While Christianity looks down upon pagan religions, we should note that Christian theology and philosophy relies heavily on Plato, Aristotle and Plotinus, who were pagan philosophers. The philosophy, medicine and science of both Christianity and Islam has a pagan Greek basis from which came modern science and most of modern European intellectual culture, art and poetry.

Science and its empiricism developed from a pagan basis, reflecting the concern of indigenous traditions with understanding of the world of Nature. Hence it may not be surprising that the keys to a spiritual science can be found within these same pagan traditions. In this regard the resurrection of Greek and other pre-Christian religions of Europe is an important part of the spiritual awakening today.

Christian and Islamic mysticism has also maintained connections with the pagan mystical traditions of the Hindus, Egyptians, Greeks and Persians. Pagan cultures thus are not simply primitive but capable of great spiritual, philosophical, and scientific sophistication.

On the other hand, the non-pagan beliefs have been noted, particularly in the Middle Ages, for oppression of art, science, and mysticism, destruction of libraries and colleges and an anti-learning attitude which has not aided in the unfoldment of true knowledge for humanity.

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