19.2 Contribution of Damasus
© 2016 Christ Revealed Bible Institute
In Symmorphy I: Purpose you learned the origins of the “image of God” held in the minds of all human beings, an image of the serpent, an anointed cherub, a high heavenly being emanating lights and perfections. That image came from Adam’s agreement with the serpent to trade his title to being what God looks like in return for an outward show of angelic glory, that is, pretending.
Then, in this course, we saw how Constantine modeled that same image at the Council of Nicaea. And we saw how a church, living in and seeing all things out from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, has also imagined a split-God, an image of two very opposing beings.
Creating a Mental Image
The “God” of Christianity, as an image created in the minds of each individual Christian, is a split-apart person, containing dis-associated attributes as defined by the tree of knowledge. This image in the Christian mind does not come out from the Father in them, but rather is constructed entirely by fantasy from bits and pieces of dis-jointed information about “God.” Yet this image is held to fiercely as “God,” as if the image itself is “God.” To attack the fantasy image is, in their minds, an attack against God Himself.
We have seen how Constantine and the Council of Nicaea contributed their bit to this merging of God and the devil into one image, next we want to explore the contributions to that “image” coming from a bishop of Rome, Damasus I.
The Lust for Power
By the mid-fourth century, the bishop of Rome was not yet fully the “pope,” but the drive to assert power over all other bishops certainly filled the ambitions of the Roman bishops.
And, of course, the lust for the power over Christians enjoyed by whoever became the bishop of Rome drew the basest of men grasping for that power. The false image of God always comes out of the lust to control other people. Everyone rejects a God who is meek and lowly of heart, who thinks of others more highly than Himself, who appears only through weakness to serve.
In 366 a bishop of Rome died, leaving power open to be seized.
Damasus I
Damasus I became Bishop of Rome in the midst of violent conflict with rivals, presiding over murder in order to gain that place of power (from the Wikipedia article). Two less notable achievements of Damasus was his role in the victory of Nicene Christianity as the only version of “truth,” and the “veneration,” that is, the deification of “saints.” Damasus had a secretary, a brilliant but bitter man, named Jerome, whom Damasus encouraged in his translation of the Greek New Testament into Latin. But Damasus’ greatest success in merging the image of the serpent with the image of God came in AD 383. And for that we must look at the emperor Gratian.
Emperor Gratian
Gratian ruled from AD 367-383. Although he was constantly involved in war, some say that he devoutly considered himself to be a Christian. Thus Gratian set himself against the remaining elements of paganism remaining in the Roman government. Of course, part of the duties of the emperor was that he was the “pontifex maximus,” that is, the high priest of Roman paganism (from the Wikipedia article). Directed by Ambrose of Milan, Augustine’s teacher, Gratian confiscated all the religious property of the pagans, removed the pagan Senators, and finally renounced his own title of pontifex maximus just before his death in 383.
A Prize to Be Seized
In the mind of Damasus, the casting aside of the crown of high priest of Roman paganism by the emperor was too great of a prize to be left untouched. Thus Damasus seized that title for himself and began the long practice of “baptizing” every element of Roman paganism, including much Egyptian paganism, giving those things “Christian” names and roles and making them part of the Catholic church. The greatest example is changing Jupiter’s name to “Peter,” thus keeping the idol, just making it “Christian.”
So many elements and practices in Roman Catholicism, not at all from the Bible, became Christian in this way.
Pagan Symbols
An important study of the conversion of pagan gods, symbols, and rituals into Christian emblems and practices is The Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop. (The link takes you to an inexpensive Kindle version).
The Cardinals in red robes were the priests of Roman paganism; they are the ones who choose the next Pope. The double-thingy hat the pope wears was the pagan crown, coming out of Egyptian paganism. December 25 was the birthday of Jupiter (now christened “Peter”) and before him, the birthday of Baal. Many Catholic rituals considered to be “Christian” are simply the conversion of Roman pagan rituals.
The Essence of Pagan Worship
One of the most significant symbols of paganism, however, is what is called the “phallic” symbol. That’s a nice way of saying the male sex organ, AND, other than making a momentary graphic point, we will typically use the more refined term.
When you reduce all pagan worship down to its essence, you arrive at the most common idol worshipped in human history. Go to Japan or India or ancient Rome or every church on every street corner of the United States, and you will see that the most replicated “god” of worship is the male penis. All human “worship” reduces down to the basest of momentary power experience.
