THE PAGAN ORIGIN OF ROSARY BEADS
PRAYER BEADS - OR - ROSARY BEADS
The Pagan Roots
of "Prayer Beads"
Rosary beads come in all shapes, colors, sizes and
quality.Some rosaries are strung with pearl, crystal,
wood and even plastic. But where did the ritual of
the rosary come from? And what exactly is the
significance of rosary beads?
The rosary in simplest terms is said to be a tool
used to aid prayer and meditation. The beads of a
rosary count the prayers as they are recited out loud
or in the mind. The user relies on the rosary beads
to keep track of how many times you’ve said a
particular prayer.
"Most commonly recognized in the United States
as a symbol of Catholicism, other religions including
Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism and Islam employ
rosary beads as well."
-The Meaning of Rosary Beads
What Do Rosary Beads Symbolize?
By Jessica Ciosek
"Prayer beads, or prayer rosaries, are really
another form of the "witch's ladder," a knotted
rope or cord used to count repetitions during
a spell or ritual. Praying with beads is a spiritual
practice with a long history in most of the world's
religions."
-Sacred Mists Shoppe
Janet Farrar & Gavin Bone
"prayer beads originated with the Hindu faith.
Using beads for devotions dates to the 8th century BC
in the cult of Shiva. In India sandstone sculptures,
statues ca 185 BC, show Hindus with prayer beads.
The names of Hindu gods and prayers are repeated
on stringed beads, called mala, separated by larger
or different colored beads."
-A HISTORY OF PRAYING ON BEADS
Patricia A. Dilley
"Hindu converts kept their traditional use of
prayer beads. Buddhist monks always carry a strand
of prayer beads, or rosary, usually of 108 beads."
-A HISTORY OF PRAYING ON BEADS
Patricia A. Dilley
Prayer beads are used by : Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims,
and Catholics among others.
"Often, when religions sought converts,
they allowed them to retain some of their
pagan ways: ceremonial garb, heathen rituals
and traditions; in order to add to their numbers.
This led to spiritual pollution."
-A HISTORY OF PRAYING ON BEADS
Patricia A. Dilley
"Before the 12th century, rosaries were used for
talismans (amulet or occult charms). Rosaries and
prayer beads were intended by the catholic church
hierarchy, for use by the ignorant."
-A HISTORY OF PRAYING ON BEADS
Patricia A. Dilley
"Pagans had used prayer beads even before the
8th century before CHRIST, and they still use
them today."
-A HISTORY OF PRAYING ON BEADS
Patricia A. Dilley
The Bible warns us against use of prayer beads -
Matthew 6:7 says - "But when ye pray, use not vain
repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that
they shall be heard for their much speaking.
"And when you pray, do not...repeat the same
words over and over as the Gentiles (pagans) do,
for they think they will be heard for their much
speaking."
(Matthew 6:7)(AMP)-BibleGateway
"But when praying, do not say the same things
over and over again, just as the people of the
nations do, for they imagine they will get a
hearing for their use of many words."
(Matthew 6:7)(NWT)
