For thousands of years man have fought one another in the name of their diety, their god, their religion. Here in the Bible Belt, we Pagans live in the shadow of the overall Christian ideals of the land. But what many of our Christian and Catholic counterparts are unaware of, or choose not to be aware of, are the comparable nuances between the pagans and their own beliefs.
Take for example, the adaptations Christians have taken for their own usages. These came to be in the time of Constantine, when the Romans would taken what is pagan and make them Christian. Wedding rings stems from paganism, however now are used universally for marriages. Robes, chants, temples, the "Christmas" tree, the "Easter" bunny, etc... these all have origins in pre-Christian times, the norm for pagans, however are now seen as Christian.
Mythology also has similiarities. Let's take a look at Heracles/Hercules (Greek/Roman). This mythological figure went to Hera's orchard, the Garden of Hesperites to steal the forbidden apples. Just like Adam & Eve, who went into the Garden of Eden, they disobeyed God and ate from the tree with the forbidden apples. This was Hercules' 11th Labor. His final Labor is similar to that of Jesus, self-sacrifice. Rather than a crucifiction at the hands of the Romans, Hercules burned himself of his mortal self and went to be with the gods.
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