Originally posted by Walls:
Is it pleasing to God to observe pagan names and their origins?
I have been questioned extensively on this subject because I change my calendar to read 1st month, 2nd month, 1st day, 2nd day and so on intstead of using January, February, Sunday, Monday. Same calendar just without the pagan names. Funny that it is such an object of discussion, isn't it proper and acceptable to write the date as 1/12/03 for example? Why would it be so unbelievable to leave out the pagan names?
Actually, I have a very dear friend who's birth name was Diana and she was so convicted of the pagan origin of her name that she changed it to something more God honoring.
We are studying Baptist origins in church and one thing the pastor said is that God is picky when it comes to names. He named John; the Baptist, Abram; Abraham, Jacob; Israel, Saul; Paul.
What do you think God thinks about the use of names? Is it important to Him? Is it something we should concern ourselves with? I think so, otherwise the name of this board should be changed to something more pagan, don't you think?
If we trace most things back they will inevitably come from or pass through pagan societies.
Even neck ties that men wear today have their origins in being warn to ward off evil spirits.
It is how we use it, not the origin that matters.
For instance, if I name my daughter Diana because I want to honor the pagan God Diana then that would be wrong. But if I name my daughter Diana because I think it is nice sounding girl name and it is not to honor the pagan goddess diana than there is nothing wrong with that.
You know the Bible tells us about spending too much time in these petty things:
"3As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4
nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work--which is by faith."
I Timothy 1:3(NIV)
Don't get me wrong, I love church history. There is a place for that, but when a Pastor stands up at a pulpit ranting each week about Baptist History and what names people have rather than preaching the Gospel and how to live the Christian life he has lost his focus.
I was a member of a Baptist Bride church, and fortunately the Pastor their was more balanced and did not spend all his time on it. But some of his Baptist friends who came to preach did - I a got a good idea of how they spend their time.
Jesus Christ himself used pagan names to in his speach:
Luke 16:19-24(NIV)
"19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell[Greek - 'Hades'], where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'"
The Greek word hades was well known in his day. 'hades' was universally known as the realm of the dead.
Do you know what the origin of the word hades was? It came from Greek mythology, where the god Hades was Lord of the Dead. Thus it refered not only to the realm of the dead, but to the god who was in charge of the dead.
Was Jesus wrong for using this word with pagan origins?
And this is only one instance where it was used, there are others as well.
I a look forward to your answer.
IFBReformer
