THE MYSTERY OF THE MIXTURE

WE HAVE SEEN—by scores of examples—that a mixture of paganism and Christianity produced the Roman Catholic Church. The pagans worshipped and prayed to a mother goddess, so the fallen church adopted mother-worship under the name of Mary. The pagans had gods and goddesses associated with various days, occupations, and events In life. This system was adopted and the gods” were called “saints.” The pagans used statues or Idols of their pagan deities In their worship, so the fallen church did also, simply calling them by different names.

From ancient times, crosses In various forms were re¬garded In superstitious ways. Some of these Ideas were adopted and associated with the cross of Christ. The cross as an image was outwardly honoured, but the true finished sacrifice of the cross became obscured by the rituals of the Mass with its transubstantiation, mystery drama, and prayers for the dead!

Repetitious prayers, rosaries, and relics were all adopted from paganism and given a surface appearance of Christian¬ity. The pagan office and title of Pontifex Maximus was applied to the bishop of Rome. He became known as the Pope, the Father of fathers, even though Jesus said to call no man father! In literally hundreds of ways, pagan rites were merged Into Christianity at Rome.

Catholic scholars recognise that their church developed from such a mixture. But from their point of view, these things were triumphs for Christianity, because the church was able to Christianise pagan practices. The Catholic Encyclopaedia makes these statements: ‘We need not shrink from admitting that candles, like incense and lustral water, were commonly employed in pagan worship and in the rites paid to the dead. But the Church from a very early period took them into her service, just as she adopted many other things.. .like music, lights, perfumes, ablutions, floral deco¬rations, canopies, fans, screens, bells, vestments, etc., which were not identified with any idolatrous cult in particular: they were common to almost all cults.”’ ‘Water, oil, light, Incense, singing, procession, prostration, decoration of al¬tars, vestments of priests, are naturally at the service of universal religious instinct... .Even pagan feasts may be ‘baptised’: certainly our processions of 25 April are the Robigalia: the Rogation days may replace the Ambarualia; the date of Christmas Day may be due to the same Instinct which placed on 25 December the Natalis Invicti of the solar cult.”2

The use of statues, and customs such as bowing before an Image, are explained In Catholic theology as having developed from the old emperor worship! “The etiquette of the Byzantine court gradually evolved elaborate forms of respect, not only for the person of Caesar but even for his statues and symbols. Phiostorgius. . .says that In the fourth century the Christian Roman citizens in the East offered gifts, incense, even prayers (!) to the statues of the emperor. (Hist. EccI. II, 17). It would be natural that people who bowed to, kissed, incensed the Imperial eagles and Images of Caesar (with no suspicion of anything like idolatry)..should give the same signs to the cross, the images of Christ, and the altar... .The first Christians were accustomed to see statues of emperors, of pagan gods and heroes, as well as pagan wall paintings. So they made paintings of their religion, and, as soon as they could afford them, statues of their Lord and of their heroes.”3

It should be noticed that no claim for any scriptural command is even suggested for these things. It is clearly stated that these customs developed from paganism.

Sometimes various wall paintings of the early centuries, such as those in the Roman catacombs, are referred to as though they represented the beliefs of the original Chris¬tians. We do not believe this is the case, for there is clear evidence of a mixture. While some of these paintings in¬cluded scenes of Christ feeding the multitudes with the loaves and fishes, Jonah and the whale, or the sacrifice of Isaac, other paintings were unmistakably pagan portrayals. Some believe this mixture was a disguise to avoid persecu-tion. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the roots of mixture were present. Says The Catholic Encyclopaedia

“The Good Shepherd carrying the sheep on his shoul¬ders occurs frequently, and this preference may well be due to its resemblance to the pagan figures of Hermes Kriopho¬rus or Arlstaeus, which at this period were much In vogue... .Even the fable of Orpheus was borrowed pictorially and referred to Christ. Similarly the story of Eros and Psyche was revived and Christianised, serving to remind the believ¬ers of the resurrection of the body ….The group of the Twelve Apostles probably attracted the less attention because the twelve Dli Majores were often also grouped together. Again the figure of the Orans (q.v.), the woman with arms uplifted in prayer, was quite familiar to classical antiquity ….Similarly the fish symbol, representing Christ, the anchor of hope, the palm of victory, were all sufficiently familiar as emblems among pagans to excite no particular attention.”4

In the Old Testament, the apostasy into which the Israelites repeatedly fell was that of mixture. Usually they did not totally reject the worship of the true God, but mixed heathen rites with it! This was the case even when they worshipped the golden calf (Exodus 32). We all realise that such worship was false, heathenistic, and an abomination in the sight of God. Yet—and this is the point we would make—It was claimed that this was a ‘feast unto the Lord” (verse 5)—a feast to Jehovah (or more correctly) Yahweh, the true God! They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. They practiced rites In which they made themselves naked (verse 25), perhaps similar to those which were carried out by naked Babylonian priests.5

During the forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites carried the tabernacle of God. However, some of them were not content with this, so they added something. They made unto themselves a Babylonian tabernacle that was carried also! ‘But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun, your images” (Amos 5:26: Acts 7:42,43). These were but other names for the sun-god Baal and the mother goddess Astarte. Because of this mixture, their songs of worship, sacrifices, and offerings were rejected by God.

