The And The Pagan Gods - 958 Words

I will argue that in the writings of the Stoics in AfewbriefexcerptsfromstoicpoetsAdams and the Aeneid; the pagan gods represent our theistic God. I find parallels in their pagan observations about their â€Å"gods† and the powers of our theistic God. Let me explain, often times people need something that can explain what is happening in their lives. As well as something to give them hope. Many of the gods in those days had power over one thing, it almost sounded as though they were personified objects or feelings. God, as we believe, is all powerful and can change things we cannot. People saw separate gods not realizing that it was one, singular, God. However, not all of what people saw and believed to be gods can be considered to come from our God. There are many feelings and emotions that are of the flesh and they attributed to a god since they had no way of explaining it. In the Aeneid there are many gods mentioned. Gods such as Venus the goddess of love, Neptune the god of the sea, Aeolus the god of the winds, and Jupiter the king of the gods. These gods each had one main thing they had power over. They could control the wind, sea, and even love. Then there is Jupiter who has the power to tell the other gods what to do. In the Aeneid there is a man named Aeneas, he is traveling to Italy by order of the god Jupiter after being defeated in the Trojan war. The Aeneid is the story of that journey and the gods are a big part of that journey. Within Aeneas’ story, the goddessShow MoreRelatedImmorality Of The Pagan Gods And Goddesses Essay1262 Words   |  6 PagesGundry (2012 p. 62) writes, â€Å"Every conceivable kind of immorality was attributed to the pagan gods and goddesses. Prostitution by both men and women was a well-recognized institution.† He then goes on to describe on page 62 that â€Å"Much entertainment reflected the immoral ity of society and fed on bloodlust in the gladiatorial games.† Virtuous emperors were the exception, not the rule, and could not prevent the progress of moral decay. Honestly nothing in that day and age could heal the wounds ofRead MoreReconciling Ingrained Traditions with Newly Emerging Christianity1203 Words   |  5 Pages Before the eighth century, England was a pagan society, the English originated from a society marred in idolatry and polytheism. The intermingling of Christian and pagan elements in Beowulf are consistent with the attitudes toward religion that are found in Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Beowulf was written in the Middle Ages (500-1000) on Scandinavia, which was a highly pagan society, however the narrator is telling this story within the timeframe of medieval Anglo-SaxonRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book God On The Dock 1184 Words   |  5 PagesThe similarities between religions continue to spark the interest of scholars t oday, especially those in the Christian community. C.S. Lewis, in the book God In The Dock, recognizes and fully accepts the similarities, but offers a new approach to the situation: The heart of Christianity is a myth which is also a fact. The old myth of the Dying God, without ceasing to be myth, comes down from the heaven of legend and imagination to the earth of history. It happens—at a particular date, in a particularRead MoreA Basic Overview of Paganism Essay examples1716 Words   |  7 Pageswell-known sections, how Pagans worship, and Pagan holidays. Paganism has many sub-cultures, such as Wiccan, Druidism, NeoPaganism and more. But when a person is â€Å"Pagan†, it may include all of these. Unlike Christians who believe in God and Jesus Christ only, Pagans have many paths or theories. There are many paths because most Pagans take their own path in finding their spirituality. Paganism is a religion which is focused on the individual instead of groups. Oz, a Pagan who shares his beliefs throughRead MoreChristian and Pagan Elements in Beowulf926 Words   |  4 PagesCHRISTIAN AND PAGAN ELEMENTS IN BEOWULF The poem Beowulf is full of Pagan and Christian elements, this combination gave place to many discutions about the origin of the poem. On the one hand some scholars have said that this is the result of a transcription made by some monks where they added the christian elements, on the other hand it is believed that the poem was written in a period in which the Anglo-Saxons were being converted from their worship of Germanic Pagan gods to the Christian God. â€Å"ItRead MoreCharacterizing Pagan Religions Essays628 Words   |  3 Pagesreligion is Pagan, and also Hinduism is one religion within the Paganism religions. (What is paganism? ) All Pagan religions are characterized by a connection and reverence for nature, and usually have many Gods and/or Goddesses. Paganism is a religion of nature, in other words Pagans feel deep respect for Nature. Pagans see the divine as existence in life and the universe; in every living thing, every animal, plant, earth and man and woman, in the dark side of life as much as in the light. Pagans liveRead More Beowulf - Pagan or Christian Epic? Essay1069 Words   |  5 PagesBeowulf Pagan or Christian Epic Beowulf: Pagan or Christian Epic? Although the story of Beowulf is filled with references to religion and faith, many discrepancies occur throughout the story that suggest that Beowulf is not a Christian epic. The character of Beowulf frequently speaks to God and obviously believes in His existence. However, pagan practices are mentioned in several places. Beowulf often refers to another being rather than the Christian God. Pagan practices of cremation andRead MoreWicca and Wiccan Practitioners Essay1301 Words   |  6 PagesWicca—one of the most recognizable pagan religions today in the USA and Great Britain—is also unfortunately, like many pagan religions, still greatly misunderstood by the general population: mainly due to the media’s often inaccurate or highly skewed presentation of Wicca and Wiccan practitioners. This inaccurate depiction of Wicca and Wiccans often leads to people lumping Wiccans together with occultists and Satanists and all the negative connotations that surround those words. Luckily, WiccansRead MoreStereotypes and Misconceptions of Paganism Essay893 Words   |  4 Pagesare directed towards individuals of the Pagan religion because, since it represents only a small portion of the population, other individuals are uneducated and judgemental idiots who would rather stuff everything that they know in a fixed set of categories than learn something new. Paganism is a term to describe a group of individuals that worship and respect nature as both living and no-living. This means they do not follow the Christian God. Being Pagan is to believe that the divine manifestsRead MoreChristianity : The Rise Of Christianity1512 Words   |  7 Pagessacrifice. This belief was common in the Anglo-Saxon tradition, which is from where the epic poem Beowulf is thought to have originated circa 550 AD. Due to the origins of Beowulf being surrounded by Pagan tradition and culture and reliance on the method of oral recitation of the story, the poem holds Pagan influences. Examples of these influences include the monsters that Beowulf faces in the story, idol worship, and burning the dead among many other elements. Also around the time of Beowulf, the rise