Describes how idolatry and paganism infiltrated the Church. Can be used effectively to teach Roman Catholics and Oriental Church members. Includes brief notes on middle eastern, mesopotamian, egyptian, sumerian, greek, Hindu religions and cults
1. IDOLATRY – WORSHIP OF ALIEN GODS SHEKINAH EVANGELIZATION PROGRAMME
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3. Not miracles but truth ! “YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE” JN 8:32.
4. SPIRITUAL WARFARE “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” Gen 3:15. Spiritual war continues
7. Noah’s curse on Canaan. Gen 9:25cursed generation rebels against God CUSH’S SON – NIMROD FIRST TRIED TO PLEASE GOD MIGHTY HUNTER / WARRIOR LATER PRIDE & HAUGHTINESS
8. BABEL Gen 10:9-9KING WORSHIP, STARRY HOST WORSHIPBABYLON – CENTER OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS IN 2247 BC
14. ANAT & BAAL BAAL attacked by MOT, god of death & sterility BAAL surrenders and is chewed up by MOT EL is helpless ANAT is furious, kills MOT, cuts him and scatters his flesh over fields Restores BAAL for sexual reunion Celebrated as New Year festival for Anat & Baal.
28. INANA & DUMUZI - FABLE 1 INANA INVADES HER SISTER ERESHKIGAL’S UNDERWORLD PALACE IN HELL BUT GETS KILLED
29. INANA & DUMUZI - FABLE 1 RESCUED BY OTHER GODS & DEVILS. ON RETURN FINDS HER SHEPHERD HUSBAND DUMUZI ON HER THRONE PURSUES HIM WITH VENGENCE
30. INANA & DUMUZI - FABLE 1 DUMUZI FLEES TO BE WITH ERESHKIGAL FOR 6 MONTHS OF YEAR LATER RETURNS WHEN HIS SISTER GESTINANA TAKES HIS PLACE IN HELL FOR NEXT 6 MONTHS
31. INANA & DUMUZI - FABLE 1 WHEN DUMUZI RETURNS AGRICULTURE BLOSSOMS & WHEN HE GOES TO HELL SUMMER DRAUGHT = WIDESPREAD CULT
33. TAMMUZ – DUMUZU – FABLE 2 God of Rainy season – died in winter solstice and resurrected in summer solstice Virgins weep and mourn in JULY winter solstice. Virgins rejoice on summer solstice Ezek. 8:10-16 “Sin of Jewish women weeping for Tammuz” – pagan religious ritual
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35. TAMMUZ & EVERGREEN TREES TO CELEBRATE TAMMUZ BIRTHDAY center of this worship was Gebal, Syria, held in the famous temple of Venus or Aphrodite in south Phoenicia. Worship immoral rites - stopped by Constantine the Great. TANTRIC RITUALS IN INDIA.
45. abomination to God- 1 Sam 7:3; 1 Kgs 11:5, 33; 2 Kgs 23:13; Jer 7:18; 44:18. Round cakes, imprinted with the sign of the cross were made at this festival, the sign being in the Babylonian mysteries, a sign of life.
46. 2. Worship of the Queen of Heaven Jer 7:18; 44:17. Acts 19:27 – The temple of Diana / Artemis- licentiousness Corinth Temple- Devadasis – male & female
60. Alternative Medicine Also called “Complimentary Medicine” Homoeopathy Acupuncture Reflexology Chiropractic Aromatherapy Shiatsu massage …and ….and, and ….. YOGA
61. STATUES & IDOLS = IDOLATROUS RITUALS= SINFUL LIFE Rom 1:21-31. “Young son died, inconsolable father made a statue for him. Ordered religious ceremonies & customs.” Babylon= Emperor worship = Statues= Idols NEBUCHADNEZZAR = GOLDEN IDOL ROMAN = CAESAR WORSHIP ANTI-CHRIST = IDOL THAT SPEAKS
71. Growth of Idolatry Roman Catholic Church Emperor Constantine – Hellenization Christmas – December 25 / January 7 Lent – 40 Days of mourning – for “JESUS WHO IS ALIVE” Easter Mother worship / veneration Mother and child Saints statues and pictures
72. PONTIFEX MAXIMUS Roman Emperor Gratianrefused this post because he was a true Christian and saw that Babylonianism idolatrous. So Demasus, bishop at Rome, elected A.D. 378 Then on Babylonianism & organized Christianity became one.
73. Growth of Idolatry Rome Bishop – Papa King – Romanization kissing the hands of the king, burning fragrant incense, spreading of the Red Carpet, carrying the king on a palanquin, bowing or kneeling down before the king, etc were given a religious colour and imbibed into Christianity. Convent – nuns (Roman Vestal Virgins in Zeus Temple) Monks – Monastries Dark Age – Prevention of Commons learning Bible
74. IMAGES, STATUES & SAINTS IN CHURCH First Christians had no images of Christ. From 100-400 A.D. Christian leaders rebuked introduction of images of Christ & saints into their worship. 36th Canon of the Synod of Elvira prohibited images. Eusebius, father of Church history, opposed them. Ambrose, Jerome, & Augustine mention pictures of apostles & Christ & the worship of images as beginning in their day. Eastern influence -Use & adoration of images began
75. Lateran Synod sanctioned their use in A.D. 769. Tarsius, an advocate of images, made patriarch of the East in A.D. 784; A.D. 787, Synod of Nicea ascribed reverence to images & worship to God. Synod of Frankfurt in A.D 794, & sanctioned at Paris in A.D. 825. Emperors in the East continued their opposition & advocates of images were exiled for some time. Images restored in the area of Theodora in A.D. 843.
76. A.D. 850, the cult of image worship-due to stories of miracles performed through them. Blessings were claimed for the images themselves finally in A.D. 1188, it was declared that denial of images was a denial of God. In A.D. 1225 it was said that Christ was not Christ unless He was graven as an image or statue. Thomas Aquinas in A.D. 1265 declared that an image of Christ claims the same veneration as Christ Himself. The 25th session of the Council of Trent held during 1551-52 justified the worship of images.
78. Gen 3:15 “SHE” instead of ‘HE’ in earlier versions of RC Bible Removed after much protest
79. DEVIL- FATHER OF LIES The devil will sidetrack anyone willing to believe by many means from: KNOWING GOD, TRUSTING IN HIM, WORSHIPPING HIM in spirit and in truth SERVING HIM
80. WHAT DOES THE WORD OF GOD SAY? * Jer 5:3, 21; Mt 13:14-15; Mk 8:18. Jn 4:23-24 * God should open our eyes to see the wonderful things in his Word. Ps 119:18. * “What shall I do, Lord?” ASK CONTINUALLY- Act 9:6; 22:10. “YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE” JN 8:32.