At another period, the Israelites performed secret rites, built high places, used divination, caused their children to pass through the fire, and worshipped the sun, moon, and stars (2 Kings 17:9-17). As a result, they were driven from their land. The king of Assyria brought men from various nations, including Babylon, to inhabit the land from which the Israelites had been taken. These also practiced heathenis¬tic rituals and God sent lions among them. Recognising such as the judgement of God, they sent for a man of God to teach them how to fear the Lord. ‘Howbeit every nation made gods of their own” (verses 29-3 1), attempting to worship these gods and the Lord also—a mixture: ‘So”—in this way—”they feared the Lord, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests ….they feared the Lord, and sewed their own gods” (verse 32)!

Mixture was also apparent in the days of the Judges when a Levite priest who claimed to speak the word of the Lord, served in a ‘house of gods,” and was called by the title “father” (Judges 17:5-13). At the time of Ezekiel, an idol had been placed right at the entrance of the Jerusalem temple. Priests offered incense to false gods which were pictured upon the walls. Women wept for Taxnmuz and men worshipped the sun at dawn from the temple area (Ezekiel 8). Some even sacrificed their children and ‘when they had slain their children to their idols,” God said ‘then they came the same day into my sanctuary” (Ezekiel 23:38,39).

Jeremiah’s message was directed to people who claimed to “worship the Lord” (Jer. 7:2), but who had mixed In paganistic rites. “Behold,” God said, “ye trust in lying words that cannot profit. Ye…burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods and …make cakes to the queen of heaven …and come and stand before me in this house” (verses 8-18). Considering these numerous Biblical examples, It Is clear that God Is not pleased with worship that Is a mixture. As Samuel preached, “If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth [the pagan mother worship] from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the Lord, and serve him only: and he will deliver you” (1 Sam. 7:3).

We should remember that Satan does not appear as a monster with horns, a long tall, and a pitchfork. Instead, he appears as an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). As Jesus warned about “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matt. 7:15), so in numer¬ous instances the paganism that was disguised in the outer garments of Christianity became a mixture that has de¬ceived millions. It was like removing the warning label from a bottle of poison and substituting a peppermint candy label in Its place—the contents are deadly just the same. No matter how much we may dress It up on the outside, paganism Is deadly. True worship must be “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24)—not pagan error.

Because of the clever ways that paganism was mixed with Christianity, the Babylonish influence became hidden—a mystery—”mystery Babylon.” But as a detective gathers clues and facts in order to solve a mystery, so in this book we have presented many Biblical and historical clues as evi¬dence. Some of these clues may have seemed insignificant at first glance or when taken alone. But when the full picture Is seen, they fit together and conclusively solve the mystery of Babylon—ancient and modern! Over the centuries God has called his people out of the bondage of Babylon. Still today his voice is saying, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins” (Rev. 18:4).

It is a delicate task to write concerning religious subjects about which very fine and sincere people have strong differ¬ences. One wants to speak frankly enough to make a point, yet also to maintain a proper balance, so that in disagreeing he is not needlessly disagreeable. As with any book—cer¬tainly not excluding the Bible Itself—it is Inevitable that some misunderstanding or differences of opinion will result. Some may feel too much has been said, others not enough. Nevertheless, in the words of Pilate, “What I have written I have written.” If the Roman Catholic Church, which claims to never change, is gradually turning from practices which are unscriptural, we can be glad for any progress along the path of truth. If this book has had any part in this trend, we can rejoice.

We believe the true Christian goal is not religion based on mixture, but a return to the original, simple, powerful, and spiritual faith that was once delivered to the saints. No longer entangling ourselves in a maze of rituals and power¬less traditions, we can find the “simplicity that is in Christ,” and rejoice in the “liberty wherewith Christ has made us free” from “bondage” (2 Cor. 11:3: Gal. 5:1). Salvation is not dependent on a human priest, Mary, the saints, or the Pope. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), “Neither is there salvation In any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Let us look to Him who is the Author and Finisher of our faith, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, the Lamb of God, the Captain of our Salvation, the Bread from Heaven, the Water of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Prince of Peace, the King of kings and Lord of lords — JESUS CHRIST.