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“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14
Paul brings in the cross worship in his writings.
The Cross was used by many ancient civilisations e.g. the Egyptians, the Chaldeans (the Babylonians), Greeks and Romans. It comes in many forms. The cross is a representation of the Sun gods (Tammuz, Mithra etc.)
Egyptologist Sir John G. Wilkinson states that the Egyptians “frequently had a small cross suspended to a necklace, or to the collar of their dress.” 143
Early Christian apologist (writer, defender) Minicius Felix stated: “Crosses, moreover, we Christians neither venerate nor wish for. You indeed who consecrate gods of wood venerate wooden crosses, perhaps as parts of your gods. For your very standards, as well as your banners, and flags of your camps, what are they but crosses gilded and adorned? Your victorious trophies not only imitate the appearance of a simple cross, but also that of a man affixed to it.” 144
Baptism was a pagan ritual performed by the above ancient civilisations. 145
The Church teaches that if someone is not baptised with water, they will not be able to enter heaven. 146 There is no mention of this in the bible.
During the ritual (of water being poured on head or full water immersion) a cross was marked on their foreheads.147 The Christian ritual mimic a pagan ritual. 109
Early church writer Tertullian states in the early third century:
“The Devil, whose business it is to pervert the truth, mimics the exact circumstances of the Divine Sacraments in the Mysteries of Mithras. He himself baptizes some, that is to say, his believers and followers; he promises forgiveness of sins from the Sacred Fount and thereby initiates them into the religion of Mithras; … he brings in the symbol of the Resurrection, and wins the crown with the sword.” 83
“Some scholars have claimed the apostle Paul was essentially a devotee of Greek mystery religions, that we cannot understand the New Testament without understanding the language of the mystery religions. Hardly anyone would now agree.” from Article from “Worshipping like pagans?” www.Christianitytoday.com 83
Besides Mithraism, some sects of Buddhism have a baptism ritual.
Ernst De Bunsen states: “The Buddhists in Thibet have a water-baptism, Tuisol, preceded by confession of sins.” He then states “In a Chinese life of Buddha we read that, ' living at Vaisali, Buddha delivered the baptism which rescues from life and death, and confers salvation.'” 148
According to the Encyclopaedia of Hinduism, the water in the river ranges has the power to remove your sins. It is a custom for Hindus to flock to the river Ganges and pour some of the river water on themselves or fully immerse themselves in the river. 113
Scholar R. Robinson states that ancient Egyptian priests initiated candidates into the pagan religion of Isis by bathing candidates in water. 145
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