Irrational Fear

You know, one concern that I hear about is that Christians want to force other people into being Christians. One very funny comedienne, Maria Bamford, said something similar to this about the Bush administration being re-elected "Well... at least I know what I'll be doing for the next four years... walking through the nuclear holocaust on my way to my new mandatory Bible Study". In the Secular Humanist Bastion of New York City there was a conference of CONCERN about what to DO about the Religious Right called "Examining the REAL Agenda of the Religious Far Right". It seems that the Secularist left is trying to infuse the public with fear by spinning silly and outlandish conspiracy theories about Christians forcing Theocracy on people. It seems the unsuspecting moderate secularists attending the conference are so unfamiliar with Christianity that they are buying the propaganda these Human Secularist extremists are selling them (literally, at $75-$85 a pop for the entire conference). The Roman Empire forced people into Christianity after they got tired of feeding us Christians to lions... and it actually didn't work out too well for us Christians (although, admittedly it was better than being fed to lions).

Forced Christianization of the Roman Empire did not produce great results. The result of this was actually quite destructive to Christianity. The result was syncretization. What is syncretization?

Syncretization of Christianity is when people use the forms and symbols of Christendom, but still practice their own religion under the guise of Christianity.

"In the first century after Christ, His devotees carried the gospel all over the known world. Christianity was embraced by millions. It conquered even the pagan Roman world. Rival religions paled before it. Pagan religions collapsed before it...

Unfortunately, Christianity succumbed to a malignant temptation that turned the conquerors into the conquered.

Having overcome pagan superstitions of the past, Christianity began to absorb certain traditions which the apostles found detestable. In Rome, most of it began by the worship of images, ...and adaptation of pagan feast days, which diluted Christianity.

Satan had devised a ploy to destroy the Christian faith. The first step was to do it from within by corruption. Prophetically Paul had written, 'After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, ...speaking perverse things' (Acts 20:29,30)." (from "The Islamic Faith Compared with the Christian Faith")

Temples devoted to the Worship of Dionysus became Churches of the Blessed Mary. The Temples of Bacchus became Churches of St. Peter. Pagan rituals became part of the Church and the two become intertwined. Instead of relying on the power of Christ these new "Churches" settled for "having a form of godliness but denying its power" (2 Timothy 3:5) and the Bible says "Have nothing to do with them".

When Constantine’s son Theodious (379-395 AD) made all other religions besides Christianity illegal, forcing Christianity upon people. This only brought Paganism into the Church and corroded it from within.

The corruption of the Church began by absorbing Pagan principals into Christianity:
"The people of the Empire had long been accustomed to worshipping the many gods of Rome as well as those imported from conquered lands. In times of trial or to obtain a particular blessing, they would seek the patronage of a particular deity who specialized in their area of need. When the pagan religions were outlawed, the people lost their supernatural benefactors.

Before Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, tens of thousands of adherents to [Christianity] had been martyred, most in unspeakably horrible ways. Christians honored these 'dead in Christ' and venerated then through the long-standing cult of the dead. Many of these 'saints' were associated with miraculous healings and other supernatural wonders. It was but a simple matter to incorporate them into vacancies in the pantheon of outlawed pagan gods. These 'saints' assumed the roles of patrons for the various endeavors and concerns of the masses. And thus began the paganization of Christianity. No longer were God the Father and Christ the Son the principle focus of worship, now Mary and, to a lesser degree, the various 'saints,' began to increasingly occupy the spiritual energies of those now calling themselves 'Christians.' " ("How Mary Came to Be a Goddess")

Christians... especially fundamental Bible believing Christians do not wish to absorb more Paganism into the teachings of Christ. We don't wish to assimilate other religions into ours. We're not the boogeymen the Human Secularist extremists try to make people of faith out to be. We do not want Christianity by force. That is a misconception that is frequently perpetrated. There's no need to have fake Christians or false teachers come into Christianity. I'm sure we have enough already.