of God), this set up a hierarchy by which we could be ruled, with "Jesus, as God" at the top, and the Priesthood as the divine voice of Jesus. This was there from day one of the creation of the formal religion we call "Christianity." If you read all the stuff they left out, it paints a very different picture of what Jesus was really trying to tell us. Regardless, while the names have changed, we are still ruled by the same hierarchy today.
This was done to ensure that everyone believed the same thing, making the Roman Empire easier to rule.
It's the one, holy apostolic faith. Everyone is on the same page as opposed to Protestants who believe 100,000 different things. You cannot be ONE when everyone believes something different. This is a huge part of being Catholic. Catholic means universal. If we all believe something different, how are we one?
In order to create certain beliefs, they had to leave out most of the books that were canon at the time (that list is not comprehensive).
And yet the Catholic Church not only put the Bible together that you have today, but they have more books than the Protestant Bible which is only 66 books.
The entire concept of Trinity wasn't an agreed upon part of Christian beliefs until the Catholic church demanded that it be so (see the link on the laws).
So is it the Catholic Church or THE CHURCH? THE CHURCH has the authority to decide dogma based on revelation from the holy ghost. I do not see how this is a problem. Churches have leaders. Churches make decisions. What is the big deal?
And aside from that, nothing you provided is evidence of pagan worship. Pagans were not entirely wrong about the nature of reality. Which specific pagan beliefs were kept? Truth is kept, anything not true is left behind. This is something akin to "a broken clock is right twice a day". You keep what is true regardless of where it came from. Truth is truth.
I never suggested I know the truth. I know literally nothing. In fact the only thing I know for certain is that I don't know anything. I have however spent a great deal of time looking at the evidence. The tenets of Christianity (any version) as professed by the formal religions do not fit all of the evidence. That is the only reason I suggest there is more to the truth than anyone who adheres to those tenets realizes. It isn't because I want them to be incorrect. My only goal in life is for my mind to be open enough to see the evidence, whatever that may be. The only reason I suggest the tenets of your religion may be incorrect is because the more you dig into the evidence, the less the tenets of those formal systems fit the facts.
Any theory of how Reality works that does not fit all of the evidence is wrong. It's really that simple.
I barely scratched the surface with what I showed you, and you couldn't even address the most important parts. The parts you did address were attempts to force the facts to fit your beliefs without the slightest attempt to appreciate what those facts actually suggest. I was hoping (like I always hope with those who are so certain that they fully understand Reality), that you would get a glimpse into a larger world than the one you have restricted yourself to with the beliefs that have been taught to you by the Catholic Church.
The evidence suggests that You are more than what you think you are (assuming you have restricted yourself to the box that the Catholic Church, or any common "whole truth" interpretation of the small little Bible it adheres to teaches). The evidence suggest that you are the Divine Spark AKA a Son or Daughter of God (exactly the same as Jesus) AKA a Split-Apart from Source. You are not separate from God. God is not a separate entity from you. You are a part of Source. You are Source. I mean, of course you are. How could it be any other way. Thinking that only through Jesus can you be what you are (a part of Source) is the Big Lie designed specifically to control society, through the creation of "the hierarchy."
Until people realize that they have been placed in a box, they will never be able to look at their boundaries and transcend them. The Catholic Church (and all other formal religions) were all created by the same organization to build that box. Once people see it (if that ever happens en masse), is the moment of Revelation, the true Great Awakening.
I suggest it isn't what people think it will be. Most people who think they are "awakened" to the "larger truth of our world" have only barely seen the first veil.
That is impossible for anyone who believes that the Bible is, every word, absolutely true (as interpreted by the general Christian dogma). I have tried too many times to show people evidence and they refuse to even look in earnest. Too much cognitive dissonance. Nevertheless, I'll give it a go.
Controlled Opposition. You can't control a society without an adversary. You can however, easily control the entire world if you create different religions and set them against each other, each naming the others as "evil."
The Catholic church (or rather, just The Church at the time) was started by the ecumenical council at the Nicene convention in 325 AD. The tenets held by the Catholic church (that are still held by all Christian religions today) were made into Roman Law at that time. Because there were several religions in the various regions, they combined numerous pagan and Christian beliefs into one single entity. This was done to ensure that everyone believed the same thing, making the Roman Empire easier to rule. In order to create certain beliefs, they had to leave out most of the books that were canon at the time (that list is not comprehensive). The entire concept of Trinity wasn't an agreed upon part of Christian beliefs until the Catholic church demanded that it be so (see the link on the laws). Jesus as the only Son of God wasn't a part of the tenets until that time. The Holy Spirit wasn't added as "the Trinity" until the next council in 383 (or whatever year it was).
By separating out Jesus from the rest of us (we are ALL the Children of God), this set up a hierarchy by which we could be ruled, with "Jesus, as God" at the top, and the Priesthood as the divine voice of Jesus. This was there from day one of the creation of the formal religion we call "Christianity." If you read all the stuff they left out, it paints a very different picture of what Jesus was really trying to tell us. Regardless, while the names have changed, we are still ruled by the same hierarchy today.
It's the one, holy apostolic faith. Everyone is on the same page as opposed to Protestants who believe 100,000 different things. You cannot be ONE when everyone believes something different. This is a huge part of being Catholic. Catholic means universal. If we all believe something different, how are we one?
And yet the Catholic Church not only put the Bible together that you have today, but they have more books than the Protestant Bible which is only 66 books.
So is it the Catholic Church or THE CHURCH? THE CHURCH has the authority to decide dogma based on revelation from the holy ghost. I do not see how this is a problem. Churches have leaders. Churches make decisions. What is the big deal?
And aside from that, nothing you provided is evidence of pagan worship. Pagans were not entirely wrong about the nature of reality. Which specific pagan beliefs were kept? Truth is kept, anything not true is left behind. This is something akin to "a broken clock is right twice a day". You keep what is true regardless of where it came from. Truth is truth.
If a person already knows "the truth," it is impossible for them to see any evidence to the contrary.
Look in the mirror, please.
I never suggested I know the truth. I know literally nothing. In fact the only thing I know for certain is that I don't know anything. I have however spent a great deal of time looking at the evidence. The tenets of Christianity (any version) as professed by the formal religions do not fit all of the evidence. That is the only reason I suggest there is more to the truth than anyone who adheres to those tenets realizes. It isn't because I want them to be incorrect. My only goal in life is for my mind to be open enough to see the evidence, whatever that may be. The only reason I suggest the tenets of your religion may be incorrect is because the more you dig into the evidence, the less the tenets of those formal systems fit the facts.
Any theory of how Reality works that does not fit all of the evidence is wrong. It's really that simple.
I barely scratched the surface with what I showed you, and you couldn't even address the most important parts. The parts you did address were attempts to force the facts to fit your beliefs without the slightest attempt to appreciate what those facts actually suggest. I was hoping (like I always hope with those who are so certain that they fully understand Reality), that you would get a glimpse into a larger world than the one you have restricted yourself to with the beliefs that have been taught to you by the Catholic Church.
The evidence suggests that You are more than what you think you are (assuming you have restricted yourself to the box that the Catholic Church, or any common "whole truth" interpretation of the small little Bible it adheres to teaches). The evidence suggest that you are the Divine Spark AKA a Son or Daughter of God (exactly the same as Jesus) AKA a Split-Apart from Source. You are not separate from God. God is not a separate entity from you. You are a part of Source. You are Source. I mean, of course you are. How could it be any other way. Thinking that only through Jesus can you be what you are (a part of Source) is the Big Lie designed specifically to control society, through the creation of "the hierarchy."
Until people realize that they have been placed in a box, they will never be able to look at their boundaries and transcend them. The Catholic Church (and all other formal religions) were all created by the same organization to build that box. Once people see it (if that ever happens en masse), is the moment of Revelation, the true Great Awakening.
I suggest it isn't what people think it will be. Most people who think they are "awakened" to the "larger truth of our world" have only barely seen the first veil.