Ангелы и демоны

Chapter 61

           It’sthatwonderfultimeofyearwhenthesunreturns,andthedaysstartgettinglonger."

           Langdontookanotherbiteofapple.

           "Conqueringreligions,"hecontinued,"oftenadoptexistingholidaystomakeconversionlessshocking.It’scalledtransmutation.Ithelpspeopleacclimatizetothenewfaith.Worshiperskeepthesameholydates,prayinthesamesacredlocations,useasimilarsymbology…andtheysimplysubstituteadifferentgod."

           Nowthegirlinfrontlookedfurious."You’reimplyingChristianityisjustsomekindof…repackagedsunworship!"

           "Notatall.Christianitydidnotborrowonlyfromsunworship.TheritualofChristiancanonizationistakenfromtheancient‘god-making’riteofEuhemerus.Thepracticeof‘god-eating’—thatis,HolyCommunion—wasborrowedfromtheAztecs.EventheconceptofChristdyingforoursinsisarguablynotexclusivelyChristian;theself-sacrificeofayoungmantoabsolvethesinsofhispeopleappearsintheearliesttraditionoftheQuetzalcoatl."

           Thegirlglared."So,isanythinginChristianityoriginal?"

           "Verylittleinanyorganizedfaithistrulyoriginal.Religionsarenotbornfromscratch.Theygrowfromoneanother.Modernreligionisacollage…anassimilatedhistoricalrecordofman’squesttounderstandthedivine."

           "Um…holdon,"Hitzrotventured,soundingawakenow."IknowsomethingChristianthat’soriginal.HowaboutourimageofGod?ChristianartneverportraysGodasthehawksungod,orasanAztec,orasanythingweird.ItalwaysshowsGodasanoldmanwithawhitebeard.

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