Job Discussion Forums

[RyanS]

relax

[Athanasius]

I'd like to know why the Catholic Church's possible adoption (I say "possible" because in many cases these theories of overlap with pagan tradition are not very well established) of certain portions of the calendar must be characterized as "suppression" of paganism. The pagan barbarians in Europe and in prehispanic America were rarely involved in Christianity by force -- the Franks, Vandals, and other Germanic tribes generally converted freely, as did the Latins, Greeks, Romano-Gauls (in what is today France), and the peoples of what is today Latin America. The popular conception of these things his simply historically wrong, and isn't supported by academic historians. It's just an anti-Catholic assumption.

All Soul's Day is universal in the Latin Rites of the Catholic Church (although not in the Eastern Rites), and in Mexico it is called "Day of the Dead". It is a day for comemorating all of the faithful departed, whether in Heaven or Purgatory, and specifically praying for the people in Purgatory. There is no sinister agenda here, and it is found in other places precisely because it is a Catholic feast day.

[Cdaniels]

Athanasius, what have you been reading?
Actually you're making me nervous, because NOBODY EXPECTS THE SPANISH INQUISITION!!! Arrrrgh!!

[Athanasius]

Get any general history of Latin America written by an academic (as opposed to a journalist or other popular writer), and you'll will find verification of what I say. Most conversions were not by force.