While The Da Vinci Code contains many outright fabrications about the history of Christianity, it does contain a few shocking statements that are true. The following quotes from pages 232 and 233 summarize how mainstream Christianity became contaminated with pagan traditions, and help explain how confused people are when they assume all “Christian” practices originated in the Bible.
“In 325 A.D., he [the Roman Emperor Constantine] decided to unify Rome under a single religion … Historians still marvel at the brilliance with which Constantine converted the sun-worshipping pagans to Christianity. By fusing pagan symbols, dates, and rituals into the growing Christian tradition, he created a kind of hybrid religion that was acceptable to both parties.
“The vestiges of pagan religion in Christian symbology are undeniable. Egyptian sun disks became the halos [in religious art] … The pre-Christian God Mithras … [had his birthday celebrated] on December 25 … Even Christianity's weekly holy day was stolen from the pagans … Originally … Christianity honored the Jewish Sabbath of Saturday, but Constantine shifted it to coincide with the pagans' veneration [of the] day of the sun … To this day, most churchgoers attend services on Sunday morning with no idea that they are there on account of the pagan sun god's weekly tribute— Sunday. “
Shocking, but all true! To learn more, request or download our free booklet The Church Jesus Built. GN