A Baptist Church
One might argue that today’s evangelical Christians have nothing to do with the excesses of Roman Catholicism. Yet I sat in my car outside a large Baptist church here in the Houston area while my son practiced with his orchestra group considering what it was before me. There were six sun gods on prominent display, that is, the symbol of the sun god out of Egypt. And every person entering through the front doors of this “Christian” church was forced to walk beneath a towering phallic symbol as they entered.
Why do our brethren spend so much money in order to reproduce the gods of paganism in their churches?
Obedience to Damasus
Our brethren embrace pagan idols in obedience to Damasus I. (Of course, one of the darkest of pagan practices does not come to us from Roman Catholicism, but rather from British Druidism, the ghastly practice of calling on demons to grant a wish just before blowing out the fires on a birthday cake.)
Now, let me place our view of all these practices our brethren engage in – as Jesus said, “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Paul had no problem eating meat offered to idols, even though James and all the others called it “sin.” We rejoice in people and what they do – all things are lawful for us – we are free in God, we just want to stay free of control.
No Big Deal
If I were alone, December 25 would be no different to me than any other day, no big deal. Because I have a family, we enjoy Christmas time along with our fellow Christians, no big deal.
In Christ, we are free; Christ is living as us. Yet we are not unwise. We know the root and the source of these things, and we do not make any inordinate use or “worship” of them. We fellowship Christ with Christ; we have little regard for outward trappings, though we bless our brethren in what is important to them, as Paul instructed.
Symbols Rule
You are most likely aware of all these things, however. The question before us is how does Damasus’s wickedness (he was sainted later on!) contribute to the merging of God and Satan in the imaging of the Christian mind?
The Vigilant Citizen has a quote at the top of his site, attributed to Confucius, that states the following. “Symbols Rule the World, Not Words Nor Laws” There is some validity to that claim, primarily in the conditioning of the minds of children. Humans, and particularly children, are impressed by what they see far more than what they hear or read.
Replacing Christ
Laws become important only when you are caught. But symbols, simple pictures that enter the mind visually, insignia that fills the world in which a child grows up, these things direct the mind to follow prescribed pathways. IN Christ, nothing we encounter in this world is a problem. But much in this world prevents the minds of most from ever seeing Christ, let alone seeing themselves entirely IN Him. The problem is the replacing of Christ, the turning of the mind down pathways of not knowing the good words of Christ always sustaining all. And a “God” ruled by the symbols of this world is a split-image “God” in the minds of our brethren.
A God of Love
Some claim that God as presented in the Old Testament contributes to this split-image Christians hold in their minds. I do not agree. The God of the Old Testament is a God of love and kindness. Sure, He gets frustrated and emotional when people abuse and hurt people. God is very emotional, just like us, that’s why He calls us His image and likeness.
If you see some filthy pervert sexually abusing a little girl, your own daughter, would you be angry? Would you take direct violent action? God takes action regarding His people for the same reasons. It’s called love.
A Veil
The reason why anyone gets a false idea of God from the Old Testament is clearly stated by Paul. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away (2 Cor. 3:15-16). I see a God of love all through the Old Testament, and have always done so, because I see only through the eyes of Christ.
And this portrays exactly the point I am reaching for. What do you see through? It’s not a question of “What do you see,” but first a question of “What do you see through?”
Seeing Through
Consider a child who SEES a phallic symbol above him or her every time they walk into the church service. They are conditioned to see all things through such symbols.
Occultists of today make the claim that they obtain power when people use occultic symbols, regardless of the reasons for their use. In other words, Satanists claim that when Christians put a tree in their home and decorate it, that act gives them power. Whether that is true or not, I don’t know, but it is evident that occultic symbols and practices fill our world everywhere we look. Again, a study of the articles at www.vigilantcitizen.com proves that reality true.
How People See
But this IS true. The symbols that fill our world DO rule how people see everything. Everyone looks through the images first before they see the thing they think they are looking at. Those images skew and alter the flow of light, and thus give a false meaning to what the viewers think they are seeing.
This is part of how the image of “God” in the minds of our brethren, and in our own minds in the past, is skewered and shaded and colored by the symbols through which we look. And for most, those symbols are some aspect of the serpent in the garden.
Thus the image of God and the image of the serpent are merged in their eyes creating for them a split-soul “super-God” looking very much like Constantine the Great.