| How I Became A Hindu - My Discovery Of Vedic Dharma |
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| Books By David Frawley |
| RETURN OF THE PAGANS | |
| Christian
Oppression of Pagans
In my studies of history I learned that the pagan oppression of the Christians was minor compared to the Christian oppression of pagans. Pagan Rome was generally tolerant about religion and accepted the existence of many cults and sects. Its clash with Christianity was because the Christians refused to afford homage to the Roman State. No doubt the Romans, who were harsh rulers of a vast empire, did oppress the early Christians. But the many religions in the Roman Empire had great depths and cannot be rejected for this political action. In the early centuries of Christian rule numerous pagan temples were destroyed or replaced by churches. Their beautiful statues were broken and trampled upon as unholy idols. Their wonderful rituals and philosophies were rejected as superstition. The great university and library of Alexandria was only one of the many centers of learning in the ancient world that was destroyed. Eventually the Platonic Academy in Athens was closed down as well. Early Christianity was against learning and burned books and schools, a model that early Islam also followed. Some pagan beliefs were taken over by the church like Christmas, which was originally a Mithraic winter solstice festival, or the Christmas tree, which was a pagan German custom. The Madonna was adopted from the old pagan Goddesses. Some of the most charming and mystical aspects of Christianity were originally pagan!
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