Religious Evolution

[kellychaos]

There are so many "borrowings" from other cultures that show up Christianity to be a conglomerate of other various culture's religions. In Greek mythology, all land dwellers were seen to be of evil character/traits (Re: Eden and the snake). Cloven-hooved animals were viewed as tricksters and barbarians (Re: Satan, often depicted as cloven-hooved, is the "Father Of Lies"). Hades is entered through an opening in the earth and is a fiery pit of evil(Re: Hell). Gods are high on Mount Olympus (Re: Heaven is in the sky). I can find links to back up my assertions but what's the point when the similarities are so obvious and more than likely something you've noticed before. That's why I named the thread "Religious Evolution" as monotheism seems to be, more or less, a means to compile and streamline many of the same ideas found in polytheistic cultures. How can one degrade the people who once practiced polytheistic theology to a culture of barbarians when they incorporate some of the ideas they ridicule in their very own monotheistic religion